Oklahoma

LSU, Oklahoma Have Unfinished Business Ahead of Powerhouse Gymnastics Matchup

Published

1 year ago

February 14, 2025

LSU, Oklahoma Have Unfinished Business Ahead of Powerhouse Gymnastics Matchup

LSU gymnastics did it all last season—well, almost.

The Tigers’ program won its first NCAA Division I title after a 31–3 season, highlighted by an all-around-championship performance from Haleigh Bryant, while also capturing first in the SEC championship meet. But one thing that eluded the team was the SEC regular-season title, which was claimed by Florida (the Gators’ 6-1-0 conference record topped the Tigers’ 5-2-0 mark).

This year, No. 2 LSU is hoping to get that title—if No. 1 Oklahoma doesn’t have something to say about it.

The Sooners are spending their first season in the SEC circuit after making the move from the Big 12 last summer. A perennial contender that has won six titles in the past 11 years, Oklahoma remains undefeated midway through the season and currently holds the top spot in the conference with a 4-0-0 record, while LSU trails at 3-1-0.

An opportunity for both programs to make their mark this year awaits Friday, when No. 2 LSU hosts No. 1 Oklahoma.

It will be a meeting of gymnastics powerhouses with plenty to prove by both parties. The Tigers will be competing as reigning champions looking to take hold of the SEC and No. 1 spot in the nation, while the Sooners are eyeing redemption for their errors in the national semifinals that saw them miss the championship meet for the first time since 2012 after entering as heavy favorites.

LSU’s Bryant says the regular season SEC title is still at the forefront of the team’s mind despite everything accomplished in 2024.

“That’s something [that was on] our goal sheet back in August,” Bryant told Sports Illustrated last summer. “Getting that and winning the actual SEC competition would be amazing.”

Bryant is coming back into form for the Tigers after missing the first meet of the season with an elbow injury. She most recently made her return to vault in LSU’s victory over No. 14 Alabama on Feb. 7, while also competing in floor and beam.

Haleigh Bryant: Queen of floor 👑@espnW | @LSUgym pic.twitter.com/VtXxCY7OtR
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) February 1, 2025

A graduate student, Bryant ultimately decided to return to the Tigers this year alongside teammate and friend Olivia Dunne, who is also in her last collegiate season.

“We had so many conversations. We went back and forth a lot, but we were in it together and we wanted to do it together, because she’s been one of my best friends before we even came to LSU,” Bryant said. “So just getting to do it with her and live out our LSU collegiate dreams one more time and because it’s gonna be the last year of gymnastics [for us].”

Bryant made a splash with her accomplishments last season, leading her nominations for ‘Best Breakthrough Athlete’ and ‘Best Collegiate Athlete’ at the ESPYs. Though she did not win, Bryant says it was a “dream come true” just to be there and see her name among the likes of C.J. Stroud, JuJu Watkins, Victor Wembanyama and Caitlin Clark. Bryant was also honored at the ‘ESPYS x Power of She’ luncheon held by Athleta ahead of the ceremony with her fellow nominees, calling the event highlighting female athletes “one of the best experiences of my life.”

Beyond Bryant, LSU has been powered by new and familiar faces this season. Freshman Kailin Chio has been a standout performer for the Tigers in her first season, so far winning nine titles and most recently being named back-to-back SEC Freshman of the Week. Senior Aleah Finnegan has also continued to shine for LSU, winning 11 titles through the program’s first eight meets.

9️⃣ . 9️⃣ 7️⃣ 5️⃣ to start things off for Faith Torrez and Oklahoma gymnastics‼️
📺 Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on ABC | NOW 🍿 pic.twitter.com/xz2v3dgOcZ
— espnW (@espnW) January 11, 2025

Meanwhile, Oklahoma boasts three of the top four all-around scorers in the nation in junior Faith Torrez, senior Jordan Bowers and graduate Audrey Davis. Torrez most recently was named back-to-back SEC Gymnast of the Week after earning another three titles in the Sooners’ victory over No. 8 Kentucky.

Oklahoma and LSU meet again after competing in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad meet earlier this season alongside California and Utah, which saw the Sooners edge out the Tigers, 197.950–197.650. Bowers won the all-around title in the meet, while Bryant was only able to compete in beam while returning from injury.

The SEC currently is home to the top three gymnastics programs in the nation in scoring in Oklahoma, LSU and Florida. When the competition is that stiff, a regular-season title just means more, even in the grand scheme of competing for a national title.

Oklahoma has an opportunity to reassert its dominance this season, while LSU has its eyes on overtaking the top of the conference. The Tigers have already achieved some redemption after beating last year’s regular-season champion in Florida this year, but facing undefeated Oklahoma will be an even bigger test.

“Just being willing to change, willing to sacrifice things and just being there for one another,” Bryant said on what it will take to succeed this season. “Just supporting everybody, being there for one another and just working so hard and keeping our eyes forward, keeping our foot on the gas and just giving it all we got.”

