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There were tears, hugs and a storybook ending at the O’Connell Center Friday night as Florida gymnastics returned home for senior night vs. No. 10 Kentucky.
With that, the 10s came back as well.
The third-ranked Gators totaled three perfect scores Friday night vs. the No. 10 Wildcats. As for the emotions listed above, the tears were courtesy of Danie Ferris on vault, the hug from Selena Harris-Miranda on beam, and the storybook ending from Leanne Wong in her final floor routine at the O’Connell Center as UF defeated UK 198.625-197.925.
Ferris had been a regular vault participant for UF this season, but her previous high had been a 9.950 – both last season. Yet, when Ferris finished her routine, she knew.
“I was pretty confident,” Ferris said. “In club, when I would stick, I would usually get it done. I felt like that moment again. I was like ‘oh my gosh, I might actually get it done.”’
She’s just the second gymnast in the nation this season to score a 10 on vault. The first? Gators gymnast Selena Harris-Miranda – two weeks ago vs. Missouri.
Speaking of Harris-Miranda, she scored the Gators' second 10 of the evening, which came on the beam.
She had been knocking on the door with a 9.975 on vault, but on beam, she got her moment in the sun.
Her first ever 10 on beam overtook the 9.975 she tallied on February 14 vs. Auburn.
Immediately after the score was displayed, Harris-Miranda ran over to coach Jenny Rowland and hugged her. Harris-Miranda made it her goal since stepping foot onto UF campus to tally the 10. When she did, her coach was the first person who entered her mind.
“It’s my favorite event, and she’s very hard on me, but she makes it fun,” Harris-Miranda said. “The way I was training this week, and the way that she had the utmost confidence in my training. It just felt like practice.”
The 10 was a highlight in a just, flat out unbelievable meet for Harris-Miranda. She scored a 10 on beam, 9.975 on vault, and 9.950s on bars and floor. That all-around score of a 39.875 is the nation’s highest for the 2025 season.
Harris-Miranda’s key to an excellent meet in her eyes: screaming.
“I feel like that's how I get my nerves out,” she said.
Two questions remained heading into the final rotation.
First: Could Florida score a 49.700 or higher on floor to gain the nation’s highest score of the season?
Answer: Yes, it could with a 49.725.
Second: What would Leanne Wong have in store for her final O’Connell Center routine?
She had the perfect ending.
Wong scored her second 10 on floor. The first capped off a thrilling win over No. 2 LSU last season, while Friday's capped off a remarkable collegiate career.
The senior jokingly hoped for a perfect 40, but she’ll take literal perfection on one event.
“I really didn’t think much about a perfect score,” Wong said. “I just wanted to enjoy the moment, and my last time competing in the O’Dome.”
The score Friday night for Florida is the second-highest in program history. It continues a remarkable three-meet turnaround for the Gators, which have scored over a 198 in three straight meets.
Rowland said the team’s confidence has shined through after some tough mid-season meets.
“This is what they do in training on a daily basis,” Rowland said. “It's not a surprise. I don’t like surprises.”
Ferris encapsulated the evening – another night of literal perfection in Gainesville.
“I was crying watching the seniors. Watching them do what they’ve done since they were little kids, and showing it off,” Ferris said. “We’ll look back on this and be like ‘Remember when we beat Kentucky.”’
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at [email protected] and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Danie Ferris, Selena Harris-Miranda Leanne Wong score 10s for Florida gymnastics
Continue reading...
With that, the 10s came back as well.
The third-ranked Gators totaled three perfect scores Friday night vs. the No. 10 Wildcats. As for the emotions listed above, the tears were courtesy of Danie Ferris on vault, the hug from Selena Harris-Miranda on beam, and the storybook ending from Leanne Wong in her final floor routine at the O’Connell Center as UF defeated UK 198.625-197.925.
Danie Ferris' 10
Ferris had been a regular vault participant for UF this season, but her previous high had been a 9.950 – both last season. Yet, when Ferris finished her routine, she knew.
“I was pretty confident,” Ferris said. “In club, when I would stick, I would usually get it done. I felt like that moment again. I was like ‘oh my gosh, I might actually get it done.”’
She’s just the second gymnast in the nation this season to score a 10 on vault. The first? Gators gymnast Selena Harris-Miranda – two weeks ago vs. Missouri.
Selena Harris-Miranda's 10
Speaking of Harris-Miranda, she scored the Gators' second 10 of the evening, which came on the beam.
She had been knocking on the door with a 9.975 on vault, but on beam, she got her moment in the sun.
Her first ever 10 on beam overtook the 9.975 she tallied on February 14 vs. Auburn.
Immediately after the score was displayed, Harris-Miranda ran over to coach Jenny Rowland and hugged her. Harris-Miranda made it her goal since stepping foot onto UF campus to tally the 10. When she did, her coach was the first person who entered her mind.
“It’s my favorite event, and she’s very hard on me, but she makes it fun,” Harris-Miranda said. “The way I was training this week, and the way that she had the utmost confidence in my training. It just felt like practice.”
The 10 was a highlight in a just, flat out unbelievable meet for Harris-Miranda. She scored a 10 on beam, 9.975 on vault, and 9.950s on bars and floor. That all-around score of a 39.875 is the nation’s highest for the 2025 season.
Harris-Miranda’s key to an excellent meet in her eyes: screaming.
“I feel like that's how I get my nerves out,” she said.
Leanne Wong's 10
Two questions remained heading into the final rotation.
First: Could Florida score a 49.700 or higher on floor to gain the nation’s highest score of the season?
Answer: Yes, it could with a 49.725.
Second: What would Leanne Wong have in store for her final O’Connell Center routine?
She had the perfect ending.
Wong scored her second 10 on floor. The first capped off a thrilling win over No. 2 LSU last season, while Friday's capped off a remarkable collegiate career.
The senior jokingly hoped for a perfect 40, but she’ll take literal perfection on one event.
“I really didn’t think much about a perfect score,” Wong said. “I just wanted to enjoy the moment, and my last time competing in the O’Dome.”
Confidence high for Florida gymnastics
The score Friday night for Florida is the second-highest in program history. It continues a remarkable three-meet turnaround for the Gators, which have scored over a 198 in three straight meets.
Rowland said the team’s confidence has shined through after some tough mid-season meets.
“This is what they do in training on a daily basis,” Rowland said. “It's not a surprise. I don’t like surprises.”
Ferris encapsulated the evening – another night of literal perfection in Gainesville.
“I was crying watching the seniors. Watching them do what they’ve done since they were little kids, and showing it off,” Ferris said. “We’ll look back on this and be like ‘Remember when we beat Kentucky.”’
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at [email protected] and follow him @Noah_ram1 on X/Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Danie Ferris, Selena Harris-Miranda Leanne Wong score 10s for Florida gymnastics
Continue reading...
