Ticket punched! The Gators won the NCAA Tempe Regional to advance to the April 16 NCAA Championships semifinal in Fort Worth, Texas. [Photo by Hannah White]
TEMPE, Ariz. - No. 3 Florida gymnastics delivered a winning performance Saturday night, capturing the NCAA Tempe Regional title at the Desert Financial Arena to punch its ticket back to the NCAA Championships.
The Gators posted a meet-winning 198.05 - their fifth straight score above 198, a new program record - to secure their 23rd NCAA Regional crown. Georgia also advanced to Fort Worth with a 197.75 to claim the second qualifying spot. Michigan State (197.00) and California (196.975) rounded out the final standings.
With the victory, Florida continues its remarkable consistency on the national stage, advancing to the NCAA Championships for the 42nd time in the event's 44-year history.
Saturday's results also helped shape the NCAA Championships field, as Florida and Georgia will be joined in Fort Worth by No. 2 Louisiana State and No. 7 Stanford, who advanced out of the Baton Rouge Regional. The final four championship team berths will be decided Sunday in Lexington, Ky., and Corvallis, Ore.
Florida again chose the Olympic rotation for tonight's meet. The Gators posted a 49.375 to open the meet as all vault marks ranged from 9.85 to 9.9. Both Kayla DiCello and Selena Harris-Mirandaturned in the team high of 9.90.
Four marks of 9.90 or better were tallied toward Florida's uneven bars total of 49.575. For the second time in Tempe, sophomore Skye Blakely led the Gators on the event, posting a 9.95 Saturday. Both Anya Pilgrim and Riley McCusker were awarded 9.925s plus Harris-Miranda posted a 9.90.
Florida owned a 0.175 lead at the midway point, with all teams within a half point.
All marks used toward Florida's fourth-highest beam total of the season (49.55) were 9.9 or better. Junior Skylar Draser got things started with a 9.9, which was matched by Blakely and eMjae Frazier. The Gators final two competitors – DiCello and Harris-Miranda both posted the day's winning mark of 9.925.
Florida closed the meet earning its fourth-highest floor exercise total of the season, 49.55. Harris-Miranda equaled her collegiate-best of 9.975 for the fourth time of her career to win the event Saturday. Blakely hit for a 9.95 and Frazier also earned a 9.925 to lead the Gators on floor.
The Gators' two all-arounders Saturday went two-three in the final standings. Harris-Miranda was second at 39.70 and Frazier took third at 39.55.
WHAT THE GATORS SAID:
"It's a great day to be a Florida Gator. So much to celebrate. So proud of this team. They have been unbreakable. That's been our intention of the week, and, really, they've stayed together.
"They fought together through two challenging meets. A lot of great competitors here at this regional. Couldn't be more proud, excited to be dancing in Fort Worth and most excited to have an opportunity to be able to have another meet or two with this team." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland
On team advancing to Fort Worth:
"It's just an example of all our hard work. It was really nice to celebrate that as a team for it to all come together and build momentum each rotation. So to look up and to see a 198, it was just super exciting and just so proud of the team and how we've all worked together and leaned on each other and been unbreakable through each moment.
"So just exciting and just full of gratitude to even be here." – sophomore All-American Skye Blakely
On her and the Gators performance tonight:
"I was proud of myself too. Regionals is usually the hardest meet for me throughout my college career. So for the first time, I actually felt calm and relaxed, and I was just super proud about how I approached every event.
"And I'm super proud of my team on how we all really moved as a unit as much as possible. So I think improvements moving forward, just being even more intentional than we've been all season and learning how to use the noise to hype us up a little more too." – senior All-American Selena Harris-Miranda
The Desert Gator Club brought 'Jack' the Alligator to help send the team off to Saturday's competition. Photo by Hannah White
UP NEXT:
NCAA Championships are back in Fort Worth, Texas for the ninth time since 2015. The top two teams in each of the four regional final sites advance to the April 16 & 18 NCAA Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas.
Florida's April 16 NCAA Championships semifinal session also includes LSU, Stanford and Georgia. The announcement of which semifinal will be announced early next week – either 4:30 p.m. or 9 p.m. ET – with the competition airing on ESPN2. The four teams for the other April 16 semifinal are determined Sunday in the Lexington and Corvallis regional finals.
NCAA Championships competition schedule: April 16 Semifinal
Afternoon semi: 4:30 p.m. ET ESPN2
Evening semi: 9 p.m. ET ESPN2
