eMjae Frazier, center, with help from teammate Lori Brubach, slides Florida into a national finalist slot early Thursday evening at Dickies Arena. (Photo: Hannah White/UAA Communications)
One Year, Big Impact: Frazier Stars as Gators Advance
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | Gymnastics, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
FORT WORTH, Texas — She missed out on a trip to the NCAA Championships a season ago, her Cal team falling short in the Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Regional. She watched as the Gators and Alabama celebrated as the region's top two teams.
Meanwhile, as the Gators failed to make it out of the NCAA Semifinals in a rarity for the program, eMjae Frazier contemplated her next move with her undergraduate degree in hand and a season of eligibility remaining.
The cheers roared louder on Thursday afternoon at Dickies Arena as Frazier played a starring role in the Gators' victory in the NCAA Semifinals Session I.
"eMjae has meant a lot to this team in general, not just her performance," UF head coach Jenny Rowland said. "She loves gymnastics. It's not a secret. You can see it in everything that she does."
What spectators saw first from Frazier on Thursday was her "grounding" session. While competitors bounced around the floor preparing for the meet, Frazier rested quietly on her back with her eyes closed. It's her way of getting into the zone.
She managed her breathing. She said a prayer. She focused on reducing her heart rate. She went over her cues and set her mental plan in motion.
"I visualize myself doing what I want when I go into competition," Frazier said.
eMjae Frazier and assistant coach Adrian Burde react to Frazier's performance on the vault Thursday. (Photo: Madilyn Gemme/UAA Communications)
Frazier then went out and turned in Florida's top all-around performance, helping the Gators return to the NCAA Championships with a 197.7875 team score. Frazier's team-best all-around score of 39.5625 was good for second behind LSU's Kailin Chio (39.6125).
Before the Gators pulled away in their final rotation with a 49.6625 uneven bars score, Frazier delivered steady excellence over the first three rotations to ensure UF was in a good position late.
She topped Florida's beam rotation with a 9.9250, followed that with a team-high score of 9.9375 on the floor exercise – helping the Gators move past LSU in the team standings – and then posted a team-best 9.8750 vault score.
On the biggest stage of the season, Frazier was at her best.
Not that she was aware of her impact on the scoreboard.
"I had no clue,'' she said. "I don't usually look at the scores during competition. I just know today I was super excited to get out here and enjoy the moment with my teammates and the staff. I mean, it's just so much fun. To have the opportunity to be at Nationals is always a blessing.
"Not everything is guaranteed. It's about how good your team is mentally and how present we are. I think that just goes to show that we're here for each other, we're unbreakable, and it's just a party. We're really just celebrating each other. I'm just going out there having fun, trusting in our training and pulling in confidence."
Frazier was absent from the NCAA Championships competition floor a season ago, but she is no stranger to the event. She was here as a freshman in 2023 and as a sophomore two years ago, sharing the all-around title with former LSU star Haleigh Bryant.
Frazier, along with Selena Harris-Miranda, a transfer from UCLA last season, has provided a dose of veteran savvy and elite skill to Florida's championship bid. The Gators seek their first national title in 11 years on Saturday.
"It's helped this team to get to another level,'' Rowland said of the transfers. "I would say those coming in are extremely humble, extremely grateful, come in with a new sense of hunger and really just elevate the team."
Frazier led off for the Gators in their final rotation on Thursday on uneven bars. She got the party started with a 9.8250. Florida didn't even need her score, as Anya Pilgrim (9.8750), Skye Blakely (9.9750), Kayla DiCello (9.9000), Harris-Miranda (9.9250) and Riley McCusker (9.9875) scored higher.
Frazier had done her part, and the rest followed.
"I had a bunch of confidence just seeing my teammates go up there and do their thing,'' said McCusker, whose bars score ended up as Florida's top individual score of the competition.
And for Frazier, it was fitting that the Gators wore their football-themed "Spurrier" leotard on Thursday. She made her decision at Spurrier's and hasn't looked back since.
Rowland is glad she is here. Frazier came through in the clutch, but her impact stretches far beyond what fans saw Thursday.
"She cares for each team member with everything that she has,'' Rowland said. "Everything that she gives is 100 percent, and we're extremely grateful that she made a decision to be a Gator even if it was only for one short year."
