Florida Gators women's gymnastics
Women's gymnastics team of the University of Florida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Florida Gators women's gymnastics team represents the University of Florida in the sport of gymnastics. The team competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gators host their home matches in the O'Connell Center on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus, and are currently led by head coach Jenny Rowland. The Gators women's gymnastics program has won six SEC regular season championships (2019-2024), thirteen SEC championship meets, and four national championships: the 1982 AIAW national tournament and the 2013, 2014, and 2015 NCAA championships.
| Florida Gators women's gymnastics | |
|---|---|
| |
| Founded | 1973 |
| University | University of Florida |
| Head coach | Jenny Rowland (10th season) |
| Conference | SEC |
| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Home arena | Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center (Capacity: 9,251[1]) |
| Nickname | Florida Gators |
| Colors | Orange and blue[2] |
| National championships | |
| 1982 (AIAW), 2013, 2014,[a] 2015 | |
| Four on the Floor appearances | |
| 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 | |
| Super Six appearances | |
| 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 | |
| NCAA Regional championships | |
| 1981 (AIAW), 1982 (AIAW) 1984, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 | |
| Conference championships | |
| 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2022, 2023, 2026 | |
History
The University of Florida first fielded a women's varsity gymnastics team in the fall of 1973. Gymnastics was one of the first women's sports added at the University of Florida and achieved early success by winning the 1982 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) championship (the AIAW was the governing body for women's college sports from 1971 to 1982). Since the NCAA assumed sponsorship for women's sports championships in 1982, Florida has advanced to the NCAA championships (top twelve) every year but one. The Gators have advanced to the "Super Six" finals of the NCAA championships nineteen times. Florida has finished twice as runner-up (1998 and 2012)[3][4] and won NCAA championships in 2013, 2014, and 2015.[5]
Ernestine Weaver was the head coach of the Gators gymnastics program from 1980 to 1992 and was responsible for much of the team's early success in AIAW, NCAA, and SEC competition. Under Weaver, the Gators won five SEC championships, the AIAW national championship in 1982, and appeared in thirteen consecutive NCAA championships; Gators gymnasts won five AIAW and NCAA individual national championships. Judi Markell succeeded Weaver as head coach in 1993 and her teams qualified for nine NCAA championships in ten seasons, including three Super Six appearances and a second-place finish in 1998; Markell's Gators won three individual national championships.
The Gators were coached by Rhonda Faehn from 2003 to 2015; they won four SEC championships and appeared in the NCAA championships every year, including ten Super Six appearances, a national runner-up performance in 2012, and three straight national championships from 2013 to 2015. The 2014 NCAA championship team scored the highest total ever at an NCAA championship with a 198.175.[4] Faehn's Gators won nine individual national championships. Marissa King won the vault title in 2011, Kytra Hunter won the all-around and vault title in 2012 and the all-around and floor titles in 2015, Alaina Johnson won the uneven bars title in 2013, and Bridget Sloan won the all-around and balance beam titles in 2013 and the uneven bars title in 2014.
After Faehn's resignation following the 2015 national championship, Florida hired Auburn assistant Jenny Rowland to be the new head coach. In Jenny's first year as head coach she led the Gators to their 10th SEC title and fourth in seven years.
Individual national champions
Thirteen Florida Gators gymnasts have won a total of thirty-two individual national college championships, including Ann Woods (1982 AIAW all-around, floor exercise, uneven bars), Lynn McDonnell (1982 AIAW balance beam), Maria Anz (1984 NCAA floor exercise), Susan Hines (1997 NCAA vault; 1998 NCAA vault), Betsy Hamm (1998 NCAA balance beam), Marissa King (2011 NCAA vault), Kytra Hunter (2012 NCAA all-around and vault title, 2015 all-around and floor title), Alaina Johnson (2013 NCAA bars), Bridget Sloan (2013 NCAA all-around, beam; 2014 NCAA bars; 2016 NCAA all-around, bars, and beam), Alex McMurtry (2017 NCAA all-around and bars; 2018 NCAA vault), Alicia Boren (2019 NCAA floor), Trinity Thomas (2022 NCAA all-around, floor exercise, and uneven bars), Leanne Wong (2024 NCAA bars), and Riley McCusker (2026 uneven bars).
