Gators Move to NCAA Super Six!

Friday, April 14

St. Louis, Mo

8 p.m.

Florida Gators

NCAA Championships - Semifinal II

Alex McMurtry speaks with Coach Jenny Rowland before her balance beam routine 4-14-17

Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland speaks with Alex McMurtry before her balance beam routine in Friday's NCAA Championships semifinal competition. McMurtry won the NCAA all-around title and shared the uneven bars win.

Gators Move to NCAA Super Six!

Saturday, April 15, 2017 | Gymnastics

Boxscore GatorVision NCAA Semifinal Update Photo Gallery

Junior Alex McMurtry wins the NCAA all-around title. That title has gone to a Gator five of the last six years.

By: Mary Howard

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Moving on was the goal and that's exactly what the Florida gymnastics team is doing.

Alex McMurtry Wins NCAA All-Around & Shares Uneven Bars Title

Junior Alex McMurtry is the 2017 NCAA all-around champion. She also shares the uneven bars title.

McMurtry's 39.8125 topped Friday's two sessions. It is the highest total ever in NCAA Championships' semifinal competition. Kentucky's Jenny Hansen set the previous high (39.80) in 1995 and Georgia's Courtney Kupets equaled the mark in 2009.

A Gator has taken the NCAA all-around five of the last six years (Kytra Hunter – 2012, 2015; Bridget Sloan – 2013, 2016; McMurtry – 2017).

She was among a six-way tie for first on uneven bars at 9.95. A Gator has won at least a share of the uneven bars title four of the last five years (Alaina Johnson – 2013; Sloan – 2014, 2016; McMurtry – 2017).

The NCAA Individual Event Finals were eliminated after 2015 and the apparatus winners are now determined by combining two semifinal results.

NCAA Individual Event titles have been claimed by Gators in each of the last seven years.

Other notables:
The 39.8125 is a collegiate-best for McMurtry. It is a tenth behind the Florida school-record of 39.825 shared by Sloan and Alaina Johnson.

McMurtry's now won three consecutive all-around titles – all in championship action. She won her first collegiate all-around at the Southeastern Conference Championships (39.70) and then claimed the NCAA Gainesville Regional title (39.675).

It's been a big week for McMurtry, who picked up the NCAA Elite 90 Award Wednesday. That award goes to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average at each of the NCAA's 90 championship events. McMurtry owns a 4.0 gpa in applied physiology & kinesiology – exercise physiology.

The Gators' runner-up finish in Friday's NCAA Championships' second semifinal sends UF to Saturday's NCAA Super Six team final. The Gators will look for their fourth NCAA Championship in Saturday's Super Six, which will be contested in front of a sold-out Chaifetz Arena crowd. The event airs live on ESPNU at 9 p.m. ET.

Florida was second in its NCAA session at 197.8125, the highest team total ever for the Gators in NCAA semifinal competition.

Joining Florida from semifinal II in Saturday's Super Six is LSU (198.275) and Alabama (197.600). Nebraska (197.2125), Michigan (196.4625) and Georgia (195.80) rounded out the second semifinal's results.

Advancing to the Super Six from Friday's opening semifinal are Oklahoma (197.725), UCLA (197.50) and Utah (197.05). Other team results from Semifinal I were Washington (196.5625), Denver (196.475) and Oregon State (196.3625).

As the runner-up team in Semifinal II, Florida starts on balance beam for Saturday's NCAA Super Six team final.

Notes:
Florida opened the meet with the day's second-highest vault team total of 49.5125. Florida's final three vaulters – Alicia Boren (9.90), Rachel Slocum (9.90) and Alex McMurtry (9.975) all earned All-America honors on the event. McMurtry's mark equals the third-highest ever for a Gator in NCAA Championships' competition (behind a pair of 10.0s from Susan Hines in 1998. Kytra Hunter also posted a 9.975 in 2012 NCAA semifinal competition). She was runner-up on vault to LSU's Kennedi Edney (9.9875).

The team's uneven bars total of 49.425 equals the 10th highest for the Gators in NCAA semifinal history. McMurtry's 9.95 put her in a six-way tie for the NCAA uneven bars title.

A six-for-six balance beam performance gave Florida a 49.3875, the program's fifth-highest total in NCAA Championships' competition. McMurtry again led UF with her 9.9375, which is the third highest for a Gator in NCAA Championships' semifinal competition (trails 9.95 by Sloan/2016 & Mackenzie Caquatto/2013). McMurtry shared third on beam in the final standings.

Florida finished the meet on floor exercise, turning in a 49.4875. Both McMurtry (9.95) and Kennedy Baker (9.9375) earned All-America honors on the event. McMurtry's marks equals the highest ever for a Gator in NCAA semifinal competition and placed her in a four-way tie for third in the final floor standings.

McMurtry is the 2017 NCAA all-around champion – the fifth Florida win of the last six seasons. The NCAA all-around champion is determined by combining all-around results from both of Friday's semifinals. McMurtry's 39.8125 trails only the 39.90 set by Georgia's Courtney Kupets in the 2009 Super Six in all-time NCAA all-around history.

Three Gator all-arounders (McMurtry, Baker and Amelia Hundley) earned All-America honors Friday. This is the sixth time three or more Gator all-arounders earned All-America honors in a single NCAA Championship.

WORTH NOTING

Florida advances to its 15th NCAA Super Six team final (1994, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).
LSU total of 198.275 is the highest ever in NCAA Championships' competition (previous high: 198.175 by Florida & Oklahoma in 2014 NCAA Super Six). Florida's 197.8125 is the third-highest in NCAA Championships' semifinal action (LSU 198.275/2017; Georgia 197.825/1998).
Florida and Alabama are the only two teams to appear in each of the last six NCAA Super Six team finals.
The Southeastern Conference sends three to the NCAA Super Six. It is the sixth consecutive year three or more league teams advance to Super Six action, with four wins in that span - 2012 (Alabama), 2013, 2014, 2015 (Florida).

