Florida Gymnastics Finds Its Groove in Statement Win Over Arkansas
The Florida Gators didn’t just bounce back Friday night - they soared. With a season-best score of 198.050, No.
3 Florida took down No. 6 Arkansas in Gainesville, delivering a performance that felt like a turning point just four meets into the season.
It was the kind of night that reminded everyone why the Gators remain one of the premier programs in the country - even when adversity strikes.
And make no mistake, adversity knocked hard this week.
Vault standout Ly Bui was sidelined with a high ankle sprain suffered against Auburn, leaving a hole in Florida’s lineup and a question mark hanging over the team’s most volatile event. Head coach Jenny Rowland didn’t flinch.
Instead, she retooled the vault rotation, inserting Gabby Disidore and eMjae Frazier into the mix. It was a bold shuffle that could’ve gone either way - but it paid off in a big way.
Not only did Florida improve dramatically on vault, they used it as a launching pad. The Gators opened with a 49.350 on the event - their lowest score of the night, yes, but a massive leap forward from last week’s 48.600. That’s the kind of in-week turnaround that speaks to both coaching adaptability and athlete resilience.
At the center of that vault momentum was Kayla DiCello. Rowland moved her to the lead-off spot, and DiCello delivered a 9.900 - her best score of the season. The change in order seemed to unlock something for the sophomore.
“For me, vault is a little scary,” DiCello admitted. “But going first, I was able to warm up, take the time I needed and do my normal.”
And she didn’t stop there. DiCello followed her vault with a 9.925 on bars and a 9.950 on beam, debuting a new routine that looked like vintage DiCello - the same gymnast who earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2023. Her confidence was back, and it showed in every landing.
“I needed to change this beam routine,” she said. “I felt so confident out there. I trusted my teammates and let go of my worries.”
But if DiCello was the spark, Skye Blakely was the flame.
Blakely, who’s battled injuries and expectations since arriving in Gainesville, finally looked like the gymnast fans envisioned when she first committed. She posted collegiate-best scores across the board: 9.950 on bars, 9.950 on beam, and a stunning 9.975 on floor.
That floor routine was especially meaningful. It marked her return to the event after being injured on it last season - and she did it with her sister, Sloane, watching from the stands.
“I love floor,” Blakely said. “Coming back on it, especially after getting injured on that event, it’s nice to just go out there and have fun.”
Blakely wasn’t the only one thriving on floor. Selena Harris-Miranda, who’s been pushing for a shot in the all-around, finally got her chance - and made the most of it. She not only anchored vault with a 9.900, tying DiCello for the team lead, but also stepped into the floor lineup with poise and power.
“I felt a lot more confident on floor,” Harris-Miranda said. “Usually, I don’t feel that, but Adrian (Burde) did a good job of knowing his timing.”
Confidence was the theme of the night - not just in individual routines, but in the team’s collective energy. Florida looked locked in, loose, and most importantly, deep. With injuries forcing lineup changes and new faces stepping up, Rowland now finds herself with a good problem: too many capable gymnasts and not enough spots.
But that’s exactly the kind of depth championship teams are built on.
“We’ve got to continue to tweak and see who is the most confident,” Rowland said. “How can we continue to elevate our scores through our events?”
That’s the mindset of a coach who knows her team hasn’t peaked - and that’s a scary thought for the rest of the NCAA.
Next up, Florida hits the road for a showdown with Missouri - the same team that ended their NCAA Finals hopes last season. It’s another test, but if this week was any indication, the Gators are ready for whatever comes next.