The Gator gymnastics team held their annual team banquet Wednesday evening.
Gymnasts Honored at Team's Annual Awards Banquet
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 | Gymnastics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida gymnastics team celebrated its 2016 season Wednesday evening in the Gator Room in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The Gators won the program's 10th Southeastern Conference title, claimed its 16th NCAA Regional Championship and finished fourth at last Saturday's NCAA Super Six team final. Five Gators earned 14 All-America honors in 2016 NCAA Championships' competition.
Here's some season highlights for the gymnasts honored at Tuesday's banquet:
MVP: Kennedy Baker & Bridget Sloan
The two who shared the Gators' MVP award each won all-around titles in two of the nation's top meets of the season.
Kennedy Baker
Bridget Sloan
Outstanding Newcomer: Alicia Boren
Gator Heart & Soul Award*: Bridgette Caquatto
*-given to Gator who shows commitment to team and gymnastics. Caquatto was a consistent three event performer throughout Gator career.
Most Improved: Ericha Fassbender
Team Spirit: Morgan Frazier
Most Consistent: Alex McMurtry
Scholar Athlete: Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto
CommuniGator: Grace McLaughlin
Next Season:
The Gators lose four seniors (Bridgette Caquatto, Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto, Morgan Frazier, Sloan) and return 10 for the 2017 season. Of those 10, four are All-Americans (Kennedy Baker, Alicia Boren, Claire Boyce, Alex McMurtry).
Florida welcomes five to the team next season. The signee class announced in November is one of, if not, the top class for 2017. Sierra Alexander will also join the team.
The 2017 season begins Jan. 6 at North Carolina State. Home action begins the next Friday versus Kentucky.
The Gators won the program's 10th Southeastern Conference title, claimed its 16th NCAA Regional Championship and finished fourth at last Saturday's NCAA Super Six team final. Five Gators earned 14 All-America honors in 2016 NCAA Championships' competition.
| 2016 University of Florida Gymnastics Team Awards | |
| MVP: | Kennedy Baker |
| Bridget Sloan | |
| Outstanding Newcomer: | Alicia Boren |
| Most Improved: | Ericha Fassbender |
| Team Spirit: | Morgan Frazier |
| Most Consistent: | Alex McMurtry |
| Gator Heart & Soul Award: | Bridgette Caquatto |
| Scholar Athlete: | Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto |
| CommuniGator: | Grace McLaughlin |
MVP: Kennedy Baker & Bridget Sloan
The two who shared the Gators' MVP award each won all-around titles in two of the nation's top meets of the season.
Kennedy Baker
- Earned a total of seven All-America honors as a sophomore [
- NCAA Championships – first team vault & floor / second-team all-around & bars
- NACGC regular-season – first team for all-around, vault & floor
- Southeastern Conference all-around champion. Matched collegiate-best of 39.65 for win.
- Matched collegiate-best of 9.95 to win share of SEC vault title.
- Matched Florida floor exercise record with 10.0 versus Alabama.
- Claimed 11 event titles as a sophomore (4 vault & floor, 3 all-around)
- Collegiate-best of 9.95 shared Gators' season-best for vault
- Set or matched collegiate-best marks as a sophomore for vault, bars, floor & all-around
Bridget Sloan
- NCAA all-around champion and shared NCAA titles for uneven bars and balance beam. The three wins gives her the Florida record for career NCAA event titles (6).
- First Gator and only gymnast in 2016 to earn All-America first-team honors in each of the five events in NCAA Championships' competition. Florida's career leader with 16 All-America honors earned at NCAAs.
- Only gymnast in nation to earn All-America honors in each event of the NACGC regular-season awards (first team – all-around, bars, beam, floor; second team – vault).
- Top all-arounder in NCAA Super Six (39.65). Super Six all-around leader three of her four seasons.
- NACGC Southeast Region Gymnast of the Year.
- Six-time SEC Gymnast of the Week in 2016.
- Three 10.0s in 2016 [two beam & one floor]. Only gymnast in nation to earn multiple beam 10.0s
- Of the six gymnasts in the nation to post an all-around total of 39.70 or better in 2016, Sloan is only one with multiple appearances (39.775/twice; 39.70/once). Of the three to earn the nation's high of 39.775 this season, Sloan is only one to earn the total twice.
- Led Gators with 27 event titles (nine all-around, seven bars, five beam, four floor, two vault)
- Florida's career leader for:
- All-Around wins (27)
- Event titles (95)
- 10.0 marks (8)
- Candidate for the 2016 Honda Award for gymnastics.
