Senior Alyssa Baumann noted after the NCAA Regional in Athens, Georgia, that Regionals can be harder than the NCAA National because there is not as much excitement; teams don’t win titles at Regionals, so it is harder to get as motivated to compete at a high level, and teams can suffer because of that. As the Florida Gators entered the National Semifinal, they needed to avoid a similar situation.
The National Final was a mere 24 hours away, the meet where a national champion will be crowned. However, the Gators had not booked a ticket yet; Florida needed a top-two finish at the National Semifinal on Friday, April 16, to advance. The Gators would compete against Michigan, Cal. Berkeley and Minnesota; after another up-and-down performance, Florida did just enough to secure a spot in the National Final with a score of 197.4375.
Florida kicks off its NCAA postseason run Friday in Athens, Georgia, for the second round of NCAA Regionals. The meet will stream at 7 p.m. on ESPN3.
Baumann looks to shine one more time for No. 1 Florida versus No. 18 Auburn
Gators face sixth-straight ranked opponent this season February 25, 2021 | 8:38pm EST Alyssa Baumann scored a 9.925 on the uneven bars after not competing in that routine for 1,699 days. Photo by Grethel Aguila | The Independent Florida Alligator
Senior Alyssa Baumann hadn’t competed on the uneven bars in 1,699 days.
She soared through her bars routine and nailed an almost perfect landing for the chef’s kiss on her routine. The Dallas, Texas, native let out a large smile after her landing as tears rolled down her cheeks like a small stream.