Preseason No. 3 Florida starts the 2019 season Friday versus No. 11 Missouri.
Gators 2019 Season Starts Friday
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 | Gymnastics
Preseason No. 3 Florida begins its 47th season Friday when No. 11 Missouri visits the Exactech Arena.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It's time to get the 2019 Gators gymnastics season started. Preseason No. 3 Florida opens Friday with a dual meet versus No. 11 Missouri.
The meet starts at 6:45 p.m. in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
This is the first of eight consecutive Florida meets versus teams ranked in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) preseason top 20.
Arrive Early to Cheer Your Gators
Much is planned for the 2019 Gator home opener. Floor projections amplify the anticipation so make plans now to ensure you'll be in the Exactech Arena at 6:45 p.m. to see gymnastics' floor projection and to welcome the Gators for their 2019 home opener.
Here's some tips to expedite your trip to the Exactech Arena Friday:
Getting TO the Arena:
Getting IN the Arena:
Friday's Promotions:
How to Follow the Gators:
The Gators kick off the SEC Network's 18-meet Friday Night Heights schedule this Friday. Olympic medalists Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke call Friday's action.
On the go Friday? Follow the action on WatchESPN.
About the 2019 Gators:
The Gators were third in the final NCAA Super Six team championship as the smallest margin (0.2375) in the 26-year history of the team final format decided the top four teams. Starting this season, eight teams advance to the NCAA Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas, with four advancing to the team final.
Florida returns four with 11 All-America honors earned at the NCAA Championships – Alyssa Baumann, Alicia Boren, Rachel Gowey and Amelia Hundley. Among the teams in the 2018 NCAA Super Six team final, two return 20 routines (UCLA and Utah), two return 19 (LSU and Oklahoma), Florida returns 18 and Nebraska brings back 15 competitive routines.
Bolstering Florida's 2019 lineup options are six freshmen – the most for the Gators since the 2005 season (also six freshmen on 2005 and 2004 rosters). Two bring U.S. National Team credentials, including Trinity Thomas - the only 2019 collegiate who is a member of the current U.S. Senior National Team. In September, Thomas became the fourth gymnast on a collegiate roster (and first since 2011) to earn an international medal when U.S. took team gold at 2018 Senior Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru. Leah Clapper and Sydney Johnson-Sharpf also have competed at U.S. Championship events. Johnson-Sharpf, a member of the 2015-16 U.S. Senior National Team, represented the U.S. at two international assignments.
Three newcomers - Nya Reed, Savannah Schoenherr and Halley Taylor – all advanced to Junior Olympic Level 10 Nationals. In their final J.O. competition in 2018, Schoenherr won bars (also all-around runner-up), Reed was fourth in vault and floor and Taylor was eighth in the all-around. Clapper also competed at the 2018 J.O.s, taking ninth in the Senior D all-around.
This class ranks No. 1 on the 2019 CollegeGymFans.com Top Recruiting Classes list. In the last 10 years, Florida's recruiting classes ranked No. 1 seven times and No. 2 twice.
About the Tigers:
Missouri opened the 2019 season with a quad meet win last Friday in Tempe, Ariz. The Tigers posted the nation's 11th highest opening weekend total of 195.45, followed by preseason No. 20 Arizona State (195.00), No. 23 Minnesota (194.15) and Illinois-Chicago (193.925). The Tigers return 14 letterwinners and added three freshmen. Three returning Tigers – juniors Morgan Porter, Aspen Tucker and senior Britney Ward – earned a spot on the 2018 All-SEC team. Last Friday, Ward won the quad meet beam (9.95) title and Tucker shared first on floor (9.9). Ward is the SEC Specialist Gymnast of the Week after her performance in Tempe.
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 3 in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll.
Missouri – The Tigers are No. 11 in the Road to Nationals standings.
The meet starts at 6:45 p.m. in the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
This is the first of eight consecutive Florida meets versus teams ranked in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) preseason top 20.
Arrive Early to Cheer Your Gators
Much is planned for the 2019 Gator home opener. Floor projections amplify the anticipation so make plans now to ensure you'll be in the Exactech Arena at 6:45 p.m. to see gymnastics' floor projection and to welcome the Gators for their 2019 home opener.
Here's some tips to expedite your trip to the Exactech Arena Friday:
Getting TO the Arena:
- Season parking holders can enter the O'Connell Center lot off Lemerand Drive OR SW 2nd Avenue.
- Public parking is available in the O'Connell Center parking garage on first-come basis. Those wishing to park in the garage must enter lot off SW 2nd Avenue.
