Saturday, April 2
Minneapolis, MN
5:00 PM
Florida Gators
vs
NCAA Minneapolis Region Championships
Kennedy Baker (above) and the rest of the Gator gymnastics team will be at NCAA Regional action in Minneapolis this Saturday. A top two team finish would send Florida to the April 15-16 NCAA Championships.
Gators at NCAA Minneapolis Gymnastics Regional Saturday
Wednesday, March 30, 2016 | Gymnastics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Step one for Florida gymnastics to defend its three consecutive NCAA team titles is this Saturday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The NCAA Minneapolis Regional is Saturday, April 2 at 5 p.m. in the Sports Pavilion.
What the teams are vying for at each of the six NCAA Regional sites is a top-two finish, which advances those teams to the NCAA Championships, set for April 15-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Florida has advanced to the NCAA Championships 33 times in the meet's 34-year history, missing only the 2000 event.
About the 2016 NCAA Minneapolis Regional Field:
The NCAA began seeding regional fields in 1999 and UF has been a region's top seed in each of the last 11 years. A team ranked No. 1-6, No. 7-12 and No. 13-18 are part of each regional. Florida won six consecutive NCAA Regional titles from 2005-10 and claimed the program's 15th regional win in 2015.
Florida is the only team in the Minneapolis Regional field which advanced to the 2015 NCAA Championships. All of the other teams have qualified for NCAA Championships' action in the past. Minnesota will be looking to return to the NCAA Championships after missing the 2014 event, as the Gophers qualified in 2013 by taking second in the Gainesville Regional. Denver, led by Florida gymnastics alumna Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart, last advanced in 2008. BYU has appeared in seven NCAA Championships', with the last coming in 2005. Missouri appeared in the 2010 NCAA Championships in Gainesville and Ohio State advanced in 2012 and 1985.
Florida takes SEC title in last meet:
The Gators' collected their 10th overall Southeastern Conference team title on March 19 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Florida edged Alabama 197.775 – 197.75 for the title. The 0.025 winning margin equals the narrowest in the meet's 36-year history. LSU (197.50) took third, followed by Auburn (196.975), Georgia (196.85), Arkansas (196.50), Kentucky (196.25) and Missouri (195.75).
For the fourth time in the last five years, a Gator claimed the SEC all-around title. A pair of Gator sophomores equaled their collegiate-best all-around totals to go one-two, with Kennedy Baker (39.65) edging Alex McMurtry (39.625) for the title.
The pair also used collegiate-best marks of 9.95 to pick up SEC individual titles. McMurtry won the SEC balance beam crown and Baker shared the vault title with Alabama's Mackenzie Brannan and Georgia's Brandie Jay. The pair were joined on the All-SEC team by Alicia Boren and Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto. Boren is also part of the SEC All-Freshman team.
Gators in the national rankings:
Florida has at least one gymnast among the nation's top 10 in four of the five events. Bridget Sloan is No. 1 in the all-around (39.630), No. 3 on bars (9.945), No. 4 on floor (9.950) and No. T7 on beam (9.910). Baker holds the No. 3 spot in all-around (39.585) and No. 6 on floor (9.940). McMurtry is No. T2 on beam (9.945) and No.T4 on bars (9.940). Baker and McMurtry share No. T7 in vault (9.915). Boren is No. T10 in all-around (39.500) and No. 9 in vault (9.910). Sloan is the only gymnast who appears in the current top-15 national rankings for each of the five events.
What the teams are vying for at each of the six NCAA Regional sites is a top-two finish, which advances those teams to the NCAA Championships, set for April 15-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Florida has advanced to the NCAA Championships 33 times in the meet's 34-year history, missing only the 2000 event.
 | |
| Saturday's Meet Info: | |
| No. 2 Florida (15-2, 5-2 SEC) at NCAA Minneapolis Regional Championships Date & Time: Saturday, April 2 at 5 p.m. ET Site: Sports Pavilion (5,700) Television: none UF NCAA Region Titles (all-time): UF has won 15 NCAA region titles (1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) Florida NCAA Regional History Video Stream: Available at BTN2Go Internet: live stats available on FloridaGymnastics.com Tickets: range in price from $16.00 - $10 and can be purchased at Minnesota Ticket Office NCAA Minneapolis Region site – Source for ticket, parking, venue, team information | |
 | Florida Gymnastics Florida Gators |
 | @GatorZoneGym |
| @GatorZoneNews | |
| @UFCoachRhonda (Rhonda Faehn) | |
About the 2016 NCAA Minneapolis Regional Field:
The NCAA began seeding regional fields in 1999 and UF has been a region's top seed in each of the last 11 years. A team ranked No. 1-6, No. 7-12 and No. 13-18 are part of each regional. Florida won six consecutive NCAA Regional titles from 2005-10 and claimed the program's 15th regional win in 2015.
Florida is the only team in the Minneapolis Regional field which advanced to the 2015 NCAA Championships. All of the other teams have qualified for NCAA Championships' action in the past. Minnesota will be looking to return to the NCAA Championships after missing the 2014 event, as the Gophers qualified in 2013 by taking second in the Gainesville Regional. Denver, led by Florida gymnastics alumna Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart, last advanced in 2008. BYU has appeared in seven NCAA Championships', with the last coming in 2005. Missouri appeared in the 2010 NCAA Championships in Gainesville and Ohio State advanced in 2012 and 1985.
Florida takes SEC title in last meet:
The Gators' collected their 10th overall Southeastern Conference team title on March 19 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Florida edged Alabama 197.775 – 197.75 for the title. The 0.025 winning margin equals the narrowest in the meet's 36-year history. LSU (197.50) took third, followed by Auburn (196.975), Georgia (196.85), Arkansas (196.50), Kentucky (196.25) and Missouri (195.75).
For the fourth time in the last five years, a Gator claimed the SEC all-around title. A pair of Gator sophomores equaled their collegiate-best all-around totals to go one-two, with Kennedy Baker (39.65) edging Alex McMurtry (39.625) for the title.
The pair also used collegiate-best marks of 9.95 to pick up SEC individual titles. McMurtry won the SEC balance beam crown and Baker shared the vault title with Alabama's Mackenzie Brannan and Georgia's Brandie Jay. The pair were joined on the All-SEC team by Alicia Boren and Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto. Boren is also part of the SEC All-Freshman team.
Gators in the national rankings:
Florida has at least one gymnast among the nation's top 10 in four of the five events. Bridget Sloan is No. 1 in the all-around (39.630), No. 3 on bars (9.945), No. 4 on floor (9.950) and No. T7 on beam (9.910). Baker holds the No. 3 spot in all-around (39.585) and No. 6 on floor (9.940). McMurtry is No. T2 on beam (9.945) and No.T4 on bars (9.940). Baker and McMurtry share No. T7 in vault (9.915). Boren is No. T10 in all-around (39.500) and No. 9 in vault (9.910). Sloan is the only gymnast who appears in the current top-15 national rankings for each of the five events.
Players Mentioned
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
UB, BB
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
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