Florida Gymnastics Mounts Another Massive Score In Winning The SEC Tournament Championship

It was a memorable trip as Florida traveled to Tulsa to compete among the top four regular season SEC teams --with Oklahoma, LSU and Alabama. Georgia had posted the top morning score. However no morning team has ever won the event.

This was a winner-take-all, high score wins meet that did not disappoint. The difference was as slim as it gets to decide the championship.

Selena Harris-Miranda celebrates a perfect 10 on Bars. (Photo UAA)

What a competition! After a year of inconsistent scoring and working on the lineup. Coach Jenny Rowland has knocked it out of the park the last three weeks, scoring a 198+. These three meets have seen Kayla DiCello, Skye Blakely and eMjae Frazier take a larger role. Competing  in the All-Around.

Could this have been the plan all along? Resting during the regular season to be ready for the postseason. It definitely looked that way at the SEC Championship. Next up is Regionals and then on to Fort Worth for Nationals.

Coach Rowland on the meet:

"I couldn't be more proud of the fight, grit and determination of this team tonight. They did it big. That's what they've been doing all year long and everything just came together nicely with much ease, much confidence. They had a great time tonight."

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

Beam: Last Week: 49.800. Average: 49.536, 2nd in the Nation. Oklahoma: 49.523, 2nd nationally. LSU: 49.488, 3rd nationally. Alabama: 49.248, 10th nationally.

-Skylar Drasser:  Double series. Stag leap combination. Twisting front dismount 1 1/2 twist. Stuck- 9.875

-Alyssa Arana: Double back handspring. Front leap. Gainer Full side dismount. Stuck - 9.80 (The dropped score)

-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. Wobble. Split jumps. Cartwheel to twisting dismount. Stuck.-9.850

-Kayla DiCello: Springboard candle mount. 180 leaps. Double back a handspring. Front arial. Side dismount. Stuck.- 9.950

-Selena Harris-Miranda: 9.970 average Beam routine so far this season. Second in nation. Side split mount. Triple series back handspring. Twisting dismount. Stuck.- 9.950.

49.525-Florida leads after one rotation. LSU is second, 49.525. Bama is third, 49.475. Oklahoma is fourth at 49.325.

Floor: Last Week’s Score: 49.800. Average: 49.436, 6th in the Nation. Oklahoma: 49.489, 5th nationally. LSU: 49.543, 1st nationally. Alabama: 49.507, 2nd nationally.

-Gabby Disidore: 1st pass (The long runs from corner to corner)- Double layout into a leap. Stuck. 2nd pass- Front twisting flip. Misstep. Almost out of bounds.- 9.825 (The dropped score)

-Danie Ferris: 1st- Double tuck flip. Hop. 2nd- Combination twisting layout into a jump.-9.875

-eMjae Frazier: 1st- Front double layout. Stuck. 2nd- Double front flip. Stuck. Nic routine!.- 9.90

-Kayla DiCello: 1st- Front twisting layout. Stuck. 2nd-Double front flip. Stuck- 9.90

Skye Blakely: 1st- Front handspring. Double flip to stag leap. Hop. 2nd-Huge leaps. Twisting combination pass. Stuck- 9.850

-Selena Harris-Miranda: 1st- Front double tuck. Stuck. 2nd- Combination pass to stag leap- 9.90

49.425- LSU leads after the second rotation. 98.975.:Florida is second at 98.950. Oklahoma is third at 98.925 and Bama is fourth, 98.600

Vault: Last Week’s Score: 49.475. Average: 49.256, 9th in the Nation. Oklahoma: Average: 49.543, 1st in the nation. LSU: 49.440, 2nd in the nation. Alabama: 49.264, 7th in the nation.

-Anya Pilgrim: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Small hop.- 9.90

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

-Kayla DiCello: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Tiny hop- 9.90

-Danie Ferris: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Small hop- 9.825

-Skye Blakely: Yurchenko double twist. Facing the table. Hop- 9.90

-Selena Harris-Miranda: Yurchenko 1 1/2. Step backwards.- 9.80 (The dropped score)

49.425- Florida has another decent showing on Vault. Oklahoma had their lowest score of the season on vault Saturday. Proving it’s not just the Gators having consistency issues. Oklahoma takes the lead off a monster Beam score. 148.550. LSU is second at 148.500. Florida is third at 148.375. Alabama is a distant fourth at 148.000. After the third rotation.

Uneven Bars: Last Week’s Score: 49.725. Average, 49.586, 1st in the Nation. Oklahoma: 49.443, 4th nationally. LSU: 49.445, 3rd nationally. Alabama: 49.489, 2nd nationally.

-eMjae Frazier: Low bar mount. Legs glued together. Nice handstands. Double layout dismout. Stuck- 9.90 (The dropped score)

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

-Skye Blakely: Springboard mount. Extra long handstands. Inverted grip to a double half twist dismount. Stuck. Time for a 10!- 9.975

-Kayla DiCello: Springboard high bar mount. Legs together. Twisting layout dismount. Stuck- 9.975. Wow! Pulling close to Oklahoma.

-Selena Harris-Miranda: Top bar mount.High bar to low bar into a handstand. Extra, extra long handstands! Double layout dismount. Stuck- 10!

Riley McCusker: Riley is 5th nationally at 9.940 in Bars. Low Bar mount. Toes pointed. Great low to high bar transition. Double tuck dismount. Stuck- 9.925

49.800- Sixth best score in NCAA history. Florida waits on the last competitor of the evening, Oklahoma’s Mackenzie Estep. If she scores a 9.975 OU ties a perfect 10 gives OU the SEC championship. She’s close. 9.950. Florida wins the SEC tournament championship. 198.175. Oklahoma is second at 198.150. LSU is third at 197.950 and Alabama is fourth at 197.475.

Vault winner:     Kailin Chio, LSU   9.975

Bars winner:      Selena Harris-Miranda, UF 10.0

Beam winner:    Faith Torrez, OU  10.0

Floor winner:     Gabby Gladieux, ALA, Kaliya Lincoln, LSU, Keira Wells, OU, Mackenzie Estep, OU            9.95

All-Around: Kailin Chio, LSU          39.775