Alex McMurtry and assistant coaches Adrian Burde, center, and Owen Field react as she lands a perfect 10 on vault. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
McMurtry Steals Spotlight on Banner Night for Gators
Saturday, January 27, 2018 | Gymnastics
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Senior Alex McMurtry became the first UF gymnast in history to record two perfect scores in a single meet in Friday night's win over No. 1-ranked Oklahoma.
By: Ethan Hughes, FloridaGators.com correspondent
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The fifth-ranked Florida Gators conquered a daunting challenge on Friday night. They defeated two-time defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Oklahoma inside a sold-out O'Connell Center/Exactech Arena.
Normally, that would be the biggest headline from a clash between the past five NCAA champions in women's gymnastics. However, this wasn't a normal meet because Alex McMurtry wasn't normal.
Far from it.
On this night, the senior from Midlothian, Va., was extraordinary, incredible, breathtaking, electrifying, perfect and just about any other adjective you can think of.
Most significantly, she was record-breaking.
McMurtry added to her résumé as one of the greatest Gators gymnasts ever.
First, she anchored the Gators on vault with a perfect 10 that sent the sellout crowd into hysteria. In doing so, McMurtry became the first gymnast in the country this year to score a 10 on vault. It was the third 10 of her career on vault.
"This was my first time competing my double this season, and I know that vault's actually easier for me to stick than my full, so I just went out there and started off with a 10 and kept that momentum," she said.
Impressive, right?
Except McMurtry wasn't done yet. She had to refocus and compete in two more events – the uneven bars and the balance beam.
Senior Alex McMurtry and the "10" sign hung out together twice on Friday night. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
"It's really tricky," McMurtry said. "The adrenaline was pumping – I know I was shaking until I got up on bars – but you just have to slow everything down. You have to be really patient on bars, and I think it got to me a little bit. My dismount was a little bit early, but after that I knew I just had to focus on slowing everything down and not let the adrenaline get the best of me."
She only scored a 9.9 on the uneven bars.
Safe to say Gator Nation will forgive her.
In the third rotation, McMurtry wowed again, scoring a 10 on the balance beam.
It was her first career 10 on the beam, and it gave her the career Gym Slam – gymnastics lingo for recording a 10 on all four apparatuses. The only other Gator to accomplish the feat is Bridget Sloan (2013-2016).
"All through my beam routine, I know I'm capable of that 10," McMurtry said. "It just comes down to nerves at a meet, so I just kept going, and, after I finished my turn, I knew it was just my dismount. I just had to trust my gut and go for it, and, luckily, I got that stick and got that 10."
Coach Jenny Rowland was awed by McMurtry's performance like everyone else.
"I knew before that dismount, 'just do what you do in practice.' In practice, she will stick three out of four, four out of five. Whatever that number is, it's a good ratio," Rowland said. "She just had to stay calm, and it was very rewarding to see that smile on her face at the end of that routine."
It also marked McMurtry's ninth career 10, moving her past Sloan's eight for the most in Gators history.
For perspective, Sloan is widely considered the greatest UF gymnast ever.
As if all this wasn't enough, McMurtry was the first Gator to score two 10s on the same night in program history.
"It's incredible, especially on Alumni Night," she said. "Those are the girls in the stands that won a national championship with [teammate Kennedy Baker] and I, and it was incredible because they set the stage for us, and I learned how to be a college gymnast from them."
She didn't compete in the all-around, but she showed Friday Night why she is gymnastics' reigning Honda Award winner.
McMurtry delivered for her team when they needed her, and now she stands alone in the record books.
