Auburn at Florida

Recap

The Big Storyline: It was an emotional night for the seniors as Florida captured the highest score in the nation with a strong performance on all four apparatuses. The Gators particularly shined on beam in this dual meet; 49.700 is the highest in program history. Trinity Thomas was stellar in her return after missing last week’s competition due to contact tracing protocols. The junior captured perfection twice and is the first gymnast to get a perfect 10.000 on bars this season. Auburn fell behind Florida but was able to grab its best road score this season to improve its NQS. Derrian Gobourne was lights out for the Tigers, capturing her career best all around score. 

Implications: If Florida is at its best it’s going to be very difficult for another team to beat it. However, the Gators head to Alabama next week and have a 21-51-1 track record in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide is on a hot streak and could beat them if the Gators have errors. Auburn, much like Kentucky, has been consistently improving over the course of the season. The team remains an underdog as postseason approaches, but mistakes from top teams could propel it to a higher standing than expected. Freshman Gabrielle McLaughlin is an under-the-radar beam worker and has the opportunity to take home postseason individual titles. 

Records: 198.275 is the fifth-best score in Florida’s program history and the highest in the NCAA this season. The Gators’ beam score of 49.700 is the best score in team history. Trinity Thomas is the second gymnast in school history to capture two 10s in one meet. Megan Skaggs notched a career best 9.925 on vault. Ellie Lazzari had a career high on beam with a 9.975 and floor with a 9.900. Derrian Gobourne had a career best in the all around with a 39.575.