Saturday, March 19
N. Little Rock, AR
6:00 PM
Florida Gators
vs
Southeastern Conference Championships
The Gators claimed their 10th Southeastern Conference gymnastics title Saturday night.
SEC Champs! Gators claim 10th SEC title
Saturday, March 19, 2016 | Gymnastics
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Make it 10 league titles for the Gators gymnastics team. The University of Florida gymnastics team used the sport's slimmest margin to claim its 10th Southeastern Conference title Saturday held in front of a crowd of 5,981 at the Verizon Arena.
Florida won the meet at 197.775. Alabama was second at 197.75, followed by LSU (197.50) and Auburn (196.975). Georgia was fifth (196.85), with Arkansas (196.50), Kentucky (196.25) and Missouri (195.75) rounding out the team standings.
The Gators led the meet from the opening rotation after their meet-high 49.425 total on vault. Heading into the final rotation, the Gators owned a 0.15 lead on Alabama.
The Tide finished on the uneven bars, posting a meet-high 49.55 for the event. But the Gators' floor exercise total of 49.425 was just enough to keep Florida in the top position.
Two Gator sophomores claimed event titles Saturday. Kennedy Baker matched her career-high of 39.65 to take the all-around win, just edging teammate Alex McMurtry, who also posted a collegiate-best 39.625. Baker shared the SEC vault title at 9.95 with Alabama's Macknezine Brannan. McMurtry took the SEC balance beam win with her fifth 9.95 for the event this season.
Gator Performance Notes:
Florida in the SEC Championships:
The Gators won their 10th SEC Championship tonight. Florida has won the SEC title in 1982, '83, '84, '85, '89, '07, '10, '12, '13, '16.
Jenny Rowland joins volleyball's Mary Wise as the two members of the current Gators' coaching staff who claimed a SEC team title in their first season with Florida. Wise shared the 1991 SEC title with LSU and went on to claim 18 consecutive league titles.
For the second consecutive year, a first-year coach has led her team to the SEC Gymnastics title. Dana Duckworth led Alabama to the 2015 title.
In the 36-year history of the SEC Gymnastics Championships, seven different women have led their teams to league titles (D-D Breaux/LSU – 1, Ernestine Weaver/Florida – 5, Suzanne Yoculan/Georgia – 16, Sarah Patterson/Alabama – 8, Rhonda Faehn/Florida – 4, Duckworth/Alabama and Rowland/Florida).
Gators Love Little Rock:
The SEC Gymnastics Championships made its third appearance in North Little Rock's Verizon Arena in 2016.
Florida has taken the SEC team title each time the meet has been held in the city – 2007, 2013 and 2016.
Quoting the Gators:
Congratulations on winning the SEC title. What was the atmosphere on the floor?
"Tonight was the most fun I've ever had at a gymnastics meet. They came in with a lot of energy. This is their favorite meet of the year. It's always been one of my favorite meets and it didn't disappoint. They did not disappoint each other. It was another step in the process – we've been talking about that all season long. This step was just unbelievable." – Florida head coach Jenny Rowland
Steady performance across the four events tonight. What was a key that led to that overall team performance?
"The lead-off gymnasts did a great job. The first person in the first spot sets the tone for the event. Bridgey [Caquatto] started us off on vault, Kennedy [Baker] led off bars and beam and Grace McLaughlin started us on floor. Their steady performances just helped build the confidence in the rest of the team, knowing that they can go up there and do what that person just did. They know they can do a normal routine. That's all I ask them to do – a normal routine." - Florida head coach Jenny Rowland
How will this performance help the team going forward?
"I see it as only building their confidence. Every meet is important. They came in relaxed, they had fun and they performed well. We had some stumbles here and there. It wasn't a perfect meet by any means, but they did what they needed to do." - Florida head coach Jenny Rowland
On winning her second SEC team title:
"We really wanted this win. The last couple of years, we've come to SECs and rocked the first couple of events, but then we've had some troubles here and there. So to be able to bring it all together on all four events was awesome. Just doing it alongside my senior class - who I love so much - was pretty cool." – senior All-American Bridgette Caquatto
On her first SEC team title:
"It feels amazing. I know it came down to a slim margin, but we are so excited to be this year's SEC champions. I'm so proud of every single person who competed tonight. We had some freshmen nail their routines and we had some all-arounders nail their routine too. Everything brought us to that title. I'm so excited that we won SECs." – sophomore All-America Alex McMurtry
On Florida's performance Saturday:
"We came in with a lot of energy and we kept the energy up throughout the four events. I'm really proud of our team – we did amazing." – sophomore All-American Kennedy Baker
It was a long wait before Florida was officially named the winner. What was the team's reaction?
