Utah, Florida deny Oklahoma's bid for NCAA gymnastics 3-peat - ESPN

FORT WORTH, Texas — For the first time since 2012, the Oklahoma women's gymnastics team will not be competing in the NCAA championship meet.

The two-time defending champion Sooners, who spent the entirety of the season ranked No. 1, did not advance to Saturday's final after finishing third during Thursday's second semifinal session at Dickies Arena.

The Sooners finished with a final score of 196.6625. Utah won the session with a score of 197.9375 followed by Florida (197.8750). They will be joined in Saturday's championship by LSU (198.1125) and California (197.7125), who were victorious in the first semifinal Thursday.

The favorites to win their seventh NCAA championship, the Sooners got off to an uncharacteristic nervy start during their first rotation on vault as three gymnasts had major landing errors. Needing to count two of those scores (as the lowest score is dropped), Oklahoma recorded a 48.3250 — more than a full point below its average on the event this season and its lowest vault score since 2008.

The team entered the second rotation in a surprising fourth place — all but silencing its normally vocal fans in attendance — and, despite strong showings on bars and floor, never were able to fully close the deficit.

When the final scores flashed, confirming their reign at the top was officially over, the Sooners appeared sullen and wrapped their arms around one another as the Red Rocks and Gators jovially celebrated across the floor.

«It wasn't as we scripted it, but we've taken great pride in winning and we'll take great pride in losing,» Oklahoma coach K.J. Kindler said on the broadcast moments later. «This was character-building for this team — they fought back hard — and it was emotional, and I give them all