“It was a great send off for our senior class, period -- our intention of the week was appreciation.

-- Jenny Rowland

The Gators won their quad meet Friday 197.90 over #18 NC State. 196.825. Iowa State. 195.825 and Long Island University- 191.050.

A crowd of 8,133 attended the final home meet and said goodbye to seniors Chloi Clark, Ellie Lazzari, Michala Magee, Victoria Nguyen and Payton Richards. However, Richards is the lone super senior and the others can return for one more year.

After resting last week, Sloane Blakely turned in just her second career All-Around title with a 39.625. This week was Leanne Wong’s turn to rest as coach Rowland gave her two star athletes some time before postseason begins next week with the SEC tournament in New Orleans. Six gymnasts compete with the top five scores counting. Rotation goes Vault, Uneven Bars, Beam and Floor Excersise.

Florida put up its fourth highest score of the season , improving its national qualifying score for postseason. This also brings coach Rowland to 200 wins in her nine seasons at Florida.

Coach Rowland said:

“It was a great send off for our senior class, period -- our intention of the week was appreciation. This was an evening we could celebrate some incredible seniors for everything they've done to pave their own path and to excel in and out of the gym. Extremely grateful for all our seniors who we were able to celebrate and honor this evening”

On to the Recap:

Vault: (Last week: 49.525, Average: 49.460, 3rd Nationally)

Skylar Draser: Yurchenko 1 ½ Stuck landing. 10? -9.95

Ellie Lazzari: Yurchenko 1 ½ Fell down but she’s o.k.- 9.10 (The dropped score)

Victoria Nguyen: Yurchenko 1 ½ Hop forward on landing- 9.825

Sloane Blakely: Yurchenko 1 ½ Big Vault! Large hop on landing- 9.875

Anya Pilgrim: Yurchenko 1 ½ Slight hop- 9.90

Danie Ferris: Yurchenko 1 ½ Stuck landing- 9.925

Score: 49.475 Florida leads by .300 after one rotation.

Uneven Bars: (Last week: 49.40, Average: 49.40, 11th Nationally)

Sloane Blakely: Solid handstands, Backflip landing, stuck- 9.90

Victoria Nguyen: Legs together throughout, slight hop on landing-9.90

Ellie Lazzari: Springboard mount to high bar. Almost fell off low bar but finished routine with a stuck landing- 9.10 (The dropped score)

Gabby Disidore: Nice routine, chest down landing- 9.825

Anya Pilgrim: Beautiful movement from high to low bars. Twist dismount, stuck- 9.825

Leanne Wong: Her only routine looks perfect. The crowd chants “10, 10, 10!”- 9.975 Crowd gives the judges a needed “BOO!”

Score: 49.425 Florida leads by .325 after two rotations.

Beam: (Last week: 49.575, Average: 49.530, 3rd Nationally)

Skylar Draser: Double back flip, step on dismount- 9.825

Sloane Blakely: front flip to back handspring, side dismount stuck- 9.925

Anya Pilgrim: springboard mount from side, backflip, falls. Six of seven of her  beam routines this season were 9.9 or higher. She finishes strong- 9.20 (The dropped score)

Ellie Lazzari: triple series of backflips, slight hop on landing- 9.9

Victoria Nguyen: had to redo a series of flips. Back handspring dismount, hop- 9.825

Alyssa Arana: double back flip to front aerial. First beam routine of this year. Sticks side dismount- 9.925

Score: 49.40 Florida leads by .725 after the 3rd rotation.

Floor Exercise: (Last week: 49.225, Average: 49.510, 12th Nationally)

Victoria Nguyen: 1st pass, the tumbling routines from corner to corner. Front Double twist to sissone leap. Second pass: 1 1/2 front flip layout- 9.925

Ellie Lazzari: first pass: front double full twist. Second pass: 1 1/2 front layout- 9.925 Good to see Ellie finish strong tonight.

Danny Ferris: first pass: front full twist flip. Second pass: 1 1/2 twists, front layout- 9.850 (The dropped score)

Morgan Hurd: first pass: double layout back flip. Second pass: front layout full twist- 9.925

Anya Pilgrim: first pass: 1 ½ step flip to double tuck. Second pass: double Pike- 9.90

Sloane Blakely: first pass: front flip to double tuck. Second pass: 1 1/2 front flip to punch landing- 9.925

Score: 49.60 Florida wins by 1.075

The postseason plan is working as this special freshman class is putting up huge numbers late in the season and the veterans get a needed break. Next stop is New Orleans and Florida will be in the night session 8:00 PM EST Saturday the March 23. Trinity Thomas said this team could go all the way in her TV commentating debut. The regular season champs can add the tournament title and who knows, maybe win that elusive National Championship.