The Oklahoma Sooners women’s gymnastics team is set to kick off their 2025 season with a bang at the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic in Nashville, Tennessee. This highly anticipated meet will feature the top-ranked Sooners competing against No. 17 Auburn, No. 23 Nebraska, and BYU.
The event is scheduled for January 4th at 5:15 p.m. CT and promises to be a thrilling start to the season.
With an impressive track record and a roster full of talent, the Sooners are poised to make a significant impact in their new league, the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The Sooners’ Strong Start
Under the expert guidance of head coach K.J. Kindler, the Oklahoma Sooners have established themselves as a dominant force in collegiate gymnastics.
The 2025 squad returns 17 routines and welcomes six incredible newcomers, setting the stage for another remarkable season.
Historically, the Sooners have been formidable in season openers, boasting a 25-3 all-time record, and have not lost their opening meet since 2016.
Head Coach K.J. Kindler: A League of Her Own
K.J. Kindler’s coaching prowess is unparalleled in NCAA gymnastics. She is the only coach in NCAA history to lead two different programs to the NCAA Finals.
In 2006, Kindler’s Iowa State team advanced to the Super Six, and she has guided 12 Oklahoma teams to the finals in her 19 years in Norman.
Among active head coaches, Kindler stands out with multiple NCAA team titles, a feat only matched by Bev Plocki (Michigan, 2021) and Jay Clark (LSU, 2024).
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Transition to the SEC
The 2025 season marks a significant milestone for the Sooners as they transition to the SEC.
While new to the league, Oklahoma is no stranger to SEC competition, having faced four SEC squads in the 2024 regular season.
The Sooners’ impressive record against SEC opponents, 136-26-1 under Kindler, speaks volumes about their readiness for this new challenge.
The 2024 season was a bittersweet farewell to the Big 12, where Oklahoma clinched 15 conference titles, including 14 under Kindler’s leadership.
A Look Back at the 2024 Season
The Sooners enter the 2025 season after a remarkable yet heartbreaking end to their 2024 campaign.
Despite an undefeated run through regional competition, the team finished sixth at the NCAA Championships.
Standout gymnasts Audrey Davis and Faith Torrez earned individual national championships, with Davis taking the uneven bars title and both sharing the balance beam top spot.
The Sooners also claimed their third consecutive Big 12 Championship with a record-breaking score of 198.950, sweeping the event titles.
Record-Breaking Performances
Oklahoma’s gymnastics program has a history of setting high standards.
The Sooners have posted 75 scores of 198 or better in program history, with 67 of those since 2016.
Impressively, 46 of these scores were achieved in road or neutral site competitions.
In the 2024 season alone, the team set a national record with 12 scores of 198-plus, surpassing their previous records set in 2018, 2022, and 2023.
The Sooners also became the first program to post 11 consecutive marks of 198-plus in a single season.
Consistency in Excellence
The Sooners’ consistency is further highlighted by their streak of 58 meets with a score of 197 or higher in their last 60 meets.
Although their record streak of 45 consecutive meets with a score of 197-plus was snapped at the NCAA Semifinals, the team continued to demonstrate their dominance with 32 scores of 198 or higher during this period.
Scouting the Competition
The upcoming meet in Nashville will see the Sooners face off against formidable opponents:
- Auburn: The Tigers, ranked No. 17 in the WCGA Preseason Coaches Poll, advanced to the NCAA Championships last season, finishing third in the second round of the Berkeley Regional. This meet will be the first of two encounters between the Sooners and Tigers, with another scheduled for February in conference action.
- Nebraska: The Huskers, opening the season at No. 23, also made it to the NCAA Championships, concluding their season with a third-place finish in the second round. Nebraska returns 16 athletes, including First-Team All-Big Ten recipient Emma Spence and Second-Team All-Big Ten member Sophia McClelland.
- BYU: The Cougars, ranked No. 27 in the preseason poll, boast a trio of athletes named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team. Sophomore Brynlee Andersen earned a spot on the Preseason Beam Team, fifth-year senior Anna Bramblett-Wilde on the Preseason Bars Team, and senior Sophie Dudley on the Preseason Floor Team.
Looking Ahead
After the season opener in Nashville, the Sooners will face a top-five battle against No. 2 LSU, No. 4 California, and No. 5 Utah at the Sprouts Farmer’s Market Collegiate Quad. This highly anticipated meet will be broadcast on ABC on January 11th at 2:45 p.m. from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
For the latest updates, follow @OU_WGymnastics on Twitter and Instagram, or like Oklahoma Women’s Gymnastics on Facebook.
As the No. 1 Sooners gear up for their season opener, fans and competitors alike are eager to see how this powerhouse team will perform.
With a blend of seasoned athletes and promising newcomers, Oklahoma is set to make waves in the SEC and beyond. Stay tuned for what promises to be an exhilarating season of women’s gymnastics.
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