(GYM) Gymnastics 2024 - 2025

The big addition is our transfer from UCLA. She was the #1 gymnast coming out of HS, an All-American, and the best gymnast in the PAC 12.

One of our 2 freshmen may contribute on vault and floor. The other may take some time. Third freshman Skye Blakely is likely to miss most if not all of the 2025 season. She and Kayla DiCello tore their Achilles tendons within a day of each other in the US Team Olympic trials late last June.

When on, the 2025 Gators will hit 198+. To win a national championship, it could take up to 198.5.

 

There have been new rules changes starting in the 2025 season. I posted them earlier in the thread.

One was a minor change on the beam for knocking the beam end cap off and a deduction for dismounting too close to the beam.

Using the lines as part of the judging on vaults has been incorporated.

Bars has a few tweaks as well.

I don't recall the changes made on the floor, but I do recall that if you only do 2 passes you have to add greater difficulty.

EDIT: See Post #101

 

College Gym News 2025 is as predictable as rain, even more so:

Oklahoma Tops College Gym News 2025 Preseason Poll - College Gym News

How the CGN 13 panel voted, 9 for Oklahoma and 4 for LSU, well, you get it:

Not even a suck up to the national champion who comes back loaded and deeper than the Sooners. OU is counting on 6 new freshman gymnasts in 2025. The Sooners are where the Gators were last season when Skylar Draser came through big time in multiple events, a contribution CGN refused to recognize when honoring the 2024 freshmen. Yes, I raised hell about it to no avail.

The CGN 2025 Preseason Top 25. In the top 15, I've bolded the teams I disagree with:

Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, and Georgia are too high while Arkansas, Denver, Minnesota, and Ohio State are too low.

Team Total Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Oklahoma 464 (9)
2. LSU 456 (4)
3. Florida 440
4. Utah 425
5. California 417
6. Alabama 374
7. UCLA 373
8. Missouri 359
9. Kentucky 352
10. Michigan State 340
11. Michigan 337
12. Arkansas 332
13. Denver 316
14. Georgia 303
15. Stanford 302
16. Auburn 271
17. Minnesota 258
18. Ohio State 253
19. Oregon State 246
20. Penn State 230
21. Arizona State 192
22. Maryland 163
23. N.C. State 162
24. Nebraska 150
25. Clemson 136
26. Illinois 122
27T. Iowa 116
27T. Washington 116
29. Arizona 111
30. BYU 110
31. Towson 91
32. Iowa State 83
33T. Boise State 75
33T. Southern Utah 75
35. Kent State 49
36. San Jose State 22

Other teams receiving points: Ball State (14), North Carolina (8), Central Michigan (7), Pittsburgh (3), George Washington (3), and Utah State (2)

My Top 10+1 from post #140:

ETGator1 "Too Early" 2025 Top 10:

1. LSU
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. California
5. Arkansas
6. Utah
7. UCLA
8. Denver
9. Missouri
10T. Michigan State
10T. Minnesota

5 teams currently missing my top 10 cut in alphabetical order:

Alabama
Kentucky
Michigan
Ohio State
Stanford

 

Reinforcement for what gatorgym_pics said earlier in the thread about Skye Blakely being a bit ahead of Kayla DiCello?

From the College Gym News Injury List:

• Removed: Konnor McClain (LSU) 11/25/24

Konnor McClain who is a world class gymnast tore her Achilles tendon 5 weeks before Skye and Kayla. Her stated objective during recovery was to be able to be back for the 2025 season performing on bars and beam. Apparently, Konnor has accomplished that goal.

The good news for UF is Skye and Kayla, if on a recovery trajectory similar to Konnor's, may be available for bars and beam to start the season, Skye thought to be the more likely. Conditioning is not an issue as both are world class gymnasts who work their tails off in practice seeming to try to one up on each other during workouts. It's a matter of healing and medical clearance.

