Florida Gymnasts No. 3 in 2013 GymInfo Preseason Poll
Monday, December 3, 2012 | Gymnastics
The University of Florida gymnastics team is No. 3 on the 2013 preseason poll released by GymInfo this morning. This is the seventh consecutive year Florida appears among the preseason top four teams (2007: 3rd; 2008: 2nd; 2009: 3rd; 2010: 4th; 2011: 3rd; 2012: 3rd). Florida has ranked among the preseason top 10 each year since the poll's inception in 1992.
2013 rankings almost mirror the 2012 preseason top five, with only the top two teams reversed from last year's poll. Two-time defending NCAA champion Alabama holds the top spot while 2010 NCAA team champion UCLA is in the No. 2 spot. Rounding out the preseason top five are No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 5 Utah.
The top three teams in this year's poll were involved in the tightest meet in the 31-year history of the NCAA Championship. Just a tenth of a point separated No. 1 from No. 3 in the 2012 NCAA Super Six team final – No. 1 Alabama (197.85), No. 2 Florida (197.775) and No. 3 UCLA (197.75).
Florida faces nine opponents in the poll, including three in the preseason top 10. Five of Florida's home dates feature an opponent among the preseason top 25 – No. 1 Alabama on Feb. 8, No. 13 Auburn for the Jan. 25 Gators Link to Pink meet, No. 21 Missouri on Jan. 18, No. 23 Minnesota on March 1 and No. 25 Kentucky of Feb. 22.
In 2012, the Gator gymnastics team was runner-up in the NCAA Championship and won both Southeastern Conference and NCAA Regional team titles. Five Gator All-Americans return this season, including 2012 NCAA all-around and vault champion Kytra Hunter. Also returning are 2011 NCAA vault champion Marissa King, 2012 NCAA Regional all-around champion Ashan?e Dickerson, 2012 SEC uneven bars champion Alaina Johnson and 2012 NCAA uneven bars finalist Mackenzie Caquatto.
Season tickets for the 2013 Gator Gymnastics campaign are now available for the low price of $20.00. Find more information at the Gator Ticket Office link or by calling the Gator Ticket Office at 1-800-34-GATOR from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The season opens Friday, Jan. 4 when the Gators play host to Ball State in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center at 7 p.m.
| GymInfo – 2013 Women's Pre-Season Coaches Poll | ||||
| Rank | Team | Points | First Place Votes | Date with Florida |
| 1 | Alabama | 689 | 11 | Feb. 8 – home |
| 2 | UCLA | 645 | 5 | |
| 3 | Florida | 644 | 10 | |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 622 | 1 | |
| 5 | Utah | 568 | 1 | March 16 - away |
| 6 | Stanford | 542 | ||
| 7 | Nebraska | 495 | ||
| 8 | LSU | 481 | Jan. 11 - away | |
| 9 | Oregon State | 442 | ||
| 10 | Michigan | 438 | ||
| 11 | Georgia | 435 | Feb. 16 – away | |
| 12 | Arkansas | 421 | Feb. 1 - away | |
| 13 | Auburn | 302 | Jan. 26 – home | |
| 14 | Ohio State | 279 | ||
| 15 | Boise State | 258 | ||
| 16 | Penn State | 242 | ||
| 17 | Washington | 212 | ||
| 18 | Illinois-Champaign | 192 | ||
| 19 | Arizona | 183 | ||
| 20 | Denver | 140 | ||
| 21 | Missouri | 139 | Jan. 18 – home | |
| 22 | North Carolina State | 129 | ||
| 23 | Minnesota | 123 | March 1 - home | |
| 24 | West Virginia | 115 | ||
| 25 | Kentucky | 101 | Feb. 22 - home | |
