Hello, my name is Griffin Foll. I graduated from the University of Florida in August 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a specialization in sports and media. I am passionate about my writing and reporting, and I hope you enjoy my personal website. Welcome!
After jumping a spot in this week’s national rankings to No. 3, Florida run-ruled Jacksonville 13-2 on the road Tuesday.
The Gators are off to a 4-0 start to the season following a dominating performance at the USF Invitational.
Florida right-hander Elizabeth Hightower started in the circle and hurled four shutout innings and struck out five batters. Right-hander Samantha Bender pitched the last inning and yielded a pair of runs on three walks and a hit-by-pitch.
At the plate, Florida produced double-digit hits for the second straight game. Outfielder Baylee Goddard put Florida on the board in the top of the first by scoring on a wild pitch. An inning later, the redshirt junior belted a three-run homer to left-center.
The Gators opened up an 8-0 lead in the third inning with back-to-back home runs. Shortstop Skylar Wallace pulled a three-run shot โ her second home run in four games โ down the right-field line before third baseman Charla Echols hit a solo shot.
Designated hitter Sam Roe continued a strong start to her sophomore season after going 2-3 at the dish. The Destin, Fla., native leads Florida’s starting lineup with a .600 batting average and a .714 on-base percentage to begin the year.
Box Score
No. 3 Florida: 13 / 10 / 0
Jacksonville: 2 / 1 / 0
Individual Stats
RHP Hightower (W, 2-0): 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
RHP Bender: 1 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
LF Falby: 1-3, RBI
RF Goddard: 1-2, 4 RBI, HR (1)
SS Wallace: 1-2, 4 RBI, HR (2)
3B Echols: 2-3, RBI, HR (1)
2B Walsh: 0-2, RBI
DH Roe: 2-3
1B A. Goelz: 1-3
C Longley: 0-1
CF Kistler: 1-2
Home Opener On Deck
The Gators will return to Gainesville for their home opener Wednesday. They’ll face Jacksonville in a rematch at 6 p.m.
Leadoff hitter Kendra Falby scored Florida’s first run of the season and drove in four runs this weekend. Catcher Sam Roe started her sophomore season 3-3 at the plate with a two-run homer and four RBIs.
Shortstop Skylar Wallace batted in Florida’s three-hole in all three games and went yard in her season debut. Third baseman Charla Echols hit cleanup and is off to a three-game hit streak with four RBIs.
After a modest start at the plate, Gator sophomore Reagan Walsh erupted against Illinois State with a pair of homers and six RBIs โ matching her career-high. The Redondo Beach, Calif., native hit a grand slam in her first at-bat and a two-run shot in the third inning.
Senior southpaw Rylee Trlicek started in the circle for Florida and earned the first win of the year. Trlicek picked up her second victory Saturday after the Hallettsville, Texas, native tossed four shutout innings against Illinois State.
Florida right-hander Elizabeth Hightower struck out seven of the 16 Boston College batters she faced Saturday. The graduate student hurled a no-hitter barring the leadoff double she conceded in the fourth inning.
Florida freshman Olivia Gigante made her collegiate debut in the circle Saturday against Illinois State. The right-hander came in for relief for Trlick and pitched a one-two-three inning to seal the victory. Following an 0-3 start at the plate, Gigante hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the top of the fifth to give Florida a 21-0 lead. The San Diego, Calif., native became the first Gator softball freshman in over a decade to pitch and hit a home run in the same game.
Good company: Olivia Gigante is first @GatorsSB freshman to hit a HR and pitch in the same game since Lauren Haeger in 2012โthe only other freshman to do both in a game since Tim Walton arrived. (First Gator in any class to do so since Aleshia Ocasio.)
The Gators may have dropped a spot in the national rankings, but that does not make them any less formidable an opponent to compete against, especially at home! Missouri will take on that challenge tonight in what fans can expect to be another packed house, as the O-Dome hosts the Link to Pink meet, Florida’s annual meet honoring breast cancer survivors and raising awareness for the cause.
Missouri has continued rising this season after a strong showing last year, showing strong, consistent mid-to-high 196 scores so far. The sophomore duo of Jocelyn Moore and Amari Celestine are absolutely the two to watch, with dynamic vaults, high-flying tumbling, and entertaining choreography throughout their floor routines. Super seniors Sienna Schreiber and Alisa Sheremeta are also strong contributors, with bars the standout event for Sheremeta and beam for Schreiber. Helen Hu is also often a 9.9+ score on both bars and beam. With so many strong contributors, the 197+ is inevitable for Mizzou – the win tonight will not be easy for Florida.
But as usual, Florida is the favorite. Based on the setup of live scoring, it appears the Gators will be going with several all-arounders once again tonight, with Kayla DiCello, Leanne Wong, and Trinity Thomas all strong possibilities. Rachel Baumann also reportedly warmed up vault, an encouraging sign after being held out for several weeks due to an elbow tweak in warmups. Morgan Hurd and Riley McCusker also both warmed up elements on beam, although neither appeared to be in the top six in lineup order. It will be interesting to see what lineup strategy head coach Jenny Rowland takes tonight, as she has a little bit of room to play between Missouri’s typical score and Florida’s.
It all starts at 6:45pm in the O-Dome or 7pm on SEC Network, but if you can’t make it or don’t have access, we’ll have your play by play right here!
Ok, go with me on some theorycrafting here on these lineups. Rachel Baumann is trying to come back on vault. Savannah Schoenherr is due back in a week or two and is doing everything she can to come back on bars for her final few meets as a college athlete. I think Rowland plans to slot each of them into the anchor slot in their respective events and keep the rest of the lineup the same once the team get to postseason.
Beam looks ready to go for postseason… floor I think is still in flux, but we still have a month before postseason starts.
7:02pm: Starting off on vault! Here we go!
Richards, VT: Yurchenko 1.5, a little crooked, maybe some knees in the air, but it’s a good one – just a little stutter step on the landing.
Schreiber, UB: Short on opening handstand. Maloney had some leg separation. Bail is solid. Short on final handstand. Double layout (DLO) dismount is stuck though! If nothing else, she can drill that sucker.
Wong, VT: Yurchenko half-on, pike half off… it almost looked like she was going for a layout this week instead of a pike? Very short on the landing, falls forward and has to take a big lunge to steady herself.
Patrick, UB: Jaeger is nice, some flexed feet maybe. Bail is fine. Short on final handstand. DLO, bounce back.
7:05pm: Blakely, VT: Y1.5, one of her best! Nice and straight in the air, just a little stutter step forward.
Celestine, UB: Maloney to pak salto, some leg separation in the pak. van Leeuwen, cleaner there. Last handstand a little loose. Toe on pike half dismount, LOVE that! Sticks it too!
DiCello, VT: Y1.5, STUCK???? A coach was in the way of the angle, slo-mo replay shows a little slide, but I’m with Sav – yes ma’am! That’ll be a huge score for her.
Sheremeta, UB: Good first handstand. Big Jaeger to open! To immediate overshoot, fine. Last handstand is definitely short. Front 1.5 twisting dismount, again, LOVE that, and it’s stuck too. Missouri doing their job on bars, but missing some details.
Thomas, VT: Y1.5, super clean in the air, great amplitude, little bounce forward.
Moore, UB: Clean opening handstands, enormous Ray to open, to immediate overshoot. Little short on final handstand. Full in dismount, tries to cover the stick with her salute but I wouldn’t give it to her.
7:10pm: Clark, VT: Yfull, big bounce back, but pretty clean in the air. Again, they’ll look to replace this full with Baumann’s 1.5 (or Nguyen’s?) as the season continues.
Hu, UB: Lovely opening handstand. Piked Tkachev is excellent, to immediate pak, super clean. Blind full to double tuck dismount, just a little scooch back. What a great routine.
AFTER ONE: UF 49.35, MIZ 49.225
florida really tryna get me to like a pink meet leo, huh….
I don’t think this is silly at all! Payton, Sloane, and Kayla are looking more confident week by week, and Rachel is supposedly warming up vault more frequently before meets each week. I think optimism on vault is absolutely warranted. It’s also worth noting that this rotation outscored Michigan on vault just a few hours ago… just saying.
7:19pm: Rotation 2!
Schaffer, VT: Yurchenko full, a lot of distance but pretty flat, big bounce back.
Blakely, UB: Maloney to pak, leg form is pretty clean this week. Great final handstand! Double front, little step forward.
McCrary, VT: Yfull, a little off to the side and not quite the power from her she’s capable of. She used to do a 10.0 vault, I wonder if she’s just taking it easy for now or if she’s sticking to the full for her fifth year because her body is so worn out.
Nguyen, UB: Maloney to pak, some leg separation on both, more like ankle separation maybe. Good final handstand. Double layout dismount is stuck!!
Schreiber, VT: Yfull, the cleanest and best dynamics we’ve seen from Mizzou thus far. Just a little bounce on the landing, stayed in the lines too.
