Former NCAA swimming champion Riley Gaines made a stop at Oklahoma State University in her “Taking Back Title IX” Tour. Wednesday’s event was hosted by the conservative group Turning Point USA. Gaines spoke to a crowded room and facilitated a Q&A session at the Wes Watkins Center. Turning Point USA coordinators said about 300 guests attended, but another 200 had been expected. Gaines rose to prominence after the 200-meter freestyle final at the NCAA Women’s Championships in 2022, where she tied for fifth with University of Pennsylvania’s Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer competing on the women’s team. She has since been outspoken against competitions that allow for transgender athletes to compete against people assigned female at birth. Gaines advocates for what she calls women’s safe spaces through the Riley Gaines Center at the Leadership Institute. She hosts the Gaines for Girls podcast, and told the News Press this is her fourth semester touring university campuses.