We are back in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to open preseason national runner-up Florida’s season and welcome three exciting teams to join. In a season packed with interesting quads and even bigger meets, this one seems to have flown under the radar; but it shouldn’t have, since it’s also Talladega’s first ever meet! And what a stage for the Tornadoes to begin their history.
The Tornadoes join Fisk as the only two HBCUs to sponsor gymnastics, and it’s exciting for them to both be here tonight. Fisk competed around the country last year, but tonight’s meet arguably puts the Bulldogs onto their biggest stage yet. The SEC environment should give star sophomore Morgan Price a chance to get a big all-around score; we all remember the vault she opened the season with last year.
George Washington rounds out the away teams tonight. The school’s athletic teams are competing as the Revolutionaries for the first time this season. These Revolutionaries were on the regionals bubble watch towards the end of last season, but ultimately finished out at No. 40; the quest to get back up there, which coincides with the start of the post-Deja Chambliss era, starts now.
Lastly, let’s get to the home team. While the loss of Trinity Thomas looms large, Florida’s roster is chock full of viable routines to replace hers and Kayla DiCello’s.
We saw a lot of them from the Gators’ freshmen at Hype Night; it will be exciting to see who makes the six in this first meet of the season.
Let’s get it started in Gainesville!
A not terribly surprising pre-meet observation re: the Gators: Riley McCusker and Michala Magee are not dressed out.
Rotation 1: Florida VT, Fisk UB, Talladega BB, George Washington FX
Florida bringing a lineup of three freshmen here.
Draser VT: Y1.5, legs a little bent in the air, one step back. Not the biggest vault but great to open with a 10.0 start. Let’s see how many the Gators put up. 9.850
Wiggins UB: Some feet on the VL, nice handstand to the bail with leg separation on that skill, double back chest down looks like a step. 9.525
Heubach BB: First Talladega routine ever! front toss slight connection break into BHS, jump combo not quite 180 but connected there. step forward on dismount. Congrats to the Greenville transfer whose name will now be etched into NCAA gymnastics history! 9.400
Lynch FX: back 1.5 to front lay pretty good, dynamic switch position. 9.775
Pilgrim VT: Y1.5 similar to Hype Night, just a hop forward. 9.875
Rosby UB: beautiful position on the VL, dismount small step back. Love her lines on that event. 9.5
Williams BB: missed connection into the back tuck but staus on. Doesn’t quite get straddle connection but good positions. Punch front lay small shuffle. She fought through it. 9.275
Burke FX: Brittany Spears Work B!tch music love it. Wow punch double front tuck! Squatty but a gutsy opening pass. Leg goes back on the double tuck. Back 1.5 front lay to finish, good. 9.575
Wong VT: Pod vault good form in the air, step back. Her usual. Her only leg event of the day. 9.875
Brewer UB: big air on the Jaeger, catches the Pak a bit close. last handstand a bit short, double tuck small hop back. 9.475
York FX: back 1.5 to front lay stumbles into the lay a bit, love the bow and arrow choreo. Double tuck chest down stumbles again. 9.675
Blakely VT: y1.5 that looked like a stick. 9.825
Chuy BB: off on her series. Pretty aerial to scale. 9.200
Sheremeta FX: back 1.5 to front lay stuck cold. Love this vocal music actually. 9.700
Ferris VT: After a thumb injury kept her out of Hype Night with reports she’d be back in the lineup mid to end of January, here she is making her debut in the back half of the lineup. Life comes at you fast! Y1.5 the best one so far I’d say, hop forward but definitely stickable as we’ve seen from her before. 9.825
Richmon UB: Missed last handstand, DLO small hop step forward. Good to see an E dismount from the Bulldogs. 9.65
Butler BB: Series stays on with almost zero hesitation, great recovery after last routine with a fall. Good split positions, break after her last one but stays on. Nice composure from her.
Silverman FX: Love a Jason Derulo routine. Two pass routine, her second pass is a double pike, stumbles out. 9.525
Edwards VT: Full to end the lineup. 9.850
Price UB: great handstand positions, drills the full-in. Almost identical routine to when I saw it in Nashville last year. Will it go 9.95 as well? 9.850
Maldonado BB: Nice to see the transfer in the beam lineup and anchoring, sticks her Gainer full off the side. 9.775
Whitman FX: Double front step forward. Front double full to end strong. Her usual difficult 3 pass routine, nice to see it in the O Dome tonight. 9.875
After 1: Florida 49.275, George Washington 48.500, Fisk 48.075, Talladega 47.150
Florida did not crack 9.9 on an event, and nor did anyone else on any event yet. Nonetheless, the Gators put up a solid vault lineup and the freshmen looked quite promising there. Starting an entire program on beam is no small feat, so the Tornadoes should be commended.
