Florida Gators women's gymnastics
| Florida Gators women's gymnastics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1973 |
| University | University of Florida |
| Head coach | Jenny Rowland (3rd season) |
| Conference | SEC |
| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Home arena | Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center (Capacity: 9,251[1]) |
| Nickname | Florida Gators |
| Colors | Orange and blue[2] |
| National championships | |
| 1982 (AIAW), 2013, 2014, 2015 | |
| Four on the Floor appearances | |
| 2021 | |
| Super Six appearances | |
| 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 | |
| NCAA Regional championships | |
| 1981 (AIAW), 1982 (AIAW) 1984, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 | |
| Conference championships | |
| 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 | |
The Florida Gators women's gymnastics team represents the University of Florida in the sport of gymnastics. The team competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gators host their home matches in the O'Connell Center on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, and are currently led by head coach Jenny Rowland. The Gators women's gymnastics program has won nine SEC championships, and four national championships: the 1982 AIAW national tournament and the 2013, 2014, and 2015 NCAA championships.
History[]
The University of Florida first fielded a women's varsity gymnastics team in the fall of 1973. Gymnastics was one of the first women's sports added at the University of Florida and achieved early success by winning the 1982 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) championship (the AIAW was the governing body for women's college sports from 1971 to 1982). Since the NCAA assumed sponsorship for women's sports championships in 1982, Florida has advanced to the NCAA championships (top twelve) every year but one. The Gators have advanced to the "Super Six" finals of the NCAA championships nineteen times. Florida has finished twice as runner-up (1998 and 2012)[3][4] and won NCAA championships in 2013, 2014, and 2015.[5]
Ernestine Weaver was the head coach of the Gators gymnastics program from 1980 to 1992 and was responsible for much of the team's early success in AIAW, NCAA, and SEC competition. Under Weaver, the Gators won five SEC championships, the AIAW national championship in 1982, and appeared in thirteen consecutive NCAA championships; Gators gymnasts won five AIAW and NCAA individual national championships. Judi Markell succeeded Weaver as head coach in 1993 and her teams qualified for nine NCAA championships in ten seasons, including three Super Six appearances and a second-place finish in 1998; Markell's Gators won three individual national championships.
The Gators were coached by Rhonda Faehn from 2003-2015; they won four SEC championships and appeared in the NCAA championships every year, including ten Super Six appearances, a national runner-up performance in 2012, and three straight national championships from 2013-2015. The 2014 NCAA championship team scored the highest total ever at an NCAA championship with a 198.175.[4] Faehn's Gators won nine individual national championships. Marissa King won the vault title in 2011, Kytra Hunter won the all-around and vault title in 2012 and the all-around and floor titles in 2015, Alaina Johnson won the uneven bars title in 2013, and Bridget Sloan won the all-around and balance beam titles in 2013 and the uneven bars title in 2014.
After Faehn's resignation following the 2015 national championship, Florida hired Auburn assistant Jenny Rowland to be the new head coach. In Jenny's first year as head coach she led the Gators to their 10th SEC title and fourth in seven years.
Individual national champions[]
Eleven Florida Gators gymnasts have won a total of twenty-eight individual national college championships, including Ann Woods (1982 AIAW all-around, floor exercise, uneven bars), Lynn McDonnell (1982 AIAW balance beam), Maria Anz (1984 NCAA floor exercise), Susan Hines (1997 NCAA vault; 1998 NCAA vault), Betsy Hamm (1998 NCAA balance beam), Marissa King (2011 NCAA vault), and Kytra Hunter (2012 NCAA all-around and vault title, 2015 all-around and floor title), Alaina Johnson (2013 NCAA Bars), Bridget Sloan (2013 NCAA all-around, beam; 2014 NCAA Bars; 2016 NCAA All-Around, Bars, and Beam), Alex McMurtry (2017 NCAA all-around and bars; 2018 NCAA vault), Alicia Boren(2019 NCAA Floor)
Roster[]
Below is a roster of gymnasts on the team for the 2021–2022 season.
