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Well, Gator fans? We made it! Nationals has arrived once again, and Florida has a strong case for making Four on the Floor, at the very least. We missed Regional Championships two weeks ago (sorry, I was moving!) so let’s do a little recap of how we got here and what we’d hope to see.

It’s an all-SEC semifinal for this afternoon. Oklahoma and Missouri qualified at the Washington Regional, with the Sooners cruising to a regional final win with a massive 198.45 while Missouri duked it out with fellow Tigers of Auburn, qualifying just a tenth ahead of their conference-mates at a 197.425.

For the Sooners, the only event where they counted more than one score below 9.9 was vault – they seem close to unstoppable right now, but they did last season, too, right before the meltdown. Jordan Bowers also scored a massive 39.9 AA, earning three 10.0s: vault, bars, and floor. She’ll be one to beat in the individual all-around competition.

For Mizzou, vault and bars were both weaker events at Regionals. The Tigers counted no 9.9+ scores on vault and significantly underperformed on bars, given that they’re ranked No. 4 in the country, only counting one score above 9.9 from Mara Titarsolej. Making it to Nationals is their big accomplishment – anything past this point for them is icing on the cake.

Florida and Alabama qualified at the Alabama Regional, scoring 197.7 and 197.675 respectively, in a hard-fought battle between the two of them and Cal – with the Golden Bears ultimately on the outside looking in.

The Crimson Tide had a bit of a rollercoaster of a night, with a miss from Rachel Rybicki on floor and uncharacteristically low scores from Jamison Sears on vault and Ryan Fuller on bars. Still, they were able to rally at home – but it’s likely Fort Worth will not be as forgiving to anyone.

And finally, the Gators. Beam was actually the biggest area of concern for Florida at Regionals, with only one score over 9.9 with what is traditionally a very strong beam team – No. 2 in the country, to be precise. A stronger leadoff score from Skylar Draser (just a 9.8 in regional finals) will be necessary to get things at Nationals off to a good start, since the Gators will start on beam in the first rotation. Also watch for little errors from Anya Pilgrim and Leanne Wong – both have been inconsistent on beam in recent weeks, so if they can be dialed in tonight, Florida could be off to the races quickly.

If Florida can have a normal meet and hit 24 for 24 routines, it should be relatively straightforward to advance. Alabama and Missouri are good, but not that good in neutral territory with six judges on the panel.

It all starts at 4:30pm ET on ESPN2 this afternoon, but if you’re stuck at work or can’t get to a TV, we’ll have all the action for you play by play right here! Here’s the rotation schedule, and live scores will be here. (The other semifinal later tonight will feature Michigan State, LSU, Utah, and UCLA – much more diverse conference-wise – and will be at 9pm ET tonight on ESPN2 for those who want to watch.)

I’ll be logging in RIGHT at 4:30 today to start blogging, but I’m hearing Riley McCusker and Skye Blakely are both warming up beam in warmups right now… 👀

4:34pm: I am here! And broadcasts are finally live! Let’s goooooooooo!

4:37pm: Rotation 1!!

Paradise, Bama VT: Y1.5, big hop forward.

Sievers, OU UB: Good opening handstand work. Maloney to pak, some leg sep on both. Short on the last handstand maybe? Full in dismount, little step back.

Draser, UF BB: Bhs loso, super steady, lands solid. Switch to switch half, maybe a little shy on that 180, some feet. Roundoff 1.5, single step forward. A good start.

Light, MIZ FX: 1.5 to front lay, clean landing. Handspring to knee in the choreo, that’s fun. Double pike to finish, big lunge and a little slide of the front foot.

German, VT: Y1.5, biiiig bound forward.

Pederson, UB: Maloney to pak, again some minor leg sep. Last handstand looked alright. DLO is stuck cold!

Pilgrim, BB: Candle mount is nice. Bhs loso, little hiccup with her feet but no bobble, no balance check. Full turn is clean. Cat leap to front aerial, locked in! Switch to split leap, beautiful – as I heard one of her teammates shout. Bhs gainer full stuck! Let’s go!

