ST. LOUIS, April 21, 2018 – Sixth-year senior Peng Peng Lee posted a perfect 10.000 in the final routine of the night to lift the University of California-Los Angeles to the team title tonight at the 2018 National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
UCLA earned a 198.0750 to slip past the University of Oklahoma, which was seeking its third-straight NCAA team title. The Sooners totaled a 198.0375 followed by the University of Florida Gators (197.8500). Louisiana State University was fourth, earning a 197.8375. The University of Utah finished in fifth place, scoring 196.9000, while the University of Nebraska scored a 196.8000 for sixth place.
The Bruins began their road to the program’s seventh – and first since 2010 – NCAA team title on floor, earning a 49.4625 as Katelyn Ohashi, the 2013 American Cup champion, led the way with a 9.9500 for her Michael Jackson inspired routine. On the vault, Anna Glenn’s 9.8875 set the pace for UCLA’s 49.2250. Then, the team came alive in their third rotation on the uneven bars, counting no score lower than a 9.8500. Lee got her first 10.0000 of the night, while 2012 Olympic gold medalist Kyla Ross added a 9.9500. In the final rotation, the Bruins had to overcome an early fall to post a 49.7500. Lee’s clutch 10.0000 in the anchor spot slipped the Bruins ahead of the Sooners. Ross was near perfection at 9.9875 with Ohashi adding a 9.9375.
OU started on the pressure-packed balance beam, where 2015 World team gold medalist Maggie Nichols and Anastasia Webb earned 9.9125s to lift the Sooners to a 49.4250 total. On the floor exercise, Nichols was again the top scorer for Oklahoma, posting a 9.9625 en route to a 49.5875 event total. The Sooners vaulted to a 49.4875 total with Brenna Dowell and Nichols notching the top mark of the rotation, a 9.9375. In the final rotation, Nichols capped off the Sooner lineup in style, posting a 9.9625 with a stuck double layout off the uneven bars. OU posted a 49.5375 bars total.
Third-place Florida earned individual event scores of 49.4125, vault; 49.5375, uneven bars; 49.3375, balance beam; and 49.5625, floor exercise.
Yesterday, Nichols claimed the all-around title. In the individual event competition, there was a three-way tie for the vault crown between Utah’s MyKayla Skinner, Dowell and Florida’s Alex McMurtry. 2012 Olympic team alternate Elizabeth Price of Stanford and Nichols both earned perfect 10.000s to share the uneven bars title. Lee took top honors on the balance beam with a 9.9875. On the floor exercise, Nichols and Ohashi shared the title with a 9.9625.