Last July, millions around the country watched USA Gymnastics name its five-member Rio-bound Olympic team and three alternates. While the celebration in front of the adoring crowd at the Olympic trials involved selfies, confetti, media appearances and the realization of a lifelong dream come true for eight women, it marked a devastating conclusion for Maggie Nichols. She'd helped lead the U.S. team to gold at the world championships less than a year before, and even won an individual silver medal on floor. But on that day, her name wasn't called. She remained in the locker room.
Three days later, Nichols made the difficult decision to retire from elite gymnastics. The then-18-year-old knew the time was right to transition to the college level.
And she hasn't looked back since.
Since bursting onto the NCAA scene as a member of the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in January, Nichols has arguably become the best college gymnast in the country -- winning all but one all-around title that she has competed for and finishing the regular season ranked first in the nation in the all-around, beam and floor exercise.
"In elite, unless you are on top, you really don't get the proper recognition," Kyla Ross, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist and a UCLA freshman gymnast, said about her former U.S. national teammate. "So to be in college and watch [Nichols], someone who has worked so hard her whole life in the sport, finally get the recognition she deserves is amazing. And to watch her enjoy it so much -- it's really fun."
Nichols had been at the top of the U.S. national team leading up to the Olympics, with a silver medal in the all-around at the 2015 U.S. nationals, world gold and bronze that same year, and another silver medal all-around finish at the 2016 American Cup in March of the Olympic year. But then a meniscus tear in her knee suffered during practice resulted in surgery, just three months before trials. Nichols recovered enough to compete two events at the U.S. nationals (called P&G Championships) in June, and in the all-around at the trials a few weeks later. With limited training time, she earned a sixth-place finish in the all-around and fourth place on floor, but she was not selected to the team.
"I was pretty disappointed at first," Nichols said. "I had been working toward that for so long, but I just really trusted the national staff's decision. I knew I had bigger and better opportunities at Oklahoma so I was sad for a little bit, but then I was just excited to start here."
After a summer filled with training at home in Little Canada, Minnesota -- and also some unprecedented free time to rest, relax and hang out with family and friends -- a re-energized Nichols began her freshman year in Norman in August. She quickly bonded with her new teammates and adjusted to schoolwork and college life. Even though the Sooners are the defending national champions, Nichols almost immediately cemented her spot as the team's star. During the team's opener in January against Alabama, Nichols posted a 39.725 score to win the all-around title, bars and floor.
She has dominated her competition since -- including setting an Oklahoma record in just her third meet with a 39.875 in the all-around. She has become just the ninth gymnast in NCAA history to notch the rare "GymSlam" by earning perfect 10.0 scores on every apparatus, and has already tied the school's mark for most perfect scores (five) by a gymnast during her career. And, in three meets this season, Nichols won every event and the all-around -- five individual titles in all.
"She's amazing," said Simone Biles, Nichols' longtime friend and 2016 Olympic champion, who calls Nichols "the sweetest person I've ever met in my life."
"She blows my mind. Everyone says she's 'the Simone Biles of the collegiate world,' but she's just Maggie Nichols. She's so dominant, she's killing it. I'm so happy for her.
"Seeing her compete, I was just blown away. I think if I were doing college gymnastics with her, she would beat me in the all-around, no doubt about it."
The five-time Olympic medalist was in attendance for Oklahoma's win over Auburn in February, and the BFFs said it felt like "old times" being back together again.
Aside from great coaching and supportive teammates, Nichols also credits the electric and unique atmosphere of college gymnastics in helping her become so successful, so quickly.
"Elite gymnastics is more individual and very serious," she said. "College gymnastics is more fun and upbeat. In college gymnastics, you're really striving for perfection and to get that 10.0 on each event. In elite gymnastics, you're trying to do the biggest skills with the highest difficulty, so it's just little differences here and there. But I think college gymnastics is a lot more fun, and I'm really enjoying it."
Majoring in health and exercise science, Nichols hopes to ultimately attain her nursing degree, while also pursuing sports journalism. Between gymnastics and school, she has little free time, she says, but hasn't had any problems balancing her responsibilities. She enjoys being busy, and prides herself in her time management skills. While living in a dorm has been an adjustment -- mostly because her parents aren't around and she has to do her own laundry -- she has found she actually likes it, even calling it "homey."
The Sooners have won the past five Big 12 titles, so Nichols is convinced that the team can win the conference championship this weekend, and she's also sure Oklahoma can win another national championship this year. And while her focus is squarely on helping the team win, she also has her sights on some individual titles of her own.
"I hope to win a few -- no, all four -- national championships," she said when talking about goals for the team during her college career. "That would be huge. We have a ton of amazing talent on this team and we're really going to prove that the Sooners are something special this year. And hopefully I can win a few NCAA titles myself, that would be pretty cool."
But no matter what happens in Frisco or at the NCAA championships in St. Louis next month, Nichols is genuinely happy to be at Oklahoma, and for the road that got her there.
"I'm more than happy that I chose Oklahoma," she said. "I fit here so well, and I just feel like I'm part of the family. The coaching staff is amazing; I feel like they know how to help me more than any other coaches could. I love it here. It feels like home."