Tag Archives: Oklahoma Sooners

Faith Torrez Helps Lead Oklahoma Sooners to NCAA Women’s Gymnastics National Championship

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Faith Torrez has helped propel the University of Oklahoma to another national title…

The 21-year-old Latina’s stellar performance helped lead the Oklahoma Sooners women’s gymnastics team to its seventh national title on Saturday.

Faith TorrezThe Sooners are now tied with UCLA for the third most team titles in NCAA history.

OU was in the lead heading into the final rotation, and though the team wasn’t quite as sharp as usual on bars, it was enough to edge UCLA for the title.

Audrey Davis, arguably the best bar worker in the country, earned a 9.9250 for her sky-high piked Jaegar, and Jordan Bowers scored a 9.8875 for a near-flawless routine with perfect handstands throughout.

UCLA ended the day in second, an enormous improvement from last year, when the Bruins didn’t qualify for nationals. Emily Lee led off the team with a massive 9.9250, then Jordan Chiles upped the ante with a 9.9375 with a stuck round-off double full dismount. Emma Malabuyo anchored the beam lineup with another 9.9375, but the Bruins had to count two scores in the 9.7s, so the title was out of reach.

Missouri ended in third, the highest finish in school history. Kennedy Griffin led the squad with a 9.95. Utah finished fourth after a mixed day on vault, but it was highlighted by Avery Neff, who stuck her Yurchenko 1.5 for a 9.975.

Final results:

  1. Oklahoma: 198.0125
  2. UCLA: 197.6125
  3. Missouri: 197.2500
  4. Utah: 197.2375

Fuente Named New Head Football Coach at Virginia Tech

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Justin Fuente will bleed maroon and orange next season…

The 39-year-old Latino college football coach has been officially named the next football coach at Virginia Tech.

Justin Fuente

Fuente revived the program at Memphis, which had reached rock bottom when he took over in 2012. By his third season, he had gotten the Tigers to 10-3 and a share of the American Athletic Conference championship.

This year, despite having to replace a majority of starters on defense, he posted another 9-3 regular season including a victory over nationally ranked Ole Miss.

Fuente replaces revered Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, who announced earlier this month that he’ll retire at the end of this season.

Fuente, a former offensive coordinator under Gary Patterson at TCU, is a no-nonsense personality who should thrive in the low-key environment of Blacksburg.

Athletics director Whit Babcock wanted an offensive mind for this hire and moved aggressively to secure Fuente before the coaching market opened up.

Fuente, a former quarterback at Oklahoma and then Murray State, developed Andy Dalton at TCU and Paxton Lynch at Memphis into NFL prospects.

“As our conversations progressed, we then met in person and it became obvious he is the right person to lead our football program,” Babcock said in a statement. “He possesses wisdom beyond his years, as well as a refreshing sense of humility and a calm confidence.”

Bud Foster will stay on as defensive coordinator, retaining the job he has held since 1995.