| Name | Height | Year | Hometown | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alyssa Baumann | 5-1 | GS | Dallas, TX | WOGA |
| Sloane Blakely | 5-1 | FR | Frisco, TX | WOGA |
| Leah Clapper | 4-11 | SR | Ann Arbor, MI | Gym America |
| Chloi Clark | 5-2 | SO | Denver, CO | CGI |
| Bri Edwards | 5-0 | FR | Navarre, FL | Gulf Coast Gymnastics |
| Gabrielle Gallentine | 5-0 | SO | Iron Station, NC | Everest Gymnastics |
| Morgan Hurd | 4-9 | FR | Middletown, DE | First State Gymnastics |
| Sydney Johnson-Scharpf | 4-11 | SR | Clermont, FL | Brandy Johnson's |
| Ellie Lazzari | 5-0 | SO | Wheaton, IL | Legacy Elite |
| Alex Magee | 5-4 | SO | Orlando, FL | Orlando Metro |
| Riley McCusker | 5-2 | FR | Bradenton, FL | Arizona Sunrays |
| Nya Reed | 5-3 | SR | Landover, MD | Capital |
| Peyton Richards | 5-1 | JR | Mokena, IL | Aerials Gymnastics Club |
| Savannah Schoenherr | 5-3 | SR | Columbus, GA | Georgia Elite |
| Megan Skaggs | 5-3 | GS | Marietta, GA | Gymnastics Academy of Atlanta |
| Halley Taylor | 5-2 | SR | Tampa, FL | LaFleur's |
| Trinity Thomas | 5-3 | SR | York, PA | Prestige |
| Leanne Wong | 5-1 | FR | Overland Park, KS | GAGE |
 | This section does not cite any sources. (October 2017) |
- Head Coach: Jenny Rowland
- Assistant Coach: Adrian Burde
- Assistant Coach: Owen Field
- Volunteer Assistant Coach: Jeremy Miranda
- Assistant to Head Coach: Brittany Arlington
- Athletic Trainer: Janet Taylor
- Student Coach: Vanasia Bradley
Future recruits[]
Below are gymnasts who have committed to Florida.
2022–23 Commits
- Sophia Butler – Discover Gymnastics – 2018 US Nationals qualifier
- Kayla DiCello – Hill's Gymnastics – 2021 World all-around bronze medalist, 2019 Junior World Champion (vault), 2019 Junior US National Champion
2023–24 Commits
- Skye Blakely – WOGA – 2019 Junior World bronze medalist (team)[7]
All-American selections[]
All-American selections through the 2012 season.[8]
- Maria Anz (1984)
- Mackenzie Caquatto (2012)
- Amanda Castillo (2007, 2008)
- Ashanee Dickerson (2010, 2011*, 2012)
- Erinn Dooley (2003*, 2004, 2005*)
- Savannah Evans (2004*, 2006, 2007)
- Amy Ferguson (2012*)
- Courtney Gladys (2010*)
- Alicia Goodwin (2009, 2010*)
- Jaime Graziano (1997*)
- Kristin Guise (1993*, 1994, 1995, 1996)
- Betsy Hamm (1998)
- (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
- Susan Hines (1996*, 1997, 1998)
- Kytra Hunter (2012)
- Alaina Johnson (2011, 2012*)
- Colleen Johnson (1993*)
- Janice Kerr (1988^)
- Breanne King (2004*, 2007*)
- Marissa King (2010, 2011, 2012)
- Samantha Lutz (2004, 2006*)
- Elizabeth Mahlich (2009*)
- Lana Marty (1982)
- Christina McDonald (1991)
- Lynn McDonnell (1981, 1982)
- Melissa Miller (1987, 1988, 1989)
- Lindsey Miner (2002, 2003)
- Tiffany Murry (2006*)
- Amy Myerson (1994, 1995)
- Lisa Panzironi (1994*)
- Ashley Reed (2007, 2008)
- Katie Rue (2004*)
- Elfi Schlegel (1983, 1984, 1985)
- Melanie Sinclair (2007, 2008, 2009)
- Maranda Smith (2009, 2010, 2011)
- Tammy Smith (1985)
- Sybil Stephenson (1995*, 1996*, 1997)
- Kristen Stucky (2003*)
- Orley Szmuch (2003*, 2004)
- Hilary Thompson (2001, 2002*)
- Pam Titus (1989, 1990, 1991)
- Chantelle Tousek (2004)
- Chrissy Van Fleet (1997, 1998, 1999*, 2000*)
- Chrissy Vogel (1995, 1996, 1997*)
- Kara Waterhouse (2001*)
- Nicola Willis (2008)
- Tracy Wilson (1990)
- Ann Woods (1980, 1981, 1982)
- Rebekah Zaiser (2010*)
Second-team All-American honors are designated with an asterisk (*). H. Boyd McWhorter Award winners (top SEC male and female scholar-athletes) are designated with a caret (^).
