Florida Gymnastics Advances to National Finals

Florida gymnastics stays hot as the Gators put up another massive 198+ score for the fifth time in five meets. #3 Florida, # 6 Georgia, # 11 Michigan State and #14 California were looking to finish in the top two to advance to Nationals and UF brought it again scoring a 198.050. With Georgia advancing with an impressive 197.750 advancing for the first time since 2019.

It’s on to Fort Worth April, 16th in the evening session. With the top four scores of the day will advance to the Final Four on Saturday April, 18th. LSU and Oklahoma are the favorites but the Gators have something to say about who will hold the trophy. LSU advanced with a 197.225 out of the Lexington Regional. Big news out of that meet was the loss of star Konnor McClain from a Bars injury

Six gymnasts competed, with Florida having the choice of rotation of Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam and Floor Routine. The Five highest scores count. On to the recap:

Vault: Regional Semifinals: 49.600. Average: 49.256, 9th in the Nation. Georgia: Average: 49.323, 5th in the nation. Michigan State: 49.264, 7th in the nation. California: 49.055, 21st in the nation.

-Anya Pilgrim: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Hop forward.- 9.850 (The dropped score)

-Skylar Drasser: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Step forward.- 9.850

-eMjae Frazier: Yurchenko Double. Twisting to face the Vault. Small hop.- 9.850

-Kayla DiCello: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Hop forward- 9.90

-Danie Ferris: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Hop on landing- 9.875

-Selena Harris-Miranda: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Small hop.- 9.90

49.375- Above average here. Only Georgia with a 49.425 on Vault outscored the Gators. UGA-49.525 on a nice Bars routine, MSU-49.375 and Cal-49.025. Puts Florida tied for second after the first rotation.

Uneven Bars: Regional Semifinals: 49.625. Average, 49.586, 1st in the Nation. Georgia: 49.345, 7th nationally. Michigan State: 49.233, 13th nationally. California: 49.332, 8th nationally.

-eMjae Frazier: Low bar mount. Legs slightly separated. Double layout dismout. Stuck- 9.875

-Anya Pilgrim: Low bar mount. Legs together. Full twisting double tuck dismount. Stuck- 9.925

-Skye Blakely: Springboard mount. Extra long handstands. A little crooked on her motions. Inverted grip to a double half twist dismount. Stuck.- 9.950. Almost back-to-back 10’s!

-Kayla DiCello: Springboard high bar mount. Legs together. Twisting layout dismount. Hop- 9.850 (The dropped score)

-Selena Harris-Miranda: Top bar mount.High bar to low bar into a handstand. Pointed toes! Double layout dismount. Stuck- 9.90

Riley McCusker: Low Bar mount. Smooth routine. Great low to high bar transition. Double tuck dismount. Stuck- 9.925

49.575- Again, Florida just pulls away from teams in the Bars. Highest total on Bars tonight. Florida takes first place. 98.950, UGA-98.775, MSU-98.700 and Cal-98.450 after two rotations.

Beam: Regional Semifinals: 49.450. Average: 49.536, 1st in the Nation. Georgia: 49.286, 8th nationally. Michigan State: 49.208, 13th nationally. California: 49.070, 19th nationally.

-Skylar Drasser:  Double series. 360 turn. Twisting front dismount 1 1/2 twist. Stuck- 9.90

-Alyssa Arana: Double back handspring. Wobble Front leap. Gainer Full side dismount. Takes a step - 9.725 (The dropped score) The only sub 9.8 of the whole weekend for the Gators. That’s good folks!

-Skye Blakely: Triple wolf turn. Front to back handspring. Gainer full twisting side dismount. Stuck - 9.90

-eMjae Frazier: Springboard mount. Front flip to back flip arial. 360 turn. Split jumps. Cartwheel to twisting dismount. Stuck.-9.90

-Kayla DiCello: Springboard candle mount. Wolf turn. Double back a handspring. Front arial. Side dismount. Stuck.- 9.925

-Selena Harris-Miranda: Side split mount. Triple series back handspring. 360 turn. Front twisting dismount. Stuck.- 9.925

49.550- Florida has the top five scores on Beam for the competition. Florida leads 148.500. UGA-148.325, MSU-148.075 and Cal-147.600 after the third rotation.

Floor: Regional Semifinals: 49.450. Average: 49.436, 6th in the Nation. Georgia: 49.493, 3rd nationally. Michigan State: 49.394, 10th nationally. California: 49.230, 20th nationally.

-Gabby Disidore: 1st pass (The long runs from corner to corner)- Double layout into a leap. Hop. 180 degree jumps. 2nd pass- Front twisting layout. Stuck.- 9.850

-Danie Ferris: 1st- Double tuck flip layout. Foot adjustment. 2nd- Combination twisting layout into a jump. Knees buckled on landing-9.80 (The dropped score)

-Amelia Disidore: 1st- Front double layout. Foot slide. 2nd- Front twisting jump into a leap. Stuck- 9.850

-eMjae Frazier: 1st- Front double tuck flip. Foot slide. 2nd- Double front flip. Stuck.- 9.925

Skye Blakely: 1st- Front handspring. Double flip to stag leap. 2nd-Huge leaps. Front twisting combination pass. Stuck- 9.950

-Selena Harris-Miranda: 1st- Front double tuck. Stuck. 2nd- Combination pass to stag leap- 9.975. When will they score Selena a 10? Come on! Maybe Nationals?

49.450-The 198 streak was in jeopardy until eMjae, Skye and Selena closed out with huge scores on the floor.  Florida is first at 198.050. Georgia is second at 197.750. Michigan State is third at 197.00 and California is fourth at 196.975

Lily Bruce and Selena Harris-Miranda celebrate a Gator 198 score. (Photo UAA)

Event winners:

Vault:     CaMarah Williams, Georgia- 9.925

Bars:      Autumn Reingold, UGA, Nikki Smith, MSU- 9.975

Beam:    Kayla DiCello, Florida and Selena Harris-Miranda, Florida- 9.925

Floor:     Selena Harris-Miranda, Florida- 9.975

All-Around:         Nikki Smith, MSU 39.725. Selena Harris-Miranda, 2nd- 39.700

After the meet eMjae Frazier about being a Gator for her Senior season:

“I could just say coming here has been such a change in my life and I have my built-in best friends, built-in sisters on this team and it’s just amazing to go out here and compete freely with so much fun and confidence in each other. We stay present with each other. We just go out there and be us and do everything that we do in practice and you can see it this week.

"Our word was unbreakable and I think we can show you just now we did today and on Thursday the Gators are unbreakable and honestly, they’ve changed my life so much. I feel so valued. I feel so just blessed and honored to be a part of Gator Nation, the Gator community in general. It’s so great. I love being a Florida Gator.”

. There’s no argument the top gymnast in the nation is LSU’s Kaitlin Chio. It’s hard to argue that the Gators are not the top team right now, when it counts.