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The Gators open SEC action tonight against the Auburn Tigers in Neville Arena, historically a tough (and often eventful) competition environment.

They’re coming off a home opener quad that saw a few hiccups, but nothing that should have fans too concerned. They defeated Fisk, Talladega, and George Washington with a respectable 197.1, a score they’ll look to improve upon tonight against the Tigers.

Vault started things off relatively cleanly, with a 49.275 – all scores between 9.875 and 9.825. Only five out of the six competed 10.0 start value vaults, but with all the options available, at least one more should be ready for competition very soon, whether that’s Ellie Lazzari, Victoria Nguyen, Payton Richards, or freshman Kaylee Bluffstone. Additionally, it seems like no one was intentionally trying to stick, and honestly, that’s probably a good thing. It’s January. No one needs to be sticking vaults cold just yet and risk getting injured while the stakes are still relatively low. Expect to see things maybe a little more dialed in tonight, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for many vault sticks. They’ll come in time.

Bars was where things got a little hairy. After freshman Gabby Disidore led off strong, Sloane Blakely went second and mistimed her dismount, leading to a large lunge forward and just a 9.575 on the scoresheet. To make matters worse, freshman Alyssa Arana fell twice during her routine in the fourth slot, causing Florida to have to count Blakely’s low score. Not the best look for a team that considers bars one of its best events. Still, Arana’s falls were likely due to opening meet jitters, and Blakely is typically a very solid performer. Expect to see Blakely perform normally tonight, and if Arana is given another opportunity to compete, hopefully it’s all out of her system. Alternatively, bars coach Owen Field may give someone else the chance to slot in – Lazzari has been training for her AA comeback, and Skylar Draser is a utility athlete that could fill in just about anywhere.

Beam and floor were much more normal Florida performances, with both event scores over 49.4, highlighted by a 9.975 from Lazzari and 9.925 from Wong on beam, as well as a pair of 9.925s from Nguyen and freshman Anya Pilgrim, who earned her first AA title of her career with the highest AA score of a Gator freshman’s first meet in program history.

Tonight, though, will be more of a challenge, as the SEC is one of the most competitive conferences in the country, and Auburn has been an upset threat in the past to many strong teams, including UF, when at home in its element.

Let’s look one more time at my early season checklist to see how the Gators are doing:

• Ferris’s return: she’s ready on vault! Having her back on floor would be even better, but starting the season ready on vault is a huge boon.
• Lazzari’s expanded presence: we’re crossing our fingers on this one tonight. She had a bruised foot back in December that held her out of the late preseason intrasquads, so hopefully that’s healed enough now to allow her to add back some other events.
• Hurd’s confidence and consistency on her two events: her beam and floor last week were excellent! If she can hit another set of routines like that this week, fans should be really excited about her 10.0 potential this season.
• the adjustment of the freshmen to collegiate pacing: 12 routines from freshmen last week contributing to a 197.1 should feel great for head coach Jenny Rowland. They’re adjusting well, staying in their bubble, and rolling with the punches, but tonight, they’ll face a new test – the GymNasties, Auburn’s front row of rowdy fans who like to be disruptive to the visiting team, especially during floor.
• the addition of Disidore to the bar lineup with a repeatable, stickable dismount – dismount looked good last week, she just needs to learn to stick it, but that’ll come with time! Having her lead off when she wasn’t even doing full routines six weeks ago was wild, but it’s working so far, so let’s not question it.

When we have lineups, I’ll let you know, otherwise, I’ll be back shortly before meet start – 6pm ET on SECN, but of course, I’ll have all your quick hits here if you can’t watch, don’t have access, or are watching other meets tonight.

5:36pm: Live scoring link is live here and seems to indicate that Arana is indeed out of the bars lineup, and that Draser will replace her. Exact events are not listed, but assumptions can be made based on the order of the names listed – Edwards and Ferris are likely in again for vault, Brubach in again on floor, and either Hurd is out of floor, or Lazzari is in… I’m hoping it’s the latter!

6:00pm: Hoping Finebaum will go ahead and finish up here… Kennedy Baker is commentating with Bart Conner tonight! Love that for her!

