Florida may have won its national championship in 2013, but the 2014 squad is far ahead of its predecessor.
At this point last year, now-No. 1 Florida (9-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) had two losses under its belt with only one 10. At the end of the 2013 regular season, Florida had yet to crack the 198 mark on the road and the Gators were recovering from their second loss — not the best way to close out a season.
Now, Florida has posted the highest road score in the nation with a 198.20. The Gators haven’t tasted defeat in almost a month, and they have scored eight perfect 10s this season.
“We felt all along that the makeup of our team is absolutely capable of this type of competition at any given time,” coach Rhonda Faehn said. “Still, our team knowing that we can do better, which is great, because that’s the position we want to be in.”
But Florida’s road to this high point in the program’s history was a carefully planned path.
“We knew we started out extremely slow and that was our plan,” Faehn said. “At the beginning of the season throughout the first month, not really worrying about landings and repetitions, and then trying to get to this position. Where everyone is really feeling the freshest and the strongest heading into the SEC Championship.”
Faehn said the overall health of the team is the best she could ask for.
“The key for them, and what we’ve done, is try to pace them the whole year,” Faehn said. “Let them rest when they needed to rest, start them out slower so that they’re feeling their freshest right now.”
Junior Rachel Spicer was spotted wearing a boot on her right leg after competing in three events against Missouri on Friday.
“She just has sore ankles and so whenever we travel or whatnot we always just put her in a boot, that’s a really common practice ... just to keep them from continually using that so it gives them a little bit of a break,” Faehn said. “That’s the biggest thing for her. When we have had those opportunities throughout the season to rest her, we did so.”
Spicer competed vault and balance beam at every regular season meet this year and she competed floor, a notoriously tough event on a gymnasts’ feet, at all but two meets.
Senior Mackenzie Caquatto has also taken a few breaks from floor this season. She competed floor at five of Florida’s 10 regular season meets. In the Missouri meet, which Faehn said would be the debut of Florida’s postseason lineup, Caquatto competed vault (9.875), uneven bars (9.925) and balance beam (9.925). Faehn said she doesn’t think Caquatto will compete all-around this weekend.
“As of right now, the lineups, we’re looking for those to be just like they were at Missouri,” Faehn said.
The Gators face a quick turnaround with just two training days plus a walkthrough practice on Wednesday before a Thursday travel day.
“Knowing that where we are right now physically and mentally as a team, it’s a different team than the beginning of the season,” Faehn said.
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Rachel Spicer performs a floor routine during Florida’s 197.525-196.025 win against Arkansas on Feb. 14 in the O’Connell Center.
