GAINESVILLE, Fla. – For the third consecutive week, the nation’s top gymnastics dual of weekend includes the Gators. No. 3 Florida plays host to No. 2 Oklahoma for its 2022 sold-out home finale Friday.
This is the 13th consecutive meeting between these two programs that at least one team bring the No. 1 or No. 2 ranking. Six of the last nine NCAA team titles were claimed by these two teams, including sharing the 2014 crown. Florida won the title outright in 2013 and 2015 and Oklahoma took the 2016, 2017 and 2019 titles. In the 2021 NCAA Team Final, Oklahoma was second and Florida took fourth.
Friday’s meet starts at 6:45 p.m. in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center<https://www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu/events/gymnastics-vs-oklahoma-senior-night/>.
Gators Gymnastics Senior Night:
It’s also Senior Night. It’s an expanded class this year with Super Seniors Alyssa Baumann and Megan Skaggs repeating the celebration again in 2022. They join seniors Leah Clapper, Sydney Johnson-Scharpf, Nya Reed, Savannah Schoenherr, Halley Taylor and Trinity Thomas for the celebration of their Gator careers following Friday’s competition.
Arrive Early to Cheer Your Gators
Be in your Exactech Arena seat by 6:45 p.m. to see the final floor projection show which leads into Friday’s action.
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 2nd Avenue.
* Public parking is available in the O’Connell Center parking garage on first-come basis. Those wishing to park in the garage must enter lot off SW 2nd Avenue.
* A complimentary parking shuttle transports fans from which originates at Garage 109 (located at corner of Archer Road and Lemerand Drive). Parking shuttle begins at 5:15 p.m. and runs 30 minutes post-meet. Parking map for Gator Gymnastics<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_documents_2021_12_15_2022-5FGYM-5FParking-5FMap.pdf&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=dv-l1abb__FO0AsHvwG2L2nAjZvJhDFcX-66Ft57ASg&e= >
* Use the Waze app<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.waze.com_live-2Dmap_directions-3Fto-3Dll.29.6517704-252C-2D82.3508596&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=gsIECsT_QvmDWWm-wOsfsrwgaJt8u6wd6TMCyyJnZaQ&e= > 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 2022 Meet Guide<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sports_2015_12_10_-5Fgameday-5Fgymnastics-5F.aspx&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=FDXxwXzyfYZPW-bUzjj1sv8gkZGyQwUj7oFZntJ6i88&e= >
Getting IN the Arena:
* This meet is Florida’s fourth consecutive sell-out meet of 2022 so make plans to arrive in time to cheer on the Gators and their Senior class. Have tickets but can’t be there Friday? Here’s the easy steps to transfer your tickets<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sports_2021_8_31_mobile-2Dticketing-2Dtransfer-2Dtickets.aspx&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=IKJbhleXHDjR_QCDUGZ6pq8oowsfBuvPgLmv6r3SqVM&e= >.
* UF students should enter at Gate 3.
* All Gator Athletics tickets are mobile. Visit Mobile Ticketing Guide<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__spark.adobe.com_page_0oiC6OLlbeGQN_&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=DKWx0qqxMmZHQfyESTFiKThFiVzEjXOzPLbYX-gDSu0&e= > 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.
* Bags are checked before entering the building. Everyone will go through the O’Connell Center metal detectors when entering. When using the metal detectors fans need to empty their pockets prior to screening, then walk through the detector. After that, tickets will be scanned and then you are ready to cheer your Gators!
How to Follow the Gators:
Follow the action live:
* SEC Network<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.espn.com_watch_player-3Fid-3D9d36710f-2Dacc6-2D44a3-2D8dd9-2D1a593163ea77&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=CFfOnRQIxaHbovwzQq3vUGw5op-DKL9QHltjVBUu_p0&e= > + with Gator gymnastics alumna Stacey Abbott Gleim and Kyle Crooks calling the action
* Scores<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__stats.statbroadcast.com_statmonitr_-3Fid-3D381441&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=O6b93YkX5Vki8bbM-QkI-uBpKKgT5c81pI_euIbMyiE&e= >
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 3 in the Week 7 Road to Nationals rankings<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__roadtonationals.com_results_standings_season_2022_7_0_5&d=DwIF-g&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=bkpa6sWgiXrM2w0SG-UZ7p1CTAJ8MjbFVEaz66UdM9vveFWUDoLyowAc4vANoJHC&s=fNOpiekeW06VdVlGZ_L_hNMfawIlhnQyVtcqucco7-A&e= >.
Oklahoma – OU is No. 2
The Gators in last Friday’s Win at No. 10 Kentucky
Florida rallied from a mid-meet deficit last Friday to take a 197.575 – 197.35 win at No. 10 Kentucky to claim at least a share of the 2022 Southeastern Conference regular-season title. The Gators held a slight 0.05 lead heading into the final rotation and a six-for-six balance beam set sealed the win for Florida’s fourth consecutive SEC regular-season title.
Four different Gators set or matched collegiate bests at UK, including Trinity Thomas’ fourth 10.0 of the season to win floor exercise (2022 10s: 2x floor, 1x vault, beam). Thomas also won balance beam with a near-perfect 9.975 and all-around (39.70). Sloane Blakely set her collegiate vault best (9.925) and fellow freshman Leanne Wong equaled her top vault of 9.90 for the second consecutive meet. Super Senior Megan Skaggs led off Florida’s beam set by equaling her collegiate best of 9.95.
OU in 2022:
Like Florida, the Sooners have ranked among the nation’s top four throughout this season. Oklahoma leads with three team totals among the nation’s top 10 – No. 3 (198.20), No. 4 (198.175) and No. T6 (198.05). Sophomore Audrey Davis set the Sooner’s top all-around mark of 39.625 of 2022 to win versus George Washington. There will be five gymnasts competing Friday with 11 perfect marks this season – vault (Trinity Thomas/UF, Katherine Levasseur/OU; Allie Stern/OU), bars (Leanne Wong/UF), beam (Thomas/UF; Ragan Smith/OU 2x) and floor (Nya Reed/UF 2x, Thomas/UF 2x).
