NEWS
Nichols: My Time at Oklahoma was a Dream Come True
Maggie Nichols’ life has been defined by success. The eight-time NCAA Champion and World Champion gold medal recipient is also now a published author.
Titled Unstoppable!: My Journey from World Champion to Athlete A to 8-Time NCAA National Gymnastics Champion and Beyond, the memoir details the highs and lows of Nichols’ life as a world-class athlete.
Nichols attended a book signing Friday, Feb. 23 at the Lloyd Noble Center during the Sooners’ meet against West Virginia. Later that day, she hand delivered a signed copy to President Harroz at his office along with Castiglione.
“Throughout my career, I always dreamed of writing a book,” Nichols said. “Once I graduated and had the opportunity, I ran with it. My story is one of a lot of highs and a lot of lows.”
Nichols’ career as a Sooner under coach K.J. Kindler helped cement the University of Oklahoma’s women’s gymnastics as the unequalled program in the country. Her efforts helped lead OU to two team national championships (2017 and 2019), three Big 12 Championships and six individual national championships during her time.
With the 2020 AAI Award, the 2019 Honda Sport Award and 2019 NCAA Inspiration Award Winner, she is the most decorated gymnast in Oklahoma history.
“My time at Oklahoma was a dream come true,” Nichols said. “I had so many great role models that helped lead me like my coaches, [Athletic Director Joe Castiglione], and [President Joe Harroz].”
Nichols was one of 265 athletes involved in the sexual case against disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. As one of the best gymnasts in the world, Nichols' connection brought awareness to the case and Nassar’s ultimate conviction. Despite the trauma of her early career, Nichols was able to overcome it and pursue excellence at OU.
Now, Nichols sets her sights on maintaining the success she enjoyed as a Sooner into her post-gymnastics' life. She has helped turn her own experience as a victim of sexual abuse into a positive with her non-profit The Foundation, which aims to aid charities that help heal victims and survivors of all types of abuse.
The support she gained during her time at OU and the success that followed helped cultivate the person she became.
“Oklahoma is one big family, it’s a great community,” Nichols said. “My time at OU really led me into my career now, and to write my book. Oklahoma gave me a lot of those opportunities. I’m incredible thankful for it.”
By Brady Trantham & Madysson Morris
Photos by Travis Caperton
The University of Oklahoma’s athletics excellence will travel to Paris this summer when seven Sooners participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Luke Carrell is one of five student-athlete teams from universities in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) selected for the league’s inaugural SEC Start Up -- Student-Athlete Pitch Competition, a spin-off of its Student Pitch Competition.
Kaleb Briscoe, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, was recently invited to the White House for a workshop to present her research and speak in a panel discussion.
