(c) Erin Long
Senior Randy Stageberg

The news was not good when the MRI results came back.

 

Senior Randy Stageberg, a rock in Florida gymnastics coach Rhonda Faehn's lineup on the floor and beam, was finished with a shoulder fracture.

 

Stageberg dislocated the shoulder in practice leading up to Saturday night's NCAA Gainesville Regional, ending her career and casting a shadow over the Gators with the season's biggest meet on the horizon.

 

And then on Saturday, Faehn spent much of the day texting the team's trainer and the parents of  junior Mackenzie Caquatto about Caquatto's root canal on Friday evening.

 

In a tragic twist to Caquatto's emergency dental work, Faehn learned Friday that the team's dentist, Thomas Weber, had died in a single-car accident only hours after Faehn saw him Thursday night at her son's soccer practice.

 

The UF training staff scrambled to arrange for another dentist to work on Caquatto as Faehn tried to make sense of everything that was happening.

 

"We had a very challenging week,'' Faehn said late Saturday.

 

Despite everything, when the No. 1-ranked Gators took the floor at the O'Connell Center on Saturday night in front of a boisterous crowd of 7,137, they did what they do best.

 

Florida's near-flawless performance Saturday earned the Gators a berth in the NCAA Championships April 19-21 in Los Angeles. The Gators finished with a score of 198.400, the second-best score in school history and easily enough to defeat the five other teams in the competition.

 

Minnesota finished second (197.100) to also advance.

 

"Not knowing if she was going to be able to go was really making things a little sketchy heading into tonight, but I was not concerned because I knew that anyone that was going to step in would do an amazing job,'' Faehn said. "They were just lights out."

 

The Gators' lineup dominated from top to bottom. Sophomore Kytra Hunter won the all-around title and shared the floor title with teammate Marissa King. Hunter also shared the vault title with five others, including teammate Ashanée Dickerson.

 

Meanwhile, Gators freshman Bridget Sloan won on bars with a career-best 9.975 score, and King took top honors on beam (personal-best 9.950).

 

When it was all over, the Gators celebrated by soaking up cheers from the home fans and relishing a return trip to the national championships, where the Gators finished runner-up to Alabama a year ago.

 

"There's not a doubt in my mind about our lineup,'' said Sloan, the 2009 World Champion who finished second to Hunter on Saturday for the all-around title. "We have the depth, we have the talent. It's absolutely incredible to walk into the gym and know that if you are not in the lineup, someone who goes in for you is going to hit."

 

The loss of Stageberg hit especially hard.

 

Instead of sulking, Stageberg turned into a motivating force at practice and was the team's biggest fan Saturday.

 

"Randy has been amazing,'' Faehn said. "Our heart broke. It was a freak injury. It was something she did as a senior in high school. She just took off twisting [at practice] and her shoulder went out."

 

With Stageberg out, junior Alaina Johnson returned to the lineup for the first time since January. Johnson missed three months due to a stress fracture in her lower back.

 

If there was any rust to shake off, she must have done it at practice.

 

Johnson finished tied for sixth on the uneven bars at 9.875 and placed sixth on the vault with a 9.925, just .025 points behind the five gymnasts who tied for first.

 

"This team is incredible,'' Johnson said. "They have pushed me through practices and they have helped me get back."

 

Florida's outing Saturday was a true team effort.

 

Hunter credited the team's focus and goal of winning a national title as helping the Gators stay sharp despite some of the turbulence leading up to the meet.

 

"Everyone just stayed in our bubble and we pushed each other,'' Hunter said. "It was a fun night."

 

Caquatto did her part. She delivered toothache and all, placing third overall on beam (9.90) and bars (9.925).

 

With Stageberg out, Rachel Spicer led off on beam with a score of 9.80, and Kiersten Wang led off on floor, scoring a 9.85. The younger Caquatto, Bridgette, stepped into the floor lineup with a career-best 9.925.

 

Faehn urged the Gators to go all out and leave nothing to chance in the final home meet for the four-member senior class of King, Dickerson, Stageberg and Dali Lemezan.

 

"There were just so many positives and so many things we overcame tonight to show our true potential,'' Faehn said. "The team really responded well. They just knew what they were capable of doing. It was just taking care of business."

