Florida Gators

The Florida gymnastics team took fourth in Friday's NCAA Super Six team final Friday evening in front of a Bob Devaney Sports Center crowd of 3,090.

Top-seeded Georgia collected its fifth consecutive NCAA team title with a total of 197.825. Alabama was second at 197.575 and Utah took third at 197.425. Florida posted a 196.725 to take its second consecutive fourth-place finish. Rounding out the Super Six team finishes was Arkansas (196.475) and LSU (196.375).

This was the eighth NCAA Super Six appearance for the Gators (1994, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) since the format began in the 1993 season. The highest NCAA finish for the Gators was second in the 1998 event held in Los Angeles, Calif. Five of Florida's appearances have come in the seven years under Head Coach Rhonda Faehn.

To reach the Super Six team final was an accomplishment for this Gator team that has seen a third of its 12-member roster lost to season-ending injuries. Making the NCAA Championships' 12-team field seemed like a challenge when its final gymnast, seven-time All-American Amanda Castillo, was lost just prior to the championship portion of the season. But Faehn liked the way this team embraced the challenge and responded with some of its best performances of the season.

“It was extremely frustrating at points of the season. I think when Amanda was injured and we knew that we wouldn't have her for the rest of the season, that was kind of the final blow,” Faehn said. “We thought (qualifying to NCAAs) would be really tough. But what was amazing is that every other athlete that was out there competing said 'Absolutely not. There is no way that we aren't going to have the most successful season that we can.' They proved that in every meet since. This is going to be a meet to remember.”

Florida opened its Super Six competition on the uneven bars by matching its total of 49.15 of yesterday's team qualifying session. Senior Corey Hartung led UF on the event with her mark of 9.875.

The Gators turned in a solid set on the balance beam, posting a 49.20. Junior Melanie Sinclair and Hartung each posted UF's high mark of 9.875 for the event.

At the midway point of the meet, Florida was in sixth place. They knew they would need solid team totals on its final two events to advance in the standings.

Florida came off its final bye to post a floor exercise team total of 49.375 – the Gators' highest since its Feb. 28 dual at Georgia. Hartung equaled her collegiate-best of 9.95 for the second time this season and the seventh time of her career. Maranda Smith turned in a 9.90 – her fourth 9.90 on floor of the last five meets.

Florida needed a strong vault set to put itself in position to claim the fourth-place trophy. The task was made more difficult when the Gators' opening vaulter had trouble and received a mark of 9.45. But the next four vaulters turned in scores of 9.80 or above – Courtney Gladys (9.80), Smith and Sinclair (9.85 each) and Hartung (9.90). Junior Ashley Kerr matched her collegiate-best of 9.60 to give UF a vault team total of 49.00. It was Florida's fifth meet of the season with four events team totals of 49.00 or better.

Hartung, the team's lone senior, will take several memories from this meet.

“What I'll remember from my performance tonight is sticking my landing on my last vault. I'm very proud of that – going out with a stuck vault,” she said with a laugh.

“It is the most memorable nationals ever,” she continued. “This team fought all year. I will definitely remember this one the most because of this team's heart and fight. We've had so much fun today – more than any other nationals. It was an amazing event.”

The final day of the NCAA Championships will have four Gators among the individual event finals, which begin at 7 p.m. (ET). Florida's participants are: