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Pac-12 Gymnastics 'Meet of the Week' preview: No. 1 Oklahoma at No. 17 California

by Shayna Rubin
Mar 11, 2017
CalBears.com

The matchup: No. 1 Oklahoma at No. 17 California

When: Sunday, March 12 at 2 p.m. PT/ 3 p.m. MT on Pac-12 Network, Bay Area

On the Call: Jim Watson and Amanda Borden

On the meet: Cal will finish off its regular season faced with a tall order: the Golden Bears must take on Oklahoma, the top-ranked gymnastics squad in the nation. The concluding non-conference matchup should be thrilling competition, but with the season winding down, Cal will be focused on tallying Regional Qualifying Score rankings before the Pac-12 Championships and NCAA's.  

On the visitors side

The reigning NCAA champions will arrive at Haas with a NCAA-best 197.865 average and 197.99 RQS. The Sooners, fresh off a slim win over Michigan, should be fun to watch. 

Gymnasts to watch

Maggie Nichols is the only gymnast keeping Utah's MyKayla Skinner from the top individual rank in the nation. Nichols, a freshman from Minnesota, averages a devastating 39.789 in the all-around with an unreal 39.925 season high. She's earned a perfect 10 in every event for the rare "Gym Slam", most recently earning a perfect mark in the uneven bars. Nichols hasn't participated in the all-around since earning her season high in a February meet, so there's a chance the audience won't get to see her dazzle on every apparatus. 

Still, Haas may get to see senior Chayse Capps take it all on. Capps is averaging a 39.5 with a season-high 39.7. She earned a 10 on beam, the second of her career, in the Sooners' last meet against Michigan. 

On the home team

The Bears sit just behind Washington for a coveted spot in the Pac-12 Championships' second session. The Huskies hold a .10 RQS edge over the Bears heading into the final week of the regular season. Cal is averaging a 196.058 with a 197.075 high. 

Gymnasts to watch

Zoe Draghi has been a constant force on beam for the Bears, putting up a season-high 9.875 against UCLA. 

Desiree Palomares will look to take her fifth beam title of the season. The 4' 11" senior from San Dimas is averaging a 9.844 with a season-high 9.9 on the apparatus. 

Emily Richardson will be the one to watch on vault--according to Pac-12 Network's Amanda Borden:

The senior has recorded a 9.825 or better in her last four meets on the apparatus.

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