Utah and Florida secured the last two spots in the NCAA women’s gymnastics championship on Thursday, preventing Oklahoma from achieving a three-peat.
Utah took the lead in the first rotation with an impressive performance on the beam, led by Abby Paulson and Malie O’Keefe. They maintained their lead with strong routines on the floor exercise by Jaylene Gilstrap and O’Keefe.
The Utes ended with a score of 197.9375, while the Gators scored 197.8750, marking the fifth-highest score in their program’s championship history.
Defending champion Oklahoma faced difficulties, finishing third with 196.6625 points after several falls. Alabama followed closely behind with 196.4125 points.
Utah and Florida, ranked fifth and fourth respectively, will compete in Saturday’s finals alongside LSU and California. The Gators aim for their fourth championship, having won three consecutive titles from 2013 to 2015.
Oklahoma, aiming for a third consecutive win, struggled from the start with their lowest vault score in over a decade. Despite their past success, they faced setbacks in this year’s tournament.
LSU earned the highest score of 198.1125, advancing to the finals for the tenth time. Cal also made history by reaching the finals for the first time, outscoring Stanford and Arkansas.
LSU senior Haleigh Bryant claimed the all-around title with a score of 39.7125, while her teammate Aleah Finnegan delivered a standout performance on the floor exercise.
Oklahoma’s Audrey Davis shared titles with Faith Torrez on the beam and tied with Florida’s Leanne Wong on the bars.
