Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 5 Florida begins a five-meet stretch versus Southeastern Conference opponents this Friday at No. 17 Auburn. Meet time is 7 p.m. ET at the Auburn Arena.
 
This is the 36th consecutive meeting that both programs bring a top-25 ranking.
 
How to Follow the Gators:
The meet kicks off the SEC Network's Friday Night Heights action at 7 p.m. ET. Olympic medalists Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke call the action with Gator alum Laura Rutledge adding sideline reports.
 
On the go Friday? Follow the action on SEC Network +.
 
In the Gators' Last Meet:
Florida is coming off the top dual in the nation last weekend. Oklahoma led through the opening two rotations and the meet was tied after the third rotation. The final rotation ended with gymnastics' version of a game-winning shot. When freshman Alyssa Baumann's 9.925 flashed as Florida's final floor exercise performer, that mark moved No. 5 Florida ahead of No. 1 Oklahoma for the first time of the meet. The team totals put up Friday by the winners the last five NCAA Championships rank as the nation's top two totals the season. Florida used the sport's slightest margin to take a 198.15 – 198.125 win over OU.
 
A big team score comes from big individual marks. Those came from both teams but none bigger than the two 10.0s from senior All-American Alex McMurtry. Her perfect marks on vault and beam marked the first time a gymnast scored a pair of perfect marks in a single meet. McMurtry's 10.0 on beam completed her "Gym Slam" – a perfect mark for each apparatus. It also pushed McMurtry to the top of Florida's career 10.0 list with nine.
 
Florida posted 16 season-best marks, including a 9.975 by senior All-American Kennedy Baker, which earned her a share of the floor exercise title. The Gators' balance beam total of 49.675 set the program record.  Florida's 198.15 is the ninth highest in the program history and is the second time UF has passed the 198 mark in January.
 
SEC Weekly Honors for Baumann and McMurtry
Two Gators picked up Southeastern Conference weekly honors after their performance versus Oklahoma.
 
Alex McMurtry: SEC Gymnast of Week
A pair of 10.0s (vault, beam) moved McMurtry to the top of Florida's career 10.0 list at nine. The perfect mark on beam completed a "Gym Slam" – a perfect mark on each apparatus. Also became the first Gator to earn a pair of 10.0s in a single meet.
 
Alyssa Baumann: SEC Freshman of Week
Baumann became the second Gator freshman (Bridget Sloan first in 2013) to post a near-perfect 9.975 on beam. Her 9.925 on floor as UF's final performer of the meet moved Florida ahead of Oklahoma for the first time of the competition.
 
About the Tigers:
The Tigers opened SEC action with a home win versus Missouri (196.625 – 194.875), but lost its last two – at Georgia (196.725 – 196.375) and versus No. 6 Kentucky (196.700 - 196.250).
 
Before joining Florida for the 2016 season, Jenny Rowland was on the Auburn staff for five season, rising to associate head coach in the 2013 season. In her final season with AU in 2015, the Tigers returned to NCAA Super Six competition for the first time since 1994. She shared that season's national assistant coach of the year award.
 
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 5 in the fourth Road to Nationals standings.
Auburn – The Tigers are No. 17 in the Road to Nationals standings.