Regular Season All-American Awards[]
The National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NAGCS) started awarding All-American honors for a gymnast's regular season performance. The top 8 gymnasts in each event and the all-around receive first team honors and gymnasts ranked 9 to 16 receive second team honors.
The score is based on the National Qualifying Score (NQS) in the RoadtoNationals.com rankings.
| Name | First Team | Second Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Regular Season[9] | ||
| Trinity Thomas | AA, BB, FX, V | UB |
| Alyssa Baumann | BB, FX | |
| Megan Skaggs | AA, UB | |
| Ellie Lazarri | BB | |
| Nya Reed | FX | |
| Savannah Schoenherr | V | |
| Leah Clapper | BB | |
| 2020 Regular Season[10] | ||
| Trinity Thomas | AA, UB, BB, FX | V |
| Rachel Gowey | BB | |
| Savannah Schoenherr | UB | |
| Alyssa Baumann | FX | BB |
| 2019 Regular Season[11] | ||
| Trinity Thomas | AA, UB, FX | BB |
| Alyssa Baumann | BB | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, FX | |
| Megan Skaggs | UB | |
| 2018 Regular Season[12] | ||
| Alyssa Baumann | BB | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, BB, FX | |
| Rachel Gowey | BB | |
| Alex McMurtry | V, UB, BB | |
| Rachel Slocum | V | |
| 2017 Regular Season[13] | ||
| Kennedy Baker | FX | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, V, FX | |
| Amelia Hundley | UB | AA |
| Alex McMurtry | V, UB | BB |
| Rachel Slocum | V | |
| 2016 Regular Season[14] | ||
| Kennedy Baker | AA, V, FX | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, V | |
| Bridgette Caquatto | UB | |
| Alex McMurtry | V, UB, BB | |
| Bridget Sloan | AA, UB, BB, FX | V |
| 2015 Regular Season[15] | ||
| Kennedy Baker | FX | |
| Claire Boyce | BB | |
| Bridgette Caquatto | UB | FX |
| Kytra Hunter | AA, V, FX | |
| Alex McMurtry | V | UB |
| Bridget Sloan | UB | |
| 2014 Regular Season[16] | ||
| Mackenzie Caquatto | UB, BB | |
| Kytra Hunter | AA, V, FX | |
| Alaina Johnson | AA | UB |
| Bridget Sloan | AA, V, UB, BB, FX | |
| 2013 Regular Season | ||
| Mackenzie Caquatto | UB, BB | |
| Ashanée Dickerson | V | AA |
| Kytra Hunter | AA, V, FX | UB |
| Marissa King | FX | |
| Bridget Sloan | AA, UB, BB | V |
Team Records[]
Top Team Total[]
Top Vault Total[]
Top Uneven Bars Total[]
|
Top Balance Beam Total[]
Top Floor Total[]
|
See also[]
- Florida Gators
- History of the University of Florida
- List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
- List of University of Florida Olympians
- University Athletic Association
References[]
- ^ "Rent the Center – Stephen C. O'Connell Center".
- ^ "UF Identity Style Guide". March 1, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
- ^ Pat Dooley, "Top 25 Gator teams: #24 1998 Gymnastics," Gainesville Sun (June 1, 2009). Retrieved August 8, 2009.
- ^ a b Laura Owens, "UF gymnastics finishes second at NCAAs," The Gainesville Sun (April 21, 2012). Retrieved May 14, 2012.
- ^ "National Champions: Gators Claim Program's First NCAA Gymnastics Title," GatorZone.com (April 20, 2013). Retrieved April 20, 2013.
- ^ "2022 Gymnastics Roster".
- ^ @InsideGym (September 27, 2021). "Gator Watch!