Members of the Florida Gators gymnastics team are no strangers to individual recognition.
But in the wake of Saturday’s victory at the NCAA Minneapolis Regional, one theme stood out among the rest.
"We left a lot out on the competition floor," head coach Jenny Rowland said. "But, you know what, it was a meet where everybody had each other’s backs.
"I cannot commend this team enough for their resiliency, their determination, their grit, their spirit, their hard work, and really, that showed this past Saturday night."
Florida will compete in the NCAA Semifinals on April 15 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Last weekend, UF’s athletes and coaches took home six of a possible nine awards, ranging from individual event titles to All-Southeast Region distinctions.
The Gators’ success was best represented by senior Bridget Sloan’s event-winning vault performance, one that came in the wake of a rare slip-up from freshman Alicia Boren.
"Everyone was able to have her back," Sloan said Saturday.
"I told her after beam, ‘You’ve had my back on beam how many times when I’ve fallen? It was time for me to have your back.’ Hitting that beam routine under pressure was the focus for me tonight."
But having someone else’s back wasn’t unique to Sloan, as evidenced when freshman Amanda Cheney — who hadn’t competed in a meet since the Gators’ season-opening victory against Texas Woman’s University — stepped up to cover for the injured Kennedy Baker, posting a collegiate-best 9.750 on vault in the process.
That mentality has factored into the Gators’ success, stemming from an appreciation for each other for their sport in general.
They hold each other responsible, working hard to avoid disappointing their teammates.
And, standing a victory removed from a fourth-consecutive national championship, Florida could reap the rewards of that accountability once more.
"We’ve been talking a lot about, ‘What is your why? Why do we do this? Why do we do what we’re doing?’" Rowland said. "What it comes down to is they love gymnastics. They love competing for the University of Florida, and you know what, they love their teammates and they want to be successful.
"Really, that’s what it comes down to, and that’s what has made this team as successful as it has been so far this year."
Contact Alejandro Lopez at alopez@alligator.org and you can follow him on Twitter @ajlb95.
Bridget Sloan performs her floor routine during Florida's loss to LSU on Feb. 26, 2016, in the O'Connell Center.