Roster
| Name | Height | Year | Hometown | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alyssa Arana | 5-2 | JR | Miami, FL | Leyva Gymnastics Academy |
| Skye Blakely | 5-4 | SO | Frisco, TX | WOGA |
| Jayla Booker | 5-5 | FR | Coral Springs, FL | American Twisters |
| Lori Brubach | 5-4 | SR | Apopka, FL | RAD Gymnastics |
| Lily Bruce | 5-3 | SO | Kingwood, TX | World Champions Centre |
| Ly Bui | 5-1 | SO | Swisher, IA | GAGE |
| Taylor Clark | 5-2 | SO | Orange Park, FL | Florida Elite |
| Kayla DiCello | 5-4 | R-SO | Boyds, MD | Hill's Gymnastics |
| Amelia Disidore | 5-5 | FR | Overland Park, KS | GAGE |
| Gabby Disidore | 5-6 | JR | Overland Park, KS | GAGE |
| Maddy Dorbin | 5-2 | FR | Lilburn, GA | Georgia Elite |
| Skylar Draser | 5-6 | JR | South Huntington, NY | Parkettes |
| Danie Ferris | 5-5 | JR | Palm Coast, FL | Florida Elite |
| Emjae Frazier | 5-2 | SR | Erial, NJ | Parkettes |
| Selena Harris-Miranda | 5-1 | SR | Las Vegas, NV | Gymcats |
| Riley McCusker | 5-2 | SR | Bradenton, FL | Arizona Sunrays |
| Anya Pilgrim | 5-5 | SO | Germantown, MD | Hill's Gymnastics |
| Jocelyn Sasson | 5-0 | FR | Clermont, FL | Brandy Johnson's |
- Head coach: Jenny Rowland
- Associate head coach: Adrian Burde
- Assistant coach: Owen Field
- Assistant coach: Jeremy Miranda
All-American selections
All-American selections through the 2012 season.[7]
- Maria Anz (1984)
- Mackenzie Caquatto (2012)
- Amanda Castillo (2007, 2008)
- Ashanee Dickerson (2010, 2011*, 2012)
- Erinn Dooley (2003*, 2004, 2005*)
- Savannah Evans (2004*, 2006, 2007)
- Amy Ferguson (2012*)
- Courtney Gladys (2010*)
- Alicia Goodwin (2009, 2010*)
- Jaime Graziano (1997*)
- Kristin Guise (1993*, 1994, 1995, 1996)
- Betsy Hamm (1998)
- Corey Hartung (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
- Susan Hines (1996*, 1997, 1998)
- Kytra Hunter (2012)
- Alaina Johnson (2011, 2012*)
- Colleen Johnson (1993*)
- Janice Kerr (1988^)
- Breanne King (2004*, 2007*)
- Marissa King (2010, 2011, 2012)
- Samantha Lutz (2004, 2006*)
- Elizabeth Mahlich (2009*)
- Lana Marty (1982)
- Christina McDonald (1991)
- Lynn McDonnell (1981, 1982)
- Melissa Miller (1987, 1988, 1989)
- Lindsey Miner (2002, 2003)
- Tiffany Murry (2006*)
- Amy Myerson (1994, 1995)
- Lisa Panzironi (1994*)
- Ashley Reed (2007, 2008)
- Katie Rue (2004*)
- Elfi Schlegel (1983, 1984, 1985)
- Melanie Sinclair (2007, 2008, 2009)
- Maranda Smith (2009, 2010, 2011)
- Tammy Smith (1985)
- Sybil Stephenson (1995*, 1996*, 1997)
- Kristen Stucky (2003*)
- Orley Szmuch (2003*, 2004)
- Hilary Thompson (2001, 2002*)
- Pam Titus (1989, 1990, 1991)
- Chantelle Tousek (2004)
- Chrissy Van Fleet (1997, 1998, 1999*, 2000*)
- Chrissy Vogel (1995, 1996, 1997*)
- Kara Waterhouse (2001*)
- Nicola Willis (2008)
- Tracy Wilson (1990)
- Ann Woods (1980, 1981, 1982)
- Rebekah Zaiser (2010*)
Second-team All-American honors are designated with an asterisk (*). H. Boyd McWhorter Award winners (top SEC female scholar-athletes) are designated with a caret (^).