DiCello, UB: Huge Ray to open! Great handstand to follow, pak salto is clean. van Leeuwen is excellent. Maybe a hair shy on her final handstand. Full out dismount is stuck like glue, wow! Legs got a little wild at the end but I doubt the judges will take that in real time.
7:25pm: Davis, VT: Y1.5, big bound forward, and another step. Also over the line on one side.
Thomas, UB: Maloney to pak, both pretty clean. van Leeuwen excellent. Great final handstand. DLO dismount is stuck!
DiCello got her first perfect 10! Honestly, Thomas may also earn one here, we’ll see.
Moore, VT: Y1.5, STUCK! That’s how you answer! Missouri needed that one. Great height too, and stayed just inside that right side line.
Wong, UB: Maloney to pak salto, some ankle separation on both. van Leeuwen super clean. Great last handstand. DLO stuck!
Celestine, VT: Y1.5, also quite clean in the air, little hop forward. Huge amplitude on that one.
Richards, UB: Maloney to bail, some leg sep in the Maloney. Solid last handstand. DLO, has to fight for it but does not move those feet! Again, I do think they’ll want to slot Schoenherr into the final routine here by postseason, but this was huge. What a first half for the Gators!
AFTER TWO: UF 99.025, MIZ 98.275
Really cute story about Bailey Warner, the Gators’ adopted team member who’s also a brain cancer survivor. They found her in 2018 and she’s really become part of the team and the Gator family.
7:38pm: Blakely, BB: Front aerial to back handspring (bhs), nice and steady. Switch to switch half to beat jump, excellent. Full turn, little bobble, but she recovers. Gainer full off the side is stuck! A solid opening for Florida.
Schreiber, FX: Punch Rudi to layout to punch front, that’s fun! Front full to front lay to stag, looked like she almost didn’t have the momentum for that jump but she snuck it in. Clean on her dance series to finish it out, finishes with an oversplit plank – that’s a signature move in this house, careful!
Lazzari, BB: Bhs layout stepout layout stepout (loso), soooo solid. A dream. Switch leap to split jump, lovely. Front aerial, nice and steady. Full turn is clean. Bhs 1.5 twist dismount, little hop forward. Very nice!
Kratzer, FX: Nice high double tuck to open, lands very upright and controlled. Dance elements there are nice. 1.5 to front layout, very nice. Double pike to finish, tries really hard to keep that front foot down but I’m not convinced it didn’t move.
7:45pm: Nguyen, BB: Onodi to bhs, just gorgeous, so elegant. Y turn, effortless. Switch to split, great 180 positions. Little adjustment on the dismount.
McCrary, FX: Nice dynamic opening pass, lovely twisting form. Dance series is clean. Double pike is an ankle cruncher, but she recovers okay. Final dance element, a wolf jump full to front support on the floor, feels a little wild, but I doubt anything will get taken on that.
7:49pm: DiCello, BB: Candle mount, very clean. Switch to split, lovely positions in the air. Bhs loso, gorgeous. Bhs gainer full off the side, looked like a small shift of the foot but hard to see from here.
Looks like Lazzari scored a 9.775? Wondering if there’s an SSV issue, hope Rowland will inquire that.
Sheremeta, FX: Front double full, straight to an arabesque, nice and tight in her twisting form. Dance elements are clean, great toe point. Rudi to layout stepout, very floaty. Back 1.5 to front layout stepout, that’s fun! What a great routine – honestly, with cleanliness like that, I don’t miss the double rotating passes at all.
Thomas, BB: Split leap mount, just excellent. Full turn is clean. One arm bhs to loso, snaps those arms down, doesn’t move an inch. Beat jump to korbut (bhs swingdown), nice. Side aerial to bhs 1.5, looked again like a little foot adjustment. Upgrading the beam dismount requirements was a great decision, I think. It’s made sticking on beam a lot harder.
Moore, FX: DLO, almost two-foot sticks it but just casually steps her foot back into a lunge. Super precise in her dance elements – I told y’all this was a routine to watch. The performance quality here! Punch front through to a double tuck, so much power there. Finishes it out, she’s clearly having so much fun, the biggest smile on her face.
7:57pm: Wong, BB: Switch leap to split leap, gorgeous extension there. Bhs loso, so solid. Full turn, effortless. Front aerial to beat jump, clean and quick on that connection. Roundoff double full, a little scoot back on the dismount. Man, otherwise that was a flawless routine.
Thomas got the perfect 10 – judges must have missed that adjustment on her dismount – but I doubt they missed Wong’s. We’ll see.
Celestine, FX: Full in to open, controlled on the landing. Having an absolute blast with this choreography, courtesy of her brother Artyon, who’s a former DWTS Juniors pro! Dance series is nice and precise. Combination pass is super clean. She clearly loves this routine, just having a party of one out there on the floor. Double tuck to finish, lands so upright and well controlled on the lunge. Great finish for the Tigers!
AFTER THREE: UF 148.575, MIZ 147.475
8:08pm: Schaffer, BB: Full turn is clean to start. Bhs loso loso, and she’s off. Doesn’t really even fight for it. Gets back on, front aerial is clean. Switch to split, good 180 positions there. Roundoff 1.5 is stuck!
DiCello, FX: Front double full to open, big crossover step. Switch ring to switch half, very clean. Double wolf turn is also steady. 1.5 to front layout, much cleaner on that landing.
8:11pm: Lawrence, BB: Switch leap to split jump, a little shy of 180? Side aerial to bhs, comes up a little crooked but does not show any sign of wobbling. Front aerial, nice and solid. Roundoff 1.5, little hop forward.
Baumann, FX: Double wolf turn to open, clean. 1.5 to front full for her first pass, super clean, crisp on the landing too. Sharp in this choreo section. Switch side to straddle jump, she gets sooo high off the ground. Double pike to close, Burde is happy! She looks so pleased with herself doing that Gator chomp to close it out – love that for her.
McCrary, BB: Front toss to beat jump to start out, nice and steady. Bhs loso, floats it down, good for her. Switch leap, little hesitation into that ring jump. I think she’ll get the connection but it was a little sketchy. Full turn is fine. Beat jump to split jump – good for her having a backup, just in case. Gainer pike off the end, just a little hop. Another hit for the Tigers.
Richards, FX: Huuuuge DLO to start! One of her best recently. Dance sequence is clean. 1.5 to front full, clean. I think they changed her final choreography? She looked a little uncomfortable with it up until the Gator chomp. Yeah, slow-mo showed Jenny kinda coaching her through it a little.
8:20pm: Sheremeta, BB: I missed most of this routine, I apologize. Front aerial to split jump to dive to front support on the beam, that’s fun. Full twisting gainer tuck off the end, little hop on the dismount.
Wong, FX: Dos Santos, one of her good ones! No stag out of it this week. Gorgeous extension in her leap sequence. Whip half to front layout, nice and clean.
Hu, BB: Ridiculously cool handstand mount, that takes such strength and balance. Front aerial to front aerial to scale series, balance gets too far ahead of herself and she has to put her hand down. The rest of the routine is so clean, but unfortunately it’s too late – Mizzou will have to count what is essentially a fall.
Thomas, FX: DLO to open, it’s a beauty as always! Dance sequence is precise, one of her good ones. Combination pass is STUCK ON TWO FEET. Wow! It was like she was magnetized to the floor. Absolutely incredible. Has to be a 10 if anything else was tonight.
8:27pm: Schreiber, BB: Full turn is clean. Bhs loso loso, super solid. Switch half to split jump. Beat to gainer full off the side, looked stuck from here! She had such great focus while the arena was screaming for Thomas’s score – only a 9.975.
Blakely, FX: Let’s see how she does with the double arabian tonight – it’s a good one! Uses the whooole floor but lands it well upright and controlled. Switch ring to switch half, great extension through those. Switch ring half was good too! 1.5 to front lay, Adrian Burde is SCREAMING in the corner, pumping his fist. Whatever she’s been doing, it is WORKING. What a night she had!
FINAL: UF 198.35, MIZ 196.625
I’ll have livetweets from press on my Twitter shortly, provided Zoom works. See you all for LSU next week!
The Gators are off to their second away meet of the season to take on the Razorbacks! Once again, they are the heavy favorites, but this may be a key opportunity for head coach Jenny Rowland to play around some more with the depth of these lineups, as Florida should have a decent margin of error over Arkansas.
Still, Arkansas is on the rise – it pulled off an upset over LSU last week in a pretty shocking turn of events, led by super senior transfer Norah Flatley. The Gators should not expect to just coast through this one with a win.
In addition to Flatley, Arkansas has a few other key routines to watch. Freshman Lauren Williams has a showstopping floor routine, and fifth-year Bailey Lovett shows off sky-high tumbling, often using her hands as little as possible due to an elbow injury she has struggled with throughout her career. All-around star Kennedy Hambrick has struggled in recent weeks, but if she can get her head back in the game, she can be a threat on any event.
