Saturday, April 1
State College, PA
6:00 PM
Florida Gators
at
NCAA Region V
Gator Gymnasts Third at NCAA Region V - Van Fleet Wins All-Around
Saturday, April 1, 2000 | Gymnastics
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The University of Florida gymnastics team finished third in the NCAA Region V Championships, just missing a berth for the NCAA Championships by five hundredths of a point. Michigan won the meet with a total of 196.55, while Penn State was second at 195.925. The Gators turned in a total of 195.875 to just finish outside the top two team places that will advance to the NCAA Championships, set for April 13-15 in Boise, Idaho. This ends the Gators streak of advancing to the NCAA Championships at 18 consecutive meets. Only Florida and Utah had advanced to every national championship since the NCAA began sponsoring women's championship events in 1982.
The Gators will be represented at the NCAA Championships by senior Chrissy Van Fleet, who claimed the all-around title with a 39.375. The all-around champions at each of the six NCAA Region competitions advance to the NCAA Championships. If the all-around champion is already on an advancing team, then the rest of the individual all-around competitors field will be made on the basis on rank order of finish (highest score) from all of the regional championships. Van Fleet also claimed the evening's balance beam title with a score of 9.925. She was second on bars with a mark of 9.90.
"We did a great job - that is all you can ask," UF Head Coach Judi Markell said. "It was such a close margin. This team performed like champions tonight and like they deserved to be going to NCAAs. They gave it everything they had, training hard all season and it showed. This small team has got a big heart."
Florida was third in the team standings after opening the meet with a vault event score of 48.875. Junior Teal Chiabotti led the Gators on the event with a 9.85, while Van Fleet posted a 9.80. Michigan took the lead after the first rotation with a 49.325 set on floor, while Penn State posted a 49.20 on the uneven bars.
The Gators were on bye for the meet's second rotation, while Michigan turned in a 49.30 on vault for a two-event total of 98.625. Penn State was on balance beam, posting a 48.725 for a total of 97.925.
On the third rotation, the Gators turned in a total of 48.825 for the uneven bars. Van Fleet led the Gators on the event with a 9.90, while junior Gabby Fuchs turned in a 9.80. Florida was in third place at the mid-way point of the meet with a two-event total of 97.70.
Three teams turned in event scores of 49.00+ on the fourth rotation - including the Gators' season-best balance beam total of 49.225. Michigan led all teams on the rotation with a 49.375 set on the uneven bars, while Penn State posted a 49.35 on the floor exercise. Van Fleet turned in the Gators' season-best mark of 9.925 on the balance beam, while three other Gators turned in marks of 9.80 or better -- Hilary Thompson (9.875), Chiabotti (9.85), and Lindsey Miner (9.80). Thompson's mark placed her third in the final beam standings.
Florida was on bye during the fifth rotation, while Michigan and Penn State finished out the competition on the beam and vault, respectively. Michigan was forced to count one fall toward its beam total of 48.55 to finish with a total of 196.55. Penn State posted a vault team total of 48.65 to finish at 195.925. The Gators needed to post a 49.025 on floor to earn an advancing team berth outright to the NCAA Championships.
The Gators were close, but couldn't quite meet the required floor total, posting a 48.95. Freshman Lindsey Miner led the Gators on the event with a 9.825, while Chiabotti turned in a 9.80.
The Gators will be represented at the NCAA Championships by senior Chrissy Van Fleet, who claimed the all-around title with a 39.375. The all-around champions at each of the six NCAA Region competitions advance to the NCAA Championships. If the all-around champion is already on an advancing team, then the rest of the individual all-around competitors field will be made on the basis on rank order of finish (highest score) from all of the regional championships. Van Fleet also claimed the evening's balance beam title with a score of 9.925. She was second on bars with a mark of 9.90.
"We did a great job - that is all you can ask," UF Head Coach Judi Markell said. "It was such a close margin. This team performed like champions tonight and like they deserved to be going to NCAAs. They gave it everything they had, training hard all season and it showed. This small team has got a big heart."
Florida was third in the team standings after opening the meet with a vault event score of 48.875. Junior Teal Chiabotti led the Gators on the event with a 9.85, while Van Fleet posted a 9.80. Michigan took the lead after the first rotation with a 49.325 set on floor, while Penn State posted a 49.20 on the uneven bars.
The Gators were on bye for the meet's second rotation, while Michigan turned in a 49.30 on vault for a two-event total of 98.625. Penn State was on balance beam, posting a 48.725 for a total of 97.925.
On the third rotation, the Gators turned in a total of 48.825 for the uneven bars. Van Fleet led the Gators on the event with a 9.90, while junior Gabby Fuchs turned in a 9.80. Florida was in third place at the mid-way point of the meet with a two-event total of 97.70.
Three teams turned in event scores of 49.00+ on the fourth rotation - including the Gators' season-best balance beam total of 49.225. Michigan led all teams on the rotation with a 49.375 set on the uneven bars, while Penn State posted a 49.35 on the floor exercise. Van Fleet turned in the Gators' season-best mark of 9.925 on the balance beam, while three other Gators turned in marks of 9.80 or better -- Hilary Thompson (9.875), Chiabotti (9.85), and Lindsey Miner (9.80). Thompson's mark placed her third in the final beam standings.
Florida was on bye during the fifth rotation, while Michigan and Penn State finished out the competition on the beam and vault, respectively. Michigan was forced to count one fall toward its beam total of 48.55 to finish with a total of 196.55. Penn State posted a vault team total of 48.65 to finish at 195.925. The Gators needed to post a 49.025 on floor to earn an advancing team berth outright to the NCAA Championships.
The Gators were close, but couldn't quite meet the required floor total, posting a 48.95. Freshman Lindsey Miner led the Gators on the event with a 9.825, while Chiabotti turned in a 9.80.
| TEAM TOTALS | |||||||
| Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | rank | Total | ||
| Michigan | 49.300 | 49.375 | 48.550 | 49.325 | 1 | 196.550 | |
| Penn State | 48.650 | 49.200 | 48.725 | 49.350 | 2 | 195.925 | |
| Florida | 48.875 | 48.825 | 49.225 | 48.950 | 3 | 195.875 | |
| Rutgers | 48.150 | 48.375 | 47.925 | 47.925 | 4 | 192.375 | |
| Pittsburgh | 48.075 | 47.725 | 47.475 | 48.575 | 5 | 191.850 | |
| UNH | 47.950 | 47.200 | 48.450 | 47.600 | 6 | 191.200 | |
Players Mentioned
V, BB, FX
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