Gators Stay Steady, to Compete for National Championship on Saturday - Florida Gators (2024)

FORT WORTH, Texas — The Gators gymnastics team delivered another clutch performance on Thursday night.

The prize: a spot in the four-team NCAA Championship on Saturday.

CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND🤩#GoGators | #WeChomp pic.twitter.com/is1LAJTg8D

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 19, 2024

Florida finished runner-up to Utah in Thursday night's NCAA Semifinals at Dickies Arena. The Gators posted a 197.8750 score, the fifth-highest in program history at the NCAA Championships. Utah won with a 197.9375, capping a stunning night because of the collapse of No. 1-seed and two-time reigning national champion Oklahoma.The Sooners started with a disastrous performance on vault (48.325, forced to count two falls) and finished third (196.5875), followed by fourth-place Alabama (195.4125).

Meanwhile, the Gators did what they talked about before arriving here for a shot at their first national championship since 2015. After back-to-back NCAA runner-up finishes, the Gators flew under the radar much of the season until their season-best performance in the NCAA Gainesville Regional two weeks ago at home. Florida aimed to stay steady and avoid costly mistakes, building on its performance in the regional victory.

The Gators did exactly that. While Oklahoma's bid to advance was derailed by the vault and Alabama struggled mightily on beam, the Gators and Utes took care of business and avoided having to count significantmiscues.

No. 2 seed LSU won the day's opening semifinal at 198.1125 with No. 3 California (197.7125) also advancing to Saturday's final. Stanford (197.075) was third in the first semifinal, followed by Arkansas (196.475).

SATURDAY'S TEAM FINAL:
Two different conferences are represented in Saturday's NCAA team final:

Pac-12 California & Utah
Southeastern Florida & LSU

NCAA Team Final Rotation

This Evening's Meet:
Florida was assigned floor exercise to open Thursday's second semifinal. Junior Leanne Wong anchored with a team-high 9.9125 while freshman Danie Ferris posted a 9.90. Sloane Blakely earned 9.8875 while marks of 9.875 from Victoria Nguyen and Anya Pilgrim added to Florida's team total of 49.45.

It was hit after hit as the Gators went 1-2-3 in the second semifinal vault standings. Wong hit her Podkopayeva to lead all in the evening semifinal with a 9.9375. For the second consecutive meet, senior Ellie Lazzari hit a collegiate-best 9.925 to take second. Pilgrim posted a 9.9125 to share third overall in the semi and fellow freshman Skylar Draser started the lineup off with a 9.875. Nguyen and Ferris also earned 9.85s as UF posted the day's leading vault total of 49.50.

OBSESSED.

🔹 @leannewong03 with a 9.9375!!#GoGators | #WeChomp pic.twitter.com/KNsHBopiCp

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 19, 2024

the routine ⤵️#GoGators | #WeChomp
📺https://t.co/aTLkeEjMmX pic.twitter.com/uBCQZRTyyV

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 19, 2024

The Gators put aside a mid-lineup miss to hit its closing three uneven bars routines. Wong anchored to share the winning bars mark with Oklahoma's Audrey Davis at 9.965. The Gators broke their team corral celebrating Nguyen's 9.9125 routine. Pilgrim hit for a 9.90 while marks of 9.85 by Blakely and 9.825 from Draser added in to Florida's bars total of 49.45.

👀👀👀#GoGators | #WeChomp
📺https://t.co/aTLkeEjMmX pic.twitter.com/mp3dCTlsgE

See Also

Ms. Pac-Man Face Split

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 19, 2024

Blakely matched her season balance beam best of 9.925 to lead UF on its closing event. Draser got the Gators beam lineup started by equaling her collegiate best of 9.90. Nguyen posted a 9.9125 while Wong's 9.8875 and Pilgrim's 9.85 were also computed into UF's 49.475.

