The 2012 NCAA Championships came down to the final routine for the Gators in Duluth, Ga.
Kytra Hunter needed to complete her floor exercise. Her score would determine the fate of Florida’s championship hopes. Hunter’s score of 9.925 gave her team a slim point advantage at the competition’s end.
But as the Gators waited for the final results, Alabama responded on balance beam, jumping .075 points ahead of Florida to win its second consecutive NCAA title.
On Saturday in Los Angeles, the Gators left nothing to chance, posting the highest team total on floor in NCAA history en route to its first national championship.
In the weeks leading up to the postseason, coach Rhonda Faehn often referred to the floor lineup as a “project.” On Saturday, Florida’s lineup combination played an integral role in the victory.
The Gators’ strong showing on the floor helped them overcome a shaky start. A poor opening score of 48.875 on balance beam put Florida in a hole.
“The mistakes that happened on beam were so uncharacteristic,” Faehn said. “It was like, ‘What, what happened there?’ I don’t think it affected anyone other than making it harder. There was no looking back to anything in the past. Let’s go to floor, and let’s rally.”
Prior to the NCAA Championships, UF was one of the nation’s top-scoring teams on floor exercise, posting scores of 49.65 and 49.625 at the NCAA Regionals and Southeastern Conference Championships, respectively.
The Gators are 4-0 this season when scoring 49.6 or higher on floor.
After a poor start on beam, a shaky leadoff routine from Jamie Shisler on floor spelled early trouble.
Bridget Sloan alleviated some of Florida’s anxiety by following with a 9.95 performance. Three Gators turned in or equaled college floor bests on Saturday. Bridgette Caquatto earned a 9.95, and Kytra Hunter posted a 9.975. Dickerson also earned a 9.9 and King rounded out the lineup, scored a 9.95.
Florida’s 49.725 floor total set an NCAA Championships record.
“We just control what’s in front of us,” Faehn said. “This team doesn’t look to [mistakes], and does not get caught up in those things. It’s just about what’s in front of them and what they can do.”
Sophomore Kytra Hunter performs her floor routine during the NCAA Regionals on April 6 in the O’Connell Center. Florida won its first national championship on Saturday in Los Angeles.
