Florida Gators

The nation's top team total of the 2007 season gave the No. 1 University of Florida gymnastics team (8-0-1, 2-0-1 SEC) the win Friday over No. 10 Auburn (4-3, 1-2 SEC) in front of Stephen C. O'Connell Center crowd of 4,656. The nation's previous 2007 best of 197.475 was turned in by Alabama last weekend. Florida's total of 197.65 also ranks as the third-highest in school history. Auburn posted a total of 195.625 Friday.

Florida seemed to gain momentum as the meet progressed, resulting in a school-record floor exercise team total of 49.65, just edging the previous high of 49.625 set versus UCLA in 2004. Four Gator floor performers set or matched collegiate-best marks Friday, including the UF trio that shared first on the event at 9.95 – Ashley Reed, Amanda Castillo and Corey Hartung. UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn liked the execution that the Gators showed tonight.

“That's what speaks volumes for this team is that they could have easily relaxed going into the last event, but each one of these athletes understands their role. We were resting Melanie (Sinclair) and Nic (Willis) tonight (on the floor) as we are making sure we are not going to peak too early. They all still went out and did their job in competing aggressively and not relaxing even though they knew we were ahead. The score is important rather than just hitting routines.”

The meet was delayed at midpoint for 15 minutes. A power outage blew the speakers used for the floor exercise. Although a distraction, Faehn was pleased that the event didn't seem to affect her team.

“I was really proud of how they performed tonight from the beginning to the very end. They just had so much energy and enthusiasm, but they also did not let the distractions of being without music going into the third rotation bother them. They kept it light and stayed mentally focused. It was good to see they are not letting anything distract them.”

A pair of Gators set or matched collegiate-best marks in each of the first three rotations. Reed used collegiate-best marks on every event to tally the fifth-highest all-around total in school history of 39.675. Reed's collegiate-best total won the all-around – her second of the season and the seventh of her career. Her other top career marks gave Reed at least a share of three other event titles Friday. She shared the evening's vault title with Auburn's Julie Dwyer at 9.925 and also shared the balance beam title with Auburn's A.J. Mills at 9.90. Floor was her final collegiate-best mark. Reed stepped up on the award's podium for every event Friday, matching her top uneven bars mark of 9.90 to take second.

“She was amazing tonight. I was actually talking with her this week about if she understood her potential and does she realize just how good she is because she has so much talent that people would kill for it,” Faehn said. “It's just amazing. It really showed tonight that all the work she has put in and her skill upgrades, especially on vault and floor, really has paid off. She got all the landing and stuck her routines. It's just wonderful to see. We knew she had this talent and she did phenomenal her freshmen year winning the regional all-around, but I think she is really starting to come into her own now and is starting to realize herself that she is a phenomenal talent.”

Reed's said her consistent performances are building her confidence.

“I feel like I'm getting into a grove and getting a little more consistent on the events,” Reed said. “That makes me happy and makes me feel like I know what I'm doing and that I'm doing well.”

Castillo picked up her second uneven bars title Friday with a collegiate-best 9.925. She also tallied a collegiate-best 39.50 to tie for second in the all-around with AU's Dwyer. Other Gators among the top three competitors Friday included senior Breanne King, who stuck her landing to match her collegiate-best vault mark of 9.90 to take third overall. Redshirt freshman Melanie Sinclair was third on bars at 9.875. She also used a collegiate-best of 9.875 to share third in the beam with Hartung and AU's Dwyer.

Next up, the Gators make their second trip of the season to Fayetteville, Ark. This time UF will meet No. T13 Arkansas (1-7, 0-2 SEC) on Friday, Feb. 9 for a dual competition. Meet time is set for 8 p.m. ET in the Barnhill Arena.