(GYM) ***CLOSED***Gymnastics 2023 - 2024***CLOSED

I had LSU at 2 before losing Riley for the season and Dani for a portion of the season.

Alabama should be higher.

Both Utah and UCLA are too high.

ETGator1 Top 12:

1. Oklahoma - Lost Trautman to grad so vulnerable
2. LSU - Loaded with talent & depth
3. Florida - Provided Dani back in early Feb
4. Michigan
5. California
6. Alabama - Luisa Blanco, #1 gymnast in 2023
7. UCLA - Two gymnasts out for Paris 24
8. Utah - Transfers, HC & administration issues
9. Kentucky
10. Michigan State
11. Oregon State
12. Missouri

 

not to overlook megan skaggs and trinity thomas.

 

Going out on a limb and sawing it off as I'm revising my preseason top 12:

ETGator1 Top 12:

1. LSU
2. Oklahoma
3. Utah
4. Florida
5. Michigan
6. California
7. Alabama
8. UCLA
9. Kentucky
10. Michigan State
11. Oregon State
12. Missouri

Moved LSU up to 1, Oklahoma down to 2, Florida down to 4 and Utah up to 3.

LSU has more talent and depth than anyone in the nation. They can pick their top 6 in each of the 4 events and have no weak links.

Oklahoma is probably equally talented but doesn't have LSU's depth. Going 3peat on top of losing their end of year wild card to graduation, Trautman, will be awfully tough.

Utah didn't recruit 2025 well due to the Tom Farden saga and did have transfers out, but the Red Rocks are loaded for the 2024 season.

Florida is going to face some growing pains with the season ending loss of Riley McCusker with her broken foot and Dani Ferris missing significant time with her broken hand/wrist, likely the first half of the season to heal and to return to top performance shape. For the Gators to be higher, Hurd and Lazzari plus the others returning along with the true freshmen are going to have to put up some sparkling performances, no nerves meltdowns under pressure. Possible? Yes. Likely? Doubtful. It could happen that UF doesn't make it to the finals in 2024 as other good teams step up their performances. It will be entertaining to watch, but the cards I'm reading do not show a championship season for the Gators. I do hope I'm wrong.

 

Good news on Dani Ferris and confirmed bad news on Riley McCusker:

All Things Gymnastics Podcast on X: "Just wrapped up a great interview with Jenny Rowland that will be out next Monday! Because we know many of you are drafting Fantasy Teams now—Danie Ferris is in a cast for the remainder of the month but is only expected to miss the first few weeks of season!" / X (twitter.com)

Dani will be in a cast for the remainder of December, but she is expected to be back by mid-January. I'm hoping she will be ready for bama.

Riley is confirmed out for the season. I would expect her to file for a medical year extension from the NCAA, but she has not redshirted so she will get 1 additional year anyway.

 

College Gym News Underrated Freshmen to Watch in 2024:

Fantasy Central: Underrated Freshmen to Watch in 2024 - College Gym News

Gabby Disidore on bars.

Gabby's sister Amelia will be joining UF in 2025 for the 2026 season. Amelia is on the 2023 US Senior National Team.

 

College Gym News Updated Lineups:

Potential Lineups: Updates - College Gym News

Florida

• Star freshman Danie Ferris is out short term with a thumb injury.
• Junior Riley McCusker will likely miss the entire 2024 season due to a lower leg injury.
• Freshmen Kaylee Bluffstone and Skylar Draser have competed all four events at the team’s recent intrasquads.
• After a string of injuries and surgeries, fan favorite Morgan Hurd has looked strong in clips of bars, beam, and floor.
• Ellie Lazzari is back on vault and floor after competing only beam in 2023.

 

2024 Regular Season TV Schedule:

Gators Gymnastics on X: "When and where to tune in during 2⃣0⃣2⃣4⃣ #Gators season! ️ https://t.co/zAdGQuXsYB #GoGators | ‍♀️| @SECNetwork https://t.co/afonTkhmqu" / X (twitter.com)

Seven 2024 Gator Regular-Season Meets Televised - Florida Gators

2024 Florida Gymnastics Television Appearances

Date Meet Network - Time ET

Jan. 19 Florida at Auburn 6 pm – SEC Network
Jan. 26 Alabama at Florida 7 pm – ESPN2
Feb. 2 Florida at Georgia 7 pm – SEC Network
Feb.9 Arkansas at Florida (Gators Link to Pink) 7:30 pm – SEC Network
Feb.16 Florida at Missouri 7 pm – SEC Network
Feb. 23 LSU at Florida 7 pm – ESPN2
March 3 Florida at Kentucky 2 pm - ESPN2
March 23 SEC Championships Session I at 3:30 pm - SEC Network
Session II at 8 pm - SEC Network

 

Start Here:

Gymnastics Tickets - Florida Gators

I doubt tickets will be made available until after the programs are placed in the regionals. Per normal, season ticket holders will be given first priority.

