Faith Torrez’s Leadership Key to OU Gymnastics’ NCAA Title Run
TULSA — Faith Torrez’s perfect 10 on the balance beam at the Southeastern Conference Championships on Saturday wasn’t simply a high score; it was a testament to her resilience and a vital boost for the University of Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team as they head into the NCAA postseason. The routine earned Torrez the individual title on beam, but her impact extends far beyond personal accolades, particularly as the Sooners navigate a challenging landscape of youth, and injury.
Torrez, a senior who finished third in the all-around at the 2025 NCAA Championships, has seen her 2026 season altered by ongoing medical issues. Oklahoma head coach K.J. Kindler announced last week that Torrez would not compete on the floor exercise for the remainder of the season. At the SEC Championships, held at the BOK Center, Torrez competed only on uneven bars and balance beam, achieving a 9.950 on bars in addition to her perfect score on beam.
Despite the limitations, Torrez’s presence is crucial for a team relying heavily on underclassmen. At the SEC Championships, freshmen and sophomores filled at least four of the six spots in every event, and five of six spots on floor exercise. A total of 17 of 24 spots across all events were filled by athletes in their first or second year of collegiate competition, with freshmen accounting for seven of those positions.
Oklahoma secured an undefeated record during the SEC regular season, but finished second to the University of Florida at the SEC Championships by a mere 0.025 points. This narrow defeat, while disappointing, provided valuable experience for the young team, according to Kindler. “To get that practice and to know exactly what you have to do to make it happen, what a gift,” Kindler said, emphasizing the learning opportunity presented by the competitive environment.
Torrez recognizes the significance of this experience for her younger teammates. “It’s amazing for our underclassmen. They’ve never been in an environment like this with such amazing teams,” she said. “I’m really glad we were able to come out here, have a lot of energy, do our gymnastics and gain the experience for them.”
Kindler highlighted Torrez’s evolving role as a leader. “She really had to do an assessment of what her contributions are going to be,” Kindler explained, “and I suppose she’s really dug into the leadership aspect.” Kindler noted that Torrez is actively seeking and incorporating coaching feedback, striving to maximize her performance on the events she is able to compete on.
Torrez herself expressed a focus on execution. “I can’t control the judges or anything like that,” she said, “so just really going out there and just being like, ‘I nailed it,’ it was a great feeling.” The perfect 10 on beam was a validation of that mindset. Kindler added, “To do it in the postseason in a meet as important as this, as impactful as this, that was huge for our team.”
Kindler believes Torrez’s positive attitude is contagious. “She brings that joy to our whole team,” she said. As the Sooners prepare for the NCAA Championships, Torrez’s leadership and performance on bars and beam will be pivotal, even as she navigates the challenges posed by her injury.