LSU’s Dunne has been vocal about the lack of fans at meets this year, but with the talent and stakes between Oklahoma and LSU, the Baton Rouge crowd is sure to be in for a treat Friday night.

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Oklahoma

Jack Van Dorselaer: ‘No-Brainer’ to Follow Jason Witten to Oklahoma

Published

10 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Jack Van Dorselaer: ‘No-Brainer’ to Follow Jason Witten to Oklahoma

NORMAN — Located just 190 miles from Norman, Southlake, TX, sits comfortably within Oklahoma’s recruiting footprint. Many Dallas–Fort Worth prospects grow up viewing OU as either a favorite destination or a local option thanks to its close proximity.

New Oklahoma tight end Jack Van Dorselaer, however, had a different perspective during his recruitment at Southlake Carroll High School.

“Honestly, growing up, I wasn’t the biggest OU fan,” Van Dorselaer said Monday during Oklahoma’s Spring Media Day. “When I was getting recruited, I was really into Tennessee and going to Tennessee.”

He wasn’t exaggerating — his recruiting profile backs it up. Oklahoma extended an offer to Van Dorselaer on March 25, 2023, never took a visit. At the time, former tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley’s track record probably didn’t do much to boost confidence in a highly-touted tight end’s development.

Tennessee Volunteers tight end Jack Van Dorselaer dives for a touchdown against East Tennessee State Buccaneers. | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Van Dorselaer would go on to pledge to the Volunteers, playing in all 13 games — an experience where he “learned some things as the season went on,” — before entering the transfer portal.

If Oklahoma’s previous tight ends coach left doubts lingering, one phone call changed everything. Ironically, it came from a Tennessee alum — now tabbed to coach that same position in Norman. For Van Dorselaer, it was the pitch that finally landed.

“I guess that was kind of a funny coincidence (getting a call from Jason Witten), but once he got the job, it was kind of a no‑brainer for me,” Van Dorselaer said. “To not pass that up and also to come back home and play in the SEC and play for Oklahoma.

“And I just felt like this offense was better for me and a better opportunity for me to succeed at the next level,” he added.

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The irony ran deeper than Van Dorselaer’s plan to leave Tennessee — only to get recruited by a Tennessee legend for Oklahoma.

It also sprang from his Southlake roots, where he grew up idolizing hometown hero Witten through his Hall of Fame Cowboys career — an opportunity Van Dorselaer sees as being able to make him a more complete tight end.

“I think last year at Tennessee, I was really utilized in the run game,” Van Dorselaer said “I feel like I have the ability to do everything — not just run block, not just pass catch, but to do everything. A lot of tight ends just want to catch and not block. I think coach Witten offers that coaching that really helped me in the pass game.”

Jason Witten watches from the sidelines | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Van Dorselaer joins fellow transfer tight ends Hayden Hansen and Rocky Beers — all tasked, as general manager Jim Nagy put it, with “flipping the room” from last year under Witten. Each brings a unique skill set that Ben Arbuckle will channel his inner Dr. Frankenstein to stitch together.

If Hansen is the bigger body that can help open lanes for Sooner ball carries and Beers is the field-stretching tight end, Van Dorselaer already seems him as a bridge between then two.

“I think (Arbuckle) sees me more as like a hybrid guy — not just blocking, not just pass catching, but doing everything,” he said. “I think that’s kind of also what drew me to Oklahoma, was that aspect of it.”

For that vision to be fully realized, Van Dorselaer will have to use this spring and summer as the time to build chemistry with his new quarterback, John Mateer, who appealed to the tight end during his transfer portal recruitment.

“I think his mindset is a big thing for me,” Van Dorselaer said. “But I mean, just being around him more, I think his mindset is something that’s cool for me to be a part of. He holds me to a standard that is going to make me a better football player and a better person.”

Van Dorselaer enters spring ball with a clean slate, syncing his hybrid skill set alongside Mateer’s winning mindset and under coach Witten’s complete-tight-end blueprint.

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Oklahoma

Christian Coleman ‘motored up’ as Oklahoma State basketball advances in Big 12 Tournament

Published

22 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Christian Coleman ‘motored up’ as Oklahoma State basketball advances in Big 12 Tournament

KANSAS CITY, MO — Christian Coleman reached high but couldn’t grab the alley-oop pass from Jaylen Curry.

But it glanced off his fingertips, hit the backboard, then the rim and fell in the basket.

It wasn’t the prettiest clutch play by the Oklahoma State forward, but it was as important as any of them.

Coleman’s alley-oops layup with just over two minutes remaining helped the 14th-seeded Cowboys stretch their lead on the way to a 92-83 win over No. 11 Colorado in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday at T-Mobile Center.

Had Coleman gotten his hands on the ball, it would have been a massive exclamation-point jam, yet as he rose for it, he could tell it was out of his reach.

