“Fav time of year,” said an Oklahoma Sooners gymnast on January 14. The Instagram post was a carousel of images of a Sooners senior in OU maroon bejeweled Leos performing and celebrating with her teammates and the coach. Well, why won’t it be her favorite time of the year? After all, she was delivering one solid score after the other. On January 11, in the second annual Sprouts Farmer’s Market Collegiate Quad Meet, she delivered an impressive 9.9 on bars against California, LSU, and Utah. Just before that, during the American Gold Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Classic on January 4, against Auburn, BYU, and Nebraska, Dani scored a solid 9.8 on the floor by performing a double pike. But she was nowhere to be found on the January 17th meet, in the January 24th meet, or on the January 31st meet. So here was a three-time NCAA All-American?

Danielle Sievers re-aggravated a shin injury and was supposed to be out for four weeks. And thus she missed out on 3 meetings. This injury dates back to the 2024 season when it restricted her to the bars event. But this season, after her recovery from the said lower leg injury, she was showing up for floors as well until it resurfaced. But wait till you hear the latest updates!

News from Twitter on March 7 via SoonerGymCrave was that Danielle Sievers was expected to be in the floor lineup for the Sooners against Michigan. Shocked are you? And the news was legit. The fans got to see Danielle not only on the bars but also in the floor event. The happiest will be Dani herself. After missing out on a major chunk of the season, she is back with increased responsibilities, just the way she may have wanted it! Against Michigan, she scored a 9.925 on the floor, just behind event winner Audrey Davis, who scored 9.975.

The official Twitter account of Oklahoma Women’s Gymnastics posted her fabulous floor routine with a caption, “Oh, she’s back. For her final performance in the LNC, it’s a 9.925 for Dani!” Also, in this season, this is only the third time Danielle Sievers has performed in the floor event this season. The other two were the January 4 meet, where she scored 9.800, and the January 11 meet, where she scored 9.850. Thus, her return to the floor isn’t just a relief but the season’s best for her! And it was just 0.025 away from her career high of 9.950. We must say, What a comeback!

In fact, in the Michigan meet, Dani Sievers also gave a stunning performance on the bars and registered a solid score of 9.925. Well, this must have contributed to Oklahoma’s victorious run, as they won against Michigan with a big gap of 1.300. Oklahoma scored 198.200, and Michigan scored 196.900.

Most eyes will be on how she does as the season progresses. Her return has been perfect, both for herself and for the team. After all, the Sooners are in a championship battle with the defending champion.

The 2025 NCAA season shaping up into an Oklahoma Sooners vs LSU battle

The 2025 season is drawing to a close. And by that, we mean the real business end is just about to start. After Michigan, it’s a visit to Georgia at the Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia. Standing on a 14-1 record, the Oklahoma Sooners sit atop the rankings with a team NQS of 197.915. After Georgia meet on March 14th, it’s the SEC Championships on March 22.

The Sooners have only 1 thing to worry about. Their only loss came against the defending champions, LSU, who are 10-2 for the season. The margin is obviously thin, 197.675 to 198.050. Moreover, in the season, they have met twice so far, and it’s 1-1. That was also a nail-biter, ending with a score of 197.950-197.650. It is so delicately poised, and we can’t call it.

It all goes down to how the teams keep the injuries at bay. For LSU, the injury list is rather long. It includes Chase Brock, Zoe Miller, and Victoria Roberts. Even Olivia Dunne picked up an avulsion fracture in the patella, which ruled her out of the Senior Night. On the other hand, the Sooners camp has two long-term absentees, Danae Fletcher, and Hannah Scheible. So, that’s the scenario right now.

But it’s not just about injuries. When the championship day comes, it will be about which team can hold their nerves and nail their routines when it matters the most. Not everyone can handle the pressures of a high-stakes event. LSU are the reigning champs. Before that, Oklahoma won it twice in a row. So, one thing’s for sure. These gymnasts have made performing in the Championships their ‘routine.’

So, let us know which camp you are on!! Do you want a back-to-back championship win for LSU, or are you cheering for a Sooner triumph?