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The Florida Gators Gymnastics program is no stranger to arriving in Fort Worth, Texas, to compete for National Championships. UF is making its fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Championship Final Four, with the opportunity to deliver the program’s first national championship team final victory since 2015.
The Gators put together an impressive runner-up performance in the NCAA Semifinals on Thursday. Florida put up the fifth-highest score in NCAA Championship history, posting a 197.8750. They opened the second semifinal with dazzling floor performances.
Leanne Leading the Way
Junior Leanne Wong was sensational as she has been all season long on floor for Florida with a team-high 9.9125.
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A duo of freshman followed Wong’s lead as Danie Ferris scored a 9.90 and Sloane Blakely finished with a 9.8875. A four-time 2024 All-American, Wong knows that there is still unfinished business as the Gators are now just one of four teams in the nation still dancing.
Wong carried her dominant performance into the next rotation to help the Gators record Thursday’s leading vault total of 49.50. The junior led all competitors in the evening semifinal with a perfect stick and a resultant 9.9375. Senior Ellie Lazzari took second place on vault after an impressive second consecutive collegiate-best 9.925.
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Wong won the sixth NCAA uneven bars title for Florida since 2013. She shared the winning bars mark with senior Audrey Davis from Oklahoma with a 9.965. For the third consecutive year, Wong earned four All-American honors in NCAA Championships action on vault, floor, bars and the all-around.
Her 39.70 matched the fourth highest all-around score in program history during the NCAA semifinal round. Freshman Anya Pilgrim provided positive contributions in the all-around as well, turning in a 39.5375 score to lead all freshmen in the 2024 NCAA Championships.
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Championship Final Awaits
After four Gators amassed nine total All-American honors following Thursday’s competition, Florida earned a spot in the NCAA Championships team final. UF will now battle LSU, Utah and California for an opportunity to return to Gainesville to hang a gymnastics national championship banner in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Florida head coach Jenny Rowland showed her gratitude for this year’s team after advancing to the championship final.
The NCAA team final rotation has Florida slated to open the competition on the vault. The team final will begin on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
