Big 12 Gymnastics Week 2 Recap: Oklahoma pushing 198 as teams settle in

This past weekend was filled with anticipation and excitement as the Big 12 gymnastics season is now in full swing. Remarkable displays of talent have unfolded as spectators get a closer look at what new and returning gymnasts have to offer.

Keep reading for a recap of all the Big 12 action in Week 2.

#21 Iowa State @ Penn State

Final score: Penn State: 196.625, Iowa State: 196.150

Friday evening, Iowa State fell short against Penn State with a 196.150 to the Nittany Lions’ 196.625. The Cyclones were also schedule to take part in the historic MLK Day Invitational on Monday, but the meet was canceled due to inclement weather.

Although the Cyclones didn’t come out on top in their first road meet, the team improved on its team total from Week 1 and surpassed the 196 threshold.

“This team showed tremendous growth,” head coach Ashley Miles Greig said. “They showed this preseason that we put in the work. This team came out tonight and showed plenty of grit. We have many more opportunities to continue to build. To go 196 … that is not even a fraction of what this team is capable of.”

The top score of the meet came from freshman Noelle Adams (9.900) on vault. Senior Laura Cooke led on bars (9.850), and junior Hannah Loyim received a career high with her tally of 9.825. Loyim also led on beam with a 9.850. Senior Kaia Parker earned the top score on floor and tied her career high with a 9.875.

West Virginia @ Illinois quad meet

Final score: Illinois: 196.500, Western Michigan: 196.000, West Virginia: 195.000, UW-Oshkosh: 192.475

The West Virginia Mountaineers placed third at their first quad meet of the season and improved on their Week 1 total, going 195.000. The team took a trip to Illinois to face the No. 21 Fighting Illini (196.500), Western Michigan (196.0), and UW-Oshkosh (192.475).

The Mountaineers started on floor, where freshman Jurnee Lane had a team-leading 9.85 as the squad put up its highest event total of the meet with a 48.900.

On vault, fifth-year senior Abbie Pierson tied for first with a score of 9.850. She was also second in the all-around with a 39.175 as the only Mountaineer gymnast to compete on all four events.

Sophomore Emma Wehry earned a career-high 9.875 with her bars routine and also led the way on balance beam (9.875), securing third place with another career high.

#1 Oklahoma @ Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad

Final score: Oklahoma: 197.900, LSU: 197.150, UCLA: 197.100, Utah: 196.975

The Oklahoma Sooners took first place with a spectacular score of 197.900 during the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on Saturday against fellow powerhouses No. 5 LSU (197.150), No. 12 UCLA (197.100), and No. 2 Utah (196.975).

The Sooners started with vault (49.450), where freshman Hannah Scheible set a career high of 9.925 to set the tone for the team on the event.

Moving to bars, senior Audrey Davis performed a marvelous routine with near-perfect Higgins turn and dismounted with a double front half to finish with a score of 9.975. Davis also came in second in the all-around with a 39.625.

Junior Jordan Bowers displayed a confident and pristine routine on beam with a 9.950, sharing the event title.

To close out the meet, sophomore Faith Torrez had an impressive showing on floor as she competed a double layout en route to a 9.925. Senior Soraya Hawthorne also debuted with a 9.825.

In sad news, it was announced Sunday that junior Danae Fletcher’s season is over due to injury.

#19 BYU @ Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad & Best of Utah

Collegiate Quad final score: California: 197.875, Michigan State: 196.725, BYU: 196.100, NC State: 195.675

The BYU Cougars finished third (196.100) at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on Saturday evening against No. 6 California (197.875), No. 14 Michigan State (196.725), and NC State (195.675).

Starting off on beam, fifth-year senior Elease Rollins had the top score for the Cougars with a 9.900. Senior Allix Mason earned the BYU MVP for the night with a score of 9.850 on beam and 9.825 on bars.

Achieving a 9.850 on floor in the second rotation, freshman Kylie Eaquinto was one of three gymnasts who earned career highs on the event. Redshirt sophomore Olivia Matern (9.800) and junior Mina Margraf (9.800) were the other two gymnasts with personal bests.

On vault, senior Sydney Benson led with a 9.875 for the second week in a row. Benson’s Yurchenko helped push the team’s vault total over the 49 mark (49.025).

With uneven bars as the final event of the night, fifth-year Anyssa Alvarado led the team with a 9.850 before senior Anna Bramblett’s 9.825 to conclude the meet. Bars was the low point of the Cougars’ performance, with the team going 48.925.

Best of Utah final score: Utah: 197.725, BYU: 195.775, Southern Utah: 194.000, Utah State: 193.600

On Monday, BYU took on Utah, Southern Utah, and Utah State in the fifth annual Best of Utah meet. It was the team’s second time competing in three days after participating in the Collegiate Quad on Saturday.

The Cougars took second place overall with a 195.775 to start the week off. Utah took first place (197.725). The MVP of the night went to Bramblett as she earned a career-high score with a 9.875 on bars.

Freshman Brynlee Andersen clenched a career-high score of her own (9.900) on beam. There were three sets of 9.825 on floor from Eliza Millar-Crossman, Eaquinto, and junior Sophie Dudley to notch the team’s only score of 49+ at the meet with a 49.075.

BYU concluded on vault, where freshman Ava Jorgensen scored her second straight 9.800 on the event.

Arizona State @ #6 Denver

Final score: Denver: 196.900 – Arizona State: 196.375

The Denver Pioneers took home a win (196.900) against the Arizona Sun Devils (196.375) on Sunday.

Starting on vault, senior Rosie Casali led the team with a 9.850, helping the Pioneers achieve a 49.025 on the event. Senior Riley Mundell won bars with a 9.950. On beam, a lineup change put Mundell in the No. 4 spot (9.725), replacing Casali, but the leading score was from senior Bella Mabanta (9.900).

Ending on floor, senior Jessica Hutchinson received the top score of the meet with a 9.925. She also won the all-around with a 39.475, with freshman Madison Ulrich coming in a close second with a 39.400.

Denver’s top events this week were bars (49.350) and beam (49.375).