Gator Events/Travel/Awards and More Since Last Season

Florida gymnastics returners were busy since the 2023 season ended in April with a NCAA Championships' runner-up finish. 

Internships, award trip to the Big Apple, representing their nation on the sport’s biggest stage, building on leadership experiences and a leap from a plane are just some of the Gators’ activities. 

Nike World Headquarters and NIL Summit

Morgan Hurd, Victoria Nguyen and Leanne Wong were among 16 Gators who made a professional development trip to the Nike World Headquarters. 

Soon after the Nike trip, Hurd and Nguyen were off to Atlanta for INFLCR NIL Summit to learn, expand their brand and network.

Lori Brubach Goes Skydiving

Wearing a SEC shirt declaring “Built for More”, Lori Brubach took a leap of faith with her debut skydiving jump in June. She got a few Gator chomps in before dropping below the camera capturing her first skydiving adventure. 

Michala Magee at Black Student-Athlete Summit and SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council 

Michala Magee wrapped up the 2023 spring semester and then headed to Los Angeles for the Black Student-Athlete Summit. Joining her on this leadership opportunity were fellow Gators Cameron Carroll (football), Roderick Kearney (football), Trinity Thomas and Amaya Thomas (volleyball), 

In late June, Magee joined fellow Gators Paige Clausen (women’s basketball), Gabrielle Essix (volleyball), EJ Jarvis (men’s basketball) and Derek Wingo (football) in Birmingham, Ala., for the Southeastern Conference Student-Athlete Leadership Council. 

The SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council provides an opportunity for SEC student-athletes to engage with campus leaders and conference office staff. Leadership Councils for football and men's and women's basketball, along with SAAC, provide a conduit of communication to the conference office on issues related to student-athlete experience, student-athlete wellness and playing rules.

Chloi Clark and Ellie Lazzari Part of UF Service Trip to Costa Rica

A nine-day Costa Rica service trip included Gator gymnastics Chloi Clark and Ellie Lazzari among 10 University of Florida female student-athletes. 

The Gators visited several Costa Rica towns and sites, making new friends and gaining a life-changing experience.

Leanne Wong Returns to Elite Competition

Leanne Wong finished NCAA competition with the Gators on April 15 as Florida took second in the NCAA Team final where she shared the event’s high uneven bars mark of 9.975.

She was back in competition, this time at the Elite level, at the August 5 U.S. Classic in Chicago. Wong took second to Simone Biles in the all-around. 

Wong was back in competition later that month for the U.S. Championships in San Jose, Calif. At the U.S. Championships, Wong earned her fifth consecutive spot on the U.S. Senior National Team with her bronze medal all-around finish. Joining her on the U.S. roster were two others with Gator ties - Skye Blakely and Kayla DiCello.

Summer Internships

Summer provided an opportunity to gain experience and explore future career options for Bri Edwards and Ellie Lazzari.

Bri Edwards – UF Health Shands

Ellie Lazzari – Child Advocacy Center

The Child Advocacy Center provides a safe and supportive environment for children who have experience abuse and neglect. The internship gave her a new perspective about working with younger children and strengthened her desire to pursue a career in mental health & therapeutic services. 

Gators at the World Championships

Leanne Wong learned she would represent the U.S. at the World Championships for the third consecutive year at the USA Gymnastics Artistic Selection Camp, Sept. 19-20 in Katy, Texas. She and the rest of Team USA spent another day in Texas after the camp before heading to Antwerp, Belgium for the FIG World Championships. Team USA also had two others with Gator ties - Skye Blakely (2022 signee) and All-American Kayla DiCello. Both chose to not enroll at UF in 2023-24 to pursue a spot on 2024 U.S. Olympic Team.

It was a more unexpected trip to Antwerp for freshman Anya Pilgrim. She was getting ready for the Gator football game when she got a call from Coach Jenny Rowland. That call let Anya know a goal was going to be reached – she was going to represent Barbados at the World Championships. 

Wong, Blakey and DiCello joined Team U.S.A. in stepping to the top of the World Championships podium to collect team gold. It was the second consecutive team gold for U.S. and the third straight Worlds medal for Wong. She won all-around silver and a bronze for floor exercise at the 2021 Worlds. 

Gators in Pan Am Games 

It was more international competition in October of Kayla DiCello and Anya Pilgrim.

Both competed in the first two days of women's gymnastics competition at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. DiCello helped the U.S. win team gold in the opening day. Pilgrim, competing as an individual for Barbados, joined DiCello in the Pan Am Games all-around final the next day. 

DiCello claimed the Pan Am Game all-around gold medal, becoming the first U.S. gymnast to win since Bridgette Caquatto (Gator All-American, competing 2013-16) won in 2011. 

Riley McCusker Honored in NYC as a Glamour Magazine 2023 College Women of the Year

Riley McCusker was one of six female athletes named to Glamour’s 2023 College Women of the Year. The magazine shined to the spotlight on student-athletes from diverse sports who are emerging as game-changers in the field of athletics. 

McCusker’s achievements with U.S. gymnastics and the Gators are many. She has raised her voice about the ‘culture of abuse’ in the gymnastics community. She’s also spoken up about mental health issues persisting in the sports field. 

She attended the November 7 Glamour Women of the Year event in New York City.

Stepping in front of camera - again

It was another commercial call for Sloane Blakely. 

Last summer, it was Blakely voice over for one of the SEC: It Just Means More commercials.

This summer, Blakely took part in the UF commercial that airs on every televised broadcast including a Gator team. She leads off the commercial, showing the form that helped her earn a share of the 2023 SEC vault title. 

December Graduation

She’s been in a class by herself throughout her Gator career. 

Payton Richards was Florida’s lone freshman in 2020 and advanced through her Gator career as the solo member in her class.

That didn’t change in 2024 as she’s the only graduate on Florida’s current roster.

Richards marched across the Exactech Arena stage on December 16 to receive her Family, Youth & Consumer Sciences bachelor’s degree. She’s already started studies toward her master’s degree in Entrepreneurship.