Horton, FX: Full in to start, great amplitude and good control. Great straddle positions in her dance series! She feels like she’s holding back a little in her choreo? Front through to double tuck, BIG air but looks like she slid a little on the landing.

4:45pm: Bunagan, VT: Y1.5, very clean, just a little hop to one side.

Fatta, UB: Great opening handstand, pike Tkachev is clean. Pak seemed a little whippy. DLO, little hop.

Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, well connected and clean. Full turn is good. Switch to split, GORGEOUS extension, perfect toe point. Bhs 1.5 twist dismount, little hop forward.

Tanskanen, FX: Double back to open, pretty clean. Dance series a little off kilter. 1.5 to front full, good control.

Kvamme, VT: Y1.5, underrotated, stumbles back a bit.

Wong, BB: Switch leap to split leap, gorgeous. Front aerial to split jump, so quick. Bhs loso, patient with it, doesn’t move a muscle. Gainer tuck full off the end, swims for it, but steps forward anyway, oof. Hardly any sticks for the Gators yet.

Torrez, UB: Release is high, pak si clean. DLO, little bounce back.

Gladieux, VT: Y1.5, big amplitude, little hop forward.

Celestine, FX: Full in to start, great amplitude, well controlled and immediately moves out of it. Dive roll, that’s fun! Front through to double tuck, big lunge, but doesn’t move the front foot. Keeps her heel up to not go OOB either, great awareness.

Harris-Miranda, BB: Bhs loso bhs, super clean. Switch to switch side, great positions. Roundoff 1.5, just FLOATS it down to the mat and sticks it. They needed that!

Davis, UB: Blind change is clean. BIG Jaeger, wow. Great next handstand, pak is sooo clean. Good final handstand and blind change. Double front half out, little step.

Hudson, VT: Y1.5, big hop forward.

Griffin, FX: Double pike to open, great amplitude, good control. Front through to double tuck, really drops that in, very nice. Dance series is excellent too – their cleanest routine so far, I think.

Arana, BB: Bhs loso, clean. Front aerial, super steady. Switch to switch half, little bobble maybe? Gainer full, single step.

Bowers, UB: Blind change is very clean. Piked Jaeger is very clean. Pak, legs glued together. Final handstand is fine. Full in dismount, stuck.

Wahl, UGA indiv VT: Y1.5, honestly better than almost any Alabama vault – big amplitude, little slide forward.

Moore, FX: DLO to start, camera angle is impossible to tell if she moved her front foot or not. Great extension and positions on her dance series, her legs look so long! Front through to double tuck, DROPS it in, just the smallest of lunges and steps. So strong.

Ulrich, Denver indiv UB: Maloney to pak, great amplitude, really flies! DLO, floats it, looks like she kinda bounced in place on the landing.

Hooten, Minn indiv FX: She’s doing her sophomore year routine as an encore for her entire career – this is so special, y’all! Full in, nearly stuck it, just the smallest of lunges. Front full to front pike, not a deduction in sight. Double tuck to finish, excellent control on her landing. Finishes with her dance series, switch side to wolf full – I’d call that close to perfection. 9.8875??? Robbed.

AFTER ONE: OU 49.4, UF 49.3, MIZ 49.225, BAMA 49.125

5:11pm: Rotation 2!

Griffin, Miz VT: Yfull, little hop.

Gladieux, Bama UB: We didn’t see her release, but had to have been good, to overshoot, fine. Little hop on the dismount.

Davis, OU BB: Fun planche oversplit mount. Bhs loso, very steady. Beat to ring jump. Roundoff double full, little step forward.

Nguyen, UF FX: Immediately bringing the drama staring into the camera. Front double full, legs a little crossy, to sissone, clean. Switch ring to switch half, just gorgeous. 1.5 to front lay, super well controlled into the arabesque. Y turn is lovely. She’s suuuuch a good leadoff for this floor team.

Tanskanen, VT: Tsuk full, just a little hop back. Pretty clean in the air.

Hudson, UB: BIG leg sep on her Maloney, bail is fine. Short on final handstand. Full in, swims for it but steps forward.