Bart reminding us that the last time these two teams met in this arena, they both tied for a massive 198.575 – both teams have graduated many stars since then, so we’ll see what happens with these new teams!

6:02pm: Groth, Aub VT: Yfull, a little soft in the knees maybe, but stuck! Great dynamics in the air too. That’s a fantastic start for the Tigers.

Disidore, UB: Maloney to pak, van Leeuwen looks great – legs pasted together on every element. DLO is stuck! That’s what I’m talking about!

Schumaker, VT: Tucked Y1.5, did not get a good block and sat it down, that’s not what they wanted at all.

Blakely, UB: Great opening handstand! Maloney to pak looked better this week, legs more together. Great final handstand, blind change maybe a little over, double front dismount is much better this week! Just a little step forward.

Hubbard, VT: Y1.5, legs pretty bent but I assume they’ll give her the layout position and just deduct for body position. Step forward on the landing.

Nguyen, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney to pak, a little leg sep on the pak. Lovely low bar pirouette to handstand. Saved that handstand on high bar. DLO stuck! Yes ma’am!

Huff, VT: Y1.5, biiiiiig air on that one, and another big hop forward, also some bent knees in the air.

6:10pm: Pilgrim, UB: Maloney to pak, legs absolutely glued together, super clean. Great final handstand. Full in, just drops it in, gorgeous stuck landing! Holds it nice and long like she’s supposed to, too.

Hollingsworth, VT: Y1.5, much cleaner body position than her peers, just a small hop on the landing, a little leg separation just before she lands.

Draser, UB: Maloney to pak, pretty clean – a little wobbly on the low bar but saves it. DLO, little step forward. A good first outing for her! Bart saying Lazzari was originally supposed to be in the lineup… wonder what’s up with that.

Stevens, VT: Y1.5, some knees in the air, great dynamics though. Little hop on the landing.

Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, some leg separation there. van Leeuwen, very clean. Lovely final handstand! DLO, drops it in so confidently, stuck cold and holds it.

AFTER ONE: UF 49.4, AUB 49.1

Florida will be MUCH happier with that bars rotation than last week. I would love to know why Lazzari was originally supposed to be in and had to be taken out last minute – I hope they elaborate on that at some point tonight… but now there’s an audio issue with the commentary so if they do, we may not hear it.

Auburn will hope to rebound on bars – their two outings so far this year have been 49.35 and 49.2, so if they can continue that, the Tigers certainly do better than they did on vault.

Rowland is walking away from the judges’ table – maybe another lineup change?

6:24pm: Edwards, VT: Yfull, great amplitude, looked stuck from here!! Wow, good for her! I’ve seen her stick so many in practice over the years but never in competition – that’s fantastic.

Boyd, Aub UB: Solid first handstand, some leg sep on Maloney, pak is clean. Stalder to double tuck, little adjustment on the landing.

Draser, VT: Y1.5, a little off to the side, some knees in the air, very small adjustment on her landing.

Hollingsworth, UB: Looong wait for Boyd’s score. Piked Jaeger is huge, nice form. Little leg sep on the bail but handstand is good. Overarches her final handstand and falls, has to rechalk and remount. Dismount is clean, but it’s a little late for that.

6:30pm: Ferris, VT: Y1.5, great form in the air, big amplitude but also a big bound forward.

Brusch, UB: Maloney to bail, a little loose on that handstand. Final handstand also a little shy? DLO is stuck though!

Nguyen, VT: Y1.5, well done! Great form in the air, little crossover step across the right boundary line on the landing. So happy she’s in this lineup.

McLaughlin, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney to pak, big leg separation on the pak. Great last handstand! Full pirouette very late, double tuck is stuck.

Wong, VT: Yhalf-on, pike half off as usual – not as open a body position as she’s done before, some weird leg separation, but the landing is a good one! Just a small adjustment.

Groth, UB: Jaeger is lovely. Pak looks like it’s coming in short, big bend in the knees and separated. Pirouette is better than McLaughlin’s, stuck double tuck dismount!

Pilgrim, VT: Freshman anchor, we love to see it. Y1.5, perfectly straight body position, a little off to the side but stayed in the boundary, good for her. Little hop forward.

