GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A pair of Florida Gators – Trinity Thomas and Kayla DiCello – claim Southeastern Conference weekly gymnastics honors again!
After last Friday’s performances at No. 8 Louisiana State, Thomas and DiCello claim consecutive SEC weekly gymnastics honors.
Thomas used the nation’s No. 2 high all-around of 2023 with a 39.85 last week in Baton Rouge. This was win No. 29 as a Gator and third of the season. She posted her 25th perfect mark of her career with a 10.0 on the balance beam. This is Thomas’ 18th SEC Gymnast of the Week honor of her career and fourth weekly honor of 2023 (Week 1 & 4 Specialist & Week 6 Gymnast).
DiCello led the nation’s freshmen last weekend with her all-around total of 39.70. Two collegiate bests were part of that all-around as she shared the floor exercise title at 9.95 with Thomas and LSU’s KJ Johnson. She also matched her collegiate high with a near-perfect 9.975 on balance beam. This is DiCello’s fifth SEC Freshman of the Week honor and sixth weekly honor (Week 2 Specialist).
Trinity Thomas – SEC Gymnast of the Week:
* Set nation’s No. 2 high all-around (39.85) in the nation’s top meet of the weekend. Total is second only to Jade Carey’s 39.875 set on Feb. 18. Turned into nation’s No. 2 (39.85) & No. T3 (39.825) all-around totals in 2023.
* All-around win was the 29th as a Gator and third of the season.
* Third balance beam 10.0 of the season (sixth of career on beam). No. 4 all-time with 25 career 10.0s.
* Five 10.0s in 2023 leads nation.
* Won uneven bars with fourth near-perfect 9.975 of season.
* Shared floor exercise win (9.95) with teammate Kayla DiCello and LSU’s KJ Johnson. Won every floor title of 2022.
* Leads UF with 20 event titles in 2023.
* In Feb. 20 Road to Nationals ranking, No. 2 floor (9.95 by NQS), No. 2 bars (9.960 NQS), No. T3 vault (9.915 NQS), No. T9 beam (9.915 NQS).
Kayla DiCello – SEC Freshman of the Week:
* Nation’s high all-around by a freshman last week, posting 39.70 to share third. Turned in No. 1 (39.75) and No. 3 (39.70) all-around totals by a freshman in 2023.
* Set collegiate floor exercise high (9.95) to share event title with teammate Trinity Thomas and KJ Johnson
* Equaled collegiate high of near-perfect 9.975 for second consecutive week, taking third behind a pair of 10.0s by teammate Trinity Thomas and LSU’s Aleah Finnegan
* In Feb. 20 Road to National ranking, No. 3 balance beam (9.935 NQS), No. T13 uneven bars (9.925 NQS) and No. T24 vault (9.875 NQS)
* Five event titles in 2023 – 2 bars, 1 all-around, beam, floor
* DiCello was fourth in the 2022 OOFOS U.S. Championships all-around and bronze medalist on beam. 2021 World Championships all-around bronze medalist and alternate athlete for U.S.’s 2020 Olympic team
UP NEXT FOR THE GATORS:
Florida’s Senior Night combines with a SEC title deciding meet this Friday in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.<https://www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu/events/gymnastics-vs-kentucky-senior-night/>
The Gators’ home schedule closes with No. 11 Kentucky. Both teams enter Friday’s meet with an opportunity to claim the 2023 SEC regular-season title as each have a single league loss. Friday’s meet closes UF’s SEC slate while UK has two SEC meets remaining.
* A win Friday would give Florida sole possession of its fifth consecutive SEC regular-season championship.
* A UK win would put the Wildcats at the top of the league standings with one meet remaining (versus Auburn).
Following Friday’s meet, Gator fans can celebrate the careers of Florida’s senior and Super Seniors – Rachel Baumann<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/rachel-baumann/15480>, Leah Clapper<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/leah-clapper/15405>, Payton Richards<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/payton-richards/15413>, Savannah Schoenherr<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/savannah-schoenherr/15414>, Halley Taylor<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/halley-taylor/15415>, Trinity Thomas<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/trinity-thomas/15416> and manager Shea Wheeler.
When: Friday, Feb. 24 at 5:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Stephen C. O’Connell Center<https://www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu/events/gymnastics-vs-kentucky-senior-night/> (gates open 4:30 p.m.)
TV: SEC Network with Taylor Davis joining Olympic medalists Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke for the call
Stream: SEC Network <https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/22d991f1-eab2-4c02-959b-8f6e472947e6>
Live Scores: StatBroadcast<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=438600>
Tickets: Sold out.<https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1280019?tm_link=tmr_redirect> Check out the Official Gator TicketExchange to purchase tickets other fans can’t use Friday.
