Gator gymnasts Third in NCAA Super Six team final

Saturday, April 21

St. Louis, MO

8:00 p.m.

Florida Gators

NCAA Super Six Team Final

Florida moved up to third on the final rotation at Saturday's NCAA Super Six team final.

Gator gymnasts Third in NCAA Super Six team final

Saturday, April 21, 2018 | Gymnastics

Photo Gallery by Michael & Susan Erdelyi Meet Results

Seventh consecutive top-four finish for Gators in NCAA Super Six team final

By: Mary Howard

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – NCAA gymnastics Super Six team final format concluded with bang Saturday in front of a sold-out Chaifetz Arena crowd of 6,800.

UCLA surged past two-time defending champion and top-seeded Oklahoma with a perfect score from its balance beam anchor to claim the Bruins' seventh NCAA team title. UCLA's winning margin of 0.0375 is the narrowest in the 37-year history of the NCAA Championships.

The Gators also made a move on the final rotation, edging Southeastern Conference champion Louisiana State to take third for the second consecutive year.

UCLA won at 198.075, followed by Oklahoma (198.0375), Florida (197.85), LSU (197.8375), Utah (196.90) and Nebraska (196.80).

Florida's 197.85 equals the program's second highest among its 16 NCAA Super Six appearances.

#Gators came in seeded No. 5? but leave with the #NCAAGym Super Six No. 3? trophy!

1.UCLA 198.075
2. Oklahoma 198.0375
3. Florida ?? 197.85
4. LSU 197.8375
5. Utah 196.90
6. Nebraska 196.80#WeChomp pic.twitter.com/2gpujDmN5q
— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 22, 2018

The Gators in Saturday's Super Six Competition:
The Gators were solid on each event Saturday.

For the first time since 2014, Florida drew the Olympic rotation for the NCAA Super Six. Florida opened the meet with a 49.4125 on vault – the No. 5 total for UF in NCAA Super Six competition. Junior Alicia Boren led Florida with a 9.9375, which tied for fourth overall. Senior Rachel Slocum also earned a 9.9125.

53045 — Nailed it! Alicia Boren and UF Assistant Coach Adrian Burde celebrate her vault Saturday. Her mark of 9.9375 tied for fourth in NCAA Super Six action.

Florida came off of bye to uneven bars where they turned in a 49.5375. That equals the No. 2 highest total for Florida in Super Six bars action. McMurtry led Florida with a near-perfect 9.975, which trailed only the 10.0 by UCLA's Peng-Peng Lee. Florida also got a pair of 9.9s from freshman Megan Skaggs and sophomore Amelia Hundley.

On beam, the Gators turned in a 49.3375, its third-highest ever in the NCAA Super Six. Freshman Alyssa Baumann's 9.9375 stands No. 3 for Florida in NCAA Super Six beam competition. She shared fourth overall in Saturday's Super Six competition. The 10.0 by UCLA's Lee – her second of the evening – moved UCLA to the top of the team standings. Sophomore Rachel Gowey also posted a 9.9125 in Florida's beam rotation.

Florida finished the meet on floor exercise with a 49.5625 – the second-highest floor total for the meet and No. 3 for the Gators this season. It also ranks as the program's fourth-highest in Super Six competition. For the second consecutive evening, Baumann led UF on floor with a collegiate-best 9.95. She tied for second in the Super Six floor standings. A total of four Gators posted floor marks better that 9.9 Saturday – Boren (9.9375), Amelia Hundley (9.925) and McMurtry (9.9125)

Boren took third in the all-around at 39.5375. OU's Maggie Nichols, who won the NCAA all-around title last night, also topped the standings Saturday at 39.775. LSU's Myria Hambrick was second at 39.6625.

GATOR NOTES:

Florida took third in the NCAA Super Six. The Gators have finished in the top four in each of the last seven NCAA Super Six competitions (1st – 2013, 2014, 2015; 2nd – 2012; 3rd – 2017, 2018 & 4th – 2016)
The gap of 0.225 between first and third is the second narrowest in the 37-year history of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships. Three of the four tightest finishes between first and third have come since 2012 (0.100 – 2012; 0.225 – 2018, 2013, 1995).
Florida is the only team to advance to each of the final seven NCAA Super Six team finals. The Gators appeared in 16 of the possible 26 Super Six team finals.
Alex McMurtry is the only gymnast in the 26-year history of the NCAA Super Six to earn an uneven bars 10.0 (2017) and a 9.975 (2018)
Four Gators turned in five season and/or collegiate best marks in NCAA Super Six action. Baumann (9.95 – floor) and Skaggs (9.90 - bars) has collegiate bests and Hundley (9.925 – floor; 39.475 – all-around) and McMurtry (9.975 – bars) turned in season bests.

HEAR FROM THE GATORS:
On tonight's performance:
"It was an amazing evening. The Gators did a fantastic job. We had six fantastic teams on the floor tonight. Just a shout out and congratulations to all who competed tonight, especially UCLA for taking home the national championship.

