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'It felt extra special': OU gymnastics' seniors earn win over Arizona State in final regular season home meet

Olivia Trautman

Fifth year Olivia Trautman during the meet against Florida on Mar. 3

 Ray Bahner/OU Daily

Jenna Dunn, Ragan Smith, Allie Stern and Olivia Trautman stepped into the Lloyd Noble Center with their hands locked together.

The 2023 seniors jogged up to the floor, took a bow and were featured under the arena lights.

For Stern, Dunn and Trautman, Sunday’s 198.400-195.925 win over No. 14 Arizona State was their last regular-season meet at the Lloyd Noble Center. Head coach K.J. Kindler officially announced post-meet Ragan Smith will use her COVID-19 season and return next year.

“There actually was extra emotion I think,” Dunn said. “Even though we will be back in the LNC for regionals, it’s not really like our home meet. So, this is the last home meet with the whole crowd and all the banners up and everything. So yeah, it felt extra special.”

After sophomore Danielle Sievers led off the squad with a 9.875, Stern stepped up and delivered her only performance of the night, also scoring a 9.875.

Allie Stern

Fifth year Allie Stern during the meet against No. 5 Utah on Jan. 22

Stern wasn’t even supposed to compete at all in the meet due to a recurring calf strain but thanks to some communication with Kindler, Stern was switched back into the lineup.

“I made the decision not to compete her,” Kindler said. “But then she came in today and told me she was feeling amazing, and I trusted her. She did great.”

Fellow fifth-year Trautman also vaulted for a 9.950 following junior Katherine LeVasseur’s perfect 10. Trautman says this pressure was nothing she isn’t used to as she’s followed up LeVasseur’s stuck vaults before.

“She’s stuck (her landing) before me in the lineup before,” Trautman said. “So, I just stayed within myself, but I also heard the support from all the fans. So, I just did what I know how to do best and just trusted myself.”

The Champlin, Minnesota, native also competed on bars for a 9.950 and fell on beam to result in a 9.250.

Dunn recorded a 9.850 in her only event of the day. During the second rotation of home meets, the Oklahoma City native can be seen running through her routine on the floor in sweats and said this preparation she does before she competes contributes to her consistency.

“It’s mostly just to keep myself warm and sharp, to make sure I’m ready to go when the time comes. It does feel good to finish on a good note.”

Smith also had a great senior day, scoring a pair of 9.975s on beam and floor.

Although the seniors were honored following the meet in a ceremony, they will return home from March 29-April 1 when they host regionals for the second year in a row.

Faith Torrez

Freshman Faith Torrez during the meet against Florida on Mar. 3

Torrez lands beam dismount

Faith Torrez stuck her first beam dismount of the season against the Sun Devils. 

The freshman’s goal all year has been to stick a beam dismount, no matter the variation, and that moment finally came on Sunday.

Kindler said earlier in the season whenever Torrez finally sticks her landing, she’d receive a perfect 10 on the event. While Torrez stuck her dismount, she didn’t get a perfect 10 and instead registered a career-high 9.975.

“That’s what’s gonna happen when Faith sticks her dismount because she’s so great,” Kindler said.

Kindler could see Torrez’ potential to stick the landing after she noticed Torrez stuck all four dismounts she tried in both pre-meet and pre-rotation warmups.

“Honestly the probability of her sticking the one in the meet was probably low,” Kindler said. “But actually, she stuck it and I guess the odds were in her favor. This is a new dismount, she hasn’t done it that many times, it did get better this week in practice, I think everyone can attest to that.”

Torrez also contributed to the second-highest floor rotation score in program history with her 9.950. The freshman is currently the highest-ranked freshman on floor in the nation and is ranked first on the event in the Big 12.

Jordan Bowers

Sophomore Jordan Bowers during the meet against Florida on March 3.

Bowers’ routine change pays off

After she fell on floor against Michigan on March 6, sophomore Jordan Bowers decided to make a change to the composition of her routine. 

In practice following the meet at Michigan, Bowers switched the order of her leaps and tumbling passes.

The change worked, as Bowers posted a 9.950 against Arizona State.

“We also changed her choreography so that she wouldn’t have as much dance between the two passes,” Kindler said. “So I changed some choreography around, took out some music, you know we did a number on it. I think that this will work better for her.”

Despite the fall against Michigan, Bowers is ranked No. 13 nationally on floor and No. 2 in the Big 12 behind Torrez.

The Sooners return to action at the Big 12 Tournament at 6 p.m. on March 18 in Morgantown.

This story was edited by Austin Curtright.

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