Florida Gators

Photos by Mike Erdelyi

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Season-best team totals on each event led the Florida gymnastics team to the nation's leading total Friday night in front of a Stephen C. O'Connell Center crowd of 4,529. The Gators' total of 198.225 is tops in 2015 and equals the fourth-highest in school history. Missouri also turned in a season-best 195.975 Friday in the dual meet.

Florida used marks of 9.90 or above from four competitors on each event to earn the season-high totals for each apparatus. Each event title was claimed by a Gator, with 9.95 taking the win on vault, uneven bars and balance beam. Freshman Kennedy Baker broke the trend with her meet-high 9.975 to win her second consecutive floor exercise title.

Senior Kytra Hunter's season-best 39.75 claimed the all-around win – her fifth of the season. She also shared the vault win at 9.95 with freshman Alex McMurtry. Hunter upped her collegiate balance beam best to 9.95, which shared the event title with sophomore Claire Boyce. Junior Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto equaled her collegiate uneven bars best of 9.95 for the second time this season to take her second bars win of 2015.

Gator Performance Notes:

·         Florida's 198.225 is the nation's high. The previous high of 198.15 by Oklahoma came on Feb. 6.

·         Hunter now shares fourth all-time among the Gators with 17 all-around wins. Other Gators with 17 all-around wins are teammate Bridget Sloan and Gator Hall of Fame member Kristen Guise. Hunter's total of 39.75 ranks No. 2 in the nation this season.

·         Hunter pushes her Gator career-leading vault wins total to 20. For McMurtry, it is her third of her freshman season and her second consecutive.

·         Dancose-Giambattisto collects her second uneven bars win of season and third of career.

·         Both Boyce and Hunter raised their collegiate-best beam marks from 9.925 to 9.95 Friday.

·         The last four Florida beam performers all set or equaled collegiate-best marks – Ericha Fassbender 9.90, Boyce 9.95, McMurtry 9.9 and Hunter 9.95.

·         Florida's beam total of 49.575 equals the third-highest in school history.

·         Baker sat out last week's meet at Arkansas after suffering a concussion on Feb. 2. She returns tonight to post collegiate-best marks on vault (9.9) and floor (9.975).

Records: Florida (5-1, 4-1 SEC); Missouri (5-4, 0-4 SEC).

The Series: Florida leads the all-time series 15-0.

Quotes:

On posting the highest score in the country:

“I was really proud of the way the team performed. They competed with heart and that was the biggest thing that I was trying to impress upon them throughout this whole adversity. Not to focus on what we don't have but to focus on what we are and what we have and what we can each contribute. It's a lot of amazing stuff, and it's great gymnastics from everyone.

“Tonight they went out and competed aggressively but they also had fun and the results speak for themselves. We are an incredibly strong and talented team. The bond is getting closer every single weekend. With Kennedy coming back from her concussion and then still without Bridget [Sloan] so it shows the team that they're a huge group of fighters that's very passionate and excited about what we still have to accomplish.” - Florida Head Coach Rhonda Faehn

On the team getting into a rhythm:

“After vault when we were executing well and getting the landings better, I just felt they had this extra energy, they were a little bit more dialed in and then on bars the same thing. With Alex [McMurtry] going third and really sticking her bar landing, it kind of ignited the team and snowballed. What I loved was that they competed aggressively but stayed calm throughout the evening. It was nice to be able to see.” - Florida Head Coach Rhonda Faehn

On staying focused:

"We don't focus on the team that we are going against. We just have the focus on our gymnastics and keeping each other's back. That's what's incredible. We keep this tight bubble and we don't let anything inside of it. Adversity has hit us so many times. No matter what's thrown at us, we're going to be strong and we're going to finish and we're going to do the best that we can." – Florida senior Kytra Hunter

On earning the highest total meet score out of any other team in the country:

“It felt awesome, and Rhonda asked us, 'How does it feel to hit all your routines?' We hit 24 for 24 routines, and it felt amazing. Once we built our momentum on vault, we just kept it going from there. It felt like we could win a championship with that team.” – freshman Alex McMurtry

On getting back to competing:

"I've been excited. It wasn't good sitting out for Arkansas, but it kind of rested me and I was just really excited to get back out there. Especially at home.” – freshman Kennedy Baker

On her high-scoring night:

“Tonight I really focused on what I've been doing in practice. With a home crowd behind you, it's so much easier. I love starting on vault. No matter what the score is, I love vault and hitting my vault, and you just bring that momentum to the next event. After bars, I was so excited, and I said, hey, this is my night; I'm going to hit my beam routine. It all worked out, and it was awesome.” – freshman Alex McMurtry

Noted:

·         Florida's total on each event set or equal its season-highs – 49.55 (vault), 49.525 (bars), 49.575 (beam and floor).

·         A Gator has won all-around in each of Florida's six meets this season.

·         Fassbender has been in the last four Florida beam line-ups, with the freshman raising her collegiate-best each time (9.70 → 9.825 → 9.85 → 9.90).

·         The last four Florida beam performers all set or equaled collegiate-best marks – Fassbender 9.90, Boyce 9.95, McMurtry 9.9 and Hunter 9.95.

·         Senior Kiersten Wang equaled her collegiate-best of 9.90 on both vault and floor Friday.

Catch the SEC Network Broadcast of Friday's Meet

Friday's broadcast of the Florida versus Missouri meet will air tape-delayed on the ESPN2 (Gainesville/Ocala Cox cable channel 27 or 1027) Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

It will re-air on the SEC Network Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. and Feb. 17 at 10 a.m.

Find what channel the SEC Network is on in your area with the SEC Network Finder site.

National Rank:

Florida – Florida is No. 4 in the Feb. 9 GymInfo rankings. The current rankings are based on total season average.

Missouri – The Tigers are No. 34 in the GymInfo rankings.

Up Next:

The Gators travel to Baton Rouge to meet No. 2 LSU on Friday, Feb. 20 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Meet time is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.

LSU was at No. 9 Auburn Friday, winning 197.35-197.30.

The Florida-LSU dual will stream live beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+, which can be viewed by all SEC Network subscribers. The meet also will air tape-delayed on ESPNU on Feb. 24 at 5 p.m.