There is no Oklahoma in the way of Gator gymnastics this time

Is this the year Jenny Rowland finally

kicks the door down to that NCAA gymnastics championship that has eluded the Florida Gators the last two years? There is no Oklahoma standing in the way as the Gators take on LSU, California and Utah today for the NCAA title in Fort Worth (4 p.m., ABC).

The margins of defeat were microscopic. A slight flaw here, a slight hop on a landing there the difference as Oklahoma eked out a championship by .1125 in 2022, by .15 in 2023.

The way the Sooners dominated their competition in the regular season, they were expected to blow the competition away in Fort Worth. Florida meanwhile, made it to Fort Worth with the least experienced team Jenny Rowland has had in years. It was thought that with three freshman factoring prominently in UF's rotations that simply making the final four would be an accomplishment for UF.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the final four Thursday night. It was Oklahoma that made the kind of errors you expect from inexperienced teams Thursday night, failing to qualify for the final four for the first time in years. Florida, meanwhile, only had a couple of stumbles and didn’t have a single score below 9.80 that counted.

While Oklahoma struggled, the Gators were pictures of consistency, scoring 49.450 on bars, 49.475 on beam, 49.500 on floor and 49.500 on vault, good for a final score of 197.875, good for second to Utah’s 197.9375 in the night session. In the afternoon session, LSU won with 198.1125 with California second at 197.7125.

The Gators should feel confident since they beat LSU in the regular season, 198.150-197.950, and Utah in the Gainesville Regional, 198.325-197.575.

All-Americans: Earning All-America honors Thursday night were Leanne Wong (first team all-around, vault and bars; second team floor); Ellie Lazzari (first team vault); freshman Anya Pilgrim (first team vault; second team all-around) and Victoria Nguyen (second team all-around and bars).

UF BASEBALL: Gators fall to Vandy, but Caglianone homers again

Three Vanderbilt pitchers held the Gators to four hits and struck out 12 Friday evening in Nashville as the Commodores took game two of the weekend series, 5-2. Carter Holt allowed four hits and struck out 10 in the first seven innings, but one of the hits was the 23rd home run of the season by Jac Caglianone, a solo shot to right center in the top of the sixth.

It was the ninth consecutive game that Caglianone has homered, tying an NCAA record. The homer also extended Caglianone’s hitting streak to 17 games. Earlier in the sixth, Brody Donay led off the inning by taking a 1-1 pitch from Holt over the fence in dead center field, his sixth home run of the season.

The two home runs were all the offense the Gators generated. Holt was relieved by Ryan Ginther who struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth. Greyson Carter set the Gators down in order in the ninth to pick up his third save of the season.

Pierce Coppola got the start for the Gators. He gave up two runs in the first inning and left in the second with two outs when his pitch count reached 48. Liam Peterson got the final out in the second but he gave up a third inning home run to Alan Espinal that stretched the Vanderbilt lead to 3-0.

Ryan Slater went 1-2/3 scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Luke McNellie. McNellie was touched for two insurance runs in the eighth before giving way to Fisher Jameson for the final out.

The Commodores (29-10, 10-7 SEC) and Gators (19-19, 7-10 SEC) finish the series at 4 p.m. (SEC Network+) with Caglianone taking the mound for Florida.

UF SOFTBALL: Gators hammer South Carolina, 11-6

The 10th-ranked Gators (36-9, 11-5 SEC) combined nine hits with 10 walks and three hit batters Friday night as they took game one of their weekend series with South Carolina, 11-6, at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Florida jumped to an 11-1 lead in the first three innings, then went on cruise control the rest of the way to remain two games behind league leader Tennessee (33-7, 13-3 SEC), a 3-0 winner over LSU (34-9, 10-9 SEC).

Korbe Otis led the Florida attack with an RBI single and a 3-run double. Reagan Walsh had a 2-run single and Jocelyn Erickson drove in two with a double and a walk.

When Florida starter Keagan Rothrock struggled in the fourth, she was replaced by MacKenzie Wooten, who pitched two shutout innings to earn her first win as a Gator. Olivia Miller had a rough sixth inning when she gave up a pair of runs, but settled in for an easy seventh to close things out.

Skylar Wallace was 0-1 but reached base four times on three walks and a hit by pitch. She also stole two bases and with 110 for her career needs just three more to tie Kelsey Stewart for first place on Florida’s all-time list.

The Gators and Gamecocks (29-16, 5-11 SEC) square off at noon today (SEC Network) in game two of their 3-game series.

UF WOMEN’S TENNIS: Gators move into SEC semifinals

Freshman Qavia Lopez scored a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win over Olympe Lancelot Friday morning to clinch a 4-3 win over South Carolina in the quarter-finals of the SEC Tournament in Athens, Georgia. The 14th-ranked Gators (16-7) will take on 12th-ranked Texas A&M in the semifinals at 11 a.m. today. The Gators, who have won 11 consecutive matches, lost a 4-3 decision to Texas A&M back in March.

