Popular Gators Link to Pink Gymnastics Meet is Friday in O'Connell Center
Thursday, February 26, 2015 | Gymnastics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 3 Florida gymnastics team plays host to No. 25 Kentucky Friday, Feb. 27 in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center for the ninth annual Gators Link to Pink. All 2015 Gator home meets will start at 6:45 p.m.
| Friday's Meet Info: | |||
| No. 3 Florida (5-2, 4-2 SEC) vs No. 25 Kentucky (4-4, 2-3 SEC)
Link to Pink T-shirt Giveaway - first 2,000 fans will receive a Link to Pink T-Shirt compliments of Allied
Link to Pink Poster Giveaway - first 1,000 fans will receive a Link to Pink Poster compliments of Allied Chick-Fil-A Buy-One Get-One Free Admission - fans are invited to receive a buy-one get-one free admission to the gymnastics meet by purchasing tickets online using the promo code COW. Presented by Chick-Fil-A.
For a complete list of activities, visit the Gator Athletics Promotions page | |||
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| @UFCoachRhonda (Rhonda Faehn) | |||
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Events aimed to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention and treatment will be included at Friday's meet. These meets are part of a Southeastern Conference initiative and all of the league's teams will participate in a “pink” meet this season. Team colors are set aside Friday as the teams will wear pink (but in different shades).
The first 2,000 fans Friday receive a pink Gators Link to Pink t-shirt and the first 1,000 receive a Link to Pink poster, both compliments of Allied Insurance.
Tickets for Friday's meet are $5 for adults, while children 17 and under and UF students showing a Gator1 card are admitted free. Chick-fil-a is providing buy-one, get-one free admission for fans - just mention the promo code COW when purchasing tickets online or in person.
The meet will air live on the SEC Network and a live stream is available on the SEC Network+.
Parking shuttle:
A complimentary parking shuttle will transports fans from the UF Commuter Lot on Gale Lemerand Drive to the O'Connell Center. For more information, visit GatorZone.com/Gameday
Last Florida-UK dual meet:
Last year when the two teams met in Lexington, Kentucky, the Gators claimed a 197.175-195.45 win. Bridget Sloan earned a 10.0 on balance beam, joining Kristen Stucky (2004) as the only two Gators to earn the perfect mark on beam. She won her fourth consecutive all-around title at 39.675. She also used a 9.90 to share the uneven bars title with then senior Mackenzie Caquatto. Kytra Hunter used 9.925s to win both vault and floor exercise.
Gators in their last meet:
In the nation's top dual meet of last weekend, then No. 2 Florida lost 197.95-197.425 at No. 3 LSU in front of a record Pete Maravich Assembly Center crowd of 12,217. The Tigers owned a slender 0.05 lead at the meet's midway point but a wobbles, steps and balance checks kept the Gators from keep pace with the Tigers on the final two rotations.
Florida freshman Alex McMurtry took her fourth vault title of 2015 with a near-perfect 9.975. Five of her seven vault performances have scored a 9.95 or above. Another freshman, Kennedy Baker, put up a 9.95 on floor exercise to take second overall. Hunter's season uneven bars best of 9.925 placed second.
The UF-LSU dual marked the return Florida's competitive lineup for Sloan. She shared third in the dual bars competition at 9.90. It was her first appearance since the season opener on Jan. 11 when she suffered a severely sprained right ankle during floor exercise competition at Ball State.
Alex McMurtry is SEC Freshman of the Week
For her performance at LSU, McMurtry picked up the SEC Freshman Gymnast of the Week honor. McMurtry is No. 2 in the latest GymInfo national vault rankings. She and California's Toni-Ann Williams are the nation's only two freshmen to appear among the top five in any event in the current GymInfo rankings.
Five different Gators have been honored by the league this season (SEC Gymnast of Week: Hunter-Week IV & VI; Specialist of the Week: Sloan-Week I; McMurtry-Week II; SEC Freshman of Week: Kennedy Baker-Week II, IV & VI; Ericha Fassbender Week V; McMurtry Week VII).
Kentucky in 2015:
Kentucky erased a tenth deficit heading into the final rotation to upset No. 14 Arkansas 195.75-194.825 last Friday in the Memorial Coliseum. Shannon Mitchell won the meet's balance beam title (9.90) and Taylor Puryear shared the floor exercise win at 9.85.
No Wildcat has competed as an all-around in 2015. UK's season-best team total of 195.825 came at Missouri on Feb. 6.
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 3 in the Feb. 23 GymInfo rankings. This is the first week the national rankings are based on regional qualifying score.
Kentucky – The Wildcats are No. 25 in the GymInfo rankings.
