Florida Gymnastics Advances to NCAA Championship Final

FORT WORTH, Texas — Florida gymnastics is back in the NCAA Gymnastics Championship Final.

Florida gymnastics advanced for the first time since 2024, winning the afternoon session with a 197.7875 score. The Gators will compete for a title Saturday at 4 p.m. at Dickies Arena against No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 LSU once again and No. 13 Minnesota, which upset No. 4 UCLA in the second semifinal to advance to its first Final Four on the Floor in program history.

“Extremely proud of this team, this journey, this story that they have written this season around ‘The Promise,'” Florida coach Jenny Rowland said. “It is something that they have lived by daily, and from the very last day of the season last year, they have been extremely intentional and motivated to support, to elevate, to do whatever they can so that there were no regrets this year.”

No. 2 LSU scored a 197.4375 after falling short last year. No. 6 Georgia made it close at the end, scoring 197.2625  and No. 7 Stanford finished with a 196.9375 to end its seasons.

“It was not our best day by a long shot, but I was so relieved at the end of it all,” LSU coach Jay Clark said despite advancing.

Senior eMjae Frazier was the Gators’ top all-arounder, posting a 39.5625 to sit in second behind LSU’s Kailin Chio after the first session. Junior Kayla DiCello and senior Selena Harris-Miranda also competed in all four events, recording the third-highest score (39.5375) and fifth-highest score (39.4625), respectively.

“I don’t usually look at the scores during the competition, but I just know today I was super excited to just get out there and enjoy the moment with my team and the staff,” Frazier said.

Florida, wearing its football-themed leotards named in honor of former UF football legend Steve Spurrier, opened on beam, the event it ranks No. 1 nationally in and has historically found success on, including during its 2026 SEC Championship run and two of its three national title seasons.

After a bobble from junior Alyssa Arana, sophomore Skye Blakely got the Gators back on track with a 9.925. Frazier led Florida on the event, also scoring a 9.925.

With a 49.625 on the event, Florida sat just over a tenth behind the Tigers, who posted two scores of 9.9625 from sophomores Kaliya Lincoln and Chio on vault, respectively, to lead the event before Session II.

On floor, the Gators posted only one score above a 9.9, Frazier’s 9.9375. Harris-Miranda’s 9.8375 was dropped as the lowest, leaving Florida with a 49.375 to maintain a narrow lead over LSU after its 49.1875 on bars. Georgia and Stanford sat on the outside looking in with scores of 49.25 and 48.875 on beam and vault, respectively.

The Bulldogs moved into second place going into the final rotation after a 49.5375 on floor. The Tigers had to count two scores in the 9.7s on beam due to missed connections, along with a 9.425 from Lincoln. After suffering an injury in the Baton Rouge Regional Final, junior Konnor McClain posted a 9.95 to lead the individual title race alongside Stanford’s Ana Barbosu.

“Just doing what I can do and bringing whatever scores we need to the team is just so special to me because I just love it, and I want to do my best for them,” McClain said.

Florida ended the day on bars, where it also leads the country. The Gators proved why once again, recording the highest score by nearly four tenths (49.6625). Florida notched four scores above a 9.9, including a near-perfect 9.975 from Blakely.

In Florida’s final routine of the night, fifth-year senior Riley McCusker recorded the second-best bars score of her career (9.9875). She received four perfect 10.0s from the six judges, winning the national title after waiting the entire meet to compete.

“It’s the same thing I did at SECs, so it was good. I had some practice waiting a long time,” McCusker said. “Really just staying present with my team, and I try not to get ahead of myself, so I’m there with the team during beam, floor, and once I start gripping up during vault, that’s when I start to lock in for bars.”

LSU held on for the second spot, edging Georgia with three scores above a 9.9, including Chio’s 9.9625.

“No journey is ever perfect or is linear, and I think that’s what makes Team 54 so special,” said Rowland, whose Gators seek their first NCAA Gymnastics Championship since 2015. “They have brought a lot of joy to the staff, to this team, and incredibly excited to continue dancing and competing one more day with his team.”

Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Gymnastics