Stevens, UB: Great opening handstand work. Ray to immediate overshoot, fine. DLO is so floppy but she sticks it.

We’re getting a glimmer of Bart’s voice now – the audio has been so garbled through this entire rotation.

AFTER TWO: UF 98.625, AUB 98.275

Another week, another lack of 9.9 vault scores – though frankly, I’d say Edwards was robbed as clean as her full was. Landings will get better as time goes on, though, and there’s no need to force sticks if they’re not coming yet. Getting cleaner body positions and stronger blocks will be the priority for now.

Auburn will feel better about bars than vault, but I can’t imagine head coach Jeff Graba is satisfied with that – they only went 49.175, which is worse than the last two weeks.

Florida will go to floor next!

6:47pm: Rotation 3!

Brusch, Aub BB: Turn to beat jump, little adjustment there. Series, another bobble. Much more secure on her dance series, good. Gainer full of the side of the beam, stuck.

Brubach, FX: Front layout to Rudi, clean so far. A little lack of amplitude on her leap series but positions are clean. Double tuck, little slide back. A solid start.

Zancan, BB: Fun press handstand mount! Series is clean. Switch to switch half, great amplitude on both. Big step forward on her dismount.

Nguyen, FX: A little wink at the camera to get us started, really showcasing her extension and long lines here. Front double full, comes in a little crooked but still finds her sissone connected out of it. Switch ring to switch leap, gorgeous extension and amplitude. Y turn is also lovely. Really bringing the drama now. 1.5 to front layout, nails the landing on that one.

Hollingsworth, BB: Full turn to open, steady. Back handspring-layout stepout (bhs loso) series, very secure. Switch to split, lovely. Bhs gainer full off the end, looked stuck from here!

Lazzari, FX: Here she is! Very excited to see how she does with this. Front double full to start, well controlled, but maybe a little cheated in terms of getting it all the way around? Camera angle wasn’t dead on so it was a little hard to tell. Leap series is gorgeous, great amplitude and extension through her toes. 1.5 to front layout, great control there as well. That should be a great score. Welcome back, Ellie Lazzari!

Groth, BB: Bhs loso bhs acro series to open, absolutely nails it. Switch leap, balks the connection and bobbles, so she backs up. Switch half to split jump, much better connection there and no bobbles. Cartwheel to gainer full off the side is stuck!

Blakely, FX: Punch front through to double pike, a little short but lands it fine. Switch leap to switch ring half, don’t love that but it’s not awful? 1.5 to front layout, much better control there. A good first outing, but she’ll want to be more secure in that first pass before long.

7:02pm: Stevens, BB: Bhs loso, some knees but very secure. Split to ring stag, lovely. Front aerial to knee – aka the Stevens – very nice. Roundoff 1.5 twist is stuck! Auburn needed that.

Hurd, FX: Front layout to Rudi, gorgeous form and decent control. Really bringing the drama in her choreography in the middle section here – I can’t wait to see this live in the O-Dome later this year. If you have a chance to, you ahve to go. Double pike, MUCH cleaner this week, perfectly controlled, if chest a little low. Love that routine from her.

McLaughlin, BB: Bhs loso series, very steady. Side aerial to split jump, lovely. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, maybe a little bobble? But covers well. Gainer pike off the end, gets the stick! Auburn will be really happy with that.

Wong, FX: Double wolf to open, that’s porting over from elite I suppose. Double pike to open, huh. No E pass, no connection, no nothing. Weird. Triple leap series is gorgeous, great amplitude and crisp positions in the air. Whip half to front full – she’s doing really easy tumbling passes right now, I assume that that’s to help with her longevity not just for post, but for elite season this summer as well.

AFTER THREE: UF 148.1, AUB 147.575

Florida’s 49.475 is definitely another strong outing for them, and having both Lazzari and Blakely take their first turns is good to see.

Auburn will be glad for a stronger beam score than vault or bars, but there are definitely some things for them to fix.

7:18pm: Rotation 4!

Draser, BB: Bhs loso, very secure. Switch leap to switch half, a little bobble but recovers well. Roundoff 1.5, looked like maybe a small adjustment with one foot. Love seeing her lead off this lineup, what confidence Rowland has in her to put her in that role.