“But God had his hands around it and it kinda fell in for me,” Coleman said with a laugh. “So we count it.”

Coleman finished with 17 points and a season-high 14 rebounds, backing guard Anthony Roy, who had 17 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. Curry added 15 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Late in the game, the lanky 6-foot-8 Coleman moved to center as coach Steve Lutz was forced to put a small lineup on the floor.

The Cowboys were without their two most-used bigs, Parsa Fallah and Andrija Vukovic, because of injuries. Their freshman replacements, Benjamin Ahmed and Mekhi Ragland, found themselves in foul trouble.

“He’s versatile,” said OSU point guard Kanye Clary, who had seven points, six assists and five rebounds. “He can guard the 1-5. He switches and plays hard.

“When he’s motored up, I don’t really think there’s nobody who can stop him. He’s the only person who can stop himself. And tonight, he went out there and showed how impactful he is.”

The Cowboys (19-13) will take on sixth-seeded TCU at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday as they try to once again keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

“Our mentality has been the same every game in the Big 12, because the league is so darn hard,” Lutz said. “If you look forward, you have no chance.

“I’m proud of the guys for sticking together and banding together, because we’ve had some key people, teammates, go down and we had to piece it together. I’m just happy for them and excited to face TCU tomorrow night.”

Here are three takeaways from the OSU victory:

Anthony Roy settles in for big game

In an odd twist, Colorado was hit with a technical foul for not submitting its lineup in time prior to the game, and that put Roy on the free throw line before the tipoff.

He missed the attempt, but it was the only one he’d miss all night, hitting the next 10.

Roy hit some rough patches throughout the first half, at one point getting quickly subbed out after missing an awkward 3-pointer from the corner.

But in the second half, he found his rhythm, going 5 of 6 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers and a couple tough drives for layups.

“He got to the free-throw line and made 10 of 11,” Lutz said. “I thought he did a good job with that. And we tease him a bunch about his defense, but I thought at the end of the game when it mattered, he played good defense. And he rebounded the basketball.”

Freshmen Benjamin Ahmed, Mekhi Ragland play key minutes

With the Cowboys thin in the frontcourt, Ahmed made his third straight start, and Ragland was the first center off the bench.

Ahmed went to the bench after getting his fourth foul with 7:20 to play and didn’t return, but still played his second-most minutes in a game this season at 21. He finished with seven points, six rebounds and a blocked shot.

“Parsa going down, he spoke to me about it that I have a big role to fill,” Ahmed said. “It’s a learning process for me. I’m just excited to see what the future holds for me.”

Ragland had four points, a rebound and an assist in eight minutes — his most against a Big 12 opponent.

“It felt good being able to step up,” Ragland said. “I’ve wanted to show myself and show what I can do all year.

“The first couple up-and-downs, you’re a little nervous, but that goes away fast. It’s just basketball at the end of the day, so I was ready for the moment.”

OSU by the numbers

∎ The Cowboys are now 29-1 under Steve Lutz when scoring at least 81 points. The only loss came to TCU earlier this year, 95-92 in overtime at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

∎ The 92 points scored Tuesday are the most by OSU in the Big 12 Tournament. The previous high was 87, scored against Colorado in 2005.

∎ Coleman’s 14 rebounds were his season high and tied his career high.

∎ Adding a new combination Tuesday, OSU has used 19 different starting lineups this season.

∎ Clary led the team in plus-minus at 17, followed by Vyctorius Miller at 14.

Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on X at @ScottWrightOK. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.

Oklahoma State vs. TCU

TIPOFF: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. (ESPNU)

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Oklahoma

Severe weather threat increasing for Oklahoma tonight

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Severe weather threat increasing for Oklahoma tonight

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Severe weather is still expected tonight across much of our area. In fact, the threats have increased since this morning due to more clearing skies in western Oklahoma. More sunshine means more instability to work with.

SPC Severe Weather Outlook. (KOKH)

Due to this, the Storm Prediction Center has increased all hazards for our part of Oklahoma. The strongest storms could produce winds up to 80 mph, baseball size hail, and a few tornadoes. This would be from essentially now until early Wednesday morning.

SPC Tornado Outlook. (KOKH)

The tornadic potential has increased across much of the area generally along and east of I-44/I-35.

The general thinking is that discrete supercells will form in western North Texas in the 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM window and begin to make their way towards southwest Oklahoma. These storms will then quickly go from being individual cells to more clusters of storms. This would increase the wind potential and make it possible for brief spinup tornadoes to form. These QLCS (quasi-linear convective systems) tornadoes can form and develop quickly.

Once the storms are generally east of I-35, there won’t be any more cells anymore and we’d be looking at a larger squall line. Check out the below model images for a look at the evolution of the storms tonight:

There is also the potential for very heavy rain with these storms too.

A cold front will sweep the storms away to the east tonight. After the front, strong northerly winds are possible. Due to this, there is a Wind Advisory Wednesday for parts of our area.