No. 12 Oregon State Set For Season Opener at No. 3 Florida

OSU has not made the trip to Florida since 1986 when the Beavers finished third in a three-way with Florida and UCLA.

Kera Bolen strikes a pose during December's Orange and Black Preview Exhibition. Photo: OSU Athletics

CORVALLIS - #12 Oregon State at #3 Florida Notes:

Who: No. 12 Oregon State and No. 3 Florida

What: Season opener for the Beavers

When: Friday - 7:00 PM ET

Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center - Gainesville, Fla.

Last Time:

The top-ranked Gators won in Corvallis in the 2006 four-way, home opener. Tasha Smith won the all-around and the Beavers led through two rotations before Florida pulled out the victory.

Notes for Friday:

Oregon State is 8-14 all-time against Florida.

The Beavers lost to the Gators in their only previous trip to Gainesville.

OSU has not made the trip to Florida since 1986 when the Beavers finished third in a three-way with Florida and UCLA.

OSU has not beaten UF in their last five tries, including postseason meetings, going back to 2001.

This will be the longest road trip of the season for the Beavers. OSU’s other road trips will be no further away than the mountain time zone.

Oregon State Notes:

Oregon State is ranked 12th in the preseason coaches’ poll. Florida was chosen 3rd.

In 10 years under head coach Tanya Chaplin, Oregon State has never opened the season at home.

The Beavers are 12-10 in season opening meets under Chaplin and 0-4 in season opening dual meets.

OSU has not opened the season with a two-team meet since 2003 when the Beavers met UCLA in Kaneohe, Hawai’i.

Oregon State will compete without its only All-American this week, after sophomore Tasha Smith (vault) suffered a minor knee injury during practice this week.

What to know about the Gators:

Florida finished fourth at the 2006 NCAA Championships.

The Gators return 23 of 24 routines from the 2006 season... losing only Sherie Owens’ bar routine.

Florida’s senior class is head coach Rhonda Faehn’s original recruiting class... all five are All-Americans.

The Gators opened the season at the Super Six Challenge last week at Arkansas, claiming the title. UF (196.575) beat No. 7 Nebraska (195.20), No. 14 Penn State (194.575), No. 9 LSU (194.075), No. 17 Denver (192.975) and No. 15 Arkansas (192.80).

Who is in:

Courtney Dennison. Dennison hit her head on the vault table, at the Orange and Black Exhibition, opening a cut just above her hairline. She has been training all four events and is available and expected to compete in Florida.

Megan Devencenzi. Devencenzi underwent shoulder surgery in the fall and has been cleared to practice. She is training on vault and floor. She will likely lead off for the Beavers on vault Friday.

Who is out:

Tasha Smith. Smith injured her left knee during OSU’s final intrasquad Tuesday. She will be considered week-to-week, but will not travel with the Beavers to Gainesville.

Ali Lavin. Lavin elected to have surgery on her left knee during the winter break to correct a structural defect. She expects to have a similar surgery on her right knee later this winter or in the spring. She will miss the entire season.

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