Florida Gators
Be My Gator Night
No. 6 Gymnasts Set UF Record Team Score of 197.475
Saturday, February 15, 2003 | Gymnastics
With a team score of 197.475, the No. 6 Florida gymnastics team (13-2, 3-0 SEC) shattered the previous school record of 197.10 to claim its fifth consecutive meet title. The Gators took each of the five individual titles as they defeated No. 20 Iowa State (195.825) and No. 12 Denver (195.475) Friday night in front of 2,079 fans at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
It is the first time since 1998 that Florida has scored above the 197.00 mark. The previous school record of 197.10 was set versus Kentucky March 1, 1996. It is the third time in school history Florida has scored more than 197.00.
"I couldn't have really asked for more from them tonight," Florida head coach Rhonda Faehn said. "They held that strong intensity through the entire meet. They kept their focus through the whole thing, and they just performed so clean tonight. It was really nice to see."
Florida continued breaking school records, as the Gators set a school record with a 49.475 performance on beam. The previous school record of 49.350 was set March 1, 1996 and equaled on Jan. 31, 2003. For the fourth consecutive meet, junior Kristen Stucky claimed the event title on beam with a 9.95. Senior All-American Lindsey Miner placed second overall with a career-best 9.925.
Led by Miner's collegiate-high 9.975, Florida posted a school-record 49.525 on floor, just bettering the previous record of 49.50 set in 1997. Miner's score ties for the second highest in school history and is just the fourth time a Gator has posted a 9.975 on floor. Sophomore Orley Szmuch upped her collegiate floor best to 9.95 to take second. Senior Kelly Hesbeens used a collegiate-best 9.90 to shared third in the floor event. Despite redshirt sophomore Erinn Dooley's music cutting off in the middle of her routine, Dooley finished with a 9.85.
"That was crazy," Dooley said. "It was a lot of fun actually. It's something you think will never happen to you and it does. I just went out and did what I usually do, and when the music stopped, I just kept going. Having the crowd and my teammates cheer, yell and clap was a great feeling and just really exciting."
The Gators started the meet well with a 49.175 on vault, matching the team high for the event set a week ago at LSU. Szmuch tied her season-best performance with a 9.90 to claim her first vault title of the season. Miner took second with a 9.875. Two Gators set season bests, as freshman Sherie Owens had a 9.75 and sophomore Kimberly Schatz had a 9.725.
Florida, the No. 1 bars team in the nation, posted its third highest team total this season with a 49.275. For the fifth time this season, junior Erin Pendleton led the Gators on bars, as she turned in a 9.925. Pendleton also took home the event title, her fourth win this season. Owens tied her collegiate-best mark of a 9.825.
Szmuch set her collegiate-best all-around total for the second consecutive meet, this time using a 39.575 to claim her fourth all-around title of the season.
Next Friday, Feb. 21, the No. 6 Gators play host to defending NCAA champion and current No. 3 Alabama in a dual meet. The meet begins at 7:00 p.m. in the O'Connell Center. Tickets are $4.00 for adults while children 17 and under plus UF students are admitted free.
| Total | ||||||
| 1 | University of Florida | 49.175 | 49.275 | 49.500 | 49.525 | 197.475 |
| 2 | Iowa State University | 48.725 | 48.825 | 49.275 | 49.000 | 195.825 |
| 3 | University of Denver | 49.075 | 48.800 | 48.700 | 48.900 | 195.475 |