5:15pm: Fatta, BB: Bhs loso, maybe a little lean but overall solid. Side aerial is clean. Hitchkick to switch side, good extension, some feet. Switch to split, maybe a little tight on the 180s. Sticks her gainer full.

Disidore, FX: Rudi to stag, controls the jump and flight well. Dance series is clean. 1.5 to front lay, well controlled step out of it into the arabesque. Another hit, we’ll take it.

Tisler, VT: Yfull, stuck! Wow! Not huge amplitude or anything but still should be a great score.

Pederson, OU: Series is solid. Switch to switch side, that’s clean. Side somi and she’s off!! Oh boy! Unusual for OU… is this a flashback to last year? Roundoff double full is stuck but they’ll need to drop that.

Walker, UB: Almost goes over the wrong way on her opening handstand! Pak is clean. Maloney to inbar Gienger, legs are pretty clean through both. Stuck dismount!

Ferris, FX: Full in, a little bouncy on the lunge but not wild. Dance series is relatively clean. 1.5 to front lay, good we’ve figured that out. That had a few hiccups at SECs, good to see it looking normal again.

Horton, VT: Sits her Y1.5! Oh no! They’ll need to drop that one and count the 9.775 from Griffin instead.

Bowers, BB: Great low beam choreo starting for her. Full turn is clean. Bhs loso, very steady. Switch to switch leap, good extension but maybe a little tight on that second split. Roundoff double full is stuck! They needed that reset.

LaCoursiere, UB: Maloney to pak, legs just pasted together. Drops her full in dismount in like a dart – that’ll be a big score for Bama.

Wong, FX: C’mon, CEO! DLO to start… and ends up OOB, looked like something was funky in her set on her back handspring. Her chest was too far forward. Whip half to front full, much cleaner.

Moore, VT: Y1.5, little stutter step front. That should be good, but not great.

Wells, BB: Big lean on her side aerial to open. Bhs – breaks the connection… repeats, hits bhs loso. Roundoff 1.5 – she didn’t fall, but it wasn’t good.

Fuller, UB: Looked maybe a little shaky on her releases but made it through with no major errors – was paying more attention to Wells.

Harris-Miranda, FX: Front through to double tuck, super well controlled. Dance series is super clean. Really slaying this choreo section. 1.5 to front half to stag to knee, great form through her twisting. A great reset after Wong’s 9.6625.

Celestine, VT: Y1.5, great amplitude but a big step forward.

Paradise, UB: Great releases. Good final handstand. DLO – little hop.

Torrez, BB: Wolf jump is so clean off the top. Acro series is super steady. Dance series – some feet, but 180 positions are good. Sticks her dismount!

Clark, FX: HUGE straddle jump to start her off. DLO, AMAZING amplitude, foot is right on the line but doesn’t go over. Really playing to the crowd in this choreo section. Great dance series, well rotated and well past 180. Front through to double tuck, was a little short but popped it up quickly. Gator chomp to close – this should drop Wong’s score.

Casali, Denver indiv VT: Y1.5, little step back.

Greaves, Aub indiv UB: Maloney to pak, fine, to van Leeuwen some significant leg sep. Some short handstands there too. Step on the landing – she’s just happy to be here, I guess.

McDonough, Wash indiv FX: Rudi to loso, looked OOB for sure. Dance series is well extended but feels slow. Front double full – and missed her punch, sits it down, feet out from under her. That’s toooough.

AT THE HALF: OU 98.75, UF 98.65, MIZ 98.35, BAMA 98.2875

5:45pm: Rotation 3!

Pilgrim, UF VT: Y1.5, her knees just buckled underneath her! Oh no! Takes a big step forward – knees didn’t touch though, so that’s good.

LaCoursiere, Bama BB: Dance series is clean to start. Front aerial to bhs, clean. Full turn is alright. Roundoff 1.5 stuck!

Burns, Miz UB: Short handstand to start. Jaeger is a little slow but clean, to overshoot, okay. Last handstand better. DLO gets no distance but sticks it.

