You left me in tears :Georgia bulldogs coach feel heartbroken after he hear the lost of his…..
At the NCAA Regionals, Smith wins the all-around title, and Georgia’s season ends.
In Gainesville, Florida, Lily Smith of the Georgia gymnastics team clinched the all-around title during the second round of the NCAA Gainesville Regional. However, despite their efforts, the GymDogs fell just short of advancing, recording a score of 197.425 on Friday at the Exectech Arena within the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
After the second rotation, Georgia held the second position, but Missouri’s strong performance in the final two events edged them out of second place by a mere .100. Lily Smith, honored as the SEC Freshman of the Year, secured the all-around title with a score of 39.675, tying with Michigan State’s Nikki Smith and claiming her fifth all-around title of the season.
Despite finishing in third place, Georgia’s score of 197.425 marked their highest tally in the NCAA Regional round since their victory in the finals back in 2019. This final score on Friday also marked only the fourth occasion since 2020 and the third time this season that the team has achieved an all-around score of at least 197.425.
Head coach Courtney Kupets Carter expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “We had a great meet and unfortunately came up short by a slim margin… I’m disappointed to see the season come to an end but the future is bright for Georgia Gymnastics.”
The team began on beam, registering their season-best score of 49.450. Naya Howard led with a season-high 9.900, joined by Anya Turner and Lily Smith, who both scored 9.900 and 9.950, respectively.
Moving to floor, Lily Smith led with a team-best 9.925, supported by Sydney Fitzgerald and Amanda Cashman, both scoring 9.850, resulting in a total of 49.300 and securing second place before the third rotation.
On vault, the Bulldogs achieved a season-high 49.300, with notable performances from Howard, Jaydah Battle, and Wahl, scoring 9.900, 9.875, and 9.900, respectively.
In the final event, Lily Smith anchored the bars lineup, sharing the event title with Florida’s Anya Pilgrim with a score of 9.975. Howard, Scott, and Finnegan contributed significantly with scores of 9.900, 9.850, and 9.850, respectively.
Aside from her SEC Freshman of the Year accolade, Lily Smith was also recognized as a Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Regular Season All-American, earning a spot on the second team for bars. Smith, along with Turner and Scott, also made appearances on the All-SEC Freshman and All-SEC teams.