Florida's Alaina Johnson named SEC Gymnast of the Week
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 | Gymnastics
University of Florida freshman Alaina Johnson (Tyler, Texas) is the Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. Alabama's Diandra Milliner is the Freshman Gymnast of the Week.
This is Johnson's first Gymnast of the Week honor, as she has been named the SEC Freshman of the Week three times in 2011. A Gator gymnast has been honored as either the SEC Gymnast or Freshman Gymnast of the Week in each of the league's six releases of the season.
| Florida SEC Honorees of 2011 | ||
| Week | Name | Honor |
| 1 | Alaina Johnson | SEC Freshman of the Week |
| 2 | Alaina Johnson | SEC Freshman of the Week |
| 3 | Ashan?e Dickerson | SEC Gymnast of the Week |
| 4 | Alaina Johnson | SEC Freshman of the Week |
| 5 | Mackenzie Caquatto | SEC Freshman of the Week |
| 6 | Alaina Johnson | SEC Gymnast of the Week |
Last Saturday at No. 4 Georgia, Johnson upped the nation's season-high all-around total to 39.675 to claim her second win. In Florida's triangular meet on Jan. 28, Johnson won her first collegiate all-around title with the then-nation's leading total of 39.60. Her winning total Saturday ranks as the second-highest ever by a Gator freshman.
Johnson and Georgia junior Kat Ding shared the day's uneven bars title at 9.975. They are among only three gymnasts who have posted the near perfect mark in collegiate bar competition this season. She also shared the vault title at 9.90 with All-American teammates Ashan?e Dickerson and Maranda Smith. Her three wins at Georgia brings her season titles total to 10.
In the Feb. 14 national rankings, Johnson holds the No. 6 position in the all-around with her season average of 39.340. She also ranks No. 6 in vault (9.896) and floor (9.883).
The No. 1 Gators return home to play host to No. 22 Auburn on Feb. 18 for Senior Night presented by Verizon. Florida's pair of All-American seniors Alicia Goodwin and Maranda Smith will be honored at the event. Meet time is set for 7 p.m. in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. The first 500 fans through the door receive a free cinch bag courtesy of Gatorade. Complimentary passes for the home finale can be picked up at any Verizon store in Gainesville or Ocala. Tickets are $4, while children 17 and under and UF students showing a valid Gator 1 card are admitted free. For a complete list of promotions for Friday's meet, please check the Gator Outlook.
Due to the large amount of events in and around the O'Connell Center on Feb. 18 (SEC Swimming & Diving Championships and home opener for Gator baseball), fans are encouraged to utilize the parking shuttle. Park in the commuter lot on Gale Lemerand Drive where the shuttle will pick up patrons and drop them off at the corner of Gale Lemerand Drive and Stadium Road near the O'Connell Center's Gate 2. The shuttle begins at 5 p.m. Friday and runs until 30 minutes after the evening's final event. A map of the shuttle service can be found here.
