GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 3 Florida closes regular-season action Sunday in an afternoon quad with No. 25 North Carolina State, Washington at Texas Woman’s University.
Back to Start with Gators for Rowland
Jenny Rowland returns to the site of her first meet as Florida’s head coach.
She opened her head coaching career with a 196.825 – 191.45 win at Texas Woman’s University on Jan. 6, 2016.
Sunday’s quad is Rowland’s 105th meet with the Gators. Here’s a look at some notables in her eight seasons with the Gators:
● Five NCAA Championships team finals (2022: 2nd; 2021: 4th; 2018 & 2017: 3rd; 2016: 4th)
● 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023 Southeastern Conference regular-season champions
● Won 2016 & 2022 SEC Championship meets
● Three Honda Award winners (2016, 2017, 2022)
● Ten NCAA individual event titles by four Gators
● 2020 WCGA National Coach of the Year
● 2020 WCGA Region 5 Coach of the Year
● 2021, 2020 and 2016 SEC Coach of the Year
How to Follow the Gators:
Follow the action live:
* Blue Frame<https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/ppv/490797> Quad box video stream shows each event. $10 subscription
* Live scores<https://sidearmstats.com/twu/gymnastics/twuquadmar12.html>
* Tickets<https://twuathletics.com/sports/2021/12/22/gymnastics-tickets.aspx>
Last Week:
It was No. 2 Florida at No. 1 Oklahoma to open March action. The Gators dropped a close meet to the defending NCAA champions 197.95 – 197.70 on March 3.<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/3/4/gymnastics-no-2-florida-drops-close-decision-at-no-1-oklahoma.aspx> It was a typical tight dual between the two top programs, with the 0.250 margin standing as the slenderest of the three dual meets since 2019.
Super Senior Trinity Thomas posted a near-perfect 9.975 to win the 30th uneven bars title of her career. Sophomore Sloane Blakley matched her collegiate bests for uneven bars (9.925) and balance beam (9.95) in the lead-off position. She shared the beam win with OU’s Jordan Bowers. Fellow Gator sophomore Leanne Wong shared the floor exercise win at 9.95 with OU’s Faith Torrez and claimed her fourth all-around title of 2023 at 39.675. Wong and Kayla DiCello both set their 2023 vault bests (9.95) as UF posted its season-high vault total of 49.525.
SEC Freshman of Week Record for Kayla DiCello
After her performance at OU, Kayla DiCello earned her fifth consecutive and seventh overall SEC Freshman Gymnast of the Week honor.<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/3/7/gymnastics-fifth-consecutive-sec-freshman-of-the-week-honor-for-kayla-dicello.aspx> Both are league records.
The previous high for SEC Freshman of the Week honors (6) was set by teammate Trinity Thomas in 2019 and LSU’s Kiya Johnson held previous record of four consecutive honors in 2020.
Lone Star State Gators:
There has been at least one Gator who called Texas her home state on every Florida team since 2008.
Three Gators return to their home state for Sunday’s regular-season finale.
Gator
CL
Hometown (Club)
Rachel Baumann
GR
Plano, Texas (WOGA)
Sloane Blakely
SO
Frisco, Texas (WOGA)
Victoria Nguyen
JR
Houston, Texas (Chow’s)
Another Lone Star State resident signed with the Gators in November. Skye Blakely, younger sister of Sloane, will be in the stands Sunday to cheer her future team and sister.
Skye Blakely joined current Gator Leanne Wong on the U.S.’s gold-medal winning roster for the 2022 World Championships.
Team Records:
No. 3 Florida
9-2, 6-1 SEC
No. 25 Washington<https://gohuskies.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/schedule>
5-11, 0-7 Pac 12
North Carolina State<https://gopack.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/schedule>
11-6, 8-4 EAGL
Texas Woman’s University<https://twuathletics.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/schedule>
8-9
