OU looks to defend Big 12 title.
Aug. 9, 2012
NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma VP/Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione and Head Women's Gymnastics Coach K.J. Kindler announced OU's 2013 schedule Wednesday.
The reigning Big 12 Champions will face five teams that competed in the 2012 NCAA Championships, including defending national champion Alabama and third-place UCLA in addition to seven other teams that finished ranked in the top 25 last season.
“Our schedule is jam packed with challenges,” said Oklahoma head coach K.J. Kindler. “We are eager to begin a new Big 12 Conference era with the addition of West Virginia this season.”
The Sooners, coming off a No. 7 ranking and third-straight Regional title in 2012, will host four regular season home meets starting with a Jan. 18 contest against Denver.
Oklahoma will compete against UCLA on Feb. 22 before taking on Arizona on March 8 and North Carolina two days later on March 10. All home meets will be held at Lloyd Noble Center, where the Sooners ranked No. 13 in attendance a year ago.
“After the recent Olympic gymnastics surge, I know Sooner fans are going to want to check out the unbelievable talent we have right here in Oklahoma,” said Kindler, who has seen OU home attendance almost quadruple since becoming head coach in 2007. “Our home schedule will be very entertaining for fans. There will be great gymnastics to watch in the LNC this season."
In addition, OU was chosen as one of six host sites for the 2013 NCAA Regional Championship with competition beginning on April 6 at 6 p.m. Oklahoma won its fourth Regional title in program history last season.
“It is an honor to host another NCAA Regional in the Lloyd Noble Center in early April,” said Kindler. “I think the qualifying teams appreciate our warm hospitality and the championship atmosphere Sooner fans create for the competitors.”
Each regional site will host six teams that will compete for the right to advance to the NCAA Championships April 19-21 hosted by UCLA.
OU opens the season with back-to-back road trips starting at Georgia on Jan. 5. The following week, the Sooners will take on Arizona State in Tempe on Jan. 11.
On Jan. 26, OU will compete in one of two multi-team meets of the season when the Sooners travel to the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. OU will face a tough lineup that includes Georgia, LSU, Washington and Oregon State.
“To prepare us for the postseason we have added two podium meets including the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Perfect 10 Challenge in our very own backyard at the Cox Center in OKC.”
On Feb. 15 OU will take part in the second annual Perfect 10 Challenge in Oklahoma City against BYU, TWU and Boise State.
Other road contests include Big 12 trips to West Virginia on Feb. 1 and Iowa State on Feb. 8. The Sooners will also face TWU on March 1 before closing out the regular season with a trip to defending national champion Alabama on March 15.
The following week, OU will compete for its sixth Big 12 Championship in Ames, Iowa, on March 23.
Hosting an NCAA Regional