Brusch, FX: Punch front through to double tuck, strong landing. Great extension through her split positions in her dance elements, the wolf element looked maybe a little off axis. Double pike, lands split-legged but does not move a muscle! That’s a great start for Auburn.

Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso – big bobble, break at the hips, but stays on the beam! Dance series, recovering her confidence, good. Front aerial, very clean. Cartwheel to gainer full, stuck landing.

Huff, FX: Full in, great dynamics but puts one foot out of bounds (OOB). Front layout to Rudi, much better controlled. A very short routine but fine overall.

Hurd, BB: Single wolf turn, a little bobble but recovers well. Front aerial to bhs, much cleaner. Beat jump to standing loso, another bobble. Switch leap to straddle jump, GORGEOUS oversplit. Roundoff double full, looked stuck from here! Not her greatest but she fought for every tenth.

McLaughlin, FX: 1.5 to front layout, really well controlled. Double pike to close – really strong too! This Auburn team is not going down without a fight… the Gators need to stop giving away tenths on beam.

Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs – I feel like that’s new for her? Split leap to switch half to beat jump, absolutely gorgeous. Switch leap to gainer full, holds the landing really dramatically, and then celebrates with her team. A really great reset for the Gators!

Groth, FX: Front double full, just the single step forward out of it. Great positions in her leap series, nice amplitude too. 1.5 to front layout, clean twisting form and well controlled. Rudi to close, clean as well – that will be another great score for Auburn.

Nguyen, BB: Lovely mount, it’s all choreo but I still love it. Onodi to bhs, just gorgeous, very secure. Switch leap to split leap, somehow connected that even though she hesitated between skills, shoulder dipped a little low. Roundoff 1.5 with a step on the landing. Should be a good score, but not good enough to secure the win just yet.

7:35pm: Stevens, FX: Front layout to Rudi, her feet do not move. Another Stevens, this time on floor. Double tuck, almost a two-foot stick but just steps it back to the lunge. Wow. That’ll be an excellent score. Wong has got to nail this final routine.

Wong, BB: Switch leap mount to split leap, lovely. Bhs loso, a little arm wave but if it was a bobble, she didn’t show it. Front aerial, super clean. Roundoff double full, just a little slide, legs a little helicopter-y. Hopefully that will be enough.

Hollingsworth, FX: Really open full-twisting double back, wow. Great split positions in her dance series. Punch front through to double back, a step OOB, and that’s probably the meet regardless of Wong’s score. Still, that’s a great routine.

FINAL: UF 197.325, AUB 197.025

Wong wins the all-around at a whopping 39.625, as well as the bars and floor titles with a pair of 9.95s. Groth wins vault with her 9.9 for her stuck Yfull, and McLaughlin won beam with a 9.95.

Overall, Florida has some new things to work on, but fixed several of the concerns from last week. Let’s take a look at that checklist we talked about earlier:

• Ferris’s return: another good-not-great vault this week, and no additional events. For right now, that’s just fine, but she would definitely be a big help if she can add back floor this season.
• Lazzari’s expanded presence: floor tonight looked great! It’s not where I necessarily expected to see her next, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it went. Hopefully next week, we’ll get to see her in bars as had been planned tonight.
• Hurd’s confidence and consistency on her two events: a few hiccups on beam tonight, but floor again looked excellent. I think she’s cemented her place in those lineups, though.
• the adjustment of the freshmen to collegiate pacing: Draser was maybe affected some by the GymNasties tonight, but overall the freshman continue to play a key role in the success of this team. I think we can call this one checked off for sure.
• the addition of Disidore to the bar lineup with a repeatable, stickable dismount – Disidore led off again well this week. I’m calling this one done too!

I’ll add a few more items to this list before next week’s meet, but this is good steady progress on an early-season list of “must-haves” – so if you’re seeing any nay-sayers or doomers about Florida’s chances this year on social media, pay them no mind. It’s January, y’all. The Gators are pacing themselves just right.

See you back here next week for Alumni Night vs. Alabama at 6:45pm!