Preseason No. 2 Florida Gymnastics Opens with Quad Meet Win

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Preseason No. 2 Gators gymnastics opened 2024 in front of a sellout crowd with a home quad win versus Fisk, George Washington and Talladega College for Equality Night sponsored by Publix.
Florida posted a 197.10 Friday in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, followed by George Washington (194.55), Fisk (189.95) and Talladega (187.75).

Tonight’s crowd of 8,775 is the third-highest season opener in the program’s 52-season history. It is Florida’s 10th consecutive sellout.

Florida gymnasts swept the meet event titles, including freshman Anya Pilgrim winning at least a share of four events – including taking the all-around title. A near-perfect 9.975 on balance beam by senior Ellie Lazzari was the evening’s high mark across all teams Friday.

TONIGHT’S MEET
Pilgrim’s all-around winning total of 39.525 is the highest ever for a Gator freshman in the first meet of her career. This is the third consecutive season a Gator began with an all-around win with a then-freshman high in a season opener. Sloane Blakely won the 2022 opener with UF’s then collegiate opening leading total of 39.45. Last year, Kayla DiCello took the season-opening quad win at 39.475.

The two Gators who competed at the 2023 World Championships – Pilgrim (Barbados) and Leanne Wong (U.S.) – opened the season by sharing the vault win at 9.875. Freshman Skylar Draser and junior Bri Edwards were among a four-way tie for third at 9.85. That mark equaled Edwards collegiate best, marking the second consecutive season she opened with a 9.85 vault.

Pilgrim used another 9.875 to take the uneven bars win. Senior Victoria Nguyen shared second with Fisk’s Morgan Price at 9.85.

The night’s leading score across all events – a near-perfect 9.975 – matched senior Ellie Lazzari’s collegiate best. Wong anchored the lineup to take second at 9.925.

Nguyen and Pilgrim turned in consecutive 9.925s to share the floor exercise win. The mark equals Nguyen’s collegiate best. Sophomore Lori Brubach and junior Morgan Hurd both set their collegiate best of 9.875 to share third with George Washington’s Kendall Whitman.

Gator Debuts:
Five made their UF debut Friday. It was the most UF freshmen part of the competitive lineup since the 2004 NCAA Super Six team final.

Freshmen

Alyssa Arana

Bars: 8.45

Gabby Disidore

Bars: 9.825

Skylar Draser

Vault: 9.85

Beam: 9.875

Floor: 9.85

Danie Ferris

Vault: 9.825

Anya Pilgrim

Vault: 9.875

Bars: 9.875

Beam: 9.85

Floor: .9.925

AA: 39.525

GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:

* Ellie Lazzari’s 9.975 matches the nation’s second-high balance beam mark of this young season. Utah’s Maile O’Keefe (defending NCAA all-around champion) opened with a beam 10.0 and Minnesota’s Brooklyn Rowray also posted a 9.975. The mark equaled Lazzari’s collegiate best set as a freshman in 2021. It is her ninth beam title and first since 2022.

* Pilgrim is the eighth since 1986 to win all-around in her first collegiate meet, joining DiCello (2023), Blakely (2022), Kytra Hunter (2012), Ashanée Dickerson (2010), Melanie Sinclair (2007), Corey Hartung (2006) and Melissa Miller (1986).
* Florida has sold out 16 of its last 19 meets.
* Five UF returners equaled or set collegiate bests Friday:
* Lori Brubach – 9.875 (floor)
* Bri Edwards – 9.85 (vault)
* Morgan Hurd – 9.80 (beam), 9.875 (floor)
* Ellie Lazzari – 9.975 (beam)
* Victoria Nguyen – 9.925 (floor)

RECORDS: Florida (3-0, 0-0 SEC), Fisk (1-2), George Washington (2-1), Talladega (0-3)

THE SERIES: Florida leads GWU 15-0. Fisk and Talladega are first time UF opponents.

Hear From the Gators
Post-meet press conference included Anya Pilgrim, Ellie Lazzari and Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Archive=23250>

National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 2 in the preseason Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/12/8/gymnastics-gators-no-2-in-2024-wcga-preseason-poll.aspx>.

UP NEXT:
Florida starts Southeastern Conference action at Auburn next Friday. The Tigers lost 197.475 – 197.025 versus Kentucky Friday in its home opener.

When: Friday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. ET
Venue: Neville Arena<https://auburntigers.com/sports/2023/1/13/neville-arena-gymnastics.aspx>
TV: SEC Network<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/695ebdd8-8d41-4ef9-8f05-e6b2c8befa59>
Tickets: Sold<https://auburntigers.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3AAUBURN%3AG24%3A02%3A&linkID=auburn&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=GYMSG&cgc=&dataAccId=418&locale=en_US&siteId=ev_auburn&RSRC=SIDEARM&RDAT=SA_G24_SingleMeetTickets_UF_SchedulePage_120523&_ga=2.237013830.790241698.1705100575-1226180907.1705100575> out
Purchase tickets to future home meets at FloridaGators.com/Tickets<https://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_gymnastics_.aspx>

Preseason No. 2 Florida versus Fisk, George Washington, Talladega
Final Team Totals

Jan. 12, 2024 ● Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (8,775 – sellout)

Team

Vault

Bars

Beam

Floor

Total

Florida

49.275

48.950