Sloane Blakely, who will miss the remainder of her senior season with a lower left leg injury, received a rousing ovation on Friday night at Exactech Arena prior to Florida's win over Missouri.
Blakely's Gators Career Might Be Over, But She Is Hardly Finished
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | Gymnastics, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Sloane Blakely returned to the O'Dome's competition stage Friday night, two weeks after electrifying the home crowd with a perfect score on her floor routine. Blakely finished the sassy performance with a Gator Chomp and her signature smile, taking a seat on the SEC Network podium afterward for a celebratory interview.
Considering the events of a week ago at Oklahoma, it was human to wonder about Blakely's demeanor when the Gators returned home to host Missouri in front of a sellout crowd. First, would she be there at all? Next, could the self-described introvert push aside her disappointment at a potential career-ending injury and rekindle that magnetic personality when she straps on her leotard and competes?
Blakely, the 2023 Southeastern Conference vault champion and NCAA All-American, had kept a low profile publicly since crumbling to the mat following the first tumbling pass of her floor routine in Florida's February 21 loss to the Sooners. That is not unusual for the 22-year-old from Frisco, Texas.
"I'm not one who likes attention,'' she said Friday. "I know it's weird because of how I am on the competition floor. It's been hard with a lot of the questions."
In the aftermath of her fall against the Sooners, Blakely immediately clutched her lower left leg with a this-is-not-good glance toward assistant coach Adrian Burde. Within seconds, Blakely hopped from the arena floor, into the shadows, and out of view, soon followed by her Gators teammate and younger sister Skye Blakely.
The disheartening twist to Blakely's senior season created an empathetic buzz on social media, caused angst among Gators gymnastics fans, and was a painful experience for her teammates.
"Mentally, injuries are extremely challenging and difficult for that athlete and for all of those around that athlete who go through the daily grind with each other,'' UF coach Jenny Rowland said following Friday night's victory.
Sloane Blakely, left, and her sister, Skye Blakely, after Sloane's perfect 10 floor routine against Auburn. (Photo: Morgan Hurd/UAA Communications)
Those wondering how Blakely is doing got their answer when she was introduced Friday night. Yes, she was there. And yes, she ditched the knee scooter she used to hold her injured leg and walked across the floor in a protective boot.
"I've been at practice doing what I can supporting the girls where I can, just trying to keep spirits up,'' Blakely said beforehand. "I think that my family, friends and sister took it a lot harder than I did, which is different. I had to do a lot of consoling of others. I think a lot of people didn't expect that from me, but that's the type of person I am."
Blakely preferred to keep the specific injury to herself, but she said she is scheduled to have surgery on Monday and will then begin rehab as soon as she can. She is uncertain about her gymnastics future or whether there is a way to find a path to return for an additional redshirt season.
She plans to explore all options, but Blakely said she is at peace if her career is over.
"I'm not opposed to it, but I also have a plan for what post-graduation looks like,'' she said.
Blakely is set to graduate in May.
As she prepared for her senior season, Blakely implemented the multi-prong plan. First, she committed to doing whatever she could to help the Gators win on the biggest stage: the NCAA Championships in April.
"This is my last year, how can I pour anything and everything into it? So, starting in the fall, I changed everything about what I was doing,'' Blakely said. "I put my desires and everything to the side. It was kind of a mindset shift.
"I'm 22. Of course, I want a college lifestyle and all this stuff, but I put a lot of it to the side. I mean, we've been chasing a national championship. Ever since I've been here, that's the main goal. So, I was like, 'if I can do anything to change that outcome.' We always talk about getting 1% better and I did that. No one can predict an injury and things like that."
Away from gymnastics, Blakely began to carve a path toward her future. She said she has envisioned a future in medicine and decided to apply to nursing school, coupling her desire to work in the medical field with her passion for helping others. Blakely's plan received an additional bonus this season when Skye joined the Gators, providing their parents, Stephanie and Steven Blakely, an opportunity to watch both perform in the same place at the same time for a change.
The setup was progressing smoothly until the trip to Oklahoma forced Blakely to change her approach to the rest of the season.
"The biggest thing is that, although this is hard, and I'm not doing gymnastics for the rest of the season, the girls still have to do gymnastics,'' she said. "I didn't want this to be a road block for the team. I just didn't want that to be a distraction, taking away some of the goals still there for the team. That was my biggest thing.
"I'll still be around. I want to be able to bring my same energy but in a different way."
Senior Leanne Wong, who won the all-around title against the Tigers on Friday and arrived at UF in the same class, was glad to see Blakely smiling and offering support despite not being in the lineup.
Sloane Blakely takes a moment to reflect at the Oklahoma meet prior to her injury. (Photo: Morgan Hurd/UAA Communications)
"I would say last week going into this week was definitely hard,'' Wong said. "She stepped into her new role and we're just happy to have her support on the side. She is doing what she can."
Added Rowland: "I am, first, in awe of how strong Sloane Blakely is to be able to be here and be in the gym on Monday after she got injured with a very positive attitude and doing what she can to help the team. She did that all week long and throughout the day. That's not easy at all. I'm grateful for her support that way. I'm hopeful she knows the support is with her as well."
The Gators have Blakely's back. And she's got theirs.
The season is far from over and as Friday night proved, they have the talent to rise to the occasion. They are without perhaps their flashiest performer, but she plans to be with them the rest of the way. For now, the young woman with a "big passion to help others" needs help. Stephanie was in town all last week to help her daughter with general household chores.
She will need more help after surgery, but Blakely doesn't want that to be what people remember. If her career is over, remember that she had 10 in her last routine at the O'Dome.
The one that sent the crowd into a frenzy to close the meet.
"I was really taking some time to reflect and just thanking God I ended that way,'' she said. "That was on my vision board. I mean, who doesn't want a 10. Especially my senior year, I really wanted it. I'm glad in a way that my injury didn't happen here and I ended with a 10 and that's what people will remember me by.
"I hope they saw I had fun out there. It was almost like I was playing gymnastics and that was the best way to do it."
