Gators Gymnastics Advance to NCAA Championships with Runner-Up Finish at NCAA Region II Championships

Saturday, April 10

Logan, UT

8:00 PM

Florida Gators

NCAA Region II Championships

Gators Gymnastics Advance to NCAA Championships with Runner-Up Finish at NCAA Region II Championships

Saturday, April 10, 1999 | Gymnastics

By: UF Communications

LOGAN, Utah – The No. 10 University of Florida gymnastics advanced to the 1999 NCAA Championships after taking second place Saturday evening in the NCAA Region II Championships, held in front of a Dee Glen Smith Spectrum crowd of 2,387. Top-ranked Georgia won the meet with a team total of 197.375, while the Gators took second at 195.225. Region host Utah State was third at 194.575, followed by Denver (194.200), Minnesota (194.20) and Iowa State (194.175). The top two teams in each of nation's six region competitions Saturday evening advance to the NCAA Championships, set for April 22-24 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The will be the Gators' 18^th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Championships, as UF and Utah are the only two teams to qualify for every possible NCAA Championship.

UF junior Chrissy Van Fleet shared the evening's uneven bars title at 9.975 with UGA's Karin Lichey. Van Fleet's bars mark was her collegiate best. Van Fleet was runner-up to Lichey in the all-around competition, as she posted a 39.50 while Lichey took the title with a 39.775. Lichey shared another event title Saturday with a Gator, as she and UF sophomore Betsy Hamm each posted winning marks of 9.875 in the balance beam. Lichey claimed sole possession of the floor exercise (9.95) and vault (9.975) titles.

The Gators opened the meet with unsteady performances on the floor exercise and vault. UF was forced to count a fall toward its floor team total of 48.50 – it's lowest since late February. Van Fleet led the Gators on floor with a mark of 9.875, while freshman Hilary Thompson posted a mark of 9.825. On the vault, Van Fleet again led the Gators with a mark of 9.875, which tied for second overall.

"It certainly was a character builder," a relieved UF Head Coach Judi Markell said after the meet. "I've always thought this is the hardest meet of the season because there is so much on the line. My heart stopped momentarily after the first two events, but that thought quickly left my mind because I knew that we could pull it out in the last two events."

And pull it out they did. At the midway point of the meet, the Gators held only a .05 lead over then-third place Minnesota, with several other teams within striking distance. The Gators came out of their final bye to post their season-best team total of 49.375 on the uneven bars. Florida put together a solid beam set of 48.70 to seal the meets second and final NCAA qualifying position.

NCAA Region II Championships

Final Team Standings

		Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
1	Georgia	49.325	49.500	49.075	49.475	197.375
2	Florida	48.650	49.375	48.700	48.500	195.225
3	Utah State	48.800	48.625	48.125	49.025	194.575
4	Denver	48.500	49.025	48.275	48.400	194.200
4	Minnesota	48.325	48.775	48.175	48.925	194.200
6	Iowa State	49.000	48.850	47.550	48.775	194.175