It was another year of Gator grief in Fort Worth.
Florida gymnastics came up short in the NCAA Team Final for the fifth time in six years Saturday as Oklahoma won its fourth crown since 2022 with a 198.1625 to defeat LSU, Florida and Minnesota.
UF, with a 197.6875, finished in third place. LSU narrowly lost the title to the Sooners, despite holding the lead heading into the final rotation, and ended with a 198.075. Minnesota was in fourth with a 197.375.
The Gators looked ready as any squad in recent years to end their title drought, but the bad mojo began immediately for UF. It scored a 49.3875 on balance beam. It was the lowest mark of the season for the team that ranks No. 1 in the nation. Alyssa Arana suffered a fall to end the event.
With Oklahoma (vault) and LSU (floor) on their top events and putting up normal scores, the Gators found themselves in a hole. It didn’t get any deeper with a 49.450 on floor, but the vault issues plagued Florida at the worst time. UF settled for a 49.250, and the hole was too deep to climb out of.
The Gators finished strong on bars — where they also place No. 1 — with a 49.600, but the Sooners and Tigers were just too strong.
Florida now is without a gymnastics title since 2015.
Here’s how it happened:
Florida gymnastics in NCAA Championship live meet updates
Rotation 4: Florida gymnastics 197.6875; Oklahoma 198.1625; LSU 198.075; Minnesota 197.375
Gators deliever a 49.600 on bars (its best event of the night), but it isn’t enough. Oklahoma and LSU engaged in a battle for the ages, but the Sooners prevailed thanks to a 49.6375 on the floor. Florida finishes in third place. Selena Harris-Miranda ends her legendary college career with a 9.950, and Skye Blakely scores the same. It was about the best Florida could do and consistent with its usual top bars scores, but the gap was just too big.
Rotation 3: Florida gymnastics
Well, it’s going to take some more magic for the Orange and Blue. Florida can’t get the top-notch vault routine it needed and instead settles for a 49.250. Oklahoma bounces back after a slow start on beam and gets a 49.4375. LSU, though, with a 49.6125 takes the lead. For Florida, though, it trails by over a half point and will need its top bars routine of the season plus a lot of help to win it all.
Rotation 2: Florida gymnastics 98.8375; Oklahoma 99.0875; LSU 98.9875; Minnesota 98.7125
Despite a 49.450 on floor, the Gators can’t make any in-roads. Oklahoma with a 49.4875 on bars, and Kaitlin Chio’s 10 on vault elevates the Bayou Bengals to a 49.475 on vault. Selena Harris-Miranda comes oh so close to a gym slam on floor to anchor for the Gators, but she settles for a 9.900. Gators will need some magic on vault and its normal dominance on bars, plus some breaks from Oklahoma and LSU, to claim the program’s first title since 2015.
Rotation 1: Florida gymnastics 49.3825; Oklahoma 49.600; LSU 49.5125; Minnesota 49.2625
Everything in gymnastics is relative, and while Florida gymnastics will take a 49.3825 on beam, it isn’t enough so far to compete with Oklahoma and its 49.600 on the vault. The Sooners do rank No. 1 in the nation on vault, but so do the Gators on beam. UF had a chance to increase its score, but Alyssa Arana suffered a fall. LSU on floor, where it also ranks No. 1, tallies a 49.5125 to put the Gators in third through one rotation.
Florida gymnastics in NCAA Championship starting lineups
(In order of competition)
Balance beam
Floor
Vault
Uneven bars
What channel is Florida gymnastics at the NCAA Final?
TV Channel: ABC
Streaming: ESPN.com or the ESPN App
The NCAA Semifinals will be broadcast on ABC. Olympians Samantha Peszek, Aly Raisman and John Roethlisberger calling the action and Taylor Davis providing sideline reports.
What time is Florida gymnastics at the NCAA Final?
The Gators will compete with No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 LSU and No. 13 Minnesota.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida gymnastics comes up short once again as Oklahoma wins NCAA title
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