Florida won the all-important doubles point against South Carolina then got wins at No. 1 from Rachel Gailis and No. 3 from Carly Briggs along with the win by Lopez to move on to the semifinals.

UF MEN’S TENNIS: Gators fall to Tennessee in SEC quarter-finals

The Gators dropped a 4-1 decision to 6th-ranked Tennessee Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in Baton Rouge. The Gators (13-11) will have to wait until April 29 to learn if the season will continue in the NCAA Tournament.

SEC IN THE FOOTBALL PORTAL

Alabama

Outgoing: PK Reed Harradine (6-3, 185, FR); WR Andre Craig (6-0, 180, SO)

Incoming: OT Kadyn Proctor (6-7, 360, FR) from Iowa

Arkansas

Outgoing: TE Francis Sherman (6-3, 237, SR); RB Isaiah Augustave (6-2, 208, RFR); OT Andrew Chamblee (6-6, 304, FR); QB Jacolby Criswell (6-1, 230, JR); EDGE Jashaud Stewart (6-2, 257, SR); P Max Fletcher (6-5, 174, SO) to Cincinnati

Incoming: RB Rodney Hill (5-10, 186, SO) from Florida A&M

Auburn

Outgoing: DL Brenton Williams (6-3, 262, FR); CB J.D. Rhym (6-1, 178, SO); LS Kyle Vaccarella (6-3, 229, SO); WR Ja’Varrius Johnson (5-10, 167, SR)

FLORIDA

Outgoing: LB Mannie Nunnery (6-2, 227, RSR)

Georgia

Outgoing: RB Andrew Paul (5-11, 218, FR); OT Chad Lindberg (6-6, 325, JR) to Rice; WR Tyler Williams (6-3, 205, RFR)

Kentucky

Outgoing: RB LaVell Wright (5-11, 202, JR); WR Darius Cannon (5-9, 175, FR); WR Raymond Cottrell (6-3, 210, RFR); QB Shane Hamm (5-11, 209, SO)

LSU

Outgoing: EDGE Jaxon Howard (6-4, 240, FR) to Minnesota; WR Khai Prean (6-0, 202, FR); CB Ryan Robinson Jr. (5-11, 180, FR); TE Connor Gilbreath (6-5, 272, SO); DL Bryce Langston (6-3, 300, SO) to Florida Atlantic; CB Jeremiah Hughes (6-0, 187, FR); LB Christian Brathwaite (6-1, 217, FR); S Ryan Yaites (6-1, 203, FR)

Incoming: DL Gio Paez (6-3, 310, SR) from Wisconsin

Mississippi State

Outgoing: S Trent Singleton (6-0, 195, FR); CB Luke Evans (6-2, 180, FR); P Keelan Cummings (6-3, 215, FR); WR Justin Robinson (6-4, 220, JR)

Incoming: RB Rashad Amos (6-2, 224, SR) from South Carolina

Missouri

Outgoing: WR Dannis Jackson (5-11, 171, JR); DL Serigne Tounkara (6-2, 235, FR)

Incoming: QB Drew Pyne (6-0, 190, SO) from Arizona State

Oklahoma

Outgoing: QB Jacob Switzer (6-2, 192, SO); Shane Whitter (6-0, 226, JR)

Ole Miss

Outgoing: DL Joshua Harris (6-4, 325, SR); QB Deljay Bailey (6-1, 200, FR)

Incoming: RB Jacory Merritt (5-11, 204 SR) from New Mexico

South Carolina

Outgoing: OL Jaxon Hughes (6-6, 297, SR); EDGE Terrell Dawkins (6-4, 251, SR); WR Kelton Henderson (6-0, 165, FR)

Tennessee

Outgoing: LB Elijah Herring (6-3, 238, SO)

Texas

Outgoing: LB S’maje Burrell (6-0, 219, FR); EDGE Billy Walton III (6-3, 225, FR); OL Payton Kirkland (6-6, 350, FR); EDGE J’mond Tapp

Texas A&M

Outgoing: S Sam McCall (6-1, 185, FR); LB Alex Howard (6-2, 230, SR); S Jacoby Matthews (6-2, 215, SO); EDGE Fadil Diggs (6-5, 260, JR) to Syracuse; OL Derrick Graham (6-4, 314, SO)

Incoming: EDGE Josh Celiscar (6-4, 265, SR) from UCF

Vanderbilt

Outgoing: LB Dante Kelly (6-3, 201, FR); S John Howse IV (6-1, 195, JR); TE Josh Palmer (6-4, 192, FR)

Incoming: Cade McConnell (6-5, 310, FR) from Minnesota

SEC IN THE BASKETBALL PORTAL

Alabama

Outgoing: SF Kris Parker (6-8, 195, RFR); SG Rylan Griffen (6-5, 185, SO); SG Davin Cosby (6-5, 205, FR); Sam Walters (6-10, 198, FR)

Incoming: PG Houston Mallette (6-5, 180, JR) from Pepperdine; SG Chris Youngblood (6-4, 212, SR) from South Florida

