There was a stark difference in No. 1 Oklahoma's (14-0, 2-0 Big 12) lineup in its 197.650-196.000 win over No. 25 Stanford (3-10) in the annual Perfect 10 Challenge at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City on Friday night.
For the first time in 2020, senior Maggie Nichols was not in the lineup for a single event after spraining her ankle in practice earlier in the week, and following the contest OU head coach K.J. Kindler gave no timetable for her return.
Fortunately for Kindler, her team passed its first test without Nichols with flying colors thanks to the efforts of some of Oklahoma's future stalwarts.
It all began on vault, where sophomore Olivia Trautman notched a perfect 10, her first on the event in her career, and her second perfect mark in the Perfect 10 Challenge in as many years.
Trautman had only vaulted in OU's previous two meets entering Friday night's competition after working through a foot injury early in the season, making her speedy return to perfection all the more impressive.
"She did a lot of trampoline as a youth, and honestly her air awareness is beyond awesome," Kindler said, "And so when you come back and you're feeling good, and you can see it, and you know where it is you can stick it any time."
Trautman's hot start set the tone for more great performances. Junior Anastasia Webb pitched in a 9.975 on the event to help give the Sooners an early cushion. Then on bars, Oklahoma forged ahead thanks to freshman Ragan Smith and senior Jade Degouveia's 9.95s.
On beam, Webb and Smith took center stage, notching 9.925s to extend OU's edge, and the duo once again propelled the Sooners on floor with a 9.9 and a 9.975 respectively, as the pair tied for the all-around crown with a 39.650.
It was business as usual for the Sooners, as they won the Perfect 10 Challenge for the seventh consecutive year following its launch in 2012, doing so without their leader, and instead with key contributions from gymnasts like Trautman, Webb and Smith who will need to continue to deliver down the road.
Ultimately, Friday was a night of growth for the Sooners, and also a time where they showed resiliency as several athletes continued to deal with respiratory issues. Once the colds go away, Kindler expects the scores to rise.
"I think that we really need to get healthier," Kindler said. "I think we definitely need to take some time to rest a bit."
Kindler admitted that Nichols' scores definitely left a hole in the lineup, but she believes her team's dominant victory without its captain is crucial for the seasons to come.
OU will have to win without Nichols next year after her departure, and now is the perfect time for other stars to begin their ascent.
"I mean, are we missing those scores? Sure," Kindler said, "But we also have a lot of great people stepping in with some good scores and filling the void. I think that's good for our future."
Kindler also noted that, while Nichols is not in the lineup, her presence will still be felt, serving to propel her teammates as they continue to emerge. Even when not competing, Nichols still has a chance to be a key contributor to OU's success.
"I would think that her impact would be just as great if not greater because she's not in her bubble of competing," Kindler said, "So my guess would be that she should have an even bigger impact on our team on the sideline because of her leadership."
That notion will be put to the test in Oklahoma's next meet against No. 5 Denver at 11:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 29 at the Lloyd Noble Center.