. @sloaneeblakely ties her season high with a 9.9250🥳#GoGators | #WeChomp
📺https://t.co/aTLkeEjMmX pic.twitter.com/RHsYyw10Fp

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 19, 2024

Wong and Oregon State's Jade Carey led the second semifinal all-around at 39.70, which ended up second overall to LSU's Haleigh Bryant's 39.7125. Two other Gators earned All-America all-around honors in the second semifinal – Nguyen (5^th – 39.55) and Pilgrim (T6 – 39.5375).

EVENT WINNERS:
Scores are combined from both NCAA Semifinal sessions to determine event winners:
Vault: Anna Roberts, Stanford 9.95
Bars: Leanne Wong, UF and Audrey Davis, OU 9.9625
Beam: Audrey Davis, OU and Faith Torrez, OU 9.9625
Floor: Aleah Finnegan, LSU 9.9625
AA: Haleigh Bryant, LSU 39.7125

A Gator was among the top 8 for three events.

• All-Around: Leanne Wong – T2 39.70
• Vault: Leanne Wong – T2 9.9375, Ellie Lazzari – 4^th 9.925 and Anya Pilgrim – T5 9.9125
• Uneven Bars: Leanne Wong – T1 9.9625

Leanne Wong wins the sixth NCAA uneven bars title for the Gators since 2013.

• Alaina Johnson 2013
• Bridget Sloan 2014 & 2016
• Alex McMurtry 2017
• Trinity Thomas 2022
• Leanne Wong 2024

Did You Know?
Leanne Wong is the fifth different Gator to appear among the top-20 all-around scores in NCAA semifinal action. No other school has more than three individuals among the top-20.

GATOR ALL-AMERICANS:
Four Gators earned nine All-America honors in Thursday's NCAA semifinal competition.

Leanne Wong is one of four among the 45 gymnasts earning 2024 All-America honors in NCAA competition with four or more honors.

GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:

• Florida advances to its 20th NCAA team final (1994, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024). Florida won NCAA team titles in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
• Leanne Wong's 39.70 matches the fourth highest all-around by a Gator in NCAA semifinal action:
  • Trinity Thomas (2022) & Alex McMurtry (2017) 39.8125
  • Kytra Hunter (2012) 39.725
  • Bridget Sloan (2016) & Wong (2024) 39.70
• For the third consecutive year, Leanne Wong earns four All-America honors in NCAA Championships' action.
• Ellie Lazzari set her vault best of 9.925 in the April 7 NCAA Regional Final and then equaled that mark tonight to earn All-America first team honors.
• Victoria Nguyen made her first all-around appearance as a Gator in the 2023 NCAA Team final. Tonight was her 10^th all-around appearance of the season, earning All-America second-team honors. She also earned All-America second-team honors with a 9.9125 on uneven bars, just off her season-best of 9.925 set at the SEC Championship meet.
• Anya Pilgrim's 39.5375 led all freshmen in 2024 NCAA Championship all-around competition. She also was the top freshman vaulter, tying for fifth overall at 9.9125.
• Sloane Blakely matched her season beam best of 9.925 for the second consecutive meet and for the sixth time in 2024.
• Collegiate bests this evening:
  • Skylar Draser: 9.90 (beam)
  • Ellie Lazzari: 9.925 (vault)

COACH ROWLAND SAID:
"The Gators stayed calm, cool and collected tonight – just really chill. They stayed invested in the Gators one routine at a time. So extremely proud of them for committing to trusting their training, controlling their controllables and just being themselves. Hats off to this team as they continue to amaze me. I have so much respect for what they continue to show us on a daily basis." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

UP NEXT:
NCAA Championships team final air Saturday at 4 p.m. ET on ABC.

Apparatus video stream available with Olympic medalist & Gator Great Bridget Sloan (vault and beam), Gator All-American Kennedy Baker (uneven bars & floor exercise), Samantha Peszek (vault & beam) and Anastasia Webb (bars & floor) calling the action.