The math just didn’t go in the Gators favor Saturday in
the NCAA Super Six team final. The Florida gymnastics team was edged by
Alabama, giving the Tide their second consecutive and sixth overall NCAA
Championship. Alabama won the title at 197.85, while the Gators were 0.075
behind at 197.775.
UCLA took third at 197.75, while Stanford (197.50), Utah
(197.375) and Arkansas (196.30) rounded out the action Saturday in The Arena at
Gwinnett Center.
Just a tenth of a point kept the Gators from becoming the
fifth team to raise the NCAA Championship trophy. In a sport where precision
and execution is rewarded, it was perhaps just a slight step on a landing or a
handstand not quite to vertical that kept the trophy from making a trip down
I-75 to Gainesville. To be so close is a disappointment for a team which has
accomplished so much this season but Florida Head Coach Rhonda Faehn
liked the way her team competed today.
“So close. I’m so proud of the athletes and so proud of
this team because they competed their hearts out. We couldn’t have asked for
any more – for them to go out today and compete as aggressively as they did and
compete with such passion. Just under a tenth difference is extremely painful
and it’s hard but at the same time I look at what our athletes did accomplish
and how incredible they did. I’m super proud of them,” Faehn said. “Of course
we wanted to win, but there can only be one winner. This is incredible
motivation for all of our athletes. We feel that we did everything right this
season and it was just one little thing. They should be very proud of this
performance and use it as fuel for next year.”
Heading into the final rotation, the Gators owned a 0.025
advantage over the Tide – the slightest margin allowed in the sport. The Gators
were on the floor exercise, while the Tide moved to the balance beam. It was
going to be a tough challenge, as the Tide had equaled the highest beam total
ever in NCAA Championships’ history – 49.60 – in Friday’s semifinal action.
Florida couldn’t quite keep up with the Tide’s beam marks Saturday, as the
Gators posted a 49.40 on floor while UA earned a beam total of 49.50.
“I knew it was going to be a brawl till the end,” junior Randy
Stageberg said. “Everyone did what they had to do. We went out there, had
some minor mistakes and, unfortunately, that is what it came down to. I am
still so happy for this team and happy with how we performed tonight.”
Florida opened the meet with a total of 49.475 on vault.
The Gators were led by Ashanée Dickerson, who equaled her collegiate
vault best of 9.95 for the sixth time in her career and the second time this
season. Two other Gators earned vault scores of 9.9 or better – Marissa King
(9.925) and Alaina Johnson (9.90)
On the uneven bars, Florida earned a total of 49.425. A
fall early in the lineup put the pressure on the Gators’ ending performers and
they responded with marks of 9.85 or above. Florida’s final two competitors led
the team as Johnson earned a season-best 9.95 and fellow sophomore Mackenzie
Caquatto earned a 9.90.
At the midway point of the meet, the Gators trailed the
Tide by 0.175, but the Gators’ equaled their top balance beam total of 49.475
to put themselves in position to challenge for the title. Stageberg started off
the Gators’ beam set by setting her collegiate-best of 9.90. Johnson equaled
her collegiate-best of 9.925 to lead UF on the event and King also posted a
9.90.
On floor, Stageberg posted her second collegiate-best of
the day, equaling her top mark of 9.90. Freshman Kytra Hunter, who
became the first Gator to win the NCAA all-around title a day earlier, anchored
the lineup with a 9.925.
The runner-up finish isn’t what this Gator team was
looking for, but a year ago, the exact same margin of 0.075 kept Florida out of
the Super Six. Changes were made this season in the team’s training, which
resulted in the Gators challenging this year for the NCAA title.
“From last year, it is a
big, big step. We did not make it to Super Six last year and the fact that we
are second, and from that, was a phenomenal step. We have grown closer as a
team, the program has improved a lot. Last year was a big learning point in
which the coaches decided to change a few things, and they saw that those few
changes this year were improvements. I definitely think that they are going to
continue to put that into play in the coming years,” King said. “Everyone just
did a great job. I am proud of everyone today.”
NCAA Championships action
finishes Sunday with the NCAA Individual Event finals, which begin at 1 p.m. A
pair of Gators will contend for event titles on three events – vault (King and
Hunter), bars (Johnson and Caquatto) and floor exercise (Dickerson and Hunter).
King is the defending champion on vault. Individual event finals action can be
seen live on ESPN3.