All of the regionals will be available to watch on ESPN+ only. I'd prefer a regular ESPN channel, but somebody is intent on making all mighty dollars televising a sport that is increasing in popularity each year. I order ESPN+ for 1 month each year just to watch the NCAA Gymnastics Regionals.

 

Congratulations to Payton Richards on her graduation:

Gators Gymnastics on X: "This All-American competes as a #Gators grad in 2024! Congratulations ! https://t.co/MMWmqVPay1 #GoGators | ‍♀️| #UFGrad | #NCAAGrad | @UF https://t.co/SZAckIdop9" / X (twitter.com)

I have a feeling Payton is going to have a great season to go out in style. I couldn't be happier for a true Gator fan who got to live her education and gymnastic dreams with UF.

 

College Gym Fans previews the Coaches Poll Top 12:

#1 to #12: 2024 Previews - CollegeGymFans.com

13-25 will be previewed next week.

2. Florida
Official Web Site: Link Schedule Roster
Starting Routines Returning: 15/24
Routines Gone: 2 VT, 3 UB, 2 BB, 2 FX
Head Coach: Jenny Rowland
Associate Head Coach: Adrian Burde,
Assistants: Owen Field, Jeremy Miranda
Finish Last Season: 2nd
Returning Starters (6): Sloane Blakely (Jr), Ellie Lazzari (Sr), Riley McCusker (Jr/I), Victoria Nguyen (Sr), Payton Richards (Gr), Leanne Wong (Jr)
Other/Injured Returners (5): Lori Brubach (So), Chloi Clark (Sr), Bri Edwards (Jr), Morgan Hurd (Jr/I), Michala Magee (Sr)
Graduated (4): Rachel Baumann, Leah Clapper, Trinity Thomas, Halley Taylor
Other Losses (2): Kayla DiCello (So/Training Elite), Savannah Schoenherr (Gr/TR/LSU)
Newcomers (6): Alyssa Arana, Kaylee Bluffstone, Gabby Disidore, Skylar Draser, Danie Ferris, Anya Pilgrim

Quick Assessment: Florida finished the season just 0.15 points behind OU, at the NCAA Finals. And this finish was despite the fact the Gators were without the services of several athletes, most notably superstar Trinity Thomas, who was limited to VT and UB due to injury. Thomas, of course, was a two-time Honda Award winner, a 34-time All-American (11 NCAA/23 Regular Season) and the 2022 NCAA AA, UB and FX Champion. The Gators also lost other key contributors from prior seasons, including Rachel Bauman, Leah Clapper and Savannah Schoenherr. In addition, last year's standout AA frosh, Kayla DiCello, will be taking the season off to focus on training for the Paris Olympics. And unfortunately, UB and BB standout Riley McCusker is injured and will miss the season. Florida seeks to contend for the title once again, led by juniors Leanne Wong and Sloane Blakely, and last year's surprise, UGA transfer Victoria Nguyen. That trio of AAers forms a strong base, supplemented by grad student Payton Richards. Florida will also look to get contributions this season from junior Morgan Hurd, who looks to be coming back from injury quite well.

