ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A season-best 197.925 elevated No. 6 Florida to win the Missouri at the Lou quad meet held in front of 5,995 who braved the snow to be at the Family Arena Friday evening.
No. 14 Missouri was second at 197.475, followed by No. 27 Illinois (196.55) and Lindenwood (194.825)
TONIGHT’S MEET
Uneven bars opened competition for Florida. For the second consecutive week, freshman Gabby Disidore raised her collegiate best – this time to 9.925 to lead the Gators. Florida’s Anya Pilgrim and Leanne Wong also posted 9.90 to start the meet.
Freshman Skylar Draser led off the Gators’ balance beam lineup with a collegiate-best 9.90. Two other Gators – Pilgrim and Ellie Lazzari – earned 9.9 beam marks. Wong anchored with a near-perfect 9.975 to up Florida’s beam total to a season-high 49.55.
Florida led by 0.275 at meet’s midpoint.
All marks used toward Florida’s season-best 49.60 floor exercise total were 9.90 or better. Victoria Nguyen led off the lineup with a 9.90 and Pilgrim also earned the same score. It was season-bests for the bottom half of UF’s lineup as Sloane Blakely and Payton Richards turned in marks of 9.925. Wong anchored with a 9.95.
Junior Sloane Blakely led the Gators on their final event, winning vault with a season-best 9.925. Danie Ferris and Wong closed the lineup with a pair of 9.90s.
Florida swept the all-around, with Wong winning her third title of 2024 after matching her season-high of 39.725 for the second consecutive week. Blakely posted a season-high 39.55 for second and Pilgrim closed the sweep at 39.525.
Apparatus winners:
Sloane Blakely, UF 9.925 Vault
Mara Titarsolej, MU 10.0 Uneven Bars
Leanne Wong, UF 9.975 Balance Beam
Leanne Wong, UF 9.95 Floor Exercise
Amari Celestine, MU 9.95 Floor Exercise
GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:
* Leanne Wong now has a dozen all-around wins as a Gator. She is tied with Gator Great Lynn McDonnell at No. 12 for career all-around wins.
* Freshman Gabby Disidore twice turned in her collegiate best uneven bars mark in road action. She raised her best to a 9.875 on Jan. 19 at Auburn and then equaled that score on Feb. 2 at Georgia. Tonight she upped her best from 9.90 (set last Friday versus Arkansas) to 9.925
* With Kaylee Bluffstone making her first lineup appearance tonight, each of Florida’s six freshman have appeared in a UF lineup at some point this season. That equals the high for freshmen competitors among SEC programs in 2024 (Georgia also with six).
* Richards matched her collegiate floor best of 9.925 for the fifth time tonight. She last turned in the mark in the 2023 NCAA semifinals.
* Four Gators equaled or set collegiate bests Friday:
* Kaylee Bluffstone – 9.875 (floor)
* Gabby Disidore – 9.925 (bars)
* Skylar Draser – 9.90 (beam)
* Payton Richards – 9.925 (floor)
RECORDS:
Florida (9-1, 4-1 SEC)
Missouri (8-3, 3-2 SEC)
Illinois (7-6, 1-3 Big Ten)
Lindenwood (7-5)
THE SERIES:
Florida leads Illinois 10-0
Florida leads Lindenwood 2-0
Florida leads Missouri 34-1
NATIONAL RANK:
Florida – No. 6 in the Feb. 12 Road to Nationals standings<https://roadtonationals.com/results/standings/season/2024/2/0/5>
Missouri – No. 14
Illinois – No. 27
UP NEXT:
The No. 6 Florida versus No. 3 LSU dual is the only meet next Friday featuring a pair of top-10 teams. The sold-out meet is Friday, Sept. 23 at 6:45 p.m. in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
Meet: No. 6 Florida vs No. 3 LSU
When: Friday, Feb. 23 at 6:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Stephen C. O’Connell Center <https://www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu/events/gymnastics-vs-lsu-rowdy-reptiles-night/> (gates open at 5:30 p.m.)
TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN2 <https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/34142aca-abb6-4dd2-a735-658cf5f6f599>
Live Scores: StatBroadcast<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=497232>
* Promotions: Light up sticks – Every seat in the Exactech Arena gets a 2024 Gators Link to pink t-shirt and pink shaker, compliments of UF Health!; Rowdy Reptiles Eats: First 250 student get ________
* Tickets: Sold out. Check the Official Gator TicketExchange<https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1280019?tm_link=tmr_redirect> to purchase tickets other fans can’t use Friday.
