Following the emotional events of Florida’s loss last week at Oklahoma in which senior Sloane Blakely and sophomore Anya Pilgrim went down with injuries, the Gators tied the highest score in the country on Friday night with a 198.125 to 197.725 win against Missouri in the O’Dome. Florida previously reached this mark at home against Georgia in January.
While Pilgrim returned on bars and beam on Friday night, Blakely announced shortly before the meet began that last week’s injury was to her Achilles and that she will be out for the rest of the 2025 season.
“Mentally, injuries are extremely challenging and difficult for the athlete and all of those around them who go through the daily grind with each other,” said head coach Jenny Rowland. In the aftermath of last Friday’s emotional meet, Rowland told her team they could either let the adversity “hold you back” or “catapult you, help you kickstart, and take your next step forward.”
That’s exactly what the Gators did. Following a weekend off to “reset,” Rowland said the team came in Monday “united as one” and ready to take a step forward. Such a step was taken on Friday night. In addition to tying the Gators’ own highest score of the season, which happens to be the highest score in the nation in 2025, multiple individual performances stood out.
Junior Selena Harris-Miranda turned in her first 10 of the season on vault, which is the first vault 10 in the country in 2025. She also went 9.975 on floor. Fifth-year Victoria Nguyen earned a 9.975 for her first time competing vault in 2025, and senior Leanne Wong earned a 9.975 on bars for the second time in the last three meets.
Rowland also praised the performances of sophomores Alyssa Arana on beam and Gabby Disidore on floor. It was both athletes’ first times competing the events in their respective careers, and they both hit.
Present with the team from Monday’s practice onwards, including Friday at the meet, was Blakely. “I am in awe of how strong Sloane is to be here,” said Rowland. “She has a positive attitude in doing whatever she can to help the team, all week and tonight.”
Wong echoed Rowland’s praise. “This week was hard knowing she wouldn’t be competing anymore, but she showed her support on the sidelines.”
Wong was battling exhaustion of her own from a different source on Friday night. The senior had an organic chemistry exam at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Less than 24 hours later, she’d go on to win the all-around with a 39.750, the third-highest total of the 2025 season, in just one more shining moment for the Gators.
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Article by Katherine Weaver
