UF’s Anya Pilgrim shares a fist bump with head coach Jenny Rowland at the UF v. Georgia gymnastics meet at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla., Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (Kat Tran/WRUF)

No. 5 Gators Gymnastics Faces Top-Ranked Oklahoma

No. 5 Florida gymnastics competes in another top-ranked meet this weekend. The Gators are on the road to face the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners Friday night.

The two teams competed in head-to-head matchups in 2022 and 2023, but this is the first time Florida will face Oklahoma as an SEC opponent.

Last Week in Gainesville

The Gators came into this week following a win in their annual Link to Pink meet. Their score of a 197.675 consisted of two 10.0s. Seniors Leanne Wong and Sloane Blakely recorded the first perfect scores for Florida this year.

Wong and junior Selena Harris-Miranda tied in the all-around with a 39.75, earning them the honor of Co-SEC Gymnasts of the Week. Blakely was also recognized as the SEC Co-Specialist of the Week for her performance on the floor.

Wong is also the Inside Gymnastics National Gymnast of the Week.

Redemption Season

The Sooners had an unexpected end to their 2024 season. Having multiple falls count toward their score in the NCAA Semifinals kept them from going for the three-peat and resulted in a sixth-place finish.

Previously the last undefeated team left in the SEC, Oklahoma took its first lost of the season last week at No. 3 LSU. The Sooners scored a 197.675, just 0.05 more than Florida. This was Oklahoma’s first regular season loss in two years.

Head coach K.J. Kindler gave credit to the Tiger crowd for contributing to their team’s win, and she wants her crowd to help just as much this week.

The Sooners have a short turnaround after Florida, competing against North Carolina in Fort Worth in the Metroplex Challenge Sunday afternoon.

All-Around Battle

This week’s meet is highlighted by a dogfight in the all-around competition. With names like Wong, Harris-Miranda, Jordan Bowers, Faith Torrez and Audrey Davis, it is sure to be a good matchup.

These gymnasts have put up some of the highest all-around scores in the country so far this season.

Homecoming

For Florida coach Jenny Rowland, the Lloyd Noble Center is a familiar place. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1997, her first college gymnastics coaching job was in Norman, serving as an assistant coach for the Sooners from 2000-2006. Now in her 10th season with the Gators, Rowland is excited to be back.

Coverage of this top-five matchup begins at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

About Victoria Kitchens

Gainesville native Victoria Kitchens attends the University of Florida. She is a second-year Journalism major with a specialization in Sports and Media.

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