For the first time in five years, Florida gymnastics is the nation’s No. 1 team.
The Gators jumped from No. 3 to No. 1 in the Road to Nationals ranking, thanks to the highest score in the country — a 197.725 in a quad meet vs. North Carolina, Temple and West Virginia.
The ranking isn’t the only thing jumping up for UF. So is the competition.
The Gators open SEC play Friday, and it’s with a doozy as Florida welcomes rival and fourth-ranked Alabama.
The Crimson Tide defeated Clemson on the road with a score of 197.425. Azaraya Ra-Akbar stole the show with a 9.975. Of course, Florida received that same score from Selena Harris-Miranda last Friday.
Six-time national champions, the Crimson Tide advanced to the NCAA semifinals and fell in the first meet along with Florida last season. The two squads met four different times in 2025 — regular season, SEC Tournament, NCAA Regional and NCAA Semifinal. Florida won all four, but it hasn’t beaten UA at home since 2022.
The Tide lead the all-time series 77-66-2.
Florida gymnastics vs. Alabama starting lineups
Vault
Florida: Ly Bui, Skylar Draser, Amelia Disadore, Gabby Disidore, Danie Ferris, Selena Harris-Miranda
Alabama: Jasmine Crawley, Jamison Sears, Kylee Kvamme, Jordyn Paradise, Gabby Gladieux, Azaraya Ra-Akbar
Bars
Florida: eMjae Frazier, Anya Pilgram, Riley McCusker, DiCello, Skye Blakely, Harris-Miranda
Alabama: Paityn Walker, Gladieux, Ryan Fuller, Natalie Pawlak, Chloe LaCoursiere, Ra-Akbar
Beam
Florida: Draser, Frazier, Blakely, Harris-Miranda, DiCello, Alyssa Arana
Alabama: Cawley, Gabby Ladanyi, Kvamme, LaCoursiere, Ra-Akbar, Gladieux
Floor
Florida: Jayla Booker, A. Disidore, Ferris, Frazier, Taylor Clark, Blakely
Alabama: McKenzie Matters, LaCoursiere, Sears, Ra-Akbar, Crawley, Gladieux
Florida gymnastics vs. Alabama live meet updates
Rotation 1
This section will be updated.
Rotation 2
This section will be updated.
Rotation 3
This section will be updated.
Rotation 4
This section will be updated.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1 and on Instagram @Ramreporter. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida gymnastics vs. Alabama live updates: Top-ranked Gators look for SEC win
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