 

The 198.400 team score was the 10th-best in NCAA history and is surpassed only by the 198.425 the Gators posted in a win over Minnesota earlier this season.

 

Gophers coach Meg Stephenson, whose team is back in the NCAA Finals for the first time in 11 years, won't be surprised if Florida finally joins Utah, Alabama, Georgia and UCLA as the only programs to win a national title.

 

Not after what the Gators did Saturday.

 

"To have this type of fan base, you have to be really spectacular,'' Stephenson said. "You have to be something special to have that kind of support. They are a fantastic team and they have a great shot of winning it all."

via Florida Gymnastics

 

NCAA Regional Gainesville

Team Standing  

Place	Team	Score
1	Florida	198.400
2	Minnesota	197.100
3	Auburn	196.700
4	Maryland-College Park	195.575
5	Pittsburgh	194.775
6	Bridgeport	194.225

Florida  
Head Coach:  Rhonda Faehn

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	AllArr
Bridgette Caquatto				9.925
Mackenzie Caquatto	9.875	9.925	9.900
Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto		9.850
Ashanée Dickerson	9.950		9.875	9.925
Kytra Hunter	9.950	9.950	9.925	9.950	39.775
Alaina Johnson	9.925	9.875
Marissa King	9.875	9.875	9.950	9.950	39.650
Bridget Sloan	9.900	9.975	9.900	9.900	39.675
Rachel Spicer			9.800
Kiersten Wang				9.850
Team Totals	49.600	49.600	49.550	49.650	198.400

Auburn  
Head Coach:  Jeff Graba

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	AllArr
Caitlin Atkinson	9.825	9.725	9.900	9.825	39.275
Toi Garcia	9.875			9.800
Bri Guy	9.950	9.800	9.800	9.850	39.400
Abbey Habicht		8.800	9.750
Caryn Kadous			9.775	9.750
Kait Kluz	9.825	9.875
Megan Walker		9.850	9.850
Brittany Webster	9.825			9.800
Petrina Yokay	9.900	9.900	9.150	9.825	38.775
Team Totals	49.375	49.150	49.075	49.100	196.700

Bridgeport  
Head Coach:  Byron Know

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	AllArr
Melissa Doucette	9.675			9.775
Lorraine Galow		9.650	9.575
Leah Goldberg		9.575
Jenna Hamala-smith			9.575	9.725
Lissette La fex	9.550	9.800	9.675	9.750	38.775
Chelsea Matteson			8.950
Monica Mesalles-Sallares	9.875			9.850
Lisa Oakes			9.625
Caitlin Perry				9.725
Kamri Riles	9.725	9.500
Natalie Saimeri	9.125	9.625
Sasha Tsikhanovich	9.850	9.750	9.775	9.825	39.200
Team Totals	48.675	48.400	48.225	48.925	194.225

Maryland-College Park  
Head Coach:  Brett Nelligan

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	AllArr
Jessie Black		9.625
Kesley Cofsky	9.800	9.850	9.850	9.675	39.175
Katy Dodds	9.900	9.750		9.875
Stephanie Giameo	9.775	9.800	9.750	9.650	38.975
Danielle Kram			9.650
Ally Krikorian	9.850		9.750	9.750
Elizabethe Manzi			9.700
Karen Tang	9.725	9.775
Kathy Tang		9.750
Ebony Walters			9.800	9.750
Alex Zimmermann				9.700
Team Totals	49.050	48.925	48.850	48.750	195.575

Minnesota  
Head Coach:  Meg Stephenson

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	AllArr
Janell Campbell		9.850		9.850
Jenny Covers	9.950	9.800		9.800
Shannon Golich	9.850		9.850	9.825
Madeline Hanley		9.850
Lindsay Mable	9.950	9.900	9.875	9.875	39.600
Hanna Nordquist			9.775
Dusti Russell			9.775
Kylie Schermann	9.875		9.825	9.875
Kayla Slechta	9.900	9.800
Cierra Tomson	9.850	9.850	9.650	9.750	39.100
Team Totals	49.525	49.250	49.100	49.225	197.100

