Junior Selena Harris-Miranda had the world on her shoulders – or at least the weighty expectations of No. 6 Florida’s gymnastics team and a sold-out Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Fellow senior gymnast Sloane Blakely confirmed her injury was season-ending hours prior, and Florida was searching for a response to its loss against No. 1 Oklahoma.
So, in a glittery rainbow leotard while donning ribbons in her hair, she slammed down a score on vault that set the tone for Florida’s meet against No. 8 Missouri: a perfect 10.000.
Smiling, she turned to the crowd and head coach Jenny Rowland, who held up one finger in the air. For the first time since transferring from UCLA, Harris-Miranda reached the pinnacle of a vault routine — a peak she reached three times last year.
Aided by four perfect or near-perfect scores, No. 6 Florida snatched a victory over No. 8 Missouri 198.125-197.725 on Friday night in Gainesville, Florida. The team tied itself for the highest score in collegiate gymnastics so far this season, matching what it put up on Jan. 24 against Georgia.
“I felt better knowing that my legs are straight,” Harris-Miranda joked about her perfect score. “I feel good to finally get a 10.000. I'm happy that I'm able to figure out how to do my vault.”
Not to be outdone, senior Leanne Wong snagged the highest all-around score with a 39.750 — the No. 4 all-around score nationally this year. Her near-perfect routine of 9.975 on the uneven bars featured smooth transitions and steady handstands. Then, on beam, she collected Florida’s highest score of 9.925.
From the first rotation, the Gators set expectations high, with graduate student Victoria Nguyen earning her season-best score of a nearly-perfect 9.975. Then, with Harris-Miranda’s perfect 10.000, it seemed as if UF would pull ahead of the Tigers. However, Missouri kept it close with consistently high scores.
The Gators’ smaller victories helped to propel them forward, and the team’s collective achievements on floor handed it the victory over the Tigers. None of the routines in that rotation earned less than a 9.900, with Harris-Miranda scoring a near-perfect 9.975.
Sophomore Alyssa Arana, who earned a spot in two rotations, served as Florida’s anchor on the balance beam and the uneven bars, a slot usually reserved for Harris-Miranda. Then, on floor, sophomore Danie Ferris took over the Gators’ last spot in the rotation.
“Really just wanted to keep the consistency going of our previous lineups, keep[ing] that one through five going,” Rowland said. “That's something that they've been comfortable with. We didn't want to rattle that too much, so we decided to put Alyssa at the end. Same with well, Danie.”
Sophomore Anya Pilgrim returned from concussion protocol after her fall in last week’s meet against Oklahoma, where she failed to complete her transition between the uneven bars. She put up a 9.850 on beam and a 9.900 on the bars. Though not the highest scores of her season, it gave Florida enough points to gain the edge over Missouri.
Freshman Skye Blakely, Sloane’s younger sister, matched her season-best on bars with a routine that earned her a 9.900. Likewise, sophomore Gabby Disidore matched her season-best high of 9.875 on vault.
Standing in a boot on the sidelines, the senior Blakely, who suffered a lower-leg injury during the meet against No. 1 Oklahoma, cheered for her teammates. She confirmed her injury was season-ending to WUFT’s Jordyn Banks, but Blakely did not disclose the exact nature of her injury.
“Going in this week was definitely hard,” Wong said. “Just knowing that she wouldn't be competing anymore. But she stepped into a new role, and we're just happy to have her support on the side. She's doing what she can and support Jenny.”
Rowland agreed, saying, “I am first in awe of how strong Sloane is to be able to be here tonight and be in the gym on Monday after she got injured.”
The next challenge for Florida is duplicating its home success on the road. While the Gators are undefeated at home, Florida remains winless in conference meets away from Gainesville, after returning from Norman, Oklahoma, with a loss.
Even if UF were to host the regional round of NCAA competition, it would travel for both the SEC Championship and the later rounds of the nationals. Simply put, the Gators’ success will be dictated by their ability to translate their home successes abroad.
“Moving forward, we've been there,” Rowland said about the team’s multiple appearances at Nationals. “We haven't been married to any lineup on any given event. Throughout the season, we've had multiple different players in rotations and lineups and spots. Really grateful that we have the opportunity to have a lot of athletes that are ready to compete when needed. So I think just trying to figure out what that looks like moving forward.”
Florida will have to improve its balance on beam to collect as many points as possible. During tonight’s meet, Harris-Miranda wobbled slightly on her beam routine, though her acrobatics seemed sound otherwise. She stuck the landing and collected a 9.825.
Similarly, Arana’s shoulders dipped during her performance, requiring her to stick a foot out to maintain equilibrium. Though small, the Gators need good scores on every routine in each rotation, especially with Blakely out.
Up next, Florida faces Alabama in its first duo meet against an unranked opponent of the season on Friday at 8 p.m. EST.
Contact Liana Handler at lhandler@alligator.org. Follow her on X @handlerliana
Liana is the Gators gymnastic beat reporter for the Alligator and a junior sports journalism major. In her free time, she likes to play dominos and listen to Celia Cruz.