- Public parking is also available in the north end of Percy Beard Track (enter off SW 2nd Avenue), tennis stadium lot or fraternity row.
- A complimentary parking shuttle transports fans from Commuter Lot Garage IX to the O'Connell Center. For more information, visit FloridaGators.com.
- NEW this season: Use the Waze app to provide the best route to Garage IX.
Getting IN the Arena:
- To get tickets ahead of Friday's meet, visit the FloridaGators.com ticket site or stop by the Gator Ticket Office (open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
- The O'Connell Center ticket windows open at 5 p.m., with the gates opening at 5:30 p.m. Gates 1, 2 and 3 will be open for each gymnastics meet.
- Bags are checked before entering the building. Everyone will go through the O'Connell Center metal detectors when entering. When using the metal detectors fans need to empty their pockets prior to screening, then walk through the detector. After that, tickets will be scanned and then you are ready to cheer your Gators!
Friday's Promotions:
- Premeet – Performance by The Funkywunks, as seen on NBC's World of Dance
- Student Giveaway - The first 500 UF Students at Gate 3 receive a Gators Gymnastics t-shirt
- Sonny's Student Tailgate – Arrive early at Gate 3 for free BBQ, great music from GHQ, games, giveaways, and more!
- Card Stunt – Fans in the lower levels will get to participate in a card stunt leading into the 4th rotation!
- Kid's Corner – Located on the Practice Courts near Gate 4, kids can get their face painted, get a balloon animal, play games, make posters, meet the mascots & Dazzlers, and more!
- Posters & Schedule Magnets – Make sure to grab a 2019 poster and schedule magnet at the marketing table in the main atrium throughout the meet
How to Follow the Gators:
The Gators kick off the SEC Network's 18-meet Friday Night Heights schedule this Friday. Olympic medalists Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke call Friday's action.
On the go Friday? Follow the action on WatchESPN.
About the 2019 Gators:
The Gators were third in the final NCAA Super Six team championship as the smallest margin (0.2375) in the 26-year history of the team final format decided the top four teams. Starting this season, eight teams advance to the NCAA Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas, with four advancing to the team final.
Florida returns four with 11 All-America honors earned at the NCAA Championships – Alyssa Baumann, Alicia Boren, Rachel Gowey and Amelia Hundley. Among the teams in the 2018 NCAA Super Six team final, two return 20 routines (UCLA and Utah), two return 19 (LSU and Oklahoma), Florida returns 18 and Nebraska brings back 15 competitive routines.
Bolstering Florida's 2019 lineup options are six freshmen – the most for the Gators since the 2005 season (also six freshmen on 2005 and 2004 rosters). Two bring U.S. National Team credentials, including Trinity Thomas - the only 2019 collegiate who is a member of the current U.S. Senior National Team. In September, Thomas became the fourth gymnast on a collegiate roster (and first since 2011) to earn an international medal when U.S. took team gold at 2018 Senior Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru. Leah Clapper and Sydney Johnson-Sharpf also have competed at U.S. Championship events. Johnson-Sharpf, a member of the 2015-16 U.S. Senior National Team, represented the U.S. at two international assignments.
Three newcomers - Nya Reed, Savannah Schoenherr and Halley Taylor – all advanced to Junior Olympic Level 10 Nationals. In their final J.O. competition in 2018, Schoenherr won bars (also all-around runner-up), Reed was fourth in vault and floor and Taylor was eighth in the all-around. Clapper also competed at the 2018 J.O.s, taking ninth in the Senior D all-around.
This class ranks No. 1 on the 2019 CollegeGymFans.com Top Recruiting Classes list. In the last 10 years, Florida's recruiting classes ranked No. 1 seven times and No. 2 twice.
About the Tigers:
Missouri opened the 2019 season with a quad meet win last Friday in Tempe, Ariz. The Tigers posted the nation's 11th highest opening weekend total of 195.45, followed by preseason No. 20 Arizona State (195.00), No. 23 Minnesota (194.15) and Illinois-Chicago (193.925). The Tigers return 14 letterwinners and added three freshmen. Three returning Tigers – juniors Morgan Porter, Aspen Tucker and senior Britney Ward – earned a spot on the 2018 All-SEC team. Last Friday, Ward won the quad meet beam (9.95) title and Tucker shared first on floor (9.9). Ward is the SEC Specialist Gymnast of the Week after her performance in Tempe.
National Rank:
Florida – Florida is No. 3 in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll.
Missouri – The Tigers are No. 11 in the Road to Nationals standings.
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