OKLAHOMA CITY – The second session of the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City lived up to hype with four of the top gymnastics programs in the nation battling it out on national television Saturday afternoon. The No. 6 California gymnastics team had an excellent showing, placing third with a team score of 197.275 which was a full point improvement from its last meet.
 
No. 1 Oklahoma (197.950) took the top spot with the highest mark by any team this season in what has been a low-scoring start to the year for every other program. No. 2 LSU finished in second with a 197.650 and No. 4 Utah finished fourth at 196.800.
 
The Golden Bears were consistent and timely all afternoon hitting strong routines when they needed to. After seeing four 9.90+ routines in its season opener last week, Cal posted seven under the bright lights and didn't count any scores under 9.825.
 
The Bears began the day on the uneven bars and got going right away with senior Mya Lauzon collecting a 9.90 in the lead-off spot, which was the team's top score of the rotation and the eighth highest in the meet. To avoid counting a fall the final three Bears all had to hit, and all rose to the occasion. Senior Ella Cesario clutched up and posted a 9.850 and despite battling illness all week senior Maddie Williams posted a 9.875 in the five spot. With just one routine to go, junior Casey Brown was subbed into the anchor spot and in heroic fashion posted a career-high tying 9.875 to give the Bears a 49.325, their highest event score of the season for the moment.
 
Cal matched that season-high score on the next rotation as Cesario (9.825) and Williams (9.875) got the team off to a strong start on the balance beam. Senior Jordan Kane and Frazier collected back-to-back 9.90's and Lauzon finished off the event with a 9.825. The Bears' 49.325 was the third-highest beam score in the entire Sprouts Collegiate Quad.
 
The best score of the night and the season came on the floor exercise as Cal collected a 49.350 to increase its lead over the Red Rocks heading into the final rotation. Cesario and sophomore Kyen Mayhew each tallied a 9.850 and freshman CJ Keuneke made her collegiate debut and anchored the lineup with an impressive 9.825. Lauzon collected her second 9.900 of the day and Frazier earned the team's top score of the meet at 9.925.
 
Frazier earned her third 9.900 of the competition on vault giving her an all-around score of 39.550, which tied for 7th in the session. Mayhew collected a 9.900 and Cesario, Lauzon, and freshman Mya Wiley each notched a 9.825 to give the Bears the second-highest vault score of the session at 49.275.
 
Cal will now return home for a one-day trip to Davis next Sunday, Jan. 19 to take on host UC Davis, Cornell, and Alaska-Anchorage in a quad meet at University Credit Union Center.