"It was indescribable. We didn't know for sure forever. Then we found out and we were all so happy.
"I've wanted to win SECs since I was nine so this is like a dream come true." - sophomore All-American Kennedy Baker
Talk about your all-around and vault wins:
"Honestly, I was competing for my team. I was 100 percent focused on my team. Winning the all-around is amazing but it is like a bonus. I'm just really happy we won as a team." - sophomore All-American Kennedy Baker
Talk about your SEC beam championship and taking runner-up in the all-around.
"Honestly, I'm so happy about beam. Ericha [Fassbender] and I got together and we said 'we hit beam!' Last year, we fell under pressure. It is crazy to place second after just a few all-arounds under my belt. So I'm really excited about tonight's performance. And I'm so proud of our team." – sophomore All-American Alex McMurtry
What was your first SEC Championship like?
"It was amazing. The energy and the atmosphere was amazing. It was probably the most fun I've had. It was an unforgettable experience." – freshman Alicia Boren
SEC EVENT CHAMPIONS:
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 2 in the 11th Road to Nationals poll.
All SEC teams are ranked among the March 14 top 25, including five in the top-10 - No. 2 Florida, No. 3 LSU, No. 4 Alabama, No. 6 Auburn and No. 8 Georgia.
Up Next:
The announcement of the fields for 2016 NCAA Regional Championship action is revealed Monday, March 21 at 4 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Each of the six regional sites will have six-team fields. The top two teams at each regional site advances to the NCAA Championships, which makes its second-consecutive appearance at the Fort Worth Convention Center, April 15-16 in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Florida won the meet at 197.775. Alabama was second at 197.75, followed by LSU (197.50) and Auburn (196.975). Georgia was fifth (196.85), with Arkansas (196.50), Kentucky (196.25) and Missouri (195.75) rounding out the team standings.
The Gators led the meet from the opening rotation after their meet-high 49.425 total on vault. Heading into the final rotation, the Gators owned a 0.15 lead on Alabama.
The Tide finished on the uneven bars, posting a meet-high 49.55 for the event. But the Gators' floor exercise total of 49.425 was just enough to keep Florida in the top position.
Two Gator sophomores claimed event titles Saturday. Kennedy Baker matched her career-high of 39.65 to take the all-around win, just edging teammate Alex McMurtry, who also posted a collegiate-best 39.625. Baker shared the SEC vault title at 9.95 with Alabama's Macknezine Brannan. McMurtry took the SEC balance beam win with her fifth 9.95 for the event this season.
Gator Performance Notes:
- A Gator has won the SEC all-around four of the last five years. Baker is the seventh different Gator to win the league's all-around.
- This is the third different Gator in as many years to win the SEC balance beam title. Kytra Hunter won the 2014 title, Bridget Sloan claimed it in 2015 and McMurtry is the 2016 champion.
- Baker has now won four vault titles and three all-around crowns in 2016.
- McMurtry has scored a 9.95 in five of her last six beam performances. The sixth mark? A 9.925.
- Eight performances were season- or collegiate-bests for the Gators tonight.
- Tonight's winning margin of 0.025 equals the slimmest in meet history. That margin gave Georgia (197.35) the 2008 title over Florida and Alabama, who shared second at 197.325.
Florida in the SEC Championships:
The Gators won their 10th SEC Championship tonight. Florida has won the SEC title in 1982, '83, '84, '85, '89, '07, '10, '12, '13, '16.
Jenny Rowland joins volleyball's Mary Wise as the two members of the current Gators' coaching staff who claimed a SEC team title in their first season with Florida. Wise shared the 1991 SEC title with LSU and went on to claim 18 consecutive league titles.
For the second consecutive year, a first-year coach has led her team to the SEC Gymnastics title. Dana Duckworth led Alabama to the 2015 title.
In the 36-year history of the SEC Gymnastics Championships, seven different women have led their teams to league titles (D-D Breaux/LSU – 1, Ernestine Weaver/Florida – 5, Suzanne Yoculan/Georgia – 16, Sarah Patterson/Alabama – 8, Rhonda Faehn/Florida – 4, Duckworth/Alabama and Rowland/Florida).
Gators Love Little Rock:
The SEC Gymnastics Championships made its third appearance in North Little Rock's Verizon Arena in 2016.
Florida has taken the SEC team title each time the meet has been held in the city – 2007, 2013 and 2016.
Quoting the Gators:
Congratulations on winning the SEC title. What was the atmosphere on the floor?
"Tonight was the most fun I've ever had at a gymnastics meet. They came in with a lot of energy. This is their favorite meet of the year. It's always been one of my favorite meets and it didn't disappoint. They did not disappoint each other. It was another step in the process – we've been talking about that all season long. This step was just unbelievable." – Florida head coach Jenny Rowland
Steady performance across the four events tonight. What was a key that led to that overall team performance?