Rotation 2: VT, Florida UB, BB, FX
Disidore UB: excellent position on Maloney, toe point great on VL, DLO small hop forward. Lovely opening routine. 9.825
Wiggins BB: BHS LOSO slightly bent but stays on, back 1.5 slight step forward, confidence in the opener. 9.600
Bryant FX: So excited for these Tornado floor routines. Front tuck through to back pike big slide back powerful. 9.500
Silverman VT: full stumbles a bit on the landing but keeps her balance to stay on her feet. 9.650
Blakely UB: nice last handstand, double back big hop forward stumbles onto the bottom mat. 9.575
Taylor BB: Zero hesitation on the BHS LOSO, Fisk looking confident on this event to start. Straddle leap combo. 9.725
Duffus FX: Okay Megatron is in so many routines this year. Big height on the double full, she has a commanding presence. Back 1.5 can’t make the layout and has to somersault out of it. Super fun choreo to end. When that gets cleaned up, it’ll be a showstopper. 8.925
Whitman stuck her vault for GW. 9.85
Nguyen UB: pretty Pak, DLO step back. 9.850
Reed-Hammon BB: This routine has gone as high as 9.925. Front toss to BHS LOSO great connection. LOL her dismount had her dancing to Chuy’s music. 9.800
Chuy FX: back 1.5 stumbles way out and off the mat, still super fun choreo. punch front to front full much better ending. 9.675
Burke VT: slightly pikey position but only a small hop back. 9.750
Pilgrim UB: Maloney to Pak perfect, full-in almost stuck but tiny hop. Not a lot to take there. 9.875
Price BB: Front aerial to split jump oversplit, lovely. some more hesitation on the leap combo. Landing slight hop. Her technique is among the best in the room tonight. 9.875
FX: Punch front to front double full a little wonky landing but staus on her feet. Very dramatic pretty music and a clean routine to follow.
Katz VT: Unfortunately couldn’t count the twists but that was a front facing vault stuck. Nice punctuation to the lineup. 9.85!
Wong UB: VL her usual, handstands all there, dismount hop back. Florida has yet to stick a landing tonight. 9.825. A split of 9.75 and 9.9 I’m told.
Arana UB: Much anticipated bars debut. Goes over on first handstand and comes off, a shame. Falls on her next release, on her back looked pretty high impact unfortunately. Chalking up let’s see if she finishes. She does try again. DLO a bit pikey and steps forward, she still finished. 8.600
Maldonado FX: A Cyclone floor star steps into the back half of the Talladega lineup let’s gooooo. Front full to Rudi to switch jump, nice. Big smiles. Stuck second pass! 9.825
Cook FX: The floor is hers. Back 1.5 front lay controlled landing. Oh she goes IN with her dance.
After 2: Florida 98.225, George Washington 97.450, Fisk 96.625, Talladega 94.575
Florida has yet to post a 9.9 score this evening and goes to the shakiest event next, so let’s see what we get. Morgan Hurd’s season debut incoming. George Washington’s Whitman and Katz both had really nice vaults. Talladega’s floor routines were a delight as expected, and I can’t wait to see how Fisk’s follow up; after two, it’s looking like it’ll be a big AA score for Price. I am really loving this quad.
Rotation 3: Talladega VT, George Washington UB, Florida BB, Fisk FX
Bryant VT: bent legs onto the table, step back. 9.375
Silverman UB: Great last handstand, sticks double back dismount. Awesome leadoff for the Revolutionaries. 9.700
Draser BB: BHS LOSO no hesitation, some flexed feet on the leaps but looking really confident. Small hop forward dismount. 9.875
Cromartie FX: So exciting for her to be in the lineup after missing her freshman season. Her dad is an Florida State Seminole football great, wonder if he’s in enemy territory to watch her tonight! Front double full powerful going in but sits it. Marching band music. Back 1.5 to front lay little scary honestly, she got it around though. 8.050
Williams VT: Full seems tucked, stumbles on the landing. Can’t tell if she kept to her feet. 9.000
Tyeryar UB: Nice jaeger to perfect handstand, Pak some weird form, double back very high but stumbles back on the landing. 9.650
Pilgrim BB: Front aerial small check, stays on. Gainer full off the side, very small shuffle back. 9.850
Wiggins FX: Back 1.5 front lay pretty. Front tuck to end out of the last pass a little low. 9.575
Duffus VT: another full, gets it around. 9.575
Katz UB: Dismount is so far to the end of the mat but she basically walks off as part of it. 9.175. Don’t think she fell either.
Hurd BB: front aerial BHS. Standing bhs, straddle a small check. Looking mostly solid. Big air on her dismount steps back, but overall strong debut. 9.800
Muhammad FX: Double tuck stuck! Super underrated NCAA floor performer. 8.825
Johnson VT: 9.650
DeHaan UB: First handstand bit off, piked jaeger to bail, nice pirouette, double back stuck! Now we’re seeing some sticks in the room. 9.775
Lazzari BB: Usual no hesitation triple series, best triple series in the NCAA? I’d go there. First stick of the night Gainer full off the end, there’s the 10 hands. I wonder. 10 from one judge 9.95 from another, 9.975. Yeah I thought they’d give it to her. First 9.9+ for Florida, and what a score.
