The No. 4 Florida gymnastics team (6-3, 3-3 SEC) finished its 2009 home schedule with a 196.825-196.325 win over No. 14 Michigan (13-4, 4-0 Big Ten) Friday evening in front of a Stephen C. O'Connell Center crowd of 3,829.
Florida's score was just a fraction away from its season-best of 196.875 set Feb. 20. The meet was tight between the two teams throughout the competition and UF held only a two-tenths lead heading into the final rotation. Florida's first four floor competitors turned in marks ranging from 9.825 – 9.925 and gave UF the lead it needed to finish the 2009 season with an undefeated home record.
A Gator picked up at least a share of every event title Friday. Junior All-American Amanda Castillo, performing as an all-arounder for only the second time this season and the first time in front of the Gator crowd, won that title with a total of 39.425. That total matches her season-best set last week at No. 1 Georgia. Bursitis in her foot has limited her contributions this season, but Castillo is happy to be back as an all-arounder.
“I'm just doing it for the team, doing it for the sport and doing it to be back out there. It is one of the best feelings [being] out there. Earlier this season, I was only doing one or two events,” Castillo said. “I didn't feel like myself. To be back in the all-around - it's just amazing.”
| Did You Know… |
| Five all-arounders competed for Florida in the 2009 home finale, marking the second time since 1994 that UF had as many all-arounders in a single meet. The Gators also had five all-arounders in its 2008 season finale vs. Utah. The Gator all-arounders Friday were Amanda Castillo (39.425), Maranda Smith (39.30), Courtney Gladys (39.225), Melanie Sinclair (39.125) and Elizabeth Mahlich (39.05). In the 1994, five all-arounders competed in each of Florida's final 10 meets of the season. |
Junior Melanie Sinclair collected three more titles Friday, as she now leads the Gators this season with a total of 14 event wins. She opened the meet with a season-best 9.925 to take third vault win of 2009. Sinclair used a 9.90 to collect her sixth uneven bars win. She shared the evening's floor exercise title with Michigan's Kylee Botterman as each turned in season-best marks of 9.925.
It was Florida's Senior Night, but the Gators were without their lone senior, as nine-time All-American Corey Hartung is sidelined with a third degree strain of her left soleus. Hartung did have a chance to perform for a final time in front of the O'Connell Center crowd, as she turned in an exhibition uneven bars routine. She received a warm recognition from the crowd and was honored post-meet for her many contributions to the Gator program.
It was a hard Senior Night for UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn. Hartung said afterwards her tears didn't come until she saw them on Faehn's face.
“I was a mess out there. Corey has just grown so much and is just an unbelievable ambassador for Florida. She is just beautiful all-around and not only in gymnastics but as a person,” Faehn said. “I told her she is going to stick around next year and help us out coaching because I can't say good-bye to her yet.”
With Hartung out, tonight was an opportunity for others to step up. Junior Courtney Gladys turned in her first collegiate all-around performance Friday, tying for fourth at 39.225. It was her first competitive all-around performance since age 14. A Gator who has been a part of the Florida floor lineup all season, freshman Amy Ferguson, has turned in the top two marks of her collegiate career in the last two meets. She received a 9.85 Friday, just off the 9.875 she earned last Saturday at Georgia. Sophomore Alicia Goodwin anchored the Gator beam lineup with a collegiate-best 9.875, giving her the first beam win of her Florida career. She also shared second on the uneven bars at 9.85 with Castillo and UF junior Maranda Smith.
“We are so proud. With all of the challenges, they are stepping up. The way that Amy is competing is so great to see. Courtney as an all-arounder – she's fighting for every tenth. Alicia is a sophomore, but she didn't have a whole lot of competitive experience last year. To come out tonight and have what I thought was a phenomenal bar routine and then to step into the beam lineup for Corey with such confidence - I was so proud of her.”
Next up, Florida finishes its regular-season schedule Friday, March 13 at No. 2 Utah (9-1). Meet time is set for 9 p.m. ET in the Huntsman Center.
| Final Team Standings |
| No. 4 Florida vs. No. 14 Michigan – March 6, 2009 – Stephen C. O'Connell Center (3,829) |
| | Team | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. | Florida | 49.275 | 49.250 | 49.025 | 49.275 | 196.825 |
| 2. | Michigan | 49.175 | 48.850 | 49.075 | 49.225 | 196.325 |
