With all of the firepower the Gators piled up this season, Ashanée Dickerson fell a little under the radar before last Friday’s meet.
Then she made a resounding statement in a resounding win.
As an all-around competitor, Dickerson scored a 39.60 to pick up her first all-around title of 2012 and her 11th as a Gator in UF’s impressive victory against top-ranked Arkansas, No. 24 Maryland and Bridgeport.
Dickerson also won a share of the floor exercise title (9.95) with freshman Kytra Hunter and tallied a career high on uneven bars (9.925).
For her performance last Friday, Dickerson earned Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Week honors. The accolade is her first this season and the third of her Florida career.
“That (all-around win) was really special for Ashanée,” coach Rhonda Faehn said. “She always puts her absolute best into every competition in every event she does.”
Dickerson’s total was just one-tenth of a point off her collegiate-best mark of 39.70, which she earned toward the end of her freshman season in the 2010 NCAA North Central Regional.
Her 39.60 is also the second-best all-around score this year, behind Arkansas’ Katherine Grable’s 39.725 against LSU on Jan. 20.
While Dickerson has recently kept a slightly inconspicuous profile, her statistics prove she’s been a powerhouse for the Gators.
Dickerson has averaged a 39.325 as an all-arounder, which is good for 13th nationally.
The all-around and floor victories last Friday raised her title total to 50 in her three seasons, placing her seventh on UF’s career list.
Dickerson’s performances as an all-around competitor have also helped the Gators average a team total of 196.563 throughout four meets.
With Dickerson leading the way last Friday night, UF finished with a 197.775, the fifth-highest total in school history. That score, which is also the best in the nation this season, helped Florida climb five spots in this week’s GymInfo rankings to No. 3.
“It was amazing to show everyone how hard we work in the gym and how much we’ve bonded,” Dickerson said. “It showed in our performance.”
When No. 3 Florida travels to Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Friday night to compete against reigning NCAA champion No. 6 Alabama, big production will now be expected out of Dickerson, although her status as an all-around competitor still remains unknown.
“She’s becoming more comfortable with the actual performance aspect of competing,” Faehn said. “She’s really enjoying what she’s doing out there. You can see it.”
Junior Ashanée Dickerson was named SEC Gymnast of the Week on Tuesday for the third time in her career, following an all-round victory in UF’s quad meet last week.