I like our chances at LSU on January 17 if UF has Skye or both Skye and Kayla.

 

You mentioned some Thanksgiving pictures?

 

My Thanksgiving plans were messed up by sickness too. Just today feeling close to normal.

Anything you can share will always be appreciated, especially on our walking injured.

 

Four Future Gators at December Women's National Team Camp:

Gymnast and season performing with UF:

Amelia Disidore 2026
Kieryn Finnell 2027
Jayla Hang 2027
Simone Rose 2027

 

Hype Night - Monday, 12/16 - Admission = Free:



A preview of what you might see from Skye Blakely:



When Skye can stick that landing safely, she'll be ready to go on bars and beam.

Anyone fortunate enough to live in Gainesville who attends, please give us a report on the team, but particularly on Skye Blakely, Kayla DiCello, and Riley McCusker. These 3 can be the difference in a top 4 finish and the 2025 national championship.

 

WCGA 2025 Coaches Preseason Poll:

Gators No. 3 in 2025 WCGA Preseason Poll - Florida Gators

Gators start at #3.

No, I don't think Oklahoma is the best team in 2025, but everybody else thinks so:

WCGA – 2025 Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank Team Points First Place Votes Date with Florida
1 Oklahoma 1963 points 42 Feb. 21 (away)
2 LSU 1871 points 6 Jan. 17 (away)
3 Florida 1806 points 5
4 California 1785 points 1
5 Utah 1733 points 1 (neutral at West Virginia)
6 Alabama 1641 points March 7 (away)
7 Kentucky 1455 points March 14 (home)
8 Arkansas 1453 points Feb. 7 (away)
9 Missouri 1407 points Feb. 28 (home)
10 UCLA 1406 points
11 Michigan State 1397 points Jan. 10 (home)
12 Denver 1341 points
13 Michigan 1338 points
14 Georgia 1264 points Jan. 24 (home)
15 Stanford 1144 points
16 Ohio State 1117 points
17 Auburn 1069 points Feb. 14 (home)
18 Minnesota 1062 points
19 Oregon State 966 points
20 Arizona State 902 points
21 Penn State 853 points
22 Illinois 681 points
23 Nebraska 645 points Jan. 10 (home)
24 Maryland 630 points
25 North Carolina State 598 points
26 Washington (592 points)
27 BYU (591 points)
28 Clemson (564 points)
29 Iowa (531 points)
30 Arizona (520 points)
31 Southern Utah (389 points)
32 Iowa State (375 points)
33 Boise State (341 points)
34 Towson (250 points)
35 Kent State (166 points)
36 North Carolina (143 points)

Also receiving votes: Ball State (136 points), San Jose State (109 points), Pittsburgh (82 points), George Washington (59 points), Central Michigan (52 points), Utah State (46 points), Illinois State (35 points), Pennsylvania (22 points), West Virginia (19 points), Western Michigan (19 points), Rutgers (15 points), Bowling Green (12 points), Alaska (10 points), New Hampshire (9 points), Eastern Michigan (6 points), Temple (5 points), UC Davis (5 points)

The WCGA is the advocate for women’s collegiate gymnastics.

 

News on the away meet at West Virginia on Sunday, 2/2. Mary Howard, Associate AD for gymnastics and soccer, confirmed that the meet is a tri-meet with Florida, Utah, and West Virginia.

Given the is meet is at a XII program with two XIIs vs. SEC, hopefully Fox Sports will decide to provide TV coverage when they realize they have something worth televising, two top 5 gymnastics programs in the nation with Florida and Utah. Host team West Virginia has very little to offer competitively, currently unranked outside the coaches poll top 36, so realistically this will be like a dual meet between Florida and Utah at a neutral site.

EDIT: Utah added to the schedule at West Virginia on 2/2:

2025 Gymnastics Schedule - Florida Gators

Mary Howard was timely and helpful in her response to my email. Mary, thank you for the confirmation and the change to the official schedule.