For the Gators, the live scoring seems to indicate that Riley McCusker will finally make her lineup debut this season! In addition, it appears that we should expect Morgan Hurd to be rested tonight. Many hope to see Rachel Baumann return to the vault lineup after tweaking her elbow in warm-ups a few weeks ago, and Victoria Nguyen has also teased the coming debut of her Yurchenko 1.5 on vault as well.
It all starts at 8pm on SEC Network+, but if you don’t have access or can’t make it to a streaming device, we will have all your updates right here, play by play!
A collection of tweets of joy for this evening:
I'm in the same building as Arkansas and Florida gymnastics and it's too much lol
Tonight’s leotard! Looks like another new one from Florida.
Kentucky v. Mizzou is finishing up here shortly, but if you check out the replay, you might see a familiar face – Gator alum Kennedy Baker made her commentary debut tonight!
7:43pm: The press release from Florida’s SID said 7:45, but I’m assuming that’s when intros are starting. The actual broadcast will start at 8:00, so we have just a few more minutes before things get started!
Looks like it’s going to be a packed meet! They’ll be in Bud Walton Arena tonight, the big arena at Arkansas – the Gymbacks have upgraded from just one meet a year in The Bud to multiple this year, and the Gators are clearly thrilled to be one of the lucky opponents:
Super pumped! Everything looked great at our walkthrough this morning. Appreciate all the hard work that goes into creating an extra special environment for us all to compete in! ๐๐#GoGators#GatorNation#NCAAGym#FillTheStands
Elsewhere in SEC Gymnastics, Auburn leads Alabama after one rotation, led by a 10.0 from Suni Lee on bars. I doubt our meet will be as competitive, but it’s good to keep in mind what Florida is still up against come postseason.
8:00pm: We are having some technical difficulties. Hold please.
8:04pm: I missed the first few routines due to some technical issues, but we are here!
Nguyen, UB: Maloney to pak salto, some leg sep on the pak. Stuck her dismount!
L Smith, VT: Yfull, great distance, nice flare at the end. Little hop on the landing.
8:07pm: DiCello, UB: Great opening handstand. Huge Ray, and solid handstand after. Pak salto is clean, as is the van Leeuwen! Sticks her dismount!! She has been on fire these last few weeks!
Price, VT: Huge Yfull, very floaty, sticks it! That’ll be a big score.
8:09pm: Thomas, UB: Maloney is good, a little wild on the pak? van Leeuwen calms it down. DLO, has to swing her arms a little but she doesn’t move those feet.
Sedlacek, VT: Y1.5, came up a little short and has to slide her feet back under her. Some knee bend in the air too.
Wong, UB: First handstand maybe a little shy? Maloney to pak is quite clean. van Leeuwen great. DLO is stuck cold!
8:11pm: Williams, VT: Y1.5, lots of power there, takes one big lunge forward but steps it back to her previous landing position.
McCusker, UB: Maloney to pak, lovely. Has a problem with her low bar handstand but muscled through it. Stalder to double tuck, again, a little muscling through but comes up clean!
Kelley, VT exh: Yfull, pretty clean! Little shuffle on the landing. Maybe some knee bend, more evident in the replay.
8:14pm: Richards, UB exh: Great opening handstand! Lots of leg sep in the Maloney, bail is okay. Great last handstand! DLO, again some leg separation, little adjustment on the landing.
AFTER ONE: UF 49.625, ARK 49.275
To be completely fair, we had a fair number of gifts in that rotation. Thomas scored a 9.975, but that was nowhere near her best quality routine. But because the judges scored her that high, they sort of backed themselves into a corner for Wong and had to give her a perfect 10.0, even though she has also done more perfect routines in the past.
8:24pm: Richards, VT: Y1.5, wow! One of her best lately, just a little adjustment.
Swaney, UB: Solid release skills. Good last handstand. A little floppy in the DLO but it’s stuck!
Wong, VT: Yhalf-on, pike half off, pretty sizeable hop back. She’s having some more trouble dialing this in this year.
Aaaaand more technical difficulties. Apologies, y’all.
Looks like Scalzo and Drotar hit bars for Arkansas.
8:29pm: Thomas, VT: Y1.5, big hop forward, but she didn’t seem like she was really trying to stick this week.
Jones, UB: First handstand looked maybe a little shy. Gorgeous piked Jaeger! Pak salto is pretty floaty, legs clean. Last handstand maybe short as well, single step back on her DLO dismount. Commentator keeps saying good handstands, it might just be our angle? Hard to say.
Edwards, VT: Not sure why we’re mixing up the order here so much, but she’s moved quite late in this lineup. Yfull, big distance, but a big bound back.
Pratt, UB: Ray was big! Bail fine. Great last handstand! DLO, little arm swing, not sure I give her the stick on that.
8:32pm: Blakely, VT: Y1.5, much better than last week, little hop forward and to the side, but does not go over the directional line. Good for her!
Flatley, UB: Y’all are in for a treat. Huge Jaeger to open. Great handstand there. A little loose on the bail. Great final handstand! DLO, baby bounce back. Not her best but what a rock she is for this team.
8:34pm: Clark, VT exh: Yfull, just a little hop on the landing. Getting more distance from her though!
Hambrick, UB exh: Rushed her opening handstand work a little. Jaeger is excellent, to immediate overshoot, fine. Little bounce back out of her dismount.
AFTER TWO: UF 99.025, ARK 98.575
This is not Florida’s best meet, but they are on pace for a 198 if they can duplicate what they’ve already done in the second half. Arkansas on pace for a 197 isn’t half bad either.
I am so impressed with how much better Kayla's vault has gotten each week. Unbelievable she just started competing it.
Gamiao, BB: Layout stepout to another layout stepout (loso loso), that’s excellent. Side somi, quite squatty and little arm swing there. Dance series is clean. Full turn, super steady. Roundoff 1.5, stuck! That’s a great start for Arkansas, wow.
Brubach, FX: Front layout to Rudi (front 1.5) to open, solid, although a little crooked in the air. Dance series was clean, controlled on the landing. Double tuck to finish, big lunge out of it, front foot slides back. Still, a decent start for the Gators. Nobody’s trying to be perfect today, I think this is a good place for them to be.
8:47pm: Gianfagna, BB: Back handspring layout stepout (bhs loso), very steady, although some bent knees in there. Front toss to beat jump, nice and quick on that connection. Beat to straddle 1/2, clean and good 180 position there. Roundoff 1.5 dismount, another stick!
DiCello, FX: Front double full, a little crooked again and she has a crossover step there to the side. Dances right out of it though, tries to cover. Switch ring is gorgeous in her dance pass, just lovely. 1.5 to front full, a little squatty on the landing but makes it work. Not her greatest. I wonder if she was having trouble with her visual cues, being in such a different arena. Something she’ll have to get used to.
Swaney, BB: Ooooh, really pretty mount from the springboard onto the end of the beam there. Triple series, saves that second layout somehow like an absolute pro. Switch leap to split jump, great 180 positions there. Bhs 1.5, stuck! Razorbacks are on fire!
8:52pm: Nguyen, FX: Some big score over for Arkansas, it sounds like. Front double full to sissone, impeccable. Switch ring to switch half, lovely there too. Y turn to single turn, just adding to the elegance. Goes out of bounds (OOB) on her final pass?? Gators are having some issues on floor tonight.
Weaver, BB: Bhs loso loso, really patient with that last layout and doesn’t move a muscle as she finally sets that heel down. Switch to straddle, strong positions in the air there. Roundoff 1.5, another stick! I told y’all Arkansas could still be a threat…
Baumann, FX: Double wolf turn to open, nice and steady. 1.5 to front full to open, dead on. Let’s hope she can keep that up. Switch side to straddle jump, super high amplitude on those. Double back, almost keeps a two-foot stick but just takes the step there at the end, still showing amazing control. Gators needed this reset!
8:58pm: Hambrick, BB: Full turn, very elegant form on that. Bhs loso, nice and steady, some knee bend. Switch to switch half, does not meet 180 on the switch half. Beat jump to straddle 3/4, has to take a bend at the hips to stay on. Cartwheel gainer full is stuck!
Wong, FX: Double arabian, a little deep into her knees still but pulls the stag out of it just fine. Dance series is gorgeous. Back half to front full, good control and clean form as always. That’ll be another great one for the Gators.
9:01pm: Flatley, BB: Gorgeous oversplit mount. Really giving us the fierce attitude. Front aerial to bhs loso, oop, she’s off! Immediately hops back up, works through her dance. L turn to immediate split jump, love that combination. Bhs 1.5 dismount, maybe a little adjustment on the landing.
Thomas, FX: DLO to open, amplitude incredible as always, hops out into the lunge rather than stepping back this week, though. Dance series is much better this week, nice and high and precise. Front full front lay is soooo clean and crisp, love that. Signature butterfly, oversplit, into the ending pose – she is such a star.
