Florida Gators

The No. 10 University of Florida gymnastics squad (8-8, 2-3 SEC) turned in its season-best team total Sunday afternoon in front of a Bob Devaney Sports Center crowd of 1,262, but it wasn't enough to defeat No. 6 Nebraska. The Cornhuskers matched their school-record team total of 197.325 to extend their Bob Devaney Center winning streak to 34 consecutive meets. The Gators turned in 2001 high total of 196.625.

Florida junior Hilary Thompson set the Gator All-Time Best balance beam mark of 9.975 Sunday afternoon to win the event title. Thompson shared the previous Gator beam record of 9.95 with former Gator All-Americans Kristen Guise and Tracy Wilson. Thompson's score also matched the Devaney Center beam record, which was set by Utah's Suzanne Metz in 1995. The mark is getting to be familiar for Thompson, who used a collegiate-best 9.975 Friday evening to win the Rydell High Reunion floor exercise competition.

"I knew I had a good routine going and then I saw the score go up. I was surprised with the 9.975," she said. "I'm excited with the score."

Thompson also used a collegiate-best total of 39.45 to share the afternoon's all-around title with UN's Tami Harris. It was the second all-around title for Thompson this season.

"It was just one of those meets where it all came together," Thompson said. "It was so easy because our team was so excited and confident – it was great."

Florida's Lindsey Miner and Kara Waterhouse turned in collegiate-best floor exercise marks of 9.90 to share the afternoon's event title with UN's Bree Dority and Jess Wertz. Miner and Teal Chiabotti shared third in the vault standings with marks of 9.85. Alecia Ingram claimed the event title at 9.90. UN's Dority and Houk shared top honors on the uneven bars (9.95). Gator freshman Erin Pendleton led the Gators on the bars for the second consecutive meet, matching her collegiate-best mark of 9.90.

Gator Head Coach Judi Markell was pleased with the Gators' performance Sunday, as Florida was coming off a narrow win in last Friday's Rydell High Reunion – a meet which Markell called "the worst performance of the season" for Florida.

"It was a great rebound from the worst meet of the season last Friday night. Things felt good – good energy level and nice consistency," Markell said "We did it with the younger Gators – they really stepped up to the plate today. Kelly (Hesbeens) did one her best bars routines, Erin (Pendleton) did a nice job on beam filling in for Teal (Chiabotti) and Kara (Waterhouse) had some great performances. I think it was great that we came out here and stood up very well to a team that has been scoring so well."

The Gators continue their road trip on Saturday, March 10 when they meet Denver, No. 11 Penn State, No. 24 Denver and Air Force in a quad meet held at the University of Denver.

Team Totals