Florida Gators

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It's been 40 years since the Gators gymnastics team won a dual meet at the University of Alabama. Tonight, No. 2 Florida became the only the second Gator team – and first since 1979 – to claim a dual meet win in Tuscaloosa.
 
The Gators took the rare win with a 197.325 -196.475 decision over the Tide Friday evening in front of 12,828 at the Coleman Coliseum.
 
FLORIDA-ALABAMA NOTES:

• This was Florida's first dual meet win in Tuscaloosa since Feb. 3, 1979 – a span of 40 years and 12 days. The Gators made 16 consecutive dual meet visits to Tuscaloosa without a win. The Gators last registered a win in Coleman Coliseum when they claimed the 1985 Southeastern Conference title.
• Friday was the 56^th consecutive meeting (dating back to the 2002 NCAA Championships) that both Florida and Alabama ranked in the top 10.
• Alabama leads Florida 29-25-2 in that span since 2002, but since 2011, Florida owns a slight 14-12-1 edge. This was the first time in the last 17 meetings that the visiting team took the win.

 
TONIGHT'S MEET:
Some problems with handstands and steps on landings resulted in Florida's lowest uneven bars total of the season (49.175). Junior Amelia Hundley's runner-up mark of 9.875 led the Gators.
 
Florida posted its second-highest vault total of the season (49.30) to take a 0.125 led at the meet's midpoint. Freshman Trinity Thomas claimed her first vault title by equaling her collegiate best of 9.90 for the second consecutive week. Sophomore Alyssa Baumann made her first 2019 vault lineup appearance Friday, receiving a collegiate-best 9.875 for her Yurchenko one and a half. She tied for second with Alabama's Ariana Guerra and Abby Armbrecht.
 
Floor was red-hot for the Gators Friday, equaling the second-highest total for the event in program history (49.725). Four Gators set or equaled collegiate floor bests Friday – Nya Reed (9.925), Alicia Boren (9.975), Thomas (9.975) and Baumann (9.95).
 
Florida closed the meet on beam, using four marks of 9.875 or better to tally a 49.125. Thomas and sophomore Megan Skaggs shared second on the event at 9.90.
 
Thomas took her second consecutive all-around win (39.525) and Boren was runner-up (39.20). Alabama's Lexi Graber took the beam win (9.925) and Ariana Guerra topped the bars standings (9.90).

Photo Gallery
 
GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:

• Each of Florida's three road meets so far in 2019 were the nation's top dual of the weekend:
  • Jan. 19 – No. 3 Florida (197.50) at No. 5 LSU (197.425)
  • Feb. 1 – No. 2 Florida (198.025) at No. 1 Oklahoma (198.325)
  • Feb. 15 – No. 2 Florida (197.325) at No. 9 Alabama (196.475)
• Florida's three road dual meets versus current top-10 teams leads the nation. Five other teams have more top-10 meetings so far in 2019 (Missouri – 8, Arkansas & Alabama – 5, Oklahoma & Denver – 4) with some of those meetings coming in home or neutral site venues.
• Florida's floor total (49.725) shares No. 2 all-time for Florida and is stands No. 2 in the nation for 2019. It equals UF's highest floor tally on the road (also 49.725 in 2013 NCAA Super Six).
• The 9.975 for Alicia Boren sets her collegiate-best. She received a 9.95 in 10 previous meets.
• Six Gators set or equaled eight collegiate-best marks in Friday's road action:
  • Alyssa Baumann – 9.875 (vault) and 9.95 (floor)
  • Alicia Boren – 9.975 (floor)
  • Leah Clapper – 9.875 (beam)
  • Nya Reed – 9.925 (floor)
  • Megan Skaggs – 9.90 (beam)
  • Trinity Thomas – 9.90 (vault) and 9.975 (floor)

 

RECORDS: Florida (5-1, 5-0 SEC), UA (8-3, 3-2 SEC)
 
THE SERIES: Alabama leads the series 74-45-2.
 

.@JennyRowlandUF on Florida's season-high floor rotation (49.725)

"They owned the Coliseum and made it their own."

See highlights from tonight's win in T-Town and hear more:@SECNetwork https://t.co/8cosR3i5Ah

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) February 16, 2019

HEAR FROM THE GATORS:
On the Gators getting the win on the road versus Alabama…
"This team just came in clutch tonight. Not our best performances on certain events, certain routines but overall this team never gave up through the entire competition. They fought with a lot of heart and I couldn't be more proud of them." – Florida coach Jenny Rowland

What did you think of the Gators performance tonight?

"I thought that we fought really hard for every single thing and yeah, we made some mistakes, but we came back from them and did our best to keep it going." – freshman Trinity Thomas

 "I thought we did really well. We took it one event at time and we had some bumps and bruises here and there but in the end we fought until the last routine and we came out on top." – senior Alicia Boren

"I thought the Gators did really well tonight. It's really hard to come out and compete in front of a crowd like this at an away meet. We had some bumps but we really fought for every little thing." – sophomore Alyssa Baumann

National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 2 in the sixth Road to Nationals standings.
UA – The Tide is No. 9 in the Road to Nationals standings.
 
UP NEXT:
Florida continues top-10 action next Friday when it plays host to No. 7 Georgia on Friday, Feb. 22. Meet time is 6:45 p.m. in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.  The Gymdogs took a 197.30 – 197.225 win over No. 13 Kentucky tonight in Athens, Ga.
 
Check out what is planned for Friday's competition:

• It is Gator Alumna Night and many past Florida gymnasts will be back in the Exactech Arena.
• The first 3,000 get a free Gators Gymnastics wristband.

 
To purchase tickets, visit the FloridaGators.com ticket site or stop by the Gator Ticket Office (open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
 

No. 2 Florida at No. 9 Alabama Final Team Totals
Feb. 15, 2019 ● Coleman Coliseum (12,828)
Team	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Florida	49.300	49.175	49.125	49.725	197.325
Alabama	49.175	49.175	48.675	49.450	196.475