9:05pm: William, BB exh: Love seeing her get this nod after earning Freshman of the Week in the SEC last week. Bhs loso, nice and straight on the beam. Switch to straddle 1/4, that’s solid. Front aerial, looked like she was going to connect but thought better of it at the end. Full turn, bobble there. Roundoff 1.5 twist, little deep in the knees and has to take a step back.
Hurd, FX exh: Front lay to front full to open, quick and clean in that twisting element. Switch ring to switch half, lovely. Switch ring half, could not see the angle on her back foot at all to see if it was good or not. Double pike to finish, chest down on the landing, but that might be her best floor to date! Good for her!
AFTER THREE: UF 148.275, ARK 147.925
Scoring is just a bit all over the place tonight, but it is true that Florida gave up some ground on floor. Not on pace for a 198 anymore.
A huge crowd of 11,000+ in Bud Walton tonight! That’s enormous! What a great turnout for Arkansas, kudos to Jordyn Wieber and co. for building the hype for this program.
9:17pm: Last one! Let’s see what the Gators can do on beam!
Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs, solid. Switch leap to switch half to beat jump, nice and patient with that. Gainer full dismount, just a little hop there. A solid start for the Gators!
Jones, FX: Front double full to open, super clean in her twisting form. Switch ring to switch half for her dance series, doesn’t get nearly the ring position that Nguyen and Hurd do, but alas. 1.5 to front lay, controlled there as well. She’ll do three passes! That’s becoming rarer and rarer with the code changes this year. A good start for Arkansas as well!
9:20pm: Richards, BB: Bhs loso, a little wiggle in place but stays calm. Switch half to beat, some feet there. Bhs 1.5, little hop forward there. She looks so much more comfortable up there than she has in past weeks, you love to see it. Not trying for perfection, but going up there and being normal, it’s exactly what Rowland has been asking of them.
9:22pm: Lovett, FX: A music issue here, she’s having to wait a few minutes. Here she goes now. DLO to open, she really flies on that! Double back for her second pass, overcooks it a little and slides into her lunge. Dance series in the corner is clean, nice and high on the Popa. Front lay front full for her final pass, and the crowd goes WILD! Razorbacks are having a blast this rotation.
9:25pm: Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, doesn’t even take the full length of the beam, incredible. Switch to split, nice and clean, great positions in the air. Front aerial is dead on! Full turn, calm and collected. Bhs 1.5 dismount, little hop back. Gators still figuring out these dismounts is hurting their scores overall, they’re going to have to dial those in before postseason for sure.
Smith, FX: A step-themed routine! Love that! Front through to double tuck, good control on that landing. Switch side to Popa is good in the air, a little bouncy on the landing. Double pike to finish, two foot stick! Chest was a little low though, so they may not go as big for that score as we expect.
9:29pm: DiCello, BB: Candle mount is gorgeous as always, great extension. Double wolf turn, nice and steady. Switch to split jump, great toe point all the way through. Bhs loso, straight on. Front aerial, little lean but uses her choreography to lock it in. BHs gainer full, sticks it! The first stick for the Gators on beam and the best routine so far, I think!
She earns a 9.95!! Huge!
9:31pm: Williams, FX: Full in, wow! Big amplitude on that and control on the landing was decent too. 1.5 to front lay, clean through that. Oh, she does the worm! That’s fun. Switch side to Popa, clean positions on those. Double tuck to finish, high and controlled – that’s going to be a big score!
9:33pm: Wong, BB: Switch to split leap, lovely extension through both. Bhs loso, nice and floaty. Front aerial to beat, so crisp on that connection. Roundoff double full is stuck this week!! That will be a HUGE score for Florida.
She gets another perfect 10.0!! Two in one night for the sophmore!
9:35pm: Flatley, FX: Triple full to open, gets RIDICULOUS air on that and lands perfectly upright. Showing off her flexibility and fierceness in this choreography. Front double full for her second pass, has to take a stutter step back to steady herself, she came up a little short. 1.5 to front lay to finish, just floats it in on that last element. Another solid score for the Gymbacks.
9:37pm: Thomas, BB: Split mount is gorgeous as usual. One-arm bhs to loso, solid. Beat to korbut is clean. Aerial 1.5 twist dismount, little shuffle there.
Price, FX: DLO to open, very nice! Good control on the landing, just a little bounce in place. Switch side to Popa, gets big amplitude on those. 1.5 to front pike, great control there! Really working the crowd in this choreo. Double pike to close, lands totally upright, lunge is fine. That’ll be a huge score as well!
9:41pm: Taylor, BB exh: Front toss, solid. Bhs loso, and she’s off. Bummer. Still, glad to see her getting this nod tonight. Full turn is a little overcooked but stays on. Switch leap to switch leap, very short of 180 on the second one. Bhs gainer full is stuck! Good to see her back out there after the Achilles tear last year.
9:43pm: Sedlacek, FX exh: Full in to open, nice! Dance series looks clean. Roundoff 1.5 to front lay, had to kinda yank that layout around, the second element in a series should always rise higher than the first if done right. A little off on her choreo, has to restart it, oops. Little short on her double tuck to close. Still, that full in is a good option if she can figure out the rest of that routine.
FINAL: UF 197.875, ARK 197.4
Richards wins vault with a 9.925, Wong wins bars and beam with her pair of 10.0s, and Williams and Thomas tie for floor at 9.95. That earns Wong the AA crown with a massive 39.775, with Thomas just behind at 39.7.
A massive away score like this puts Florida in a great position going into NQS in a few weeks. They still have yet to really put together a completely clean meet, with tonight’s issues on floor being most concerning, but I think they’re still missing some key pieces in some of the lineups, so things will still be in flux over the next meet or two.
Thanks for joining us tonight and bearing with me during my brief technical difficulties! We’ll see you back here next week for Link to Pink vs. Missouri.
The past four seasons have felt like limbo for the Florida baseball team. Following an NCAA Championship in 2017, the Gators were bounced out of the second round of the College World Series a season later. Since then, the Gators have yet to return to an NCAA Championship. Three regional tournament exits and a season cut short by COVID-19 in 2020 is all head coach Kevin O’Sullivan and his squad have had to show in the past four seasons.
There was certainly no lack of talent on Florida’s rosters โ Gators vets Jud Fabian, Hunter Barco, and Sterlin Thompson left the program for the MLB Draft this summer. All four were drafted in the first 100 picks. Despite the talent that has continually been recruited and developed under O’Sullivan, not much has come of it in recent years. To put it simply: the rest of the NCAA’s top teams were just as talented.
Now, following an offseason spent retooling the roster into a contending one, Florida may have a chance at a return to its championship-winning ways.
Familiar Faces
Florida’s roster is extremely solid on paper looking ahead at 2023. Despite losing some key players to the big leagues, the Gators are retaining some big names from the 2022 campaign. RHP Brandon Sproat, who was drafted 90th overall by the Mets after a breakout redshirt sophomore season, decided to delay his professional career in favor of another season in Gainesville.
Another key returner is outfielder Wyatt Langford. Langford led the Gators in every statistical category on offense in 2022. His return will be absolutely critical for the Gators offense, who look for other returners such as Colby Halter, Ty Evans and Jac Caglione to step forward and fill the gaps left in the batting order.
Both Sproat and Langford were named preseason All-Americans by D1Baseball. Langford is currently listed as the No. 3 draft prospect in 2023 on MLB.com, and he is considered one of the best hitting prospects in baseball right now. His offensive production will likely lead the team once again in 2023.
Also making his return to Condron Ballpark in 2023 is fan-favorite catcher BT Riopelle. Riopelle, the only senior on Florida’s 2023 roster, will serve as a huge veteran presence behind the plate and will hover near the top of the team’s offensive rankings.
Despite losing some big names to the draft, the Gators’ group of experienced but youthful veterans will surely make a major impact on the 2023 campaign.
New Additions
Despite the big boost that will come from UF’s veterans, the Gators will not be solely reliant on its returners. O’Sullivan was able to reel in a freshman class ranked No. 5 in the nation by D1Baseball. Of 36 roster spots, Florida’s freshman take up nine, sitting behind only the sophomores with 11.
O’Sullivan has show little fear in throwing freshman on the field early when necessary. Don’t be surprised if a few of UF’s new guys make a name for themselves in year one.
However, in a league where the transfer portal is now king, the biggest new addition comes with a solid resume already built. Junior pitcher and Southern Miss transfer Hurston Waldrep will look to headline in part the Gators bullpen this season. Waldrep, also a D1Basbeall preseason All-American, boasted a 3.20 ERA, a 6-2 record and tossed 140 strikeouts last season with the Golden Eagles. Had he been on Florida’s roster last season, those numbers would’ve ranked fourth, third and first on the team, respectively.
All things said, the Gators are extremely young. In order to contend this year, Florida will need its youth to realize their potential early.
