Oklahoma Sooners Reclaim NCAA Gymnastics Glory in Fort Worth
April 19, 2025, was a day of triumph and redemption for the Oklahoma Sooners, as they clinched the NCAA women’s gymnastics title in Fort Worth, Texas. The victory was a sweet return to form after a year of reflection and determination following their early exit from the 2024 championships. With a final score of 198.0125, the Sooners edged out UCLA by 0.4 points, marking their third NCAA team title in four years and their seventh since 2014.
Head coach K.J. Kindler and her team had spent 366 days reflecting on their previous shortcomings, facing criticism and doubt. Yet, as Kindler emphasized, the theme for the year was not redemption. “Our theme wasn’t redemption this year at all,” she stated. “We did our best to put it behind us. It just was following us everywhere and so it was almost impossible. Every time you look in the rearview mirror, it was just there.”
Despite the past, the Sooners were determined to focus on the present. “And so does it make it sweet? Yes, but this team was capable of this last year. We just failed. And people fail all the time. They fail every day. And we talk about [it] all the time that the glory is in getting back up again,” Kindler added.
Setting the Stage for Victory
The Sooners began their meet on the balance beam, setting a strong tone for the competition. Freshman Lily Pederson, who had stumbled during the semifinals, delivered a stellar performance with a 9.9375 score. With six gymnasts competing on each event and the top five scores counting, Oklahoma didn’t have to include any score below 9.90. Their 49.6125 tied them with UCLA, who opened on the floor, for the early lead.
From there, Oklahoma took control, establishing a .300 lead over the Bruins by the halfway mark. “We did exactly what we do at the gym every single day,” said fifth-year senior Audrey Davis. “We didn’t change it, we didn’t try and be different. We went out there and we did our gymnastics. We left it all out on the floor, we really did. We ended on empty.”
Celebration and Triumph
As the Sooners completed their third rotation on vault, their lead extended, and the team was seen dancing in anticipation of their final event. The last rotation on uneven bars felt like a victory lap, with the team waiting to celebrate until the final scores were posted. Despite strong performances by UCLA on beam, including 9.9375 scores by Jordan Chiles and Emma Malabuyo, the Bruins couldn’t close the gap.
UCLA’s second-place finish was their best result since 2019, with Chiles achieving the highest all-around score of 39.7750. Meanwhile, Missouri’s last-minute score inquiry pushed them to third place, their best-ever result, while Utah finished fourth. The contrast in emotions was evident as Utah’s team appeared tearful during the trophy presentation, while Oklahoma celebrated with a “Boomer Sooner” chant and danced to DJ Khaled’s “All I Do Is Win.”
Looking Back and Moving Forward
The 2024 season’s disappointment served as a powerful motivator for Oklahoma. Despite being ranked No. 1 for much of the regular season, the Sooners considered themselves “underdogs” and felt they had something to prove. Their semifinal elimination last year, due to landing errors on vault, was a memory they were eager to overcome. “After advancing, and we got to today, we were free,” Davis said. “We had no weight on our shoulders. We were free to do our best gymnastics.”
Senior Jordan Bowers, who won the individual all-around title, echoed this sentiment. “We were all very present, too. I would say that’s something our coaches have really talked to us about, especially this weekend, [just] being present and not thinking too far ahead or in the past.”
With this victory, Oklahoma ties with UCLA for third all-time in team championships, trailing only Georgia and Utah. Although they will lose key seniors like Davis, Bowers, and Danielle Sievers, the team remains a strong contender for the 2026 title. They will return several star underclassmen, including junior Faith Torrez and Pederson. Additionally, Danae Fletcher announced her return for a fifth year after recovering from two ACL tears.
Originally Written by: D’Arcy Maine
