GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The nation's top gymnastics dual meet of the weekend features No. 3 Florida at No. 6 Alabama Friday. Meet time is set for 8:30 p.m. ET in Coleman Coliseum.
Friday's competition is the 50th consecutive meeting between the two programs (dating back to the 2002 NCAA Championships semifinal) that both teams bring a top-10 ranking. Alabama leads UF 27-20-2 in that span, but since 2007, it is even at 16-16-2.
Last Friday, Florida won the 11
th Gators Link to
Pink meet in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The Gators will be back in
pink Friday, as this is Alabama's 13
th annual Power of
Pink meet. These "
pink" meets are part of a Southeastern Conference initiative to raise breast cancer awareness and most of the league's teams will participate in a "
pink" meet this season. Florida will also be the opponent at Arkansas'
Pink Meet (Feb. 17).
How to Follow the Gators:
Friday is the second of a six-meet stretch of live SEC Network appearances for the Gators. Calling the action are Olympic medalists Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke with Gator grad Laura Rutledge reporting from the sideline.
The meet can also be found on
SEC Network +. New to the SEC Network + coverage this season is all the pre-meet pageantry and festivities will be part of the on-line production. Tune in beginning at 8:15 p.m. to see the pre-meet show.
A tape-delay replay of the UF at UA meet airs Feb. 5 on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. ET.
Last Friday versus Auburn:
Junior
Kennedy Baker's 10.0 as Florida's final floor exercise performer wowed the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center crowd of 9,108. Florida led the nation last weekend with its 197.70 to win the Gators Link to
Pink meet over Auburn (196.40).
A different Gator took each of the apparatus titles. Junior
Alex McMurtry equaled her vault season high of 9.95 to take her second consecutive title on the event. At North Carolina, she received a perfect 9.95 for her Yurchenko full (start value: 9.95). Friday, she performed a Yurchenko double (10.0 start value). Baker's 10.0 was the second perfect floor mark of her career and her third consecutive title on the event this season.
Two freshmen – both who advanced to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials finals - picked up their first collegiate event titles.
Rachel Gowey used a collegiate-best 9.925 to take the balance beam win.
Amelia Hundley matched the team's season uneven bars high (9.95) for the win. She also collected her first all-around win with a season-best 39.55.
SEC Honors for Gator Duo:
Two Gators picked up Southeastern Conference Weekly Gymnastics Awards on Jan. 31. Baker claimed her first SEC Specialist of the Week honor of her career. She was a four-time recipient of the SEC Freshman of the Week award in 2015. Hundley is the SEC Freshman Gymnast of the Week.
Gator Quick Hits:
- Each of Florida's four team totals this season are among the nation's top 20 – No. 5 197.70 (Jan. 27), No. 7 197.60 (Jan. 13), No. 12 197.325 (Jan. 20) and No. 17 197.10 (Jan. 8).
- The season highs for three Gators – Alicia Boren (39.625/T7th), Kennedy Baker (39.575/T14th) and Amelia Hundley (39.55/T20) all rank among the nation's top 20 all-around totals of 2017. Florida is the only school with three different gymnasts represented among the nation's top 20 all-around totals. The season-best (39.475/No. T32) for another Gator all-arounder, Rachel Gowey, sits just beyond the top 30 scores.
- Five gymnasts across the nation have turned in 10.0 scores this season, including Baker who is one of two in the nation to claim a 10.0 on floor this season. Another Gator also posted a perfect mark this season as Alex McMurtry received a 9.95 for a Yurchenko full vault on Jan. 20. The start value for that vault is a 9.95.
About the Tide:
Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum after three consecutive road meets. The Tide comes off an unusual two-meet weekend. Then No. 23 Arkansas upset Alabama, 195.825-195.325, Friday in Fayetteville, Ark. Alabama returned to their home state to face then No. 16 Auburn Sunday in the Elevate the Stage meet in Birmingham, finishing the weekend with a 195.850-194.675 win.
Alabama owns a season-best of 197.225, set in its win at Missouri on Jan. 20.
The 2016 SEC Championship was decided between these two teams by the slenderest of margins, as Florida edged Alabama 197.775-197.75, for its 10th title. In 2016 NCAA Super Six competition, Alabama took third at 197.4375, while Florida was fourth (197.35).
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 3 in the fourth
Road to Nationals poll.
UA – The Tide is No. 6 in the Road to Nationals poll.