Regular season All-American Awards
The National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NAGCS) started awarding All-American honors for a gymnast's regular season performance. The top 8 gymnasts in each event and the all-around receive first team honors and gymnasts ranked 9 to 16 receive second team honors.
The score is based on the National Qualifying Score (NQS) in the RoadtoNationals.com rankings.
| Year | Name | First Team | Second Team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | [8] | Skye Blakey | UB | BB |
| Kayla DiCello | UB, BB | |||
| Selena Harris-Miranda | AA, V, UB, BB | |||
| Riley McCusker | UB | |||
| 2025 | [9] | Leanne Wong | AA, UB | V, BB, FX |
| Selena Harris-Miranda | AA, V, BB | |||
| 2024 | [10] | Leanne Wong | UB | AA, BB |
| Anya Pilgrim | AA, V | |||
| 2023 | Kayla DiCello | AA, UB, BB | ||
| Trinity Thomas | AA, UB, FX | V, BB | ||
| Leanne Wong | AA, UB | BB | ||
| 2022 | [11] | Nya Reed | FX | V |
| Megan Skaggs | AA | |||
| Trinity Thomas | V, UB, BB, FX | |||
| Leanne Wong | UB | AA, BB, FX | ||
| 2021 | [12] | Trinity Thomas | AA, BB, FX, V | UB |
| Alyssa Baumann | BB, FX | |||
| Megan Skaggs | AA, UB | |||
| Ellie Lazarri | BB | |||
| Nya Reed | FX | |||
| Savannah Schoenherr | V | |||
| Leah Clapper | BB | |||
| 2020 | [13] | Trinity Thomas | AA, UB, BB, FX | V |
| Rachel Gowey | BB | |||
| Savannah Schoenherr | UB | |||
| Alyssa Baumann | FX | BB | ||
| 2019 | [14] | Trinity Thomas | AA, UB, FX | BB |
| Alyssa Baumann | BB | |||
| Alicia Boren | AA, FX | |||
| Megan Skaggs | UB | |||
| 2018 | [15] | Alyssa Baumann | BB | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, BB, FX | |||
| Rachel Gowey | BB | |||
| Alex McMurtry | V, UB, BB | |||
| Rachel Slocum | V | |||
| 2017 | [16] | Kennedy Baker | FX | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, V, FX | |||
| Amelia Hundley | UB | AA | ||
| Alex McMurtry | V, UB | BB | ||
| Rachel Slocum | V | |||
| 2016 | [17] | Kennedy Baker | AA, V, FX | |
| Alicia Boren | AA, V | |||
| Bridgette Caquatto | UB | |||
| Alex McMurtry | V, UB, BB | |||
| Bridget Sloan | AA, UB, BB, FX | V | ||
| 2015 | [18] | Kennedy Baker | FX | |
| Claire Boyce | BB | |||
| Bridgette Caquatto | UB | FX | ||
| Kytra Hunter | AA, V, FX | |||
| Alex McMurtry | V | UB | ||
| Bridget Sloan | UB | |||
| 2014 | [19] | Mackenzie Caquatto | UB, BB | |
| Kytra Hunter | AA, V, FX | |||
| Alaina Johnson | AA | UB | ||
| Bridget Sloan | AA, V, UB, BB, FX | |||
| 2013 | Mackenzie Caquatto | UB, BB | ||
| Ashanée Dickerson | V | AA | ||
| Kytra Hunter | AA, V, FX | UB | ||
| Marissa King | FX | |||
| Bridget Sloan | AA, UB, BB | V |
Team Records
Top Team Total
Top Vault Total
Top Uneven Bars Total
|
Top Balance Beam Total
Top Floor Total
|
Florida gymnasts at the Olympics
Olympians
| Year | Country | Name | Medal(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 |  Canada | Christina McDonald | |
| 2004 |  Great Britain | Nicola Willis | |
| 2008 | Great Britain | Marissa King | |
 United States | Bridget Sloan |  team |
Alternates
| Year | Country | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | United States | Kayla DiCello |
| Leanne Wong | ||
| 2024 | United States | Leanne Wong |
