Skye Blakely’s 2026 season demonstrates an upward trajectory, highlighted by late-season consistency and elite-level scoring.
Early in the season, the sophomore gymnast posted solid scores, typically ranging from 9.80 to 9.90.
Blakely opened 2026 with a slow start during No. 3 Florida’s first meet on Jan. 9. She posted scores of 9.875 on uneven bars, 9.85 on balance beam, and 9.875 on floor exercise. These scores helped Florida defeat three opponents off the top, which included UNC, Temple and West Virginia.
Two weeks later, en route to UF’s 197.10-196.70 win against Auburn, Blakely scored above 9.90 for the first time in the season. She also placed in the top 3 in all the events she participated in: uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. Her 9.925 on floor led her to her first collegiate win in that category.
In the next meet against Arkansas, Blakely picked up right where she left off. But instead, she won all three events. She sported a 9.95 on both the uneven bars and balance beam and set her own collegiate record with a 9.975 on floor.
However, she followed that up with a pedestrian meet against Missouri, where she didn’t eclipse anything past a 9.825. That was the Gators’ first loss of the season, and they ceded a second meet the following week to Oklahoma.
On Feb. 20, Florida bounced back from its two losses and handed Georgia its first home loss of the season. There, Blakely competed in vault for the first time this season and scored a 9.875. Her all-around score of 39.225 was second-best in the tournament.
In Florida’s next matchup, Blakely was vital in UF beating Texas Woman’s University, Arizona State and Fisk, despite only participating in the uneven bars and balance beam. Her 9.975 on uneven bars and whopping 10.0 on balance beam are her career bests for both events.
Little did Florida fans know, Blakely would go on a tear in March. Against No. 2 LSU, she tied her 9.975 record set earlier in the season on uneven bars and floor. She also won both events for the third time in the 2026 campaign.
Riding that momentum, UF soared to the nation’s highest score in its regular-season finale against Kentucky, and Blakley was at the forefront. She won bars and floor for the fourth time this season. Her 9.90 on vault also set her own college record. The consistent premier efforts from the Dallas, Texas, native led the Gators into the SEC Championship on a high note.
And her efforts paid off as the Gators defeated eight other SEC teams en route to their 13th conference championship. While Blakely didn’t finish first in any of the four events, she tied her record for the vault and uneven bars.
Blakely and company will compete in the NCAA Regional starting Thursday. They will face Arizona State or Arizona at 10 p.m in Tempe, Arizona. You can catch coverage on ESPN+.
Contact Colby Kistner at ckistner@alligator.org. Follow him on X @colbykistner22.
Colby is a junior sports journalism student in his first semester with the Alligator covering golf. He has experience covering Buchholz and Santa Fe High School sports. He also worked in UF's innovation center where he wrote and created radio content for WRUF. He is an avid hockey fan with his teams being the Seattle Kraken and Florida Panthers. He is looking to minor in business administration.
