How does one live without a Sloan of one’s own?
| Returning Routines – Florida | |
| VAULT McMurtry – 9.925 Baker – 9.915 Boren – 9.910 Fassbender – 9.830 Cheney – 9.713 Hiller – 9.700 |
BARS McMurtry – 9.940 Boren – 9.860 Baker – 9.860 McLaughlin – 9.800 |
| BEAM McMurtry – 9.945 Boren – 9.890 Fassbender – 9.880 Baker – 9.870 McLaughlin – 9.775 |
FLOOR Baker – 9.940 Boren – 9.905 McMurtry – 9.885 Fassbender – 9.835 McLaughlin – 9.825 Hiller – 9.725 |
I suppose we’re about to find out. Florida’s slate of returning routines gets pretty unlovely once you go past the third (or so) person on each event, but the Gators will be relying on a batch of injury comebacks (Boyce and Dagen) and transfers (Slocum) along with this season’s four freshmen to not only match but potentially increase the team’s depth over last season on each event. Except bars. Less bars.
The most important lineup augmentation for Florida this year will come courtesy of the little engine that could, Amelia Lee Hundley. A gymnast whose first sojourn to the ranch was met by Martha going, “What is this? Why do I have to look at it?” has gradually climbed the ranks during her 786-year elite career to become the star of Florida’s freshman class.
Encouragingly, 2016 turned out to be Hundley’s best year yet, so she seems to be on the rise heading into NCAA, the stage of gymnastics to which she always appeared best suited. Olympic Trials certainly brought out Hundley’s best-ever DTY, a vault she has occasionally had to downgrade away from while dealing with various MLTs. Sorry, I meant injuries.
Those years of not being able to do the DTY may actually come in handy in college as she has plenty of experience landing the 1.5. Hopefully, we’ll be able to see that from her. Now, about getting rid of this “Meals” nickname… Continue reading 2017 Freshman Preview: Florida