Courtesy of University of Florida Athletics
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – 2009 World Championships all-around champion and
2008 Olympian Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind., signed a national letter
of intent with the University of Florida gymnastics team, UF Head Coach
Rhonda Faehn announced Wednesday. Sloan will defer enrollment at UF
until fall of2012 as she will seek her second consecutive spot on the
U.S. team for the 2012 Summer Olympics, set for July 28-August 7 in
London, England.
“Making this decision was by far one of the hardest of my life, and I
took a long time and put a lot of thought into it, but it came down to
where I felt the most comfortable,” said Sloan. “Florida seemed like the
best place for me academically and for gymnastics, and I’m excited to be
a Gator.”
At 16, Sloan was the youngest member of the U.S.’s silver medal-winning
team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. She finished 11th
overall in the all-around during team qualifying competition and
contributed a 15.200 vault score in the team final.
The next year, Sloan shined on the sport’s biggest stage as she led a
U.S. sweep of the top two spots in World Championships’ all-around
competition. Sloan claimed the 2009 World Championship all-around gold
with a total of 57.825, while teammate Rebecca Bross was runner-up at
57.775. She is the fifth U.S. woman to claim World Championships’
all-around gold and will be the first World all-around champion to
compete collegiate gymnastics.
“Bridget’s accolades speak for themselves. She is one of the most
accomplished gymnasts in the world,” Faehn said. “Bridget will bring
exquisite artistry from her Olympic and world competitive experience
into collegiate gymnastics. She was undoubtedly the number one recruit
in the country and we are thrilled that she is going to be a Gator.”
Sloan will rejoin 2010 World Championship teammate Mackenzie Caquatto on
the Florida team. She’s represented the U.S. National Team in 14
international competitions, including on the U.S.’s 2010, 2009 and 2007
(reserve athlete) World Championship teams. She’s claimed six Visa
Championship medals (gold for 2009 all-around, uneven bars and floor;
silver for 2007 floor; bronze for 2008 bars and 2006 beam).
She is an honor roll student at Tri-West High School in Lizton, Ind.,
and will graduate this spring. Sloan trains at Sharp’s Gymnastics
Academy in Indianapolis under coach Marvin Sharp.