“Oh, she’s back.” Even the official Oklahoma Sooners’ handle couldn’t hold itself back from hyping this gymnast. After all, she staged a cinematic comeback in her final year, from missing out on multiple meets this season to helping the Oklahoma Sooners to a gigantic score in the NCAA finals. But that’s hardly new. Because this seasoned athlete is used to pulling off the unbelievable. After all, she has had one of the most unconventional starts in the sport.

Danielle Sievers, her name must surely ring a bell. In January 2025, she announced, “Fav time of the year,” on her social media. Well, what better than kicking off a potential 3rd victory chance for an already 2x NCAA champ? In 2022, she won the first NCAA title with the Oklahoma Sooners and called it a ‘dream come true.’ 2023 was all about boasting the back-to-back wins. And 2025 left her feeling grateful as she wrote, “some things you just can’t put into words” on social media after the win. But now we finally know what went behind this winning chapter.

On April 24, Keloland.com documented Danielle Sievers’ grit behind her 3rd national team title. “I was mostly focusing on doing everything I could for the team,” she said. Well, agreed. Because why else would a gymnast return from a shin injury mid-season? “It paid off in the end with the title. I was actually able to be All-American on the floor.” That’s incredible, especially since Sievers had only appeared on the floor once in 2024. Even this season, she returned to the apparatus in the first Oklahoma Sooners’ quad meet with a 9.8 and in the Sprouts Farmers Market collegiate meet, where she showed some power tumbling. But then missed 3 meets due to an injury, only to return and limit herself to the bars until March, when she resumed floor action.

So yeah, we can say she fought her floor demons this season. Also, it was Sievers who gave the Oklahoma Sooners a leadoff in the NCAA finals. The beam was the last rotation, and we all know just how strong the Bruins are on this apparatus. But it was Sievers who stuck her full-twisting double tuck in the leadoff spot without a flicker for a 9.865, giving them a starting lead. Her reaction? “I just remember, I’ve never really teared up after anything but just knowing that I ended as well as I could have on that final routine and seeing my teammates and seeing my family in the crowd, it kind of hit me in that moment,” Sievers said.

Yes, after all that back and forth with her injury this season, its only normal for Sievers to have been overwhelmed with the Sooners’ win. Also, since she had her family around, knowing that they have played a major role in shaping her into the gymnast she is today. Particularly, Sievers’ sister. Here’s how her gymnastics career kicked off, better late than never.

This Oklahoma Sooners’ star started off late

Danielle Sievers started the sport when she was 9 (Yes, her journey kicked off a little later than that of most gymnasts), but she was never short on effort. Years before even reaching the NCAA level, she had spent years training at the All-American Gymnastics Academy in Sioux Falls. Imagine: Sievers and her sister would make a nearly two-hour drive multiple days of the week from their hometown to the academy, simply for training. If this isn’t showcasing her grit, we don’t know what will.

But even when she took this call, she ensured that her family life didn’t get all disrupted in the meantime. “My sister decided that if she wanted to be serious about going to do college gymnastics, that we need to make a move,” Sievers said. “Not necessarily like our family was moving, but we needed to move gyms. My parents were willing and wanting to do that for us kids, which we could not be more grateful for.” Today, she says: “I definitely don’t get to go home very much, but when I do, they’re always super supportive and super, super proud.” Her coaches, her family, everything that played a role in her rise started there.

And today, she has managed to be one of the key gymnasts for the Oklahoma Sooners through 3 of their title wins. What do you have to say about this journey?