Oklahoma women win second straight NCAA gymnastics title

Oklahoma celebrates after winning the NCAA women's gymnastics team title, Saturday, April 15, 2023, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Trinity Thomas of Florida tied the NCAA record with her 28th career perfect 10 and Oklahoma won its second consecutive team title on Saturday at the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships.

It’s the top-ranked Sooners’ sixth title in nine years. They finished with 198.3875 points, 0.15 ahead of Thomas and the second-ranked Gators. Audrey Davis scored a 9.900 on the floor before teammate Jordan Bowers — who soared high on a double pike — earned the event’s top score of 9.950.

Thomas, a fifth-year senior, was limited to just two events due to a leg injury suffered two weeks ago in the regional round. She recorded her fifth career 10 on the vault and 28th overall to match the mark set by Jamie Dantzcher (UCLA, 2000-04) and Jenny Hansen (Kentucky, 1992-96); Hansen is the only person to win three straight all-around titles.

Thomas wrapped up her stellar collegiate career with a chance to break the record in her final event, but finished with a 9.912 on the bars. Florida teammates Kayla DiCello and Leanne Wong each earned a 9.975 to help the Gators finish with 198.2375 points, three-tenths of a point ahead of Utah.

The Utes, who finished third for the third consecutive year, were led by Maile O’Keefe. The senior, who had a 10 on the beam on Thursday en route to the all-around title, registered her sixth perfect score of the season on beam.

Haleigh Bryant led fourth-place LSU (197.9375 points) with an all-around score of 39.725 — including a near-perfect 9.9875 on the vault. That was the most by any athlete Saturday, but the individual all-around crown was won by Thomas on Thursday during the national semifinals.