Florida’s toughest competition Friday night was itself. The Gators’ gymnastics team scored a season-high 197.550 points in victories over North Carolina (194.225) and Ball State (191.350) following a triangular meet at the O’Connell Center.
The Gators (8-2, 5-1 SEC) got off to a fast start in the vault competition, opening up a 0.675-point lead against North Carolina (7-5) and a 1.825-point lead against Ball State (5-7).
They went on to score season-high totals on the bars (49.350) and on the beam (49.475). The Gators swept all four events against both teams.
“Beam, I was definitely the most proud of because it was just one right after the other with no wobbles,” coach Rhonda Faehn said. “Rebekah (Zaiser) was phenomenal—not one wobble, she stuck her dismount. Courtney (Gladys), Liz (Green)—all of them. This is a great building point, knowing we really accomplished some great things.”
Zaiser has been putting in extra repetitions in the gym to the point where she doesn’t get off the equipment until Faehn forces her. After two surgeries last year, she was finally able to perform a routine up to her expectations on the beam. She scored a season-high and meet-high 9.950.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to nail a beam routine like that,” she said. “I’ve always had a little hop on my dismount or something else that’s been getting in the way of me performing to my potential. We had so much energy coming from vault and bars. I was able to do my best at the right time.”
Heading into the final event, the floor exercise, the Gators held the meet firmly in their grasp. They were 2.45 points ahead of North Carolina and 5.125 points ahead of Ball State.
So as Starstylers’ “Keep on Moving” came on the sound system in the O-Dome just before the floor competition, the Gators’ gymnasts jumped up and down and danced for the crowd.
As could be expected by their stellar performance, the Gators hogged the podium after the meet. Ashanee Dickerson took home first place in the vault—she is seventh in the country—and tied in the all-around competition with fellow Florida freshman Marissa King.
“I was so happy for her,” Faehn said. “To get up there on the award stand with Ashanee. That’s a 1-2 punch. It’s wonderful.”
King, who has had an outstanding season, has been somewhat overshadowed by Dickerson, who has collected just about every weekly award during the season. It was Dickerson’s sixth all-around first-place finish, something only three Gators have ever done.
“For me to be up there with her and to finally be at her level is phenomenal because she’s such a great, consistent, solid gymnast,” King said. “I do look up to her when every week she’s been up there winning all of those titles. So I do look up to her, and it’s great for us both to be on the Gator team.”
In the beam and floor events, Florida took all the places on the podium. It was a complete meet for the Gators as they prepare to make their postseason run.
The triangular format even helped prepare the young team for the pace of the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
“This is a great team,” Faehn said. “I love this team. They’re so young, yet so mature. The difference personalities and the different talents that each athlete has make it so fun to coach them because everybody brings something different to the table. Each meet, someone different is stepping up, and it’s exciting.”
The Gators play host to Utah on Friday, March 19 before the SEC Championships March 27 in Jacksonville. The NCAA Championships are scheduled for Florida April 22-24.
FLORIDA 197.550, NORTH CAROLINA 194.225, BALL STATE 191.350
At Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.
Vault: Florida 49.375, North Carolina 48.650, Ball State 48.225. Individuals: 1. Ashanee Dickerson (F) 9.950; T2. Marissa King (F) 9.900 and Christine Nguyen (NC) 9.900; T4. Courtney Gladys (F) 9.850, Nicole Ellis (F) 9.850, Brittney Emmons (BS) 9.850; 7. Dali Lemezan (F) 9.825; T8. Maranda Smith (F) 9.800 and Kara Wright (NC) 9.800; 10. Michelle Ikoma (NC) 9.725; 11. Nicole Allen (BS) 9.700; 12. Tiffany Brodbeck (BS) 9.650; 13. Taylor Brown (NC) 9.625; T14. Christa Greinke (BS) 9.600 and Karli Jones (NC) 9.600; 16. Morgan Coslow (BS) 9.425; 17. Ashley Jacob (BS) 9.200; 18. Morgan Evans (NC) 9.100.
Uneven Parallel Bars: Florida 49.350, North Carolina 48.700, Ball State 48.275. Individuals: T1. Amanda Castillo (F) 9.900 and Maranda Smith (F) 9.900; 3. Alicia Goodwin (F) 9.875; 4. Elizabeth Mahlich (F) 9.850; T5. Marissa King (F) 9.825 and Morgan Evans (NC) 9.825; T7. Ashanee Dickerson (F) 9.800, Katelyn Busacker (BS) 9.800 and Kara Wright (NC) 9.800; 10. Bibiana Rodriguez-Lockwood (BS) 9.775; 11. Michelle Ikoma (NC) 9.725; T12. Krista Jasper (NC) 9.675 and Christine Nguyen (NC) 9.675; 14. Taylor Brown (NC) 9.650; 15. Brittney Emmons (BC) 9.625; 16. Morgan Coslow (BS) 9.600; 17. Kayla Kmiecik (BS) 9.475; 18. Ashley Jacob (BS) 9.225.
Balance Beam: Florida 49.475, North Carolina 48.300, Ball State 47.550. Individuals: 1. Rebekah Zaiser (F) 9.950; 2. Liz Green (F) 9.925; T3. Randy Stageberg (F) 9.875 and Marissa King (F) 9.875; T5. Courtney Gladys (F) 9.850, Ashanee Dickerson (F) 9.850 and Kristina Jacob (NC) 9.850; 8. Christine Nguyen (NC) 9.800; 9. Kara Wright (NC) 9.750; 10. Tiffany Brodbeck (BS) 9.700; T11. Katelyn Busacker (BS) 9.650 and Krista Jasper (NC) 9.650; 13. Julie Cotter (BS) 9.625; 14. Megan Howard (BS) 9.575; T15. Michelle Ikoma (NC) 9.250 and Morgan Evans (NC) 9.250; 17. Kayla Kmiecik (BS) 9.000; 18. Brittney Emmons (BS) 8.950.
Floor Exercise: Florida 49.350, North Carolina 48.575, Ball State 47.300. Individuals: T1. Liz Green (F) 9.875, Randy Stageberg (F) 9.875, Ashanee Dickerson (F) 9.875 and Marissa King (F) 9.875; T5. Courtney Gladys (F) 9.850, Amy Ferguson (F) 9.850, Brittney Emmons (BS) 9.850 and Kara Wright (NC) 9.850; T9. Tiffany Brodbeck (BS) 9.800, Christine Nguyen (NC) 9.800 and Christine Nguyen (NC) 9.800; 11. Michelle Ikoma (NC) 9.725; T12. Karli Jones (NC) 9.600 and Kristina Jacob (NC) 9.600; 14. Christa Greinke (BS) 9.550; 15. Taylor Brown (NC) 9.350; 16. Amber Parsley (BS) 9.175; 17. Nicole Allen (BS) 8.925.
All Around: T1. Ashanee Dickerson (F) 39.475 and Marissa King (F) 39.475; 3. Kara Wright (NC) 39.200; 4. Christine Nguyen (NC) 39.175; 5. Michelle Ikoma (NC) 38.425; 6. Brittney Emmons (BS) 38.275.
Records: Florida 8-2, North Carolina 7-5, Ball State 5-7.