The Rundown
Ahead of UF’s opening series against Charleston Southern, the team is ranked third in the nation by Baseball America and seventh by D1Baseball. The Gators are the third and fifth-ranked Southeastern Conference team in those rankings.
The Gators are far from the consensus top-team, but there is certainly potential for O’Sullivan and his team to shake up the landscape in 2023. Moving past juggernauts like Louisiana State and Tennessee will be far from easy, but it’s certainly possible for Florida this season.
All there is left to do for the Gators is go out and execute.
Itโs Rivalry and Alumni Night as storied competitors Florida and Georgia go head-to-head!
As has been the case for the past few years, Florida is the heavy favorite to win this matchup, as Georgia has struggled with consistency and vault difficulty. The Gymdogs hit their first 197+ score of the season just last week in a home matchup against Kentucky. Vault has been their problem child this season, only scoring above a 49.0 once so far in 2023.
By comparison, Florida has been soaring above its competition. The Gators have not scored below a 197.3 yet this year, nor below a 49.2 on any single event. Florida remains the only undefeated team in the SEC, and one of the few in the NCAA.
If youโve been here before, you know who weโre watching at Florida tonight – Trinity Thomas, Leanne Wong, and Kayla DiCello have all turned in award-winning performances this season. Transfers Victoria Nguyen and Rachel Baumann have also been standouts, and tonight will be especially meaningful to them, as theyโre competing against their former teammates.
For Georgia, keep an eye out for Soraya Hawthorne on beam and floor: sheโs perhaps their most engaging performer on the team. Freshman Naya Howard is also one to watch, as her AA scores have been rising steadily over the season thus far.
The action starts at the O-Dome at 5:45 or on SEC Network at 6pm, but if you canโt make it in person or donโt have access to the broadcast, weโll have the action for you here play-by-play!
5:44pm: I’m here! Made it to my couch for this early start time tonight.
Riley McCusker is warming up beam! Will we see her in the lineup tonight?
they arenโt just incredible athletes, but are doing important work with their voices. Proud to have my daughter look up to @sav_fs@Gym_Trin & so many other Gator women. Thank you ๐งก๐
Morgan Hurd is practicing her double layout upgrade! The scoresheet seems to indicate she will be resting tonight, but how great would it be to see her put this in next week?
Not really interested in more Paul Finebaum, but the broadcast is experiencing technical difficulties… oh here we go!
Looks like we only missed one vault? Edwards with a 9.825.
6:04pm: Richards, VT: Y1.5, one of her better ones! Just a stutter step back.
Angeny, UB: Let’s see how she looks in black and red – she transferred for her COVID year from Kentucky. Jaeger looks good, transition a little loose. DLO dismount, small adjustment.
DiCello, VT: Y.15, big amplitude, huge distance! Big hop forward and some knees in the air, too.
Howard, UB: Church! Haven’t seen one of those since Ebee Price. Straight to overshoot, that’s fine. Sticks the dismount! I did say she’d be one to watch.
6:07pm: Wong, VT: Yurchenko half-on, pike half off – cleaner in the legs tonight but can’t quite find the landing, bounces back.
Scott, UB: Maloney to pak salto, very clean, legs pasted together. Short on the final handstand. DLO, a little undercooked and has to hop forward.
Thomas, VT: Y1.5, STICKS it! Just brings her heels together. Incredible!
She gets a 10.0! We love to see it!
Finnegan, UB: Ray, nice amplitude there. Some leg separation on the pak salto. Full out dismount is stuck! Georgia starting off strong with this bars rotation.
6:11pm: Blakely, VT: Love seeing her make this lineup tonight! Y1.5, came up a little short and has to stumble back to stay on her feet.
de Jong, UB: Maloney to bail, a little floppy in the handstand. Great last handstand though. DLO, slings it out but still makes it around, just a small adjustment of the feet.
I think I have officially found my "lucky noodle" order…I was literally mid bite Trinity vaulted to a 10! I must now always be mid noodle bite when Trinity goes lol
— Amanda Wijangco ๐ (she/her) (@amanda_carmela) January 27, 2023
Unpopular opinion, apparently, but I kinda dig Floridaโs leo. I could do without the open back (as always), but I like the modern bling and sparkle on a throwback style. Perfect for alumni night.
de Jong, VT: Yurchenko full, a little bouncy on the landing there.
Richards, UB: Opens with a strong handstand. Big leg separation on the Maloney, but the bail is much better. Final handstand looked short but Kathy disagreed with me, DLO with the usual leg sep and comes up short, has to hop forward.
Finnegan, VT: Yfull, very clean in the air, doesn’t get much distance though. Just a little slide on the landing.
Blakely, UB: Strong first handstand. Maloney and pak salto both had a little bit of leg sep. Lovely half turn on low bar. Great final handstand work. Double front, and she sticks it! That’s how you bounce back. What a star!
Elsadek, VT: Yfull, pikes down on the landing, chest low. Maybe stuck? Had to really swim for it though.
6:25pm: Nguyen, UB: INCREDIBLE first handstand. Maloney is super clean, legs stuck together, but some wild legs on the pak. Has to recast on the low bar but finesses it well. DLO, overcooks it and has to hop back.
Cashman, VT: Yfull, nice body position in the air, bounce on the landing.
DiCello, UB: Her Ray just FLOATS, wow. Pak salto is clean, and connects the van Leeuwen much better this week. Gorgeous. Full out and just baaaarely has to take a step on the landing.
Howard, VT: Yfull, just a little adjustment on the landing, not a lot of amplitude on that one, though. Kathy’s right, the block was not as powerful as it should’ve been.
Thomas, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney and pak both have legs glued together. Great low bar handstands. Van Leeuwen is excellent. DLO is stuck like glue – Thomas is on FIRE tonight, y’all!
6:30pm: Hawthorne, VT: Y1.5, WOO she overcooks it, but great amplitude. Big bounce forward though.
Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, both super clean and very floaty. van Leeuwen is also great. Lovely final handstand work. DLO, and she sticks too! That might be another 10.0 for her, we’ll see?? Nope, 9.975 as well. That’s still a great score, though.
Honestly, what a pair to close this Gator bar rotation – Thomas and Wong have the killer instinct, and it’s still only Week 4.
AFTER TWO: UF 99.0, UGA 98.55
love the shot of Syd just giving the judges thumbs-down with hands full of blue and orange pom poms
Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs, little adjustment in there but she keeps it really effortless. Switch to switch half, both fantastic. Full turn, solid. Gainer full off the side is stuck! Great start for the Gators.
King, FX: Like a G6 is her opening music, wow, what a throwback. Front double full to front tuck, that’s a great opening pass! Random straddle jump, okay? Run the World now, this is a very 2011 mix. Switch side to Popa, great straddle positions. 1.5 to front layout, super clean in the air, single step out of the pass.
6:43pm: Richards, BB: Back handspring layout stepout (bhs loso), nice and steady. Switch half to beat jump, she actually did pretty well with that, I know it’s not been her strongest element in the past. Another dance series, lovely there as well. Sticks her dismount! She’s having a really good night.
Williams, FX: Double pike to open, front foot moves a little. Switch side to Popa (straddle jump full), fine there. Really milking the jazzy moment in this choreo. Front full to front layout, stays controlled in that step out. Double back to finish, nice and high in the air, great landing too! That’s another good one for Georgia.
6:46pm: Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, just gorgeous! Switch leap to split jump, gorgeous 180 positions. Front aerial, small adjustment but clearly in control. Full turn, good. Bhs 1.5 twist, just a hop to the side.
Cashman, FX: 1.5 to front full, clean, if a little lowkey for an opening pass. Switch side to straddle jump, clean. Double back to finish – a pretty short routine if I’m honest?
6:50pm: Nguyen, BB: What an elegant, unique mount, love it. Onodi to bhs, fantastic. Y turn to full turn, wow! That’s a difficult combination. Bhs 1.5 twist, looked like she had a small hop from here.
Howard, FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, nicely done, if a little too much juice on the landing. Really having some fun with the dance here, this arena loves a good Missy Elliot moment. Double pike to finish, chest a little low? But another hit for the Gymdogs.
DiCello, BB: Candle mount – really floats it this week, gets some good hang time before regrasping the beam. Double wolf turn, super steady. Switch leap to split jump, gorgeous 180 splits. Bhs loso, just dead on, wow. Front aerial, just a small arm swing correction there. Bhs gainer full off the side, small adjustment on the landing. Another great one for her.
deJong, FX: Rudi to loso opening pass with a Hannah Montana guitar riff into Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne. Love that. And Friends for the second half? Hilarious. Dance series was solid. Triple full to close, WILD in the air and does another half turn out of it, I think ended up out of bounds (OOB).
6:57pm: Wong, BB: Switch half to split leap, lovely split positions. Bhs loso, little arm swing there – Gators giving away valuable tenths here. Won’t have that luxury come postseason. Front aerial to beat jump, so patient with that. Roundoff double full, just a little shift back.