Arkansas

Outgoing: PG Keon Menifield (6-1, 150, SO); F Denijay Harris (6-7, 200, SR); WG Joseph Pinion (6-6, 195, SO) to Arkansas State; C Baye Fall (6-10, 200, FR); SG Tramon Mark (6-5, 180, JR) to Texas

Incoming: C Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2, 234, FR) from Kentucky

Auburn

Outgoing: CG KD Johnson (6-0, 190, SR) to George Mason; PG Tre Donaldson (6-2, 190, SO); PG Aden Holloway (6-1, 178, FR)

INCOMING: PG JP Pegues (6-1, 165, JR) from Furman

FLORIDA

Outgoing: SG Riley Kugel (6-5, 206, SO) to Kansas; PF Aleks Szymczyk (6-10, 250, RFR)

Incoming: Sam Alexis (6-9, 240, SO) from Chattanooga; Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 245, SO) from Washington State

Georgia

Outgoing: SF Matthew-Alexander Moncrief (6-7, 220, SR); PG Justin Hill (6-0, 185, SR); C Jalen Deloach (6-9, 215, JR); SG Mari Jordan (6-8, 185, RFR); WF Jabri Abdur-Rahim (6-7, 214, SR) to Providence

Incoming: DeShayne Montgomery (6-4, 190, SO) from Mount St. Mary’s

Kentucky

Outgoing: SG Adou Thiero (6-6, 200, SO); SG Joey Hart (6-5, 203, FR) to Ball State; C Aaron Bradshaw (7-0, 220, FR) to Ohio State; C Zvonimir Ivisic (7-2, 234, FR) to Arkansas;  PG DJ Wagner (6-3, 175, FR);  PF Jordan Burks (6-9, 220, FR)

LSU

Outgoing: SF Mwani Wilkerson (6-5, 205, SO); SG Carlos Stewart (6-1, 185, JR) to Santa Clara

Incoming: PG Cam Carter (6-3, 195, JR) from Kansas State; PG Jordan Sears (5-11, 175, JR) from UT-Martin

Mississippi State

Outgoing: PG Andrew Taylor (6-3, 190, SR); SG Trey Fort III (6-4, 195, JR); PF Jaquan Scott (6-8, 230, JR); SG Shakeel Moore (6-1, 180, SR); PF Keshawn Murphy (6-10, 245, SO)

Incoming: PG Kanye Clary (5-11, 192, SO) from Penn State

Missouri

Outgoing: SG Curt Lewis (6-5, 215, JR); PF Jesus Carralero (6-8, 210, SR); SG John Tonje (6-5, 222, SR); PF Jordan Butler (7-0, 230, FR)

Incoming: PF Jacob Crews (6-8, 210, JR) from UT-Martin; SG Tony Perkins (6-4, 210, SR) from Iowa; PF Mark Mitchell (6-8, 220, SO) from Duke

Oklahoma

Outgoing: CG Otega Oweh (6-5, 210, SO); PF John Hugley (6-9, 240, JR); PG Javian McCollum (6-1, 170, JR) to Georgia Tech; PG Milos Uzan (6-4, 183, SO) to Houston

Ole Miss

Outgoing: PF Rashaud Marshall (6-9, 220, FR) to Arkansas State; C Malique Ewin (6-10, 240); Jacob Gazzo (6-8, 215, FR); PF Cameron Barnes (6-9, 195, FR)

Incoming: PF Mikeal Brown-Jones (6-8, 210, SR) from UNC-Greensboro; C Malik Dia (6-9, 240, SO) from Belmont; Davon Barnes (6-5, 212, JR) from Sam Houston State

South Carolina

Outgoing: PG Meechie Johnson (6-2, 184, JR) to Ohio State; CG Ebrima Dibba (6-5, 214, SR)

Tennessee

Outgoing: SG Freddie Dilione (6-5, 185, FR); SG D.J. Jefferson (6-5, 2-7, FR); PF Tobe Awaka (6-8, 250, SO); C Jonas Aidoo (6-11, 230, JR)

Incoming: SG Darlinstone Dubar (6-6, 207, SR) from Hofstra

Texas

Outgoing: SF Alex Anamekwe (6-6, 200, SO); PG Chris Johnson (6-5, 180, FR); PF Dillon Mitchell (6-8, 205, SO); PG Tyrese Hunter (6-0, 170, JR)

Incoming: SG Tramon Mark (6-5, 180, JR) from Arkansas; PF Jayson Kent (6-8, 205, SR) from Indiana State; PG Julian Larry (6-3, 185, SR) from Indiana State

Vanderbilt

Outgoing: PG Paul Lewis (6-2, 170, SO); C Lee Dort (6-10, 245, SO) to California; SG Tyrin Lawrence (6-4, 200, SR); PF Colin Smith (6-8, 220); SG Jason Rivera-Torres (6-6, 180, FR); PF Carter Lang (6-9, 235, FR)

Incoming: PF Jaylen Carey (6-8, 245, FR) from James Madison; SF Tyler Nickel (6-7, 200, SO) from Virginia Tech; SG Grant Huffman (6-3, 185, SR) from Davidson