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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Sophomore Kytra Hunter performs her beam routine in a dual meet against Ball State on Jan. 4 in the O’Connell Center. Hunter won the all-around title at the NCAA Regionals on Saturday.</p>

Sophomore Kytra Hunter performs her beam routine in a dual meet against Ball State on Jan. 4 in the O’Connell Center. Hunter won the all-around title at the NCAA Regionals on Saturday.

The pressure of performing in another NCAA Regional Championship didn't crack Kytra Hunter.

The NCAA's No. 3 gymnast stuck routine after routine with little error en route to No. 1 Florida's (20-2, 7-1 SEC) fourth Southeast Regional Championship in five years.

Florida edged out a field of six that included No. 12 Auburn and Minnesota and Maryland-College Park with a score of 198.400.

“We said if we split our team in half, we could go one and two,” freshman Bridget Sloan said.

Minnesota finished second with a score of 197.100 while Auburn (196.700), Maryland-College Park (195.575), Pittsburgh (194.775) and Bridgeport (194.225) rounded out the tourney.

Florida has won the NCAA Regional team title in eight of 11 seasons under Rhonda Faehn.

But Hunter stole the show.

Hunter strung together four consecutive scores of 9.90 or above, including an emphatic 9.95 mark on uneven bars to gain sole control of the all-around title.

The sophomore was locked in on each apparatus, much like the rest of her teammates.

Despite a season-ending injury to Randy Stageberg, Florida picked up the slack and delivered an impressive performance.

The Gators kicked off the evening with a team score of 49.60 on vault, which was the third highest in program history and second highest of 2013.

Hunter and All-American Ashanee Dickerson anchored the back end of the rotation with consecutive scores of 9.950 to give Florida a .85 cushion over Maryland-College Park heading into the second rotation.

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After a 20-minute intermission, Florida came out with a strong on bars.

A strong showing from Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto sparked a productive rotation.

Hunter was the first gymnast to register a 9.90 or higher and was followed by Sloan, the SEC Freshman of the Year, who posted a nearly perfect score of 9.975.

Junior Alaina Johnson, who was absent from competition for two months due to a stress fracture, showed no signs of rust.

The All-American returned to Florida's rotation and posted a 9.875 on her second event of the evening.

Leading off Florida's balance beam rotation, Rachel Spicer stuck a 9.80 in a position usually held by Stageberg.

Sloan followed suit with a 9.90, falling just short off of her second-ranked 9.920 average.

Marissa King would close out the lineup with an impressive routine scoring a 9.95.

Florida's 49.550 is its second highest beam score next to its 49.60 versus Minnesota on March 1.

Following their second and final bye, the Gators took to the floor for the final event of the evening.

Sophomore Kiersten Wang led off on the event with a score of 9.850.

Dickerson, in her final floor exercise at the O'Connell Center, tallied a respectable 9.925, and the Gators used it as a springboard for its final three gymnasts.

King and Hunter both recorded a 9.95, while freshman Bridgette Caquatto pinned a 9.925.

It was Caquatto's first scored appearance since Feb. 22.

Florida will travel to Los Angeles on April 19 for another shot at the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Kytra Hunter performs her beam routine in a dual meet against Ball State on Jan. 4 in the O’Connell Center. Hunter won the all-around title at the NCAA Regionals on Saturday.

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