Bring on the competition, Florida's looking ready! Last Friday they racked up a score of 196.9, their third highest team score in school history, against 7th ranked Stanford. Don't let their 14th ranking fool you. This team is getting stronger and more confident with every meet. Any past errors have become lessons learned. Make no mistake; they are ready to face No. 3 Alabama. This is not the same team Alabama met in the Super Six in January.

Florida has three strong all around competitors. Senior Hilary Thompson heads them up. Vault is perhaps her weakest event, but if last week's 9.85 was any indication, she is getting it together there too. She has become a stronger and more consistent gymnast over the years, culminating with first team All-American status on the Floor exercise in last year's NCAA Championships. Sophomore Kara Waterhouse is another 2001 All-American, second team, both in the All-Around and on beam. She has some of the greatest difficulty of all the Gators on beam and can execute beautifully. She sprained her right ankle in warm ups on floor at last week's meet. She has use of her ankle "as tolerated". It is uncertain as to which events she will compete this weekend. And last but definitely not least in the all-around is freshman Orley Szmuch. She has already been named SEC Gymnast of the Week this season after her performance against LSU when she scored 39.5, tying the school record for highest all-around score by a freshman. She has been praised as one of the best bar workers in the NCAA and has already garnered a 9.975 on this event. Her vault scores are also on a steady incline upwards through this season. These are the two weakest events for the Gators and Szmuch has been a terrific boon to the team on these apparatus. She is a solid and stable performer who puts together great sets on beam and floor. So far she has hit every routine this season. She has been out of the floor line-up since an ankle sprain on Feb. 1, but did compete 3 events last week.

Florida's strongest event is the floor exercise. Their routines are entertaining with some nice dance elements, despite the gator chop in each one. They have depth on this event and proved that last weekend. With Waterhouse out of the line up, redshirt freshman Erinn Dooley was called upon to replace her. She scored 9.85 to count in their final score of 49.175, which was achieved without the talents of both Waterhouse and Szmuch. Dooley sat out the 2001 season with a fractured tibia accrued during warm-ups at the 2001 Super Six Challenge. Last weekend she stemmed the nerves that seem to have plagued her on beam this season, scoring 9.9 and tied her top vault score with 9.875. Junior Jenny Carow is another very consistent and reliable performer for the Gators on the floor.

Florida can be a strong force to deal with on beam with some very solid performers. Injury or illness could cost them the most on this event because of a lack of depth. Junior Lindsey Miner has played an important role on this event. Her 2-week absence was apparent while she recovered from a fractured finger sustained on vault. Senior Krissy Dreger has stepped up each time to fill out the lineup with noticeable improvement each week. So far they have managed to fill in any gaps.

Miner is a leader for this team on vault. Her top score this season is 9.9 and as she fully recuperates from her injury, expect to see scores like this again. Dooley also continues to grow on this event and is expected to maintain her momentum through the season. Watch also for Dreger who is capable of posting scores in the 9.8's.

The uneven bars have been the Gators nemesis this season. Last weekend was their break-through meet and even managed to tame the bars, with a team score of 49.5, hitting 6 for 6. Along with the three all-arounders, watch for sophomore Erin Pendleton who competed bars in every meet last year for the Gators. She was out of the line-up for the first four weeks due to a stress fracture in her right leg, and is now medically cleared for bars only.

The Gators are ready to take on the Tide so Bama fans come on out, wear your crimson, bring those shakers, and be ready to hold down those Gators!