"Really every team on the floor could have won the championship this evening and it was an honor and privilege to be here. It was an honor and privilege to represent Gator Nation. So incredibly proud of this team. They laid their heart out on the floor. They laid their gymnastics out on the floor and I couldn't ask for anything more." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

What can you say about the Senior Class?
"I am truly thankful for their leadership. They've left an amazing mark on this team, on this program and we are just very thankful for them paving and carving the path of excellence for many more generations to come here." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

What did you tell her after her miss on beam to make sure she was good to go for floor?
"I told her that her team had her back and not to worry about it. She's had their back so many times that it's time to just let it go, move forward, and go out there and kill it on floor." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

Usually you see hesitation from freshman, but your freshman rocked it tonight. What can you say about their performance in their first Super Six?
"Our freshman rocked! They rose to the occasion. They competed with so much heart, so much grit tonight. Fought for everything, every little detail. They knew it was going to come down to the wire. I'm incredibly proud of them." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

Third place finish for your first time at the national championship, how does it feel?
"It feels pretty good. I think we really left it all out there today and so I couldn't have really asked for more." – freshman All-American Alyssa Baumann

What did you think of the team's performance tonight? Just on starting on vault, and how you built off every rotation?
"Luckily we got to go in the Olympic order just like we do at home meets and so that was really nice. We started out with a solid vault rotation and just kept building on each event." – freshman All-American Alyssa Baumann

53046 — Alyssa Baumann set her collegiate floor best in Friday's NCAA Semifinal competition and equaled that mark in Saturday's NCAA Super Six.

What do you think about your performance tonight?
"I was just really excited to do the best I could for the team. I was happy with my freshman year." – freshman All-American Alyssa Baumann

How much fire does this give you for the next three years?
"A ton. This is just the beginning and the next three years is going to be special." - – freshman All-American Alyssa Baumann

How much fun was it tonight with your team?
"It was so much fun. I don't think I've ever had this much fun doing gymnastics so it was really special to be able to have fun and just really let it all out there. I was really happy with the other freshman. I thought they really stepped up. We're ready to have a great three more years." – freshman All-American Alyssa Baumann

What about the shuffle in your floor lineup tonight?
You noticed it was a little different? Floor rocked it tonight. We had a little uncharacteristic moment yesterday but I knew Rachel (Gowey) was going to be able to step in and do what she does in the gym every day. And she did. She did a fantastic job just starting the lineup and getting everybody settled. From there on, everybody just continued to build. Alyssa Baughman, I told her we were going to try a new skill tonight and she said 'Jenny, I think I'm good with what I did last night.' And I said 'We just need what you did last night and nothing more.' And she goes 'I got you!' Amelia Hundley, again we're maybe going to try something new. I know she was a little bit disappointed but she nailed her floor routine and it definitely paid off for the Gators." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

How much fun did this team have tonight?
"Without getting emotional, this team is the most fun, the most enjoyable team I have ever been a part of from day one in August. Tonight was no different and they really laid everything out, heart and soul and couldn't ask for anything more." – Florida Head Coach Jenny Rowland

How comfortable was the rotation tonight, in Olympic order?
"It was good to start on vault to get our jitters out. Start out on a strong note and right from the get go it was neck and neck. We knew it was going to be an awesome competition. We built the momentum and we just kept rolling. I love starting on vault personally; it gets all my jitters out. We finished strong with everything we had." – senior All-American Alex McMurtry

Know you're tough on yourself as beam wasn't how you wanted it to go, but what kind of mindset did you get into during the bye to go out there and rock your floor routine?
"I couldn't change anything that happened in the beam rotation. Being an anchor, it can either be a really tough spot or a really easy spot and the Gators put me in an easy spot three times tonight. My team had my back. They had hit five routines and I didn't want to fall but luckily we had a great score and we were able to come out third. We fought for everything on floor. We said 'this is not over when we got back into the locker room and we got pumped up and luckily we killed our floor rotation. I think that was one of the best we've done all season." – senior All-American Alex McMurtry

I know you guys wanted to win this but third place, how do you feel about that?
"We're really excited. We had the toughest season I've ever been a part of. I started balling not because I was that upset but because I was so happy that we finished on a strong note. Coming off of the fall on beam and then hitting my floor routine almost the best I've done all season. That's really what I needed to go out with a bang on my favorite event. So I couldn't be happier." – senior All-American Alex McMurtry

How much fun did you have out there?
"We were absolutely normal. We had so much fun. I think this night will honestly be maybe a little better in my mind then even when we won the national championship because the amount of fun we had, the amount of fight and heart we had tonight, it was unbelievable. It was the most fun I've ever had with my Gator ladies." – senior All-American Alex McMurtry

NEXT SEASON:
The NCAA Super Six is the conclusion of the 2018 collegiate season.

The NCAA Gymnastics Championships begins a four-year stop in Fort Worth, Texas, next year. The new format for the NCAA Championships brings eight teams to the Fort Worth Convention Center for the April 19-21, 2019 event.

Florida at NCAA Championships - Super Six team final Final Team Totals
April 21, 2018 – Chaifetz Arena (6,800)
*Team*	*Vault*	*Bars*	*Beam*	*Floor*	*Total*
UCLA	49.2250	49.6375	49.7500	49.4625	198.0750
Oklahoma	49.4875	49.5375	49.4250	49.5875	198.0375
Florida	49.4125	49.5375	49.3375	49.5625	197.8500
LSU	49.4625	49.4750	49.3875	49.5125	197.8375
Utah	49.0750	49.2875	49.3500	49.1875	196.900
Nebraska	49.300	48.825	49.275	49.400	196.8000