In order to keep up with the Sooners, Florida will need immediate contributions from five talented frosh: Alyssa Arana, Kaylee Bluffstone, Gabby Disidore, Skylar Draser, Danie Ferris and Anya Pilgrim. Arana who trained junior elite at Leyva, placed 3rd on BB and tied for 26th AA at the 2022 Women's Development Program (WDP) L10 Nationals. She also won the Individual Event Specialist titles on UB and BB at the 2023 Nationals. Bluffstone had a strong club season in 2023, placing 3rd on VT (Yurchenko 1 1/2), 4th on FX (full-in mount), 7th(t) BB and 9th AA at the WDP L10 Nationals. She also tied for 4th on VT and FX while placing 12th AA at the 2022 WDP L10 Nationals. Disidore trained as an elite at GAGE and won the Vegas Cup elite qualifier in 2023. She was also 2nd AA and 5th AA at the 2021 WDP L10 Nationals. Draser is former senior elite who dropped down to L10 in 2023. She placed 3rd on UB and tied for 15th AA at the 2023 WDP L10 Nationals. Ferris is a two-time L10 National Champ on VT (2021, 2022), winning in 2022 with a 10.0. She also won the UB, tied for 1st on FX and placed 4th AA at the 2022 WDP L10 Nationals. She was also 4th AA at the 2021 Nationals but did not compete in 2023. The final frosh, Anya Pilgrim, has been competing as an elite this summer for Barbados at the World Championships and the Pan American Games. As a L10 at Hill's this season, she placed 2nd AA, 4th on VT, 4th on UB and tied for 7th on BB at the 2023 WDP L10 Nationals. She also tied for the VT title, placed 2nd on FX and tied for 3rd on BB en route to a 7th place AA finish at the 2022 WDP L10 Nationals.

The Gators are once again loaded with talent but have several open questions heading into the season. While they have a very strong core set of AA athletes, they will need to get step-up performances from their other returnees and from their large frosh class. With only five healthy starters and 9 routines to replace, they'll need strong contributions from the likes of Hurd and frosh like Pilgrim, Draser and the rest. Injuries will also be a key hinge factor for Florida, as they'll need to use the season to build their depth, gain experience, recover from injuries and put forth their strongest lineups during the post-season.

 

College Gym News Questions, Comments, & Concerns:

Questions, Comments, Concerns: Preseason - College Gym News

Comment: The turnover at Florida is really fascinating
This might be as fun as a preseason gets in college gymnastics. Approximately one million lineup spots left open by graduates (and by DiCello stepping away for elite) but also approximately one million quality, exciting routines ready to step into them. Ellie Lazzari’s comeback is very needed, and she looks phenomenal on tape. The freshman class, led by Danie Ferris’ extremely 10.0-able Yurchenko one and a half (once she gets that hand cast off, which we’re assured will be soon…?), as well as Anya Pilgrim on basically everything, is a very big deal. Plus… Is this the year that Morgan Hurd happens? I think it might be.

Basically, what I expect from the Gators is a team that looks very different but is roughly equally good as 2023. There might be some early season growing pains, but the raw materials are there for the Gators to ultimately be excellent, and the process of watching new stars come into their own in Gainesville should be as exciting as it gets.

Bonus Question - Me: This is exactly why I questioned UCLA being ranked so high in the Coaches Poll:

How badly will losing Jordan Chiles and Ana Padurariu hurt UCLA?

It’s been hard to get a read on how short-handed this crew might be this year. There are huge positives: Katelyn Rosen looks like the kind of workhorse gymnast that a team in transition can lean on heavily, and injury returns from Frida Esparza and Sara Ulias, among others, will reduce the pressure. At Meet the Bruins, we saw a team that looked comfortably able to fill lineups, though bits of form were still prominent on some core routines. UCLA fans, being UCLA fans, have found a way to think that this group could improve on last year’s finish.

Still, I don’t think the Bruins are home free: Rotation looks like an issue on a number of the 10.0 SV vaults that we’ve seen through preseason, and we have to keep in mind just how often Jordan Chiles saved a rough rotation last year. I don’t expect bars or beam to be technically wonderful, much like last year, though there will be week-to-week variation on how much the judges care. The Bruins seem really healthy right now, which is wonderful, but I could see things getting tight fast if that changes.

 

Blast From the Past:

International Gymnast Media on X: "NCAA Flashback: 1989 Melissa Miller (Florida) FX Check out that full twisting tinsica! @melschubeck @GatorsGym https://t.co/dc34N9NPm1" / X (twitter.com)

I remember Melissa Miller when she was a little girl doing performances at Pensacola sporting events.

 

College Gym News National Championship Watch:

2024 National Title Watchlist - College Gym News

1. Oklahoma
2. LSU
3. Florida
4. Utah
5. Michigan
6. UCLA

As you know from my picks above in post #225, I have it as LSU, Oklahoma, Utah, Florida, Michigan, and California as the ETGator1 Top 6. I may have been too harsh on UCLA putting the Bruins at #8. Time will tell.