Oklahoma wins 4th NCAA women's gymnastics title in 5 years

Sooners edge out LSU in dramatic final rotation to claim another championship

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:53pm

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The Oklahoma Sooners won their fourth NCAA women's gymnastics championship in the last five years, edging out LSU in a dramatic final rotation on the floor exercise. Senior Faith Torrez delivered a near-perfect performance on the final routine of her career to clinch the title for the Sooners.

Why it matters

Oklahoma has established itself as the dominant force in women's collegiate gymnastics, winning 8 national titles since 2014. This latest championship further cements their status as the program to beat, as they continue to attract top talent and produce championship-caliber teams year after year.

The details

The meet came down to the final two competitors, with Oklahoma on floor exercise and LSU on balance beam. LSU had a slim 0.0750 lead heading into the final rotation, but a fall by Lexi Zeiss on the beam opened the door for Oklahoma. Torrez then delivered a dynamic 90-second performance on floor, forcing LSU's Kailin Chio to be perfect on the beam to win. Chio scored a 9.900, which was not quite enough to overtake Oklahoma's team total of 198.1625.

  • The NCAA women's gymnastics championships were held on April 18, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas.
  • Oklahoma has now won 4 NCAA titles in the last 5 years.

The players

Faith Torrez

A senior on the Oklahoma gymnastics team who won the NCAA all-around title on Thursday and delivered the clinching performance on floor exercise to help the Sooners win the team championship.

Kailin Chio

A gymnast for LSU who scored a perfect 10 on vault, the first perfect score awarded at the national championships since 2023. Chio had to be perfect on the balance beam in the final rotation to try to overtake Oklahoma, but her 9.900 score was not quite enough.

Oklahoma Sooners

The dominant women's gymnastics program in the NCAA, having won 8 national titles since 2014, including 4 in the last 5 years.

LSU Tigers

The runner-up team at the 2026 NCAA women's gymnastics championships, led by Kailin Chio's perfect 10 on vault.

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What they’re saying

“It means everything, I'm so proud of this team. To do it with them, I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else.”

— Faith Torrez, Oklahoma Senior

What’s next

Oklahoma will look to defend their title and continue their dynasty next season, while LSU will aim to break through and win their first NCAA women's gymnastics championship.

The takeaway

Oklahoma's latest NCAA women's gymnastics title solidifies their status as the premier program in the sport, as they continue to attract top talent and produce championship-caliber teams year after year. Their ability to perform under pressure in the biggest moments has been a key factor in their sustained success.