GATORS EARNING ALL-AMERICA HONORS:
Five Gators earned a total of 10 All-America honors Friday.

2017 Gator All-Americans
Name	Event	Semi I Score	All-America team

Kennedy Baker	Floor	9.9375	Second
Alicia Boren	All-Around	39.500	Second
	Vault	9.9000	Second
Amelia Hundley	All-Around	39.4125	Second
Alex McMurtry	All-Around	39.8125	First
	Vault	9.9750	First
	Bars	9.9500	First
	Beam	9.9375	First
	Floor	9.9500	First
Rachel Slocum	Vault	9.9000	Second

All-America honors based on finish in NCAA Semifinal. Places 1-4 (plus ties) = first team Places 5-8 (plus ties) = second team

QUOTES
Opening statement…
"Just to piggy back off of D-D's note, the energy level, the excitement of this crowd really helped the momentum of the teams here tonight. I'm very thankful for all of the support, especially the SEC. It was very loud in there tonight. It is an honor and privilege to be here. We talk about that. You can't take anything for granted. It's something we all strive. We work really hard in the gym. We work really hard out of the gym. To see it all come together is really rewarding. I'm really proud to be here today amongst two legends and myself. I'm looking forward to a great competition tomorrow." - Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

On Alex McMurtry winning the all-around title…
"Like she said, it was something that we had a conversation about at the beginning of the year and asked her what her goals were. She had goals but I had bigger goals in mind. I said, 'What do you think about being a national champion?' And she goes, 'I think that'd be pretty cool.' 'Well, let's work toward that. Because I really think that's attainable.' 'Okay.' Alex never says no. Whatever she does, she gives 110 percent. In the gym, out of the gym. 4.0 student. Huge heart. Will carry the team on her shoulders. Will do anything for everybody else. And to see it all come together tonight was so rewarding and I'm very, very proud of her." - Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

On Florida's team performance…
"I think it was great. Starting out on vault was amazing momentum from this team. It set the tone for the evening. The girls were loose and they were having fun. I knew after vault it was going to be a good night. They kept that attitude throughout all six rotations even on the byes. It was very great. A very successful day and looking forward to reboot, regroup and do it again tomorrow." - - Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

On winning the all-around title…
"I want to thank my coaches for setting that goal for me. I didn't think that was really possible or in my future, but we set that goal and worked towards it all season. I'm really happy with my performance putting together all four events. I'm happy with my team's performance, we started on vault and we started on fire. I think that's how we carried out the whole meet." – junior All-American Alex McMurtry

On when her coaches spoke with her about her potential…
"I actually walked out of that meeting and told my teammates that I didn't think that was really my potential. I've had the hardest time with confidence. It's my junior year and I feel like I am finally starting to figure it out. I started competing all-around this season and started with two falls. So starting out there, being at the National Championship level and being able to hit my best routines on all four of my events makes me really proud of myself. I'm thankful that the coaches sat me down and told me that it was in my potential so I could reach for it." - – junior All-American Alex McMurtry

UP NEXT:
NCAA Super Six team final is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET in the Chaifetz Arena. The meet airs live on ESPNU.

Fans can follow all the action on ESPN3 at these links:

Saturday, April 15 – NCAA Super Six Team Final at 9 p.m. ET
ESPNU/WatchESPN	NCAA Super Six
ESPN3	All-Around
ESPN3	Vault
ESPN3	Uneven Bars
ESPN3	Balance Beam
ESPN3	Floor Exercise

Locate live scores at following links:

Super Six – Saturday, April 15 at 9 p.m. E.T.

Florida at NCAA Championships • Semifinal II Final Team Totals
April 14, 2017 – Chaifetz Arena (5,450)
*Team*	*Vault*	*Bars*	*Beam*	*Floor*	*Total*
LSU	49.5625	49.4125	49.5875	49.7125	198.2750
Florida	49.5125	49.4250	49.3875	49.4875	197.8125
Alabama	49.3625	49.4875	49.3625	49.3875	197.6000
Nebraska	49.2500	49.2500	49.3000	49.4125	197.2125
Michigan	48.9750	49.3000	48.8125	49.3750	196.4625
Georgia	48.9125	49.1625	48.5000	49.2250	195.8000

NCAA Championships - Semifinal I
Final Team Totals
Oklahoma	49.3500	49.5250	49.5000	49.3500	197.7250
UCLA	49.2375	49.3625	49.3625	49.5375	197.5000
Utah	49.0875	49.0875	49.3875	49.4875	197.0500
Washington	49.0250	49.0375	49.1875	49.3125	196.5625
Denver	48.9500	49.3000	48.9875	49.2375	196.4750
Oregon State	49.0000	48.9125	49.3625	49.0875	196.3625

2017 NCAA Championships
Competition Rotations
Super Six – Saturday, April 15 @ 9 p.m. (ET) on ESPNU

Rot.	Vault	Bye	Bars	Beam	Bye	Floor
I	UCLA	Oklahoma	Alabama	Florida	LSU	Utah
II	Utah	UCLA	Oklahoma	Alabama	Florida	LSU
III	LSU	Utah	UCLA	Oklahoma	Alabama	Florida
IV	Florida	LSU	Utah	UCLA	Oklahoma	Alabama
V	Alabama	Florida	LSU	Utah	UCLA	Oklahoma
VI	Oklahoma	Alabama	Florida	LSU	Utah	UCLA