Hawthorne, FX: A little funk in this opening – moonwalks into the corner to start her first pass. Double pike to open, a little foot slide on the opening. Front lay to Rudi to split jump, sooo much power, she has to swing her arms to get control of her momentum again.
She may not have gotten a 10, but seeing Nguyen in the beam lineup tonight with some very… specific… beam music felt very cathartic. So happy she’s happy here in Gainesville.
Iโm actually screeching atโif you wonder if I hate youโ playing during Vโs beam routine at a Georgia meet ๐ญ
Howard, BB: Bhs loso, really patient with that landing, let herself settle in rather than wobbling. Switch to switch half, little shy on the split there. Side aerial, sizeable bobble there. Bhs gainer full looked stuck from here?
Brubach, FX: Nice to see her back in the lineup this week. Front lay to Rudi, a little wild there, piked down on the landing. Dance sequence is fine, a little bouncy on the landing. Double tuck, little slide of the front foot but solid body position on the landing. Good start for the Gators.
7:12pm: Hawthorne, BB: Bhs loso to start, little lean maybe? Dance series is clean, nice 180 positions. Front toss to wolf jump, that’s fun. Moonwalk, that’s Georgia tradition – she does it much better than many previous performers. Roundoff 1.5 twist, didn’t really stay long enough for me to call that a stick…
Nguyen, FX: Hearing teammates in the background screaming, “Wooooow she’s so pretty! Let’s go!” Front double full to sissone, much better this week. Switch ring to switch half, gorgeous. 1.5 to front layout, super clean. Queen of elegance right there.
7:16pm: Deniz, BB: Nice tic-toc mount, that’s fun. Showing some nice work on toe here. Side aerial bhs, a little off kilter in the air but no issues on the beam. Front aerial to beat jump, lovely. Switch leap to split jump, good. Gainer tuck full off the end, sticks it! How she spots the landing in the middle of that chaotic twisting motion, I’ll never know, but she nailed it.
Baumann, FX: Double wolf turn to open, nice and precise and steady. 1.5 twist to front full, super well controlled. Kathy took the words right out of my mouth, the PRECISION with which she moves – her choreography, her dance skills, and her tumbling are all just so spot on. Switch side to straddle jump, gets so much air. Double pike to finish, steps forward rather than back, but masks it well.
7:20pm: Moran, BB: Nice opening double wolf turn. Switch leap to beat jump, little bobble. Showing some nerves there. Side aerial to bhs, gets it back. Front aerial, little balance check there too. Little hop on her dismount.
Wong, FX: Piked Double Arabian, which is called a Dos Santos – ooh, she undercooks it but somehow dances out of the deep squat she was in, wow. Great cover. Triple dance series, lovely there. Back half to front full to finish, nice and clean. Not her best, but not as bad as it could’ve been, were it someone with less experience and fight.
7:24pm: Scott, BB: Front handspring to two feet, back into a bhs loso, that’s different. Split leap to switch leap to korbut, ooh, misses it and swing around the bottom of the beam, that’ll be a fall. Slight adjustment on her dismount, but it’s already done.
Thomas, FX: Sliding her into this rotation even though she was supposed to sit this week. DLO is a STUNNER as always. A little wild on that dance series, but she made it work still, I think. Combination pass to close is so clean and well controlled. Butterfly, signature oversplit, and the dramatic ending pose.
7:28pm: de Jong, BB: Full turn to start, nice and quick. Switch to straddle 1/4, a little tight in the 180 on her switch but I think it will be passable. Front aerial to beat jump, fine. Bhs loso, solid. Bhs 1.5, little hop on the landing.
Blakely, FX: Nice to see her back in this lineup after she’s been out for a few weeks. Double arabian, it’s one of her good ones! Just a single step forward, great control. Dance series looks clean to me. Really giving this routine some sauce tonight… and I jinxed her, she bounces forward out of her last pass and ends up totally OOB. Too much juice.
FINAL: UF 197.9, UGA 196.85
Thomas wins vault with that perfect 10.0, Thomas and Wong take bars at 9.975, Wong earns the beam crown somehow at 9.925, and Nguyen earns her first floor title with the Gators, tying with Thomas at 9.925. The AA title goes to Wong at 39.65.
Join me on Twitter @mycluttereddesk for livetweets of the post-meet press conference. Until next time!
The Gators will travel to Tampa for the USF Invitational set to begin on Feb. 10. They’ll face four opponents โ Boston University, Boston College, Illinois State and USF โ in just a three-day span.
Florida will return to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium on Feb. 15 for its home opener against Jacksonville.
The Gators will host four teams for the T-Mobile Tournament before they travel to Palm Springs, Calif., for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Florida is scheduled to face four different opponents in three days including UCLA โ who ended the Gators’ season last year in the Women’s College World Series.
Following its west-coast trip, Florida will host Rutgers, Louisiana and Mercer in the Bubly Invitational before SEC play begins on March 17.
The Gators will host Mizzou ahead of back-to-back road series against Arkansas and South Carolina. Florida will return to the Sunshine State to welcome Auburn and Georgia before they head to Knoxville to take on the Lady Vols. The Gators will wrap up the regular season with a pair of contests against rival Florida State in addition to two more conference series โ versus Ole Miss and at Kentucky.
Fayetteville, Ark., will play host to the 2023 SEC Tournament, which is scheduled for May 9-13.
Roster Changes
The Gators will return 16 players โ including three pitchers โ from last year’s roster. Despite the new faces, Florida lost several key pieces from last season including second baseman Hannah Adams, center fielder Cheyenne Lindsey, and right-hander Natalie Lugo.
Right-hander Elizabeth Hightower โ who boasts a 42-16 record in 70 career starts โ will enter her fifth season at UF as a graduate student. Southpaw Rylee Trlicek will return for her senior season, while right-hander Lexie Delbrey will look to build on her 15-win freshman season.
In the field, the Gators will return seven starters including a trio that made the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-50 Watch List: graduate student third baseman Charla Echols, redshirt junior shortstop Skylar Wallace, and sophomore outfielder Kendra Falby.
Florida and Arkansas lead the SEC with three players each on USA Softball’s 2023 Top-50 Watch List
Florida will welcome four newcomers โ two freshmen California natives and a pair of graduate-student transfers.
Infielder Kaila Pollard and Olivia Gigante โ who pitches and plays first base โ will enter their freshmen seasons. Tennessee transfer Samantha Bender will give Florida another right-handed arm to throw in the circle, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi transfer Pal Egan expects to fill a utility role.
Egan received recognition after the Bakersfield, Calif., native cracked a pair of preseason top-100 softball player lists.
ICYMI: Four Gators have received a few preseason accoladesโผ๏ธ #GoGators
Florida head coach Tim Walton – who became the second fastest head coach in history to reach 1,000 career NCAA Division I softball victories last May โ will enter his 18th season. The Gators are No. 5 in the D1Softball Preseason Top-25 and are the top-ranked SEC team. Alabama, Arkansas and Georgia cracked the top-10, while five additional SEC teams enter the season ranked.
Twelve seconds. That’s how long the Florida Gators needed to hold onto a one-possession lead against the Mississippi State Bulldogs to return from their two-game road trip on a high note. As the clock ticked away, Mississippi State made aggressive runs at the basket to close the gap after being down as much as 16 in the first half.
Miss. Rebound Bulldogs. Miss. And then, the ball fell safely into the hands of fifth-year star Colin Castleton to secure the win.
Florida (11-8, 4-3 SEC) defeated Mississippi State (12-7, 1-6 SEC) 61-59 Saturday in a nail-biting victory. Castleton led the way with 13 points, followed closely by Belmont transfer guard Will Richard with 12.
The Gators entered the second leg of their two-game road trip coming off of a tough loss against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies held UF to just 12 points in the first half and held onto to a tight lead late, 54-52, to snap the Gators’ three-game Southeastern Conference winning streak.
The Bulldogs have shared similar in-conference struggles, dropping their last three matchups before taking on Florida Saturday night.
Mississippi State found the bottom of the bucket first thanks to a put-back basket by Bulldogs forward Tolu Smith. Entering the game, Smith ranked second in the SEC in field goal percentage.
Florida responded quickly with two makes from behind the arc. Castleton sunk the first, followed by Richard. An early 3-for-4 shooting performance from the 3-point line plus a bucket inside by senior point guard Kyle Lofton put the Gators up 11-3 early and forced a Bulldogs timeout.
Both offenses slowed down as MSU struggled to close the gap. Eventually the Gators rediscovered their pace. Richard sunk his second and third 3-pointer of the night to help put the Gators up 10, 27-17, with five minutes to go in the first half.
Of nine UF players who took the floor in half one, just two failed to score a basket. Richard led the way with nine points on perfect 3-3 shooting from downtown. The Bulldogs did their best to keep it close, but the most they could muster was a single deficit. As Florida departed the court for the locker room, it led 33-24.
