Faehn reunited with Gators gymnastics juggernaut
Monday, September 28, 2015 | Gymnastics, Men's Swimming & Diving, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Rhonda Faehn's schedule is pretty tight these days, but that didn't prevent the former Florida gymnastics coach and three-time NCAA champion from heading back to see her Gators family to pick up some jewelry this weekend.
Faehn, now senior vice president of USA Gymnastics, joined her former team -- and new Coach Jenny Rowland -- Friday night when the Gators received their national championship rings.
Once again.
A crowd of around 100 attended the ceremony, with athletes, coaches and support staff (current and some former), along with family members, plus UF athletic directory Jeremy Foley and executive associate AD Lynda Tealer.
“It was really, really special,” said Faehn (pictured far right, along with sophomore Kennedy Baker, middle, and assistant to the head coach Ashley Kerr, left). “It was a wonderful homecoming and just so amazing to be back to see the girls and to be in the gym [studio] on Friday and see all the people that helped us along the way. It was just incredibly heartfelt all the way around.”
That included taking a bow, along with her former team, before 90,000-plus during the first quarter of the football team's eventual 28-27 victory over Tennessee at The Swamp.
Ringbearers: Former UF gymnastics star Kytra Hunter (left) and senior Bridget Sloan (right) pose with their three championship rings and three NCAA championship trophies during Friday night's ceremony.
Unfortunately, Faehn couldn't stick around to see the thrilling end and wild post-game -- “The atmosphere in there reminded me of that [2006 South Carolina] game where we blocked the field goal,” she said -- because she's got a few things on her plate.
Like selection camp this week in Houston, where she'll help peg the squad that will represent Team USA at the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland later this month. 
It's a critical time for the sport, what with the 2016 Olympics just 10 months away in Rio Di Janeiro. The USA championships are in June, then the Olympic trials a couple weeks later.
So a lot going on.
Not enough to bypass a chance to reunite with the Gators and celebrate her place in UF history.
“Jenny and I have a tremendous amount of respect for another,” Faehn said of Rowland (right), who came to UF by way of Auburn after leading the Tigers to the Super Six last season. “The part that was touching for me was having the athletes come up and tell me how happy they were to see me. They're the ones I've always coached for.”
