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Jan. 16, 2013

	Junior Lara Albright

THE SERIES
Oklahoma and Denver have a long series history, dating back to OU's second season in Division I in 1982 when the Sooners defeated the Pioneers in a close finish, 137.35-137.25. Since then, OU has opened up a 28-9 series lead and was won the last six meets between the two teams, all under current Sooner head coach K.J. Kindler. Last season, OU and Denver met up in the NCAA Champaign Regional where the Sooners moved on after scoring a 197.025 to Denver's 194.875. The last time the two programs faced off in the regular season was in 2011 in Norman when OU came away with a 195.300-194.300 victory.

A LOOK AT NO. 11 DENVER
The University of Denver gymnastics squad is ranked No. 11 in the current GymInfo standings, the highest for the Pioneers since they were No. 6 in the country after the first week on the 2010 season. DU's ranking is largely due to the Pioneers 196.600 at home last Saturday, the fifth-highest score in the nation so far this season. Denver holds a 195.650 average, the second-best start through the first two meets in program history. Denver is ranked 24th on vault (48.913), 13th on bars (48.875), 14th on beam (48.825) and 10th on floor (49.038) and claim wins over Penn State, Lindenwood and Air Force. In addition, Denver freshman Emily Barrett is a Norman, Okla., native who has competed in vault and beam for the Pioneers this season.

LAST WEEKEND - AT ARIZONA STATE
The No. 4 Oklahoma women's gymnastics squad swept Arizona State in every event, defeating the Gym Devils 196.700-193.625 on Saturday to improve to 2-0 on the season. Sophomore Erica Brewer came back after not competing last week to take the all-around title with a score of 39.350. The Sooners also claimed all four individual event titles, including Madison Mooring on vault, Erica Brewer and Brie Olson on bars, Olson on beam and Spears on floor. Oklahoma's 3.075 margin of victory was its largest in a dual road meet since a 7.575 margin of victory at TWU on Jan. 17, 2009.

FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
Oklahoma's freshmen continued to shine at ASU after helping the Sooners defeat No. 11 Georgia in the first weekend of the season. After picking up Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors for her efforts against Georgia, including a 9.8 or higher in all three events in which she competed and a floor and bars title, Haley Scaman followed up with a 9.875 on vault in Tempe. Fellow freshman Keeley Kmieciak totaled 9.85 scores on vault and beam at Georgia, then racked up scores of 9.8 on beam 9.85 on vault to help the Sooners to the win at ASU. In addition, Hunter Price saw her first experience stepping in for an injured Erica Brewer, competing on vault at Georgia for her first collegiate experience.

ALL-AROUND SUCCESS
An OU gymnast has won the all-around in each of the Sooners' first two meets this season, with junior Taylor Spears finishing on top at No. 11 Georgia and sophomore Erica Brewer doing so last week at Arizona State. Spears, a junior from Plano, Texas, won the all-around title with a score of 39.375, just .025 shy of her career high. The all-around title was the fourth of her career and included team-high scores of 9.875 on bars and beam. After sitting out week one, Brewer won the all-around title at Arizona State after scoring a 39.350 and tying for the bars title and winning the beam title. Both gymnasts were also named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week for their accomplishments.

ROAD MEET? NO PROBLEM
Oklahoma moved up to the No. 3 spot in the national rankings after starting the season at No. 4 in the preseason coaches' poll. The Sooners are the only team in the current top 3 in the nation to have competed on the road in each of the first two weeks of the season and have acquitted themselves well, winning both. OU won its first-ever meet in Athens against No. 11 Georgia in front of over 7,000 fans to open the season before earning its biggest margin of victory in a dual meet in four years in a win over Arizona State in Tempe.

SPECIALIST STREAK
Senior Brie Olson and junior Madison Mooring have earned both Big 12 Specialist of the Week honors awarded this season, extending the Sooners' streak of winning the award to 13-straight weeks, including all 11 weeks last season in 2012. Last season, current OU graduate assistants Megan Ferguson and Sara Stone combined to win the award eight times, while current Sooners Brie Olson and Taylor Spears won the award twice and once, respectively.