Pittsburgh  
Head Coach:  Debbie Yohman

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	AllArr
Alyssa Adrian	9.850	9.875	9.725	9.825	39.275
Brittney Harris		9.750
Maya Ketner	9.700	9.800		9.750
Laura Kummerle			9.800
Kori Macdonald	9.700
Katie O'Rourke			9.700	9.775
Lindsey Offutt		9.650	9.700	9.775
Nicole Pearson	9.700
Haley Sedgewick	9.650	9.675	8.525	9.775	37.625
Lisa Soto	9.850	9.775	9.275	9.525	38.425
Team Totals	48.800	48.875	48.200	48.900	194.775

Vault Results 

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
1	Bri Guy	Auburn	9.950
1	Lindsay Mable	Minnesota	9.950
1	Jenny Covers	Minnesota	9.950
1	Ashanée Dickerson	Florida	9.950
1	Kytra Hunter	Florida	9.950
6	Alaina Johnson	Florida	9.925
7	Petrina Yokay	Auburn	9.900
7	Katy Dodds	Maryland-College Park	9.900
7	Kayla Slechta	Minnesota	9.900
7	Bridget Sloan	Florida	9.900

Uneven Parallel Bars Results  

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
1	Bridget Sloan	Florida	9.975
2	Kytra Hunter	Florida	9.950
3	Mackenzie Caquatto	Florida	9.925
4	Petrina Yokay	Auburn	9.900
4	Lindsay Mable	Minnesota	9.900
6	Kait Kluz	Auburn	9.875
6	Alyssa Adrian	Pittsburgh	9.875
6	Alaina Johnson	Florida	9.875
6	Marissa King	Florida	9.875
10	Megan Walker	Auburn	9.850
10	Kesley Cofsky	Maryland-College Park	9.850
10	Madeline Hanley	Minnesota	9.850
10	Janell Campbell	Minnesota	9.850
10	Cierra Tomson	Minnesota	9.850
10	Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto	Florida	9.850

Balance Beam Results  

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
1	Marissa King	Florida	9.950
2	Kytra Hunter	Florida	9.925
3	Caitlin Atkinson	Auburn	9.900
3	Bridget Sloan	Florida	9.900
3	Mackenzie Caquatto	Florida	9.900
6	Lindsay Mable	Minnesota	9.875
6	Ashanée Dickerson	Florida	9.875
8	Megan Walker	Auburn	9.850
8	Kesley Cofsky	Maryland-College Park	9.850
8	Shannon Golich	Minnesota	9.850

Floor Exercise Results  

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
1	Marissa King	Florida	9.950
1	Kytra Hunter	Florida	9.950
3	Ashanée Dickerson	Florida	9.925
3	Bridgette Caquatto	Florida	9.925
5	Bridget Sloan	Florida	9.900
6	Stephanie Stoicovy	George Washington	9.875
6	Katy Dodds	Maryland-College Park	9.875
6	Lindsay Mable	Minnesota	9.875
6	Kylie Schermann	Minnesota	9.875
10	Bri Guy	Auburn	9.850
10	Monica Mesalles-Sallares	Bridgeport	9.850
10	Janell Campbell	Minnesota	9.850
10	Kiersten Wang	Florida	9.850

All Around Results  

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
1	Kytra Hunter	Florida	39.775
2	Bridget Sloan	Florida	39.675
3	Marissa King	Florida	39.650
4	Lindsay Mable	Minnesota	39.600
5	Bri Guy	Auburn	39.400
6	Caitlin Atkinson	Auburn	39.275
6	Alyssa Adrian	Pittsburgh	39.275
8	Sasha Tsikhanovich	Bridgeport	39.200
9	Kesley Cofsky	Maryland-College Park	39.175
10	Cierra Tomson	Minnesota	39.100
11	Betsy Zander	George Washington	38.975
11	Stephanie Giameo	Maryland-College Park	38.975
13	Brittany Stover	William & Mary	38.925
14	Petrina Yokay	Auburn	38.775
14	Lissette La fex	Bridgeport	38.775
16	Stephanie Stoicovy	George Washington	38.525
17	Lisa Soto	Pittsburgh	38.425
18	Abigail Griswold	Towson University	38.275
19	Jessica Pritchard	William & Mary	37.700
20	Haley Sedgewick	Pittsburgh	37.625