Following the emotional events of Florida’s loss last week at Oklahoma in which senior Sloane Blakely and sophomore Anya Pilgrim went down with injuries, the Gators tied the highest score in the country on Friday night with a 198.125 to 197.725 win against Missouri in the O’Dome. Florida previously reached this mark at home against Georgia in January.
While Pilgrim returned on bars and beam on Friday night, Blakely announced shortly before the meet began that last week’s injury was to her Achilles and that she will be out for the rest of the 2025 season.
“Mentally, injuries are extremely challenging and difficult for the athlete and all of those around them who go through the daily grind with each other,” said head coach Jenny Rowland. In the aftermath of last Friday’s emotional meet, Rowland told her team they could either let the adversity “hold you back” or “catapult you, help you kickstart, and take your next step forward.”
That’s exactly what the Gators did. Following a weekend off to “reset,” Rowland said the team came in Monday “united as one” and ready to take a step forward. Such a step was taken on Friday night. In addition to tying the Gators’ own highest score of the season, which happens to be the highest score in the…