The Bulldogs came out firing in the second half. They came out on a 6-0 run early to bring the game within four, 36-32.
Nearing the twelve minute mark, Mississippi State knocked down back-to-back threes โ its first and second of the night โ to tie it up at 40. Reeves answered with his first bucket, nailing a shot from long range to go up 43-40 before the media timeout at 11:40.
With just under 10 minutes to go, the Bulldogs made it a tie game once more. From there, the both teams picked it up and began exchanging blows.
The Gators stayed hot longer, going on a 7-0 run and claiming a 52-45 lead at the seven-minute media break. Castleton led the way with X second half points. A pair of 3-pointers from Kugel and Reeves made it 10 points, 60-50, with just over four minutes to go.
Mississippi State attempted to hold firm, knocking down two more shots to make it a 60-54 Gators lead at the 2:25 media break.
Out of the break, the Bulldogs began to look dangerous. They made three-straight buckets to bring the game within one possession with a minute until the buzzer. Florida held on to secure the road win.
Next up, the Gators will head back to Gainesville for a home stand against the South Carolina Gamecocks Wednesday.
The Gamecocks have struggled this year, beginning SEC play with the second worst record at 1-5, ahead of only Louisiana State, Ole Miss and now Mississippi State at 1-6. However, U of SC does boast NBA Draft prospect G.G. Jackson on its roster. The 17-year-old wing is averaging 15.1 points per game on 38.7% shooting and is projected as a lottery pick by many draft analysts.
The game tips off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
It’s a star-studded night in Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, as two titans of the SEC go head-to-head. Florida comes in as the favorite, but never count Alabama out when you’re in their house.
This week’s SEC honor-winners will all be in the same competition, as Leanne Wong and Kayla DiCello of Florida took home Gymnast and Specialist of the Week, and Gabby Gladieux of Alabama earned her first Freshman of the Week nod. Add to that two powerhouse all-arounders in Florida’s Trinity Thomas and Alabama’s Luisa Blanco, and you have the makings of a real battle on your hands.
In addition to those stars, there are a few other can’t-miss routines fans will want to watch for tonight. Rachel Baumann tweaked her shoulder in touch warmups last week at Florida, so if she’s back in any lineups, that’ll be a great sign. Morgan Hurd also debuted her floor routine last week to huge cheers from the O-Dome crowd, so she may have another opportunity tonight. For Alabama, Makarri Doggette is a must-watch on bars, as is Lilly Hudson on beam.
The action starts at 7:30pm on ESPNU, but if you can’t make it or don’t have cable, keep refreshing this page – we’ll have the play-by-play right here throughout the meet.
Makarri's in a boot, don't know if we knew about that (watching the intros for Florida/Bama)
7:25pm: I spoke too soon! Looks like Doggette is in a boot, meaning she may not perform tonight. If anything, bars seems likely, since there’s only one impact to the feet.
7:32pm: Rotation one, here we go!
Adams, VT: Yfull, deeeeeep knee bend, but she sticks it! We’ll see what’s worth more, the stick or the control.
Richards, UB: Maloney, some leg sep there. Bail was fine. DLO dismount, legs starfish out a little bit
Mitchell, VT: Yhalf, BIG bound forward and another step to steady herself.
Blakely, UB: Maloney, better in the legs than Richards. Pak was clean, nice. Great last handstand! Blind change is good. Double front STUCK! You could tell it was a good one for her when she finished rotating so high, that was fantastic.
7:36pm: Little, VT: Yfull, good distance but a little flat in her height. Bounce back on the landing.
Nguyen, UB: Great opening handstand! Leg sep on both Maloney and pak, she’s a little off her game. DLO floooooats down to the ground and stuck! Replay shows a solid handstand before that dismount, too.
Hudson, VT: Y1.5, step on the landing.
DiCello, UB: Ray, huge air! Pak salto is clean, legs together. van Leeuwen too, very nice! Full out dismount is stuck!
7:40pm: Gladieux, VT: Biiiiiig Yfull, huge distance with a decent bounce back. Nice and clean in the air though.
Thomas, UB: Maloney is clean to start, pak has a little angle separation. Great handstand work on the low bar. van Leeuwen is solid. Double layout (DLO) dismount, little shuffle of the feet it looked like.
7:42pm: Paradise, VT: Y1.5, just a little hop on the landing, very clean in the air! Nice straight legs, good rise, not a lot of distance but overall quite good.
Wong, UB: Gorgeous opening handstand! Maloney to pak, gorgeous. van Leeuwen is so clean, so precise in her twist as she regrasps. DLO dismount is stuck! She is in the ZONE!
Scores are actually starting out pretty reasonable, which is a pleasant surprise. We’ll see if that continues through the rest of the meet…
7:51pm: Rotation two time!
Clark, VT: Looks like Rachel Baumann is still out tonight. Bummer.
Yfull, a little bouncy on the landing, but very clean in the air.
Hudson, UB: Overarches her opening handstand, but gets it back on the second. Maloney to bail is fine. Full pirouette to double tuck dismount is stuck – a solid opening for Bama there.
7:53pm: Edwards, VT: Yfull, HUGE height and distance, but a big hop back on the landing. She just fliiiiies. I’d love to see them try a harder vault with her…
Little, UB: Nice first handstand. Goes for the Maloney, couldn’t grasp all the way around and she comes off. Not what they needed right now. She’s gonna retry the release. Makes it this time, good for her, pak is clean. Solid last handstand. DLO, comes off a little early and bounces back on the landing.
7:55pm: Richards, VT: Y1.5, solid distance, and a good landing – just a little slide back! Love that she’s getting the confidence back on this vault.
Paradise, UB: Solid opening handstand work. Jaeger is nice, would like a little more air there. Bail is strong. Goes hard on the last handstand, and it’s too hard – she overarches and comes off on the other side. Sticks her dismount when she remounts, but it’s too little too late. Alabama will count a fall!
7:58pm: DiCello, VT: Y1.5, huge – a little step forward. Commentators are sharing that associate head coach Adrian Burde would rather her overcook it than try to stick since the vault is still so new, but looks like she still tried for the stick tonight.
Waligora, UB: Great opening handstand. Jaeger to overshoot, fine. Not the biggest fan of those, but that’s a personal preference. Full twisting DLO dismount, just a little slide back. That’s probably the most difficult dismount being done in the NCAA right now!
8:00pm: Wong, VT: Yhalf on, pike half off – a little shapeless in the air, piked down on the landing. Not her best.
Machado, UB: Strong opening handstand! Maloney to pak, some leg separation there. Rushed her dismount and last handstand, think tehre was a shuffle on the feet.
Thomas, VT: Y1.5, big distance and height as per usual, just a little stutter step on the landing.
Strong routine from Blanco but I had the hiccups so I missed it! Sorry!
AFTER TWO: UF 98.675, BAMA 97.775
My Florida Noodles were a bit late but after a long day Iโm in need of good noodles, a good drink, and good gymnastics! pic.twitter.com/qvAijsxMgs
Burgess, BB: Full turn to open is lovely and clean. Back handspring (bhs) layout stepout (loso), super steady. Side aerial, solid. Switch leap to beat jump, great positions there. Cat leap to switch side, another excellent combination. She’s so precise with her arm placement, love that. Gainer pike off the end of the beam is stuck! What a great leadoff for Bama! Also love that she used Praying by Kesha for her beam music.
8:14pm: DiCello, FX: Front double full to start, a little off her axis but covers well. Leap sequence is gorgeous as usual. Single wolf turn, solid. 1.5 to front full, comes right up to the line but does not go over. Jeremy Miranda is in the corner SCREAMING for her! A great leadoff for the Gators as well.
8:16pm: Lewis, BB: Leap sequence is clean. Bhs loso, hesitates a little there with a leg up. Front aerial to sissone, very nice. Bhs gainer full off the side, stuck! Good for her, we love seeing freshmen succeed.
8:17pm: Nguyen, FX: Love this classical routine on her, apparently the music is from Howl’s Moving Castle, the beloved Studio Ghibli film. Front double full to sissone, just gorgeous and floaty through the connection. Leap series is good, as is her Y turn to full turn connection, don’t see that often in NCAA. Strong 1.5 to front lay to finish out. Another great routine!
8:20pm: Waligora, BB: Full turn to open, clean. Bhs loso, takes her time with it, very clean. Split jump to tuck jump full, that’s fun, very vintage NCAA. Roundoff 1.5 twist dismount is stuck, with a little lean. Bama recovering well here after the bars calamity.
8:22pm: Baumann, FX: She’s back! Glad she’s feeling better. Double wolf turn to open, fine. 1.5 to front full, stutter step as she comes out – comes very close to the line, not sure if she went over or not. Switch side to straddle jump, sooooo high and great oversplit. Double pike to finish, just stepped forward into the lunge but covered that underrotation very well. Replay shows just a little ankle roll on the first pass, no OOB.