Davis, OU FX: Front double full, good control into her little kick choreo there. Three-element dance series, pretty clean, some feet which is unusual for her. 1.5 to front lay, takes it all the way to the line.

Bui, VT: Y1.5, hop forward. Some knees in the air it looked like.

Kvamme, BB: Series is solid. Switch to split, definitely short of 180 on one of those. Bhs 1.5 twist dismount, little hop forward.

Horton, UB: Shaposh to pak, pretty clean. Great handstand. DLO is stuck! A good recovery after her miss on vault.

Nguyen, VT: Y1.5, big step forward.

Sievers, FX: Double pike, pretty textbook. Front thorugh to double tuck, gets that tumbling out of the way reallll quick – the rest of this routine is her choreo now that she’s past the dance series, which was clean.

Ladanyi, BB: Fun mount! Front aerial to split jump, good extension. Full turn, fine. Bhs loso, really steady. Switch to split, great toe point. She’s the daughter of former Florida AC Robert Ladanyi. Bhs gainer full off the side, stuck!

Moore, UB: Great opening handstand work. Tkachev to overshoot, big amplitude. Short a little on the last handstand. Full in dismount, little foot adjustment on the landing.

Ferris, VT: Y1.5, STUCK COLD LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Mueller, FX: Front through to double tuck, pops it out into a quick lunge in place. Front lay to Rudi, very clean. Dance series was well extended.

Hudson, BB: Front aerial to bhs, little bobble in the middle but I don’t think she broke it. Switch to switch, a little tight on the second split. Side aerial, hit. Little hop on her dismount.

Wong, VT: Yhalf-on, pike half off – great in the air, but a decent slide back.

Kelly, UB: Gorgeous opening handstands. HUGE piked Tkachev to overshoot, wow. Stalder to double tuck dismount, stuck. An efficient, clean routine, good for her.

Gladieux, BB: Apparently clipped her toe on bars?? Yikes. Bhs 2ft layout, solid. Full turn is clean. Switch to split, maybe a little shy of 180? Sticks her dismount though!

Fatta, FX: Front double full to stag, very quick and clean. Front through to back double full, something funky on the landing there but I couldn’t tell quite what. Switch through to switch side straddle 1/2, clean positions throughout.

Harris-Miranda, VT: Y1.5, tried too hard for the stick and had to take a step back, but kept it small and stays on her feet.

Adams, BB: Double wolf, very clean. Front aerial, big check. Bhs loso, clean. Dance series looks good. Bhs gainer full off the side, little step.

6:00pm: Celestine, UB: Good opening handstand. Maloney to pak, very whippy on the pak but Maloney was clean. Short on last handstand maybe? Toe on pike half dismount, looked stuck from here!

Bowers, FX: Double full to punch front, well controlled. Double pike, pretty textbook honestly. Dance passage is really nice, well-extended and great 180s.

Titarsolej, UB: Maloney to pak, super clean. Short on last handstand though. Pirouette is clean, dismount stuck!

Torrez, FX: DLO just goes skyyyyhigh, wow. Front though to double tuck, just the slightest of bounces on the landing. Dance passage to close is nice.

Mundell, Denver indiv UB: Ray to start, clean. Gorgeous handstand work. Bail is clean. Short on final handstand. DLO is stuck!

Ulrich, Denver indiv FX: DLO, two foot stick! Chest a little low, but still. 1.5 to front lay, very floaty, well controlled. I can see Mundell doing her choreo with her behind on the bars podium, that’s adorable. Double pike to close – maybe a little short, tries to mask it as a stick but not as convincing.

AFTER THREE: OU 148.275, MIZ 147.8, UF 147.725, BAMA 147.4875

Apparently this was Florida’s lowest vault score in five years? Hate that…

Missouri goes to beam now, and Florida goes to bars… the great equalizer vs. the loosest scoring event consistently in this meet. Let’s cross our fingers this goes how it statistically should.

6:19pm: Okay, last one, here we gooo….

Pederson, OU VT: Y1.5, just a little hop.

