After finishing first in the NCAA South Central Regional on April 2 and clinching a spot in the NCAA Championship, No. 1 Oklahoma looks ahead to the national semifinals at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
Oklahoma is slated to take on No. 4 Utah, No. 5 Alabama and No. 7 Minnesota in the first round of the semifinals at 12 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. The second semifinal between No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Michigan, No. 6 Auburn and No. 8 Missouri is scheduled for 6 p.m. that day.
The top two teams from each semifinal will advance to the championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. Here are three things to know ahead of OU’s national semifinal competition:
Senior Olivia Trautman during the NCAA regional finals against Arkansas, Minnesota and California on April 2.
Kindler hints at Trautman's return on bars at NCAAs
Since OU’s nail-biting loss to Michigan in the 2021 NCAA Championships, senior Olivia Trautman has yet to show off her bars prowess in the 2022 season due to lingering knee tendonitis.
After returning to the Sooners’ beam lineup on Feb. 19, Trautman made an immediate impact, notching a 9.825 or higher on the event for the remainder of the season. On March 11, she returned to the vault lineup, tallying a 9.875 or higher in every meet since.
Now, head coach K.J. Kindler hints at a possible return on bars for the senior stalwart, saying Trautman has been in and out of bars lineups in practice recently.
“With her injury, her patellar tendon takes on a little more impact on the bar landing than it does on the other landings,” Kindler said ahead of Thursday’s semifinal competition. “That’s really why we’ve kind of stepped her back a little bit.”
But regarding Trautman’s potential return on bars, Kindler said with a huge grin, “Will we do that? We might. I think it could happen.”
Freshman Danae Fletcher during the NCAA regional finals against Arkansas, Minnesota and California on April 2.
Freshman magnificence
Since the 2022 season’s start, Oklahoma’s freshman class has added another level of stability for Kindler.
OU’s youngest class has shown poise and maturity throughout its first collegiate season. Bowers, Fletcher and Sievers have all stepped into large roles for OU, creating depth for Kindler’s lineup.
“They’re really, really amazing, actually,” Kindler said.“I look at this class as one of the best that we’ve brought in. They’re going to be incredible down the line. I mean, look at what they’ve done as freshmen.”
Kindler’s praise is warranted, as the freshmen played an important part in the Sooners advancing to the national semifinal. Before OU claimed victory in the regional final, Fletcher tallied a 9.9 on floor and a 9.85 on vault. Sievers posted a 9.925 on bars, a 9.9 on floor and a 9.875 on vault. Bowers’ performance saw her produce 9.95s on vault and floor and a 9.9 on bars.
Despite the freshmen’s proficiency thus far, Kindler will need yet another exceptional outing from them come Thursday.
“They’re very strong-minded women,” Kindler said. “You’ve got to be able to handle it, and those three really can.”
Senior Karrie Thomas during the meet against Alabama on Jan. 9.
Vital veteran experience
The Sooners have been backed by their veteran leaders providing extensive coaching to the moldable underclassmen throughout the 2022 season.
With Oklahoma’s eyes set on another national championship it will need veterans like Trautman and fifth-year seniors Karrie Thomas and Carly Woodard to set the example in Fort Worth.
Woodard, Thomas and Trautman are the only gymnasts on the current team who understand the grit and mental toughness that’s necessary to win a national championship, as the trio played a large part in the Sooners’ 2019 national championship victory over LSU, UCLA and Denver.
“Making the final eight (teams), we don’t take that for granted,” Kindler said. “Certainly when you’re a program like ours and the expectation is there, it becomes even harder, and that experience from those seniors (is) invaluable.”
Senior Allie Stern has also experienced her fair share of postseason competition, despite not participating in the 2019 national championships as a freshman. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native posted a 9.95 on vault in the gut-wrenching 2021 national championship loss to Michigan as a junior.
Now, all four upperclassmen have dealt with adversity, but hope to earn championship bragging rights once again on the other side.
“Obviously experience can never be underestimated,” Kindler said. “And (the seniors’) experience, that’s what they’re going to bring this weekend.”
