FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A couple of 10.0s by Florida's
Leanne Wong and season highs on a pair of events helped Florida take the win tonight at Arkansas. No. 2 Florida was just a fraction off its season-high, claiming a 197.875 – 197.40 win at No. 18 in front of a record crowd of 11,031 at the Bud Walton Arena.
Florida's 197.875 stands as the nation's eighth-highest as the season's enters its second month.
TONIGHT'S MEET
Florida equaled the nation's high uneven bars total for the second time this season to open Friday's competition. Highlighting the lineup was
Leanne Wong's second 10.0 bars mark of the season. Three other Gators posted collegiate or season high bars marks Friday –
Trinity Thomas (9.975),
Kayla DiCello (9.925) and
Victoria Nguyen (9.90).
Payton Richards led off Florida's vault lineup with the evening's winning mark of 9.925 - a season best for Richards. Thomas shared second at 9.9 with Arkansas' Frankie Price.
Thomas anchored the Gators' floor set with a 9.95, sharing the event win with Arkansas' Lauren Williams. Wong also posted a 9.90 and
Rachel Baumann turned in a 9.875 for the second consecutive week.
Wong finished her evening just as she started it – with a 10.0. The sophomore closed her evening with her second perfect mark of 2023 on balance beam. DiCello also turned in her second collegiate best of the night, with a 9.95 to take second overall. Florida's beam total of 49.60 set the team season high on the event.
It was a Gator all-around sweep. Wong took her second consecutive all-around win and third of 2023 at 39.775. Thomas was second (39.70) and DiCello was third (39.475).
GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:
- Florida's 197.875 is the team's road high of 2023.
- Leanne Wong is one of three in the nation with a 10.0 on bars in 2023 and the first with multiple UB perfect marks. The 10.0 gives Wong 10 uneven bars wins in her Gator career.
- This is the second meet of 2023 Wong turned in 10.0s for both bars and beam. She and Sunisa Lee of Auburn are the only two with multiple beam 10.0s in 2023.
- At least one 10.0 has been scored by a Gator in four of the five meets of 2023. Seven 10.0s from Wong (2 bars, 2 beam) and Thomas (1 each for vault, beam, floor) leads all programs.
- After Wong's two 10.0s tonight, Florida has 75 10.0s in program history (16 vault, 20 bars, 13 beam, 26 floor)
- Payton Richards picks up her third vault title of her career – and first since 2020. Her 9.925 tonight is a season-high
- Thomas posted her second-consecutive near perfect bars mark of 9.975. It is the third time she's earned the mark in her five 2023 bars performances.
- Collegiate bests equaled or set tonight:
COACH ROWLAND SAID:
"Tonight was a great night. The focus of the week for this team was to elevate our confidence. Coming away with a win tonight is a great step in elevating the confidence in a lot of these athletes. It wasn't everybody's best performance by any means. However, I know everybody can take away something and be really proud." – Florida Head Coach
Jenny Rowland
RECORDS: Florida (7-0, 4-0 SEC), Arkansas (2-3, 1-3 SEC)
THE SERIES: Florida leads 49-3.
National Rank:
Florida –
Florida is No. 2 in the Jan. 30 Road to Nationals rankings
Arkansas – The Gymbacks are
No. 18
UP NEXT:
A Florida fan favorite is next as the 17
th Annual Gators Link to
Pink versus Missouri is Friday in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
When: Friday, Feb. 10 at 6:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Stephen C. O'Connell Center
TV: SEC Network
Stream: SEC Network
Live Scores:
StatBroadcast
No. 2 Florida at No. 18 Arkansas
Final Team Totals |
| Feb. 3, 2023 ● Bud Walton Arena (11,031) |
| Team |
Vault |
Bars |
Beam |
Floor |
Total |
| Florida |
49.400 |
49.625 |
49.600 |
49.250 |
197.875 |
| Arkansas |
49.275 |
49.300 |
49.350 |
49.475 |
197.400 |
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