Gators claim fifth-straight SEC Title with win over UK

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Super Seniors now have some rings, claiming their fifth consecutive Southeastern Conference gymnastics title on Saturday with a 198.15 – 197.575 win over No. 12 Kentucky.

Heading into Friday’s contest, Florida and Kentucky could win the SEC regular season title. Both sides enter the match with one league defeat. Closed league action on Friday for the Gators, giving them the 2023 title with a 6-1 record.

SEC TITLE:

• Florida claimed its 15th and fifth consecutive SEC gymnastics titles (1982, ’83, ’84, ’85, ’89, ’07, ’10, ’12, ’13, 16, ’19, ’20, ’21 , ’22, ’23). This is the seventh straight year to award the regular season SEC gymnastics title. From 1981-2016, the winner of the SEC Championship meet was considered the league champion.
• Tonight’s win extends Florida’s athletic SEC total to 259 league titles. In addition to lacrosse’s 11 league titles, the Gator program has claimed 270 conference titles.
• Gymnastics claims Florida athletics’ fourth SEC title in 2022-23, joining men’s & women’s volleyball, swimming & diving. Florida’s picked up at least one SEC team title for 45 consecutive seasons – the longest streak in the league

Florida’s win gives the Gators their only 2023 regular season title.

SENIOR DAY CELEBRATION:
Florida has an expanded class this year with Super Seniors Leah Clapper, Savannah Schoenherr, Halley Taylor and Trinity Thomas repeating the celebration in 2023. They joined transfer Rachel Baumann and senior Payton Richards along with manager Shea Wheeler for a celebration of the Gators’ careers. abide.

Florida senior class of 2023 notes:

• Advance to NCAA team finals in 2021 (4th) and 2022 (2nd)
• Win 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023 SEC regular season trophies.
• Regular season championship and 2022 SEC Championship
• Earned 31 All-America honors & two All-SEC team members
• Four SEC event titles (2019 – Thomas -vault; 2022: Thomas – vault, floor, all-around) & three NCAA event titles (2022 – Thomas all-around, uneven bars & floor exercise)
• Each earned Academic All-SEC honors each season of his collegiate career

KEEP THIS UP
Florida was led on vault with season bests by Leanne Wong (9.925) and Sloane Blakely (9.90). Vault was won by the Wildcats, with Isabella Magnelli and Raena Worley sharing the win in 9.95.

2023’s state high in any event, a 49.80, was propelled by a trio of near-perfect 9.975s on the uneven bars by Kayla DiCello, Trinity Thomas and Leanne Wong. Best in college by sophomores leading and setting the bar. Blakely equaled a personal best of 9.925 and Riley McCusker closed out the rotation with a collegiate best of 9.95.

DiCello led the Gators on the balance beam, sharing the event title with UK’s Worley at 9.925. Thomas and Kentucky’s Arianna Patterson tied at 9.90 for third.

Florida used five marks of 9.9 or better to close the meet with 49.60 in the floor exercise. Thomas won with an oh-so-close 9.975. Senior Payton Richards equaled her collegiate best of 9.925 to share third with UK Worley and Hailey Davis. The Gators also got 9.9s from Rachel Baumann, Victoria Nguyen and DiCello.

Thomas posted a 39.70 to win his third-straight all-around title. Worley was second in 39.65 while DiCello took third in 39.60.

GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:

• Florida’s 198.15 is the Gators second among the top 10 this season. Tonight’s total is 7th and UF is 2nd with a total of 198.35 on February 10th.
• Florida sold out 15 of the last 18 meets and the last nine consecutive. Tonight’s crowd of 9,298 was the 10th largest since Exactech Arena reopened in 2017 after renovations.
• Florida’s two event totals are national highs in 2023 – tonight’s uneven bars (49.80) and February 10th’s floor exercise (49.725)
• Florida’s 49.80 on the uneven bars follows the nation’s top mark of 49.825, set by UCLA in 2004 and matching California (2021) and Oklahoma (2022)
• It’s just the second time in program history Florida has had three 9.975s in one event — both coming in 2023.
• In the February 10 meeting against Missouri, the trio of Sloane Blakely, Trinity Thomas and Leanne Wong turned in 9.975s on the floor.
• Florida twice has two 9,975 in uneven bar rotation, with two that happened involving Thomas and Wong (January 21, 2022 and January 27, 2023). Kayla DiCello joins Thomas and Wong at 9.975pm on the uneven bar.
• Trinity Thomas extended her career streak to 30 wins overall
• The best in college are or are set tonight:
• Sloane Blakely – 9.925 (bar)
• Riley McCusker – 9.95 (bars)
• Payton Richards – 9.925 (floor)

COACH ROWLAND said:
“I tell them over and over again and let them know how grateful they are to have a team of strong women like what they do, who love to perform for each other and who love to compete for Gator Nation. And if not for him, the fans won’t be there. So he’s done an amazing job of inviting everyone to the O’Dome for gymnastics.

“Thank you so much to our seniors and Super Seniors. None of us would be the same people today without these six amazing young women. They are strong, brave, brave, caring. They are loving, kind and they just show grace and leadership over the past five years to win five SEC regular season championships. What a great night. Great gymnastics. Just remember to just have fun. it’s a moment, watching these gymnasts do what they love.” – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

UP NEXT:
For the third time in 2023, the top two meetings involve the Gators. This time, No. 2 Florida at No. 1 Oklahoma.