Women’s gymnastics win on Senior Night, future bright
Depiction of the finished construction. Courtesy: Soonersports.com
The Oklahoma men’s basketball team has adopted the slogan, “The future is now.” Perhaps the women’s gymnastics squad should use, “The future is now … and later.”
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As for now, the squad posted a victory March 6 only days after construction crews began upgrading the Sam Viersen Gymnastics Center.
The Sooners improved to 9-3 on the year with a tri-meet victory over Illinois State and Texas Woman’s University. The win came on Senior Night at the Lloyd Noble Center.
Oklahoma tallied a score of 196.125, improving to 19-1 in its last 20 regular season home meets. Illinois State (7-8) finished second with 191.750 points, while Texas Woman’s (3-12) finished with a score of 191.300.
Oklahoma senior Ashley Jackson won the all-around for the third time this season. Jackson posted a score of 39.200.
Oklahoma was cruising through the competition at a great pace before something unusual happened. A rare fall from senior Haley DeProspero hurt Oklahoma’s performance on the beam. The Sooners finished with a score of 48.625.
“We had some troubles on beam,” head coach K.J. Kindler said. “It was actually the first time we counted a fall all year on balance beam. (DeProspero) actually had a mistake for the first time in two years, so that’s really odd.”
The Sooners also posted their lowest score on the floor exercise since they managed a 48.500 in the season opener at Florida. Oklahoma’s score of 48.850 may have been due partly to the loss of junior Jackie Flanery. Kindler said Flanery sprained her ankle during floor warm-ups.
“(Flanery) is going to be out for a few weeks,” Kindler said. “We’re going to have to pick it up a little bit going into the post season. Big 12 (Championships) are coming up in two weeks and that’s really what we are gearing up for.”
Even with the struggles on the beam and floor, Oklahoma still finished first in every event.
Oklahoma recorded a season high team total of 49.400 on the vault. Jackson won the event, posting an individual score of 9.925. Freshman Sara Stone scored a career-best 9.9 from the anchor position. Sooners Melanie Root, DeProspero and Natalie Ratcliff finished third through fifth on the leaderboard.
The Sooners took care of business on the bars as well. Root and senior Jessica Kinder each posted a 9.875, as Oklahoma scored 49.250 as a team. Root and Kinder tied for first place individually. The score of 9.875 is a career-high for both.
Before the awards ceremony, Oklahoma honored seniors DeProspero, Jackson, Kinder and Gina Lesko. They accompanied their family on the floor as the rest of the team passed out flowers to their departing teammates.
“I’m really going to miss it,” Jackson said. “It was an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. My teammates and coaches, I give it all to them. They helped me so much.”
Kindler said the seniors are the glue that holds the team together.
“I’ve been here for three years that they have been here,” Kindler said. “They have taught the younger ladies a lot. I’m going to miss them tremendously and they have been wonderful.”
As for the later, the Sam Viersen Center is in the middle of a giant facelift. A 7,000 square foot addition is due for completion later this year. According to Soonersports.com, the construction project includes a complete renovation of the gym, locker rooms, sports medicine training rooms and the awards recognition room. The project is being funded entirely by private donations without the use of any state or university appropriated funds.
“We’re very excited about (the renovation),” Kindler said. “The facility was built in 1981 and nothing has been done to it since.”
Kindler said the new additions to the Center will be a big lift to the program.
“This is huge for our program to have that kind of championship facility,” said Kindler. “Obviously it will attract higher talent and recruits from all over the country.”
Kindler said she already has some great recruits coming in next year. Bethany Neubauer, Kayla Nowak and Brie Olson all signed National Letters of Intent on Nov. 12, the first day of the early signing period.
Neubauer is from Oklahoma City and trains out of Dynamo Gymnastics. Nowak is a product of Algonquin, Ill. where she trains at the Illinois Gymnastics Institute. Olson comes from St. Cloud, Minn. and trains out of Twin City Twisters.
“All three have been having great seasons,” Kindler said. “They have big shoes to fill, obviously, when you look at that senior class that’s leaving.”
With the Big 12 and NCAA Championships drawing near, Kindler’s goals are quite clear.
“Our goal ultimately is to be in the top three in the country and to be contending for a national championship.”
“The future is now … and later.”