Pilgrim, UF UB: Pak salto is clean. Handstand work on the low bar is good. van Leeuwen is good, fingertip catch. Just a little hop on the full in dismount.

Wier, Miz BB: Front aerial, patient with it. Bhs loso, steady. A little tight on dance series. Sticks her dismount though.

LaCoursiere, Bama FX: Double tuck is soooo high, very nice. Front lay to Rudi, very clean. Dance series is solid, good straddle positions. Front lay to front full, second element rises, we love to see that.

Torrez, VT: Y1.5, hop forward. Clenched her toes really hard, wonder if that helps her land better.

Blakely, UB: Ricna to pak, excellent, well connected. Good final handstand. Late on the pirouette. Double front half out – something happened with her ankle there, hopefully just a tweak or a sting, nothing concerning.

Celestine, BB: Side aerial to front aerial, that’s fun. Punch front, solid. Dance series is aggressive and clean. Gainer full off the side looks stuck – maybe a slight adjustment.

Adams, FX: Double pike to open, biiiig slide back but stays in bounds. Switch half to wolf full, good positions and well rotated. 1.5 to front lay, great control. Some tears as she walks off – this is likely her last routine! What a career she’s had.

Wells, VT: Y1.5, little step to the side to steady herself.

Jackson, BB: Front aerial to bhs, pretty clean. Switch half to beat jump, good connection. Full turn to a kick to another beat jump, that’s kinda fun. Gainer pike off the end, little step back.

Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, some leg sep there but minor. van Leeuwen is cleaner. Great final handstand. DLO stuck cold!!

Sears, FX: DLO to open, buckles a little on the landing, hope she didn’t sting her ankles too bad. Split full down to one knee, that’s fun. Front through to double tuck, super high, big lunge but doesn’t move her front foot. Redeemed herself after a miss at regional finals.

Fatta, VT: Y1.5, little scooch back but a great one.

Lawrence, BB: Full turn off the top to start. Bhs loso, maybe a little lean but masks well. Dance series is clean, lovely Y leg hold. Roundoff 1.5 is stuck.

Harris-Miranda, UB: Good opening handstand. Tkachev is strong. Bail is clean. Good final handstand. DLO, tried to hold the stick but had to hop forward.

6:30pm: Walker, FX: Double pike to open, very strong. Really selling this choreography section, I love the drama here. Combination pass to switch split in the air, that’s fun.

Mueller, VT: Y1.5, deep knee bend, one foot adjustment.

Kelly, BB: Front aerial to bhs, solid series. Dance series looks alright. Side aerial clean, but wolf turn looked very unsteady. Sticks her dismount.

Arana, UB: Maloney to pak, some big leg sep there. DLO stuck! We’ll take that.

Bowers, VT: Y1.5, single step forward, very small. A strong night for her.

Hudson, FX: Just taking this one for posterity since it’s her last routine of her career. Great hit passes – hits what looked like a triple twist for her last pass?? Incredible.

Hu, BB: Gorgeous handstand scale mount. Front aerial to front aerial, very clean, so patient. Split to straddle 3/4, well extended, great positions. Another great handstand sequence, really showing the flexibility. Gainer pike off the end is stuck.

McCusker, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney to pak both super clean. van Leeuwen is solid. Stald er to double tuck, just a little shift back. Can she do it?? Commentators saying she needs a 9.9625… I’m not sure that math is right, but she didn’t get it. She’s a tenth short.

FINAL: OU 197.55, MIZ 197.3, UF 197.2, BAMA 196.825

ADVANCING: OU, MIZZOU

I’m… honestly pretty in shock. I can’t believe it ends like that. Honestly, vault was the only unusual event – everything else was relatively normal. It was one tenth. That’s the difference between Wong going OOB or not, Harris-Miranda trying to stick her vault and ending up short, one stuck landing anywhere. That’s like nothing. I’m upset.

But I guess that’s all she wrote. Thanks for being here with me through this rollercoaster of a season, y’all. If you watch the night session or finals tomorrow, enjoy, and as always, go Gators.