Top-10 Dual Friday in O’Connell Center: No. 6 Arkansas at No. T3 Florida

Friday, January 30

Gainesville, FL

7:15 p.m.

Florida Gators

Arkansas

Riley McCusker celebrates uneven bars routine at Auburn 260123

Riley McCusker, the reigning Southeastern Conference Specialist of the Week, celebrates her uneven bars routine at Auburn. This Friday, it's another top-10 match-up in the O'Connell Center when No. 6 Arkansas faces No. T3 Florida.

Top-10 Dual Friday in O’Connell Center: No. 6 Arkansas at No. T3 Florida

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 | Gymnastics

By: Mary Howard

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A marquee showdown lights up Friday night in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center as two top-10 programs collide. No. T3 Florida hosts No. 6 Arkansas in one of the nation's premier matchups of the weekend, with the meet airing live on ESPN2.

Competition for is set to begin at 7:15 p.m. in the Exactech Arena, with gates opening at 6 p.m.

About Friday's Meet:
Friday marks the 16th top-10 meeting between Florida and Arkansas—and the first since the 2021 Southeastern Conference Championship, when No. 1 Florida faced No. T9 Arkansas on the sport's biggest conference stage.

Florida returns home after claiming a win in its road opener at then No. 11 Auburn. The Razorbacks posted a season-high 197.475 last Friday in a home win versus Southeast Missouri.

Swamp Moments:
Want to add to your game-day experience at Gators Gymnastics? Check out this season's Swamp Moments opportunities.

Arrive Early to Cheer Your Gators
Here's some tips to expedite your trip to the Exactech Arena Friday:

Getting TO the Arena:

Season parking holders can enter the O'Connell Center lot off Lemerand Drive OR SW 2^nd Avenue.
A complimentary parking shuttle transports fans from which originates at Garage 109 (located at corner of Archer Road and Lemerand Drive to the O'Connell Center. The parking shuttle begins at 5:30 p.m. Parking map for Gator Gymnastics.
Use the Waze app to provide the best route to parking shuttle.
For 5-10 minutes following Gator gymnastics meets, Lemerand Drive will close for north and south bound traffic from University Avenue to Stadium Road to provide pedestrians a safe exit.
More information at 2026 Meet Guide

Getting IN the Arena:

To get tickets ahead of Friday's meet, visit the FloridaGators.com ticket site or stop by the Gator Ticket Office (open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.).
Gates 1 and 2 will be open for each gymnastics meet. UF students should enter at Gate 3.
Check out the Exactech Arena's apparatus layout.
All Gator Athletics tickets are mobile. Visit Mobile Ticketing Guide to help expediate your entrance into the arena. To help zip through the entrance, be sure to add your tickets to your digital wallet in case of possible connectivity issues outside the gate. Then have tickets up on device to present for scanning.

Everyone will go through the O'Connell Center metal detectors when entering. Please follow staff instructions for screening. After that, tickets will be scanned and then you are ready to cheer your Gators!

O'Connell Center Now Cashless Venue:
The Stephen C. O'Connell Center is now a cashless venue—making meet day faster, easier and more convenient for fans.

All concession and merchandise locations accept credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, helping reduce lines and speed up service. Fans who bring cash can easily exchange it for a gift card at concession stand 222 inside Gate 1.

Friday's Promotions:

Alberta socks – First 750 students in Exactech Arena lower bowl receive a pair of socks featuring Alberta!
Wristbands: 2,000 'Limitless' wristbands available to fans in O'Connell Center main lobby and enter to win a Nintendo Switch
Gate 1 Giveaways – Be sure to pick up 2026 Gators Gymnastics season poster, schedule magnet and 10.0 fan cards when you enter at O'Connell Center Gate 1.
O2B Kid's Corner – Located on the Practice Courts near Gate 4, kids can get free giveaways, temporary tattoos, play games, make posters, meet the mascots & Dazzlers, and more! Be sure to stop by to add to the Positive Affirmation wall.

How to Follow the Gators:
Follow the action live:

ESPN2 - action called by Olympians Sam Peszek and John Roethlisberger with Taylor Davis providing sideline reports
Live scores

Last Time Out for the Gators:
Top-ranked Florida gymnastics rallied to take a 197.10 – 196.70 win last Friday at No. 11 Auburn in front of a sellout Neville Arena crowd of 9,121.

The Gators opened the meet by matching the nation's highest team uneven bars score (49.625) but were forced to count a fall on vault. At the midway point, Florida trailed Auburn by 0.075.

Florida's floor lineup—half of it made up of freshmen—delivered a solid performance, equaling the team's season high of 49.425 and giving the Gators a 0.250 lead heading into the final event. On balance beam, three consecutive scores of 9.90 or higher helped produce a team total of 49.45, just 0.025 shy of UF's season best.

Florida won each apparatus title. The high mark of the evening, a near-perfect 9.975, was posted by senior All-American Riley McCusker. Senior All-American Selena Harris-Miranda used a pair of 9.95s to win vault and balance beam for the second consecutive meet. Sophomore Skye Blakely earned a collegiate-best 9.925 to win her first floor exercise title of her Gator career. Auburn's Marissa Neal won all-around at 39.375.

Florida sophomore Ly Bui suffered a hyperextended right knee during her vault performance. The injury will sideline her from training for around a month.