Chuy VT: 9.200
Nguyen BB: Onodi, leaps well-executed. Back 1.5 looks stuck but steps to the side. 9.775 feels a little low. Stuck back full.
Rosby FX: Front double full! Twisting combo to end, enjoying her gymnastics so far. 9.500
Jean-Marie VT: 9.200
York UB: Opens with a fall. Double back chest down step forward. 8.950
Wong BB: BHS LOSO perfect. Wolf turn looked a little tentative. Sticks the landing, they go 9.925. Her final routine for the night, in the Olympic year great to see even three events from her.
Peters UB: Really nice Pak, sky high double back, chest down step forward. 9.
Coleman FX: I love her red hair. Double front through to double pike, solid landing. Big leaps. Voguing choreo! RuPaul musiccccc. Death drop to end, her and Marz! 8.85
Price FX: Double pike controlled slide. Love her front lay to front full, OMG “whistle while you twerk” music I thought I heard that earlier! I can’t. Back 2.5 to end, that was her best pass too. 9600 puts a bit of a damper on it, but expecting improvement this year.
After 3: Florida 147.650, George Washington 145.375, Fisk 142.950, Talladega 142.375
Florida got it going with a couple 9.9s that rotation. Ellie Lazzari is looking to be an important piece in her senior season, and that beam routine should mark the start of it. George Washington needs to work on its landings, but the pieces are there for bars to be a pretty event for the Revolutionaries; DeHaan was a highlight for me. Fisk and Talladega aren’t that far apart! If you don’t get to see these teams’ floor rotations this season, you’re missing out.
Rotation 4: Fisk VT, Talladega UB, George Washington BB, Florida FX
Talladega putting up 5 on bars.
Daniels VT: layout full to open. 9.250
Chuy UB: Lovely last handstand, DLO lands to her knees. 8.850
Silverman BB: Nice aerial, BHS LOSO some form but no hesitation there. Really like her form on this event and a stuck gainer full off the side to finish off. 9.800
Brubach FX: Front rudi a few steps back, Pitbull routine. Fireball beat drop choreo a little cheesy LOL but fun overall! 9.875
Rosby VT: 9.100
Duffus UB: GIGANTIC jaeger. Lunges out of the double back. 9.200
Zois BB: BHS LOSO, some feet on the leaps. Back full step back. 9.900 wow! First 9.9 for GWU.
Draser FX: Front tuck through to double back, chest a little low but good landing. Wolf turns controlled. Double pike similar landing. Solid. She committed to Florida what seems like so long ago, exciting to see her debut for the Gators tonight. 9.850
Smith VT: full a little crazy, couple of steps out of it. 9.225
Sheremeta BB: Big check aerial, another check on next skill, BHS LOSO series better. Pretty tentative routine overall. Landing just small step. Waiting a bit for this score. 9.200
Johnson UB: Huge Tkatchev but clears the bar, hands don’t even come close. It looked impressive and I hope she can get it. Another lungey DLO. 9.050
Richards FX: Her usual DLO. I’m def a sucker for Buttons music. Back 1.5 to front full, her floor landings are always on. 9.775
Taylor VT: 9.725
Peart-Williams UB: Tkatchev caught. Talladega with the big releases, here for it. Just a step back on the landing, Talladega’s best bars so far. 9.425
Whitman BB: Front aerial, leaps are a little tentative. 9.850
Pilgrim FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, great leap positions. Rihanna routine. Double pike. She had an awesome AA debut tonight. 9.925!
Reed-Hammon VT: Tough landing on the full. 8.775
Jean-Marie UB: Maloney, looks like she caught too close, stays on. 8.850
York BB: Aerial good, tentative leaps almost breaks connection but not quite. Some foot form on the back full dismount, decent landing. 9.800
Nguyen FX: Sounds like another classical routine for her. Front double full to sissone beautiful as usual. Great ring leap. Oh this is DRAMATIC dramatic. Back 1.5 front lay. 9.925.
Price VT: Full, steps to the side. A decent night. 9.700
Peters BB: Switch to gainer pike to finish off. 9.825
Hurd FX: Double pike grins, looks super happy and she closes it out with a great routine for the Gators. 9.875
Bluffstone exhibitioning floor, big full-in to open.
FINAL: Florida 197.100, George Washington 194.550, Fisk 189.950, Talladega 187.750
Interesting stat for Florida. The Gators kicked it up a notch after that rotation and still cleared 197, but they’re definitely aiming higher. George Washington will gladly take this 194.550 into EAGL competition but also has room to improve; it’s the first meet of the season. Fisk’s passion is infectious; the Bulldogs continue to be a bright spot in their second season, and it was great to see them in an SEC environment. Finally, congratulations to Talladega on its debut!
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Live blog by Katherine Weaver
