ATHENS, Ga. – As if the No. 2 Florida gymnastics team needed any more motivation for the rivalry meet at No. 10 Georgia, a video message from a fan gave the team some fuel Friday.
That fan? Florida Head Football Coach
Dan Mullen.
His message is one that echoes through Gator Nation, which is "Beat the Bulldogs" in whatever sport the two teams meet.
Florida heard that message, defeating Georgia 197.80 – 196.50 in front of a sellout Stegeman Coliseum crowd of 9,695.
7-0 SEC SEASON:
Tonight's win
gives Florida its first undefeated SEC regular-season at 7-0.
Beginning in 1992, all league teams met during regular season action. Florida's was unbeaten in the 2007 season with a 5-0-1 record. That tie? It came when No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Georgia tied at 197.25 on Jan. 28, 2007 in Stegeman Coliseum.
TONIGHT'S MEET
In the nation's only top-10 dual of the evening, Florida led from the opening rotation.
Florida opened on bars, with sophomore
Trinity Thomas anchoring with a near-perfect 9.975 to claim the event title. Junior
Megan Skaggs took second at 9.875 and sophomore
Savannah Schoenherr shared third at 9.85 with UGA's Megan Roberts.
When Thomas and Schoenherr moved to vault, they both equaled their collegiate-best marks. Thomas won the evening's vault competition at 9.95 and Schoenherr took third at 9.90. At the midway point, Florida owned a 0.60 lead over Georgia.
Florida's final two competitors – Thomas and
Alyssa Baumann – led the Gators on floor. Thomas won floor with a 9.95 and Baumann shared second at 9.90 with Georgia's Sabrina Vega.
On its closing event, Florida was just a fraction away from its school balance beam record (49.675) with its 49.65 total tonight. The final four Gators all turned in marks of 9.9 or better. Baumann won the beam competition after equaling her collegiate best of 9.975. Thomas and sophomore
Leah Clapper shared second at 9.95 and senior
Rachel Gowey added a 9.9.
Thomas claimed her sixth consecutive all-around at 39.825 – equaling Florida's record and the nation's No. 2 total in 2020.
GATOR PERFORMANCE NOTES:
- Florida's 197.80 equals the nation's No. 13 total of 2020. Six of the top 15 totals belong to the Gators.
- Florida's 49.65 is No. 4 on its all-time best beam totals chart. The Gators have scored a 49.5 or better on the event in its last six meets, which is the longest stretch for 49.5-plus beam totals in NCAA history.
- The 1.30 point victory is the largest for the Gators in Athens since SEC competition began in the 1981 season.
- Thomas' winning all-around total of 39.825 equals the program record and shares second among the nation's 2020 gymnasts.
- Sharing school all-around record with:
- Thomas now owns half of the nation's top eight all-around totals of 2020:
- No. T2 39.825 (2-28-20)
- No. T5 39.775 (1-24-20, 2-7-20, 2-15-20)
- Baumann turned in her second nearly perfect 9.975 on beam for 2020 and the fifth of her career. She's turned in a 9.975 in four of the last six meets – beam (1-24-20, 2-28-20) and floor (2-7-20, 2-21-20).
- Sophomore Nya Reed returned to the Gator floor lineup tonight. She missed the last four meets with an illness.
- Four marks tonight equaled or set collegiate bests:
RECORDS: Florida (9-0, 7-0 SEC), Georgia (8-6, 2-3 SEC).
THE SERIES: Georgia leads the series 93-59-1.
HEAR FROM THE GATORS:
On tonight's win:
"It really was a special night and a great exclamation to our SEC regular season. Being the first team in program history with an undefeated SEC regular season is just a testament to this team's commitment in and out of the gym.
"This team knew tonight that they had an opportunity to secure an undefeated SEC season for the first time in program history. This team totally accepted that challenge. They heard some great motivational words from Coach
Dan Mullen and they really took that to heart. All night on the competition floor, they were saying 'Do it for Dan!' We did as we were told, which was beat those Bulldogs." - Florida Head Coach
Jenny Rowland
On Thomas' school-record all-around performance tonight:
"What else can I say about
Trinity Thomas? Just an unbelievable student-athlete and unbelievable young lady in and out of the gym. She works hard and tries her very best. She comes out every Friday night and performs to the best of her abilities. Tonight was no different. So happy to see her reap the benefits for all the work she's put in while in the gym." – Florida Head Coach
Jenny Rowland
NATIONAL RANK:
Florida – Florida is No. 2 in the
Road to Nationals standings.
Georgia – The Gymdogs are No. 10 in the Road to Nationals rankings.
UP NEXT:
Florida's Spring Break trip is to No. 23 Penn State.
When: Saturday, March 7 at 4 p.m. ET
Venue: Recreation Hall
Television: none
Video: Big 10 Network +
Tickets: Adult - $8
Youth - $5
Penn State Tickets
No. 2 Florida at No. 10 Georgia
Final Team Totals |
| Feb. 28, 2020 ● Stegeman Coliseum (9,695) |
| Team |
Vault |
Bars |
Beam |
Floor |
Total |
| Florida |
49.450 |
49.450 |
49.650 |
49.375 |
197.800 |
| Georgia |
49.275 |
49.325 |
49.175 |
49.150 |
196.500 |
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