Trinity Thomas in Florida's meet against LSU on Feb. 17. Photo courtesy of Hannah White.

Gators Gymnastics Faces Kentucky on Senior Night

The No. 2 ranked Gators gymnastics team will celebrate senior night at its last home meet of the season Friday. Florida will take on No. 12 Kentucky. The meet is set to begin at 5:45 p.m.

Senior Night for the Gators

The Gators are honoring seven seniors including four super seniors, Leah Clapper, Savannah Schoenherr, Halley Taylor and Trinity Thomas. Other seniors include Georgia transfer, Rachel Baumann, and senior Payton Richards and manager Shea Wheeler.

The seniors will be recognized after the awards ceremony.

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SEC Title On the Line

Florida has won four straight SEC regular season trophies and the team has another chance to capture the regular season title on Friday.

The Gators and Wildcats are the only two teams with one loss in conference play. A Kentucky win over the Florida and a win against Auburn on March 3 would give the Wildcats its first ever SEC title in program history.

“Our super seniors came in and we’re on a mission,” Gators head coach Jenny Rowland said. “I know they are hungry and really wanting this title to complete an entire hand of accolades.”

Trinity Thomas’ Legacy

Thomas received her 25th perfect 10.0 in the team’s last meet against LSU on Feb. 17. A gym slam is when a gymnast scores a perfect 10.0 on all four apparatus. Thomas has four gym slams and is the only gymnast in NCAA history to have four gym slams.

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Thomas has claimed four SEC event titles and three NCAA event titles. She now has 29 career titles.

Former Kentucky gymnast Jenny Hansen and former UCLA gymnast Jamie Dantzscher currently hold the record for the most perfect 10’s. Trinity only needs three more 10’s to share the record, and four more to break the record.

“This program is not the same program it was before Trinity came,” Rowland said.  “She is what anybody and everybody would always dream of somebody to be, and more.”

Thomas is looking forward to her last performance in the O’Connell Center Friday. Her family will be in attendance to support her.

“My career has exceeded my expectations,” Thomas said. “My love for the sport, my love for the University of Florida has exceeded my expectations. I feel so blessed to have been here all five years. I’ve enjoyed every step of the journey.”

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