Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 19 University of Florida gymnastics team made up more than a three-tenths deficit in the final rotation Friday to claim the Gatorade Conference Showcase team title in front of a Stephen C. O'Connell Center crowd of 2,669. The Gators posted a team total of 195.40 and defeated three top-12 team Friday evening. No. 6 Louisiana State was runner-up at 195.075, followed by No. 11 Iowa State and No. 12 North Carolina State at 194.250.
 
Florida trailed the LSU Tigers by .325 heading into the meet's final rotation. The Gators used no score lower than a 9.80 toward their floor exercise team total of 49.275 to move ahead of LSU, which turned in a vault team total of 48.625 on its final event.
 
"It was great to get the win tonight," UF Head Coach Judi Markell said. "The coaches knew heading into the final rotation that we trailed LSU, but we didn't tell the team what the deficit was. But the team knew it was going to be a close meet, so every little bit was going to count. They gave it all they had and you saw that tonight. They really wanted to win."
 
Performing in front of the O'Connell Center crowd for her final regular season meet, Florida senior Chrissy Van Fleet turned in another solid performance, winning at least a share of four event titles. She claimed her third consecutive all-around title – and 15th of her career – with a total of 39.55. Van Fleet also won the vault (9. 875) and claimed the floor crown with a collegiate-best score of 9.95. She also shared the evening's uneven bars title with Louisiana State's Beth Boudreaux and Iowa State's Betsy Hamm at 9.90. Van Fleet also shared second on the beam with teammate Teal Chiabotti at 9.825. Gator freshman Lindsey Miner claimed her first collegiate balance beam title Friday with a mark of 9.85. Miner also was second on floor at 9.875 and shared second on the vault with ISU's Karen Kuplicki at 9.825.
 
Next up, the Gators compete in their third consecutive quad meet when they meet Kentucky, Central Michigan and George Washington on Friday, March 3 in Lexington, Ky. Meet time is set for 7 p.m. in the Memorial Coliseum.

Team Totals

		Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	rank	Total
Florida		48.950	48.250	48.925	49.275	1	195.400
LSU		48.625	49.100	48.400	48.950	2	195.075
Iowa State		48.725	49.075	47.600	49.000	3	194.400
NC State		48.600	48.375	48.500	48.775	4	194.250