Florida Gymnastics Faces Arkansas in Top-15 Matchup

The No. 2 Gators gymnastics team heads to Fayetteville to face the No. 15 Arkansas Gymbacks Friday night. The meet is headlined by two gymnasts who served as alternates for the 2024 Olympic team: Florida’s Leanne Wong and Arkansas’s Joscelyn Roberson.

Meet History

The Gators are 53-3 in the series with Arkansas. Dating back to 2011, Florida is on a 28-meet win streak against the Razorbacks, including postseason meetings.

In last season’s head-to-head, the Gators found themselves with a 197.85-196.05 win at their annual Link to Pink meet. The event was highlighted by a perfect 10.0 by Leanne Wong on the uneven bars.

10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR!!! LEANNE!!!!!!!!!!!

🎀 4th 🔟 on bars
🎀 8th in the nation in 2024 with a🔟on bars #GoGators | 📺ESPN pic.twitter.com/E5UXyQoOSR

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) February 10, 2024

Tri-Meet Win

Last week, Florida came up with a win against West Virginia and No. 4 Utah. The Gators put up a score of 197.525, the ninth-highest score in the nation this season. They had a 0.1 victory over the Utes, while the Mountaineers trailed behind with a 195.475.

Beginning on bars, Florida scored a season high 49.525 with four gymnasts scoring a 9.9 or higher. Despite being the No. 1 beam team in the country, the Gators put up their lowest team score of the season (49.350). Florida has been up-and-down on floor this year, but the Gators continued to show improvement. Senior Sloane Blakely led her team on the event with a 9.95. UCLA transfer Selena Harris-Miranda wrapped it up for the Gators with a stick and 9.95 on vault.

This win kept the Gators as the No. 2 team in the country.

Event winners
▪️ Vault | @selena_harriss + Makenna Smith 9.950
▪️ Bars | @leannewong03 + @anyapilgrim 9.925
▪️ Beam | Grace McCallum + Ana Padurariu 9.925
▪️ Floor | Sloane Blakely 9.950
▪️AA | Leanne Wong 39.675

— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) February 2, 2025

Arkansas Downed

Arkansas faced No. 1 Oklahoma last week and took a loss 197.825-195.975.

The Razorbacks started on bars and put up their lowest team score of the season. On the vault, senior Leah Smith matched her score of 9.85 from bars to be the highest scorer for Arkansas on both events. Despite putting up only a 49.0 on floor exercise, the Gymbacks remain in the top five in the country for the apparatus. The night closed with Arkansas’s highest individual score of the night: a 9.925 from Roberson on beam.

Back in Fayetteville

The last time the Razorbacks competed at home they took down the defending national champion LSU Tigers. Arkansas is currently undefeated at home this season, while Florida is 1-1 on the road.

Coverage of the meet starts Friday at 7PM on the SEC Network.