Cougs score season-high 197.050 at Big 12 Championship

NORMAN, Okla. — The BYU women’s gymnastics team took home a third-place finish with a final score of 197.050 in its first-ever Big 12 Championship.

No. 1 Oklahoma took home the conference title with a score of 198.950, which broke the NCAA women's gymnastics all-time scoring record. No. 8 Denver took second with a 197.975. Iowa State and West Virginia rounded out the competition with scores of 196.350 and 195.125.

The Cougars had five scores above a 9.900 in tonight’s conference championship. Anna Bramblett’s 9.950 on the uneven bars was BYU’s highest individual score and tied for third-highest score of the meet.

Oklahoma scored a perfect 10 in every rotation of the Big 12 Championship meet, with two on the floor apparatus. Jordan Bowers earned 10’s on vault, bars and floor, while Ragan Smith earned a 10 on beam and Faith Torrez earned a 10 on floor.

 

The Cougars opened the competition on the uneven bars. Freshman Ava Jorgensen got things rolling for BYU with a new career-high score of 9.825. Sophomore Kylie Eaquinto and Lindsey Hunter-Kempler followed with a 9.825 and 9.875, respectively. Fifth-year senior Anyssa Alvarado scored a 9.900 before Anna Bramblett anchored with a season-high score of 9.950 to lead the Cougars in the first rotation. 

BYU finished with a team bars score of 49.375, its second-highest score on the apparatus this season.

BYU continued to build upon its first rotation, counting five sticks on the balance beam in rotation two. Both Madison Raesly-Patton and Eliza Millar-Crossman notched scores a 9.825, while Mina Margraf earned a 9.850. Fifth-year senior Elease Rollins led the Cougars with a 9.900 before freshman Brynlee Andersen anchored with a 9.850. 

BYU’s final beam score was a 49.250.

Millar-Crossman opened the floor rotation with a 9.875 for the Cougars. Olivia Matern scored a 9.800, followed by a 9.900 by Sophie Dudley. Heidi Schooley scored a 9.850, followed by a 9.800 from Sydney Benson and a 9.900 by Eaquinto. 

With all six scores above a 9.8, the Cougars finished the third rotation with a 49.325.

The Cougars finished their first-ever Big 12 Championship on the vault. Fifth-year senior Allix Mason opened the final rotation with a 9.825. She was followed by a pair of 9.850’s from Benson and Eaquinto. BYU finished with a 49.100 on vault. 

At the conclusion of the competition, the conference announced the 2024 Big 12 Gymnastics yearly awards. Oklahoma and Denver split the awards:

Big 12 Gymnastics Yearly Awards

Gymnast of the Year - Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma

Coach of the Year - K.J. Kindler, Oklahoma

Event Specialist of the Year - Rylie Mundell, Denver

Newcomer of the Year - Madison Ulrich, Denver 

Finishing their inaugural Big 12 season ranked No. 33 nationally, the Cougars now await their regional placement, which will be announced during the 2024 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Selection Show. The selection show will air Monday, March 25th at 10 a.m. MT on NCAA.com. A link to the show will be on the front page of NCAA.com.