From the moment the Florida Gators took the mat Friday night for their regular-season finale, it was clear that they were ready to make a statement.
Last week, the Gators posted a nation-best 198.450 score to defeat No. 2 Louisiana State in the O’Connell Center. But Florida wasn’t done crushing the competition and smashing through the national scoring ceiling.
UF set season bests on the uneven bars, the vault and a joint-season high on the beam en route to a nationwide best 198.575. It marked the joint-second highest mark in program history, only behind its 198.775 at the 2022 NCAA Auburn Regional Final.
No. 3 Florida (12-2) ultimately demolished No. 22 Kentucky (1-10-1) 198.575-197.725 in the Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky. The win improved the Gators’ record in the all-time series to 99-2 against the Wildcats.
The competition for the all-around crown came down to two Gators, sophomore Skye Blakely and senior Selena Harris-Miranda.
Blakely was excellent all night, scoring three 9.950s and a 9.900 en route to a season-best 39.750 all-around score.
However, Harris-Miranda, the defending Inside Gymnastics and SEC Gymnast of the Week, just barely eeked out her teammate with a 39.775, capped off with her second consecutive perfect 10.0 on the balance beam.
The Gators could not have asked for a better start to the night on the uneven bars. No gymnast scored below a 9.900 as Blakely, Harris-Miranda, junior Kayla DiCello and senior Riley McCusker delivered four consecutive 9.950s to split the bars crown.
With that, Florida, the No. 1 bars team in the nation this season, went up a staggering 0.375 on Kentucky by the end of the opening rotation.
Ultimately, UF’s sparkling 49.725 score on the bars was the second-best score in the nation so far this season, only trailing Utah’s 49.750.
The Gators' vault rotation was again a team-high this season, a 49.475. Junior Danie Ferris headlined the rotation with a 9.925 score, which tied her season high. With that, UF’s lead over UK grew to 0.750 halfway through the duel meet.
While Ferris’ 9.925 was impressive, she did not capture the vault crown on the evening. That distinction went to Kentucky sophomore Anna Flynn Cashion, who posted a 9.950.
With the end result not in doubt, the Gators continued to perform as if their season were on the line. On the floor, Florida’s gymnasts continued to churn out quality routines, earning a season joint-second best 49.575 score.
Leading the way was the ever-steady Blakely, who followed up her 9.975 last week with a 9.950 score, earning at least a 9.925 on floor for the fifth time in the last seven meets. Harris-Miranda followed suit with a steady 9.950 score as she continues to chase a gym-slam with a perfect 10.0 on the event. Also, freshman Amelia Disidore was on point, setting her collegiate high with a 9.925 mark.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats continued to fall, both literally and figuratively. Junior Sharon Lee tumbled off the bar during her routine, scoring a 9.200. With no margin for error, Kentucky was forced to count two 9.775 scores. Despite that, Kentucky junior Delaynee Rodriguez posted a 9.950 from the anchor position, ending the rotation on a high note.
Moving into the night’s final rotation, a Gator looked to score a 10.0 on the balance beam for the third consecutive meet.
Junior Alyssa Arana equalled her season-high with a 9.925 score, before Blakely, who scored a 10.0 Feb. 27, tallied a 9.950. Then, Frazier nearly hit the mark, posting a season-best 9.975 score. With two more chances to hit the mark, DiCello, who had scored a 9.950 four times this season, made it a fifth time.
But then Harris-Miranda delivered. She was picture-perfect, earning a 10.0 for the second consecutive meet to cap off the night.
The Gators will head to the 2026 SEC Gymnastics Championships March 21 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Gators will compete alongside the other top-four seeded teams at 8 p.m. ET.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X at @maxbernstein23.
Max is a junior sports journalism student in his seventh semester at The Alligator. He serves as The Alligator's assistant sports editor and football beat coordinator. He previously served as The Alligator's sports editor and as a reporter for football, women's tennis, volleyball, lacrosse and sports enterprise. He also has made multiple appearances on the Paul Finebaum Show. Max wants to shoutout his cats, Scooter and Zoe, and niche former Florida Panthers players (shoutout Maxim Mamin).
