The Oklahoma Sooners’ women’s gymnastics program has finally put behind the dark days. The most sought-after NCAA gymnastics program in the country, the Sooners found them in a sticky situation last year, as LSU reigned supreme. Well, just a year later, the Sooners are almost on the verge of clinching the NCAA title. Ranked number 2, the Sooners were perfectly poised to make an impact. Going up against the likes of Alabama, Missouri, and Florida, the task was not easy at all for K.J Kindler and her team. But as they edged out the competition, Kindler not only praised her girls, but also did spare a thought for her rivals. 

Now then, coming to the Sooners, it was an impeccable display of gymnastics. Led by Jordan Bowers and Faith Torrez, the Sooners put up a massive score of 197.550. While outshining the competition, Bowers and Torrez chimed in with scores of 39.7125 and 39.6375, respectively. Bowers emerged as the all-around champion while Torrez followed suit by clinching the number 2 spot. Surely, such a fantastic display of gymnastics has made their head coach extremely happy. And while Kindler was elated for the Sooners, she also heaped praises on Missouri.

As a matter of fact, Missouri finished second with a score of 197. 300. Advancing to the finals, the girls from Missouri were excited about one particular thing. This was the first time they managed to make it to the NCAA finals. And exuding a proper sportsman’s gesture, Kindler gave Missouri their flowers. Recalling the day when she experienced the feelings of making it to the finals for the first time, Kindler said, “I remember that moment myself and I’m getting emotional just thinking about it.” Kindler congratulated the entire team on their impeccable victory. Now, both Kindler and her team will be looking to move on and keep up with the good work in the finals.

Coming back to the Sooners, they are aiming for a seventh national championship. The OU is already the proud winners of the regional title for 15 times straight. They have now also secured 24 consecutive trips to the championship rounds, establishing their mark of dominance. Meanwhile, as Kindler praised the Missouri team, they truly were a spectacle to watch in the semis. Especially, in the manner in which they edged out the heavyweights Florida Gators.

Missouri makes history as the Tigers roar into NCAA final for the first time

In a semifinal showdown packed with powerhouse programs and postseason pressure, it was Missouri that flipped the script at the 2025 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships, edging out Florida by just a tenth to earn its first-ever spot in the Four on the Floor final. A jaw-dropping beam performance by Helen Hu sealed the Tigers’ historic advancement, punctuating a moment years in the making.

Heading into the final rotation of Semifinal I, Missouri clung to a razor-thin lead. It came down to two routines: Riley McCusker on bars for Florida and Helen Hu on beam for Mizzou. Hu, the beam virtuoso who returned this season after a year off, delivered with a near-perfect 9.9875. Her calm presence and technical brilliance proved decisive, vaulting the Tigers to a 197.300 and the Gators out of contention with 197.200. “We knew we had to hit,” Hu said simply after the meet. She added, “That’s all we could control.”

It was a moment of redemption for Oklahoma too, who won the session with a 197.550 to punch their ticket back to the final after last year’s vault collapse. But the spotlight belonged to Missouri — a team once considered a longshot that now stands one meet away from a national title.