"The lead-off gymnasts did a great job. The first person in the first spot sets the tone for the event. Bridgey [Caquatto] started us off on vault, Kennedy [Baker] led off bars and beam and Grace McLaughlin started us on floor. Their steady performances just helped build the confidence in the rest of the team, knowing that they can go up there and do what that person just did. They know they can do a normal routine. That's all I ask them to do – a normal routine." - Florida head coach Jenny Rowland
How will this performance help the team going forward?
"I see it as only building their confidence. Every meet is important. They came in relaxed, they had fun and they performed well. We had some stumbles here and there. It wasn't a perfect meet by any means, but they did what they needed to do." - Florida head coach Jenny Rowland
On winning her second SEC team title:
"We really wanted this win. The last couple of years, we've come to SECs and rocked the first couple of events, but then we've had some troubles here and there. So to be able to bring it all together on all four events was awesome. Just doing it alongside my senior class - who I love so much - was pretty cool." – senior All-American Bridgette Caquatto
On her first SEC team title:
"It feels amazing. I know it came down to a slim margin, but we are so excited to be this year's SEC champions. I'm so proud of every single person who competed tonight. We had some freshmen nail their routines and we had some all-arounders nail their routine too. Everything brought us to that title. I'm so excited that we won SECs." – sophomore All-America Alex McMurtry
On Florida's performance Saturday:
"We came in with a lot of energy and we kept the energy up throughout the four events. I'm really proud of our team – we did amazing." – sophomore All-American Kennedy Baker
It was a long wait before Florida was officially named the winner. What was the team's reaction?
"It was indescribable. We didn't know for sure forever. Then we found out and we were all so happy.
"I've wanted to win SECs since I was nine so this is like a dream come true." - sophomore All-American Kennedy Baker
Talk about your all-around and vault wins:
"Honestly, I was competing for my team. I was 100 percent focused on my team. Winning the all-around is amazing but it is like a bonus. I'm just really happy we won as a team." - sophomore All-American Kennedy Baker
Talk about your SEC beam championship and taking runner-up in the all-around.
"Honestly, I'm so happy about beam. Ericha [Fassbender] and I got together and we said 'we hit beam!' Last year, we fell under pressure. It is crazy to place second after just a few all-arounds under my belt. So I'm really excited about tonight's performance. And I'm so proud of our team." – sophomore All-American Alex McMurtry
What was your first SEC Championship like?
"It was amazing. The energy and the atmosphere was amazing. It was probably the most fun I've had. It was an unforgettable experience." – freshman Alicia Boren
SEC EVENT CHAMPIONS:
| All-Around | Kennedy Baker | Florida | 39.650 |
| Vault | Kennedy Baker | Florida | 9.950 |
| Brandie Jay | Alabama | 9.950 | |
| Bars | Katie Bailey | Alabama | 9.950 |
| Kiana Winston | Alabama | 9.950 | |
| Beam | Alex McMurtry | Florida | 9.950 |
| Floor | Ashleigh Gnat | LSU | 10.00 |
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 2 in the 11th Road to Nationals poll.
All SEC teams are ranked among the March 14 top 25, including five in the top-10 - No. 2 Florida, No. 3 LSU, No. 4 Alabama, No. 6 Auburn and No. 8 Georgia.
Up Next:
The announcement of the fields for 2016 NCAA Regional Championship action is revealed Monday, March 21 at 4 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Each of the six regional sites will have six-team fields. The top two teams at each regional site advances to the NCAA Championships, which makes its second-consecutive appearance at the Fort Worth Convention Center, April 15-16 in Fort Worth, Texas.
| No. 2 Florida at Southeastern Conference Championships Final Team Totals | |||||
| March 19, 2016 – Verizon Arena (5,981) | |||||
| Team | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| Florida | 49.425 | 49.500 | 49.425 | 49.425 | 197.775 |
| Alabama | 49.425 | 49.550 | 49.275 | 49.500 | 197.750 |
| LSU | 49.375 | 49.200 | 49.375 | 49.550 | 197.500 |
| Auburn | 49.050 | 49.325 | 49.250 | 49.350 | 196.975 |
| Georgia | 49.300 | 49.200 | 49.025 | 49.325 | 196.850 |
| Arkansas | 49.125 | 49.100 | 49.075 | 49.200 | 196.500 |
| Kentucky | 49.050 | 48.925 | 49.125 | 49.150 | 196.250 |
| Missouri | 49.150 | 48.950 | 48.900 | 48.750 | 195.750 |
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