Following a semifinal-leading score of 197.475, the Florida Gators gymnastics team has booked its ticket to Saturday’s Super Six at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
“I could not have asked for more today,” coach Jenny Rowland said in a release. “It was a team-oriented competition, as it always is. We had some mistakes. ... But it was a very good meet. It was a confidence booster."
And the program has reason to be confident as it heads into its 21st NCAA Finals appearance.
Powered by senior Bridget Sloan’s trio of victories on the uneven bars, balance beam and in the all-around, Florida placed multiple gymnasts in the top-five of each event.
Additionally, the Gators won three out of four team-event titles, only falling 0.075 points short of LSU on floor.
Amid a string of solid performances, UF’s bar rotation distinguished itself from the rest.
“Before we walked out for bars, I said, ‘alright guys, let’s do this,’” Sloan said in a release.
“You could tell in every one of my teammate’s eyes that they wanted it.”
They went and got it.
Posting a meet-high total of 49.475 on the apparatus, Florida received contributions from all along its lineup, paced by Sloan’s title-clinching 9.950 and senior Bridgette Caquatto’s 9.900.
In addition to the team victory, a handful of UF gymnasts bagged individual accolades.
Five athletes earned NCAA All-America distinctions on Friday, spread among each event.
Once again, Sloan led the charge, becoming the first Gator in program history to claim five All-America first team honors in a single NCAA Championships.
Sophomores Kennedy Baker and Alex McMurtry joined Sloan on the award sheet, becoming the fifth trio of UF all-arounders to earn All-American honors at the national championships.
Also present were Caquatto and Alicia Boren, who won first-team bars and beam distinctions, respectively.
In spite of this, though, Florida’s work remains unfinished.
One meet stands between the Gators and being recognized as just the third team in NCAA women’s gymnastics history to win four consecutive national titles.
And they’re ready.
“Every team that makes it to the Super Six is a good team,” Rowland said. “I think tomorrow is going to be absolutely incredible. You are going to see the best of the best in college gymnastics.
“I think it is going to be a great day.”
Super Six competition begins at 9:00 pm, and can be viewed live on ESPNU.
Contact Alejandro Lopez at alopez@alligator.org and you can follow him on Twitter @ajlb95.
Bridget Sloan performs her floor routine during the first session of the NCAA Championship Semifinals on April 15, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas.