8:24pm: Gladieux, BB: Bhs layout 2ft to start, pretty straight in the body position there. Front aerial to beat jump, clean. Switch to straddle, great 180 positions there. Roundoff double back stuck! Holy cow, that’s a dismount! One of the more difficult dismounts being done in NCAA right now.
8:26pm: Wong, FX: Another elegant routine coming here. Dos Santos is a little underrotated, but she covers well with dance rather than trying for her stag jump. Triple dance series is nice and precise. 1.5 to front full is clean to finish. A solid routine, but Kathy’s right, certainly not her best.
8:28pm: Hudson, BB: Front aerial to bhs loso, that’s nice! Dance series is clean. Tries to hold the stick but leans a little too far forward, I don’t know that I’d give that to her.
8:30pm: Thomas, FX: DLO to open, incredible as usual, keeps that front foot glued to the ground as she lunges back. Dance series is so clean and crisp, we love to see it. She is still playing to the crowd here, even in the away arena. Sticks her combination pass! What an absolute queen. Chanting for the 10, I think it’s unlikely but we’ll see what these judges think.
8:32pm: Blanco, BB: Front aerial to begin, super steady. Lovely full turn, toe point and releve throughout this routine is just lovely. Bhs loso, solid there too. Gorgeous arabesque to scale, showing off her flexibility. Switch ring to beat jump, little hesitation but does not wobble. 1.5 twist, hops forward on the landing.
8:34pm: Hurd, FX: Love that she’s getting another opportunity on this lineup! Combination pass to open, nice and clean. A little stumble on one of her dance elements, uncharacteristic for her. Love this expressive choreography she has here in the corner. Double pike to finish, comes up short, little ankle stinger of a landing. Won’t be a great score, but she’s getting the reps in, and sometimes that’s just what it takes to get comfortable and confident in competition again.
8:43pm: Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs, very steady starting out. Switch leap to switch half to beat, just gorgeous 180 positions there. Little wobble on the full turn but she’s okay. Gainer full off the side, little bounce back on the landing.
8:45pm: Waligora, FX: Great Balls of Fire routine, that’s fun! Front lay to front double full, wow! That’s a hard combination. Dance series is solid. Choreo section in here is a little low energy, even in her home arena. Hmm. L turn, okay? Must be for bonus. 1.5 to front lay, a little large on the lunge out of it, a little uncontrolled. Still, a decent leadoff for Bama.
8:47pm: Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, dances right out of it, she’s so confident. Switch leap to straddle jump, a little bobble but she gets it back under control. Front aerial, super steady. Full turn is clean. Bhs 1.5 twist, sticks it! Great job.
8:49pm: Machado, FX: Double pike to open, front foot slides back a little into the lunge. Really showing off her lines and flexibility in this choreography. Camera angle completely obscured her dance series, that’s helpful. 1.5 to front pike. Triple wolf turn, that’s the most difficult dance element being done in the NCAA maybe? Double back to close, comes up pretty short. Ok, replay shows a clean dance series, nice split positions.
8:51pm: Nguyen, BB: Yessss love seeing her get the nod here! Onodi to bhs, what a unique series! Y turn, so difficult on the beam, just gorgeous. Bhs 1.5 twist, looks like a stick from here!
8:53pm: Adams, FX: Double pike to open, strong start. Tuck jump 1.5 in that dance sequence, that’s hard to get around and be precise with. Double wolf is fine. 1.5 to front layout to finish, with some fun choreography and a back spin to boot. Another strong routine for Alabama.
8:55pm: DiCello, BB: Candle mount – faces away from the beam and dives backward to grasp the beam upside down! Double wolf turn, nice and patient with it. Switch leap to split jump, lovely split positions. Bhs loso, very nice. Front aerial is so steady too, she’s such a pro. Bhs gainer full off the side, stuck! She’s going to be very close to Thomas for the AA title here.
8:57pm: Gladieux, FX: Full in to open, twists a little slow but still gets around somehow, decent control on the landing. Dance series is strong. Some fun choreography on the floor there. Rudi to split jump, solid. Showing off that flexibility here in the ending choreography – still learning how to play to the crowd in this arena, but strong technically.
8:59pm: Wong, BB: Gorgeous series, dances right out of it. Lovely full turn. Front aerial to beat jump, nice and steady. So elegant and extended through this whole thing. Roundoff double full, doesn’t quite get the stick on that.
9:01pm: Hudson, FX: Front lay to front double full, that’s the second one in this lineup, wow! Chaine turns into the corner, very traditional there. Second pass is a 2.5 twist, has to be veryyyy careful with her toes as she steps on the line, and we transition from Mountain Music to Thunderstruck. Double tuck to finish, nice! What a great routine.
9:03pm: Thomas, BB: Switch leap mount, just phenomenal. One arm bhs loso, super secure. Front aerial to two feet, much better this week. Beat jump to korbut, very nice. Side aerial back 1.5, little stutter step to the side, still getting used to that new dismount it seems.
9:05pm: Blanco, FX: Double wolf turn here to start, steady there. Double pike to open, strong. Double tuck, nice and high, lots of room left on that tumbling run. Dance series is solid. Super precise in this choreography section, lots of energy. Ooh, illusion turn into a forward roll, that’s fun. Front full to front lay, maybe a little uncontrolled in her step forward but covers well with an arabesque. That’s going to play well at SEC Championships and Nationals if they get there.
FINAL: UF 197.325, BAMA 196.45
That’s a great away score to have in the bank at the beginning of the season for Florida, and a win over Alabama is always a nice bonus.
Jordyn Paradise and Trinity Thomas tie for the vault title at 9.9, Kayla DiCello and Thomas tie for bars at 9.925, DiCello earns the beam title solo at 9.925, and Luisa Blanco and Thomas tie for the floor title at 9.95. That earns Thomas the AA crown as well with a whopping 39.65! What a great night for the Gators.
Since it’s an away meet, I don’t have access to post-meet press tonight, but thanks for tuning in! We’ll be back next week for Rivalry Night when Georgia comes to town!
The Florida Gators landed in College Station, Texas, in high spirits and a positive conference record. Despite facing some questionable losses earlier in the year, UF had begun to change its fortune and form the foundation for its postseason plea. Despite the final score looking close on paper, Florida returns with a loss, and it’s possible with those same questions and more are back among the Gators’ baggage.
Florida (10-8, 3-3 SEC) fell to Texas A&M (13-5, 5-0) 54-52 Wednesday night after a brutal offensive performance in the first half led to a close loss in the second.
Both teams entered the contest riding the coattails of some solid performances. The Gators had won their last three straight Southeastern Conference matchups after opening conference play 0-2, including a last-second loss to the Aggies at home Jan. 4. Head coach Buzz Williams and Texas A&M have had a superb start, coming into the game with a perfect 4-0 conference record, and first place in the SEC within grasping distance.
The two squads started on the opposite end of the spectrum in their opening possession. Senior Gators point guard Kyle Lofton whiffed on a tough contested shot inside, while TAMU found its opening bucket with ease at the rim.
Florida would finally take the lid off just under four minutes into the half thanks to a three from senior guard Myreon Jones, who was in the starting lineup for the first time this season. The former Penn State Nittany Lion finished with seven points and one assist.
The opening half was all defense, but the Gators were having a much harder time fighting through the aggressive Aggie D. UF star center Colin Castleton turned the ball over twice in a row on traveling violations while being defended in the post, and then picked up an offensive foul on the third consecutive possession.
The 5th-year big man and reigning SEC player of the week finished the first half with a measly one point. UF head coach Todd Golden’s offense was nearly stagnant, the only two field goals scored being Jones’ opening shot and putback basket by Lofton. The Gators stayed in it the rest of the period at the free throw line.
Headed into the locker room, Florida trailed Texas A&M 23-12.
The Gators came out with a jolt in the second half. UF went on a 7-0 run to open the period and dwindled its deficit down to just five points, 27-22. Florida continued to claw at the small Aggie lead, eventually bringing the score to 37-35 with under 10 to go after an and-one bucket from Castleton.
Florida and the Aggies traded baskets, and the Gators found themselves down one possession with just over two minutes until the final buzzer. The game became hectic in the closing moments as both teams clamored at victory. UF found a quality look in the madness that resulted in a Riley Kugel three to make it a 50-49 Aggies lead with 29 seconds to go.
Unfortunately for the Gators, nine first half turnovers, some unlucky misses and some clutch TAMU shooting and defense placed UF just short of a win. UF got a last second chance down two with 2.5 seconds to go, but a final prayer from Jones fell short.
Next up, Florida completes the back leg of its road trip with a stop in Starkville, Mississippi, to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Bulldogs entered conference play with just one loss under their belts but have dropped five of six games to start their SEC schedule. The Gators defeated Mississippi State 80-72 last season led by a 22-point performance from now-UF graduate Anthony Duruji.
Contact Jackson Castellano at jaxcastellano@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @jaxacastellano.
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