Outstanding Newcomer: Alicia Boren
- Earned a total of three All-America honors as a freshman
- NCAA Championships – first team on balance beam
- NACGC regular-season – second team for all-around & vault
- Member of All-Southeastern Conference team
- Led all in league with four SEC Freshman of Week honors
- Claimed seven event titles (4 vault, 2 beam, 1 all-around)
- Collegiate-best of 9.95 shared Gators' season-best for vault
- Competed as an all-arounder 13 times, the most for a Gator freshman since Ashanée Dickerson turned in 14 in 2010
Gator Heart & Soul Award*: Bridgette Caquatto
- Earned All-America first-team honors with mark of 9.90 in NCAA Championships' Semifinal I competition
- Also claimed All-America second-team for uneven bars in the NACGC All-America regular-season awards
- Matched collegiate-best uneven bars mark of 9.95 to win title at Missouri. Also won LSU bars title (9.925).
- Season-best of 9.95 won floor exercise title at Kentucky and shared second versus North Carolina.
- Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll for third consecutive year. Also a three-time NACGC Scholar All-American
*-given to Gator who shows commitment to team and gymnastics. Caquatto was a consistent three event performer throughout Gator career.
Most Improved: Ericha Fassbender
- Set or matched collegiate-bests for beam (9.9) and floor (9.875) in 2016.
- Turned in a season-best 9.85 for vault six times this season – including in NCAA Semifinal & Super Six competition
- Opened season sharing beam win at Texas Women's University with collegiate-best 9.90
- In every vault & beam lineup in 2016; also performed on floor 10 times
- Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as a sophomore. Also earned 2015 NACGC Scholar All-America honors.
Team Spirit: Morgan Frazier
- Injuries limited her as a gymnast, but Frazier made an impact on the team and in the Gator student-athlete community.
- Current Chair of the Florida's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Been involved with SAAC since enrolling for the spring 2013 semester.
- As a junior, she played a big part in producing the Florida Letterman Awards.
- On SEC Academic Honor Roll as a sophomore, junior and senior. Also on past three NACGC Academic All-America teams.
Most Consistent: Alex McMurtry
- Earned three All-America honors in NCAA Championships competition. First team for vault and balance beam. Also earned second-team honor for all-around.
- All-America first team for vault, bars & beam in NACGC regular-season awards.
- Southeastern Conference all-around runner-up with a collegiate-best 39.625. Also won SEC balance beam title with a collegiate-best 9.95.
- All-SEC team member. Only gymnast in nation to score multiple 10.0s on bars in 2016.
- Equaled Florida record for uneven bars with a 10.0 against Alabama and again versus North Carolina.
- SEC Specialist of the Week three times in 2016
- Her 9.9 on floor versus LSU equals the highest ever by a Gator in a floor debut
- 16 event titles in 2016 (6 vault, five bars & beam)
- Hit 46 or 47 routines performed in 2016
- Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as a sophomore. Also earned 2015 NACGC Scholar All-America honors.
Scholar Athlete: Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto
- All-Southeastern Conference selection with a season-best 9.925 in SEC Championships' uneven bars competition.
- In every bars lineup of season. Also second at Kentucky & shared third versus UCLA.
- Posted 11 bars marks of 9.8 or better as a senior
- Florida's nominee for the SEC Brad Davis Community service postgraduate scholarship.
- Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll for third straight year. Also a three-time member of the NACGC Scholar All-America team.
- Will graduate in August with a degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology with an Exercise Physiology concentration and a minor in Chemistry. Plans to return to Canada to attend medical school.
CommuniGator: Grace McLaughlin
- Set collegiate-best floor exercise mark (9.90) at Missouri. Matched collegiate-best of 9.775 in first balance beam appearance versus North Carolina.
- In every floor lineup of season
- Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as a sophomore. Also earned 2015 NACGC Scholar All-America honors.
- Fourth Gator (and second Gator gymnast!) ever to receive UF Presidential Service Award. In the last year, McLaughlin contributed more than 226 hours of community service. A large portion of that time came when she volunteered at the Florida Diabetes Camp in summer of 2015.
Next Season:
The Gators lose four seniors (Bridgette Caquatto, Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto, Morgan Frazier, Sloan) and return 10 for the 2017 season. Of those 10, four are All-Americans (Kennedy Baker, Alicia Boren, Claire Boyce, Alex McMurtry).
Florida welcomes five to the team next season. The signee class announced in November is one of, if not, the top class for 2017. Sierra Alexander will also join the team.
The 2017 season begins Jan. 6 at North Carolina State. Home action begins the next Friday versus Kentucky.
Players Mentioned
AA
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AA
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AA
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UB, BB
/ Gymnastics
AA
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V, FX
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
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AA
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