After spending three years with the Florida Gators gymnastics program, Skylar Draser is facing an unexpected end to her time with the team just months before her senior season. Draser, along with teammates Ly Bui and Lily Bruce, was removed from Florida’s 2027 roster, with head coach Jenny Rowland confirming their departures without publicly disclosing the reasons behind the decision. Days later, Draser has broken her silence, addressing the online speculation surrounding her exit and pushing back against what she describes as “hurtful” and “disturbing false narratives.”

On October 8, Draser shared an emotional Instagram post reflecting on her journey at Florida, the challenges she faced, and the unexpected way her time with the program came to an end. She revealed that she committed to the university in eighth grade and gave everything she could to honor that commitment, even when she questioned her happiness and whether she truly belonged there.

Despite the difficulties, she said her love for gymnastics never wavered and expressed gratitude for the friendships, memories, and experiences she gained during her three years with the Gators. Looking back on how her journey ended, she admitted, “I never imagined that stepping away from Florida in the middle of my final year would mean seeing my name circulating online attached to so many hurtful, and disturbing false narratives.” 

The speculation surrounding the roster changes has spread on Reddit, where users have shared unverified claims about an alleged incident involving alcohol, a freshman gymnast, and a recruit. One Reddit user described the alleged incident, writing, “Upperclassmen take a freshmen out to a bar. Freshmen is drunk and wants to go home. they put her in an uber and stay to keep partying. Freshmen alone and drunk in the back of an uber feels unsafe and scared and calls a friend of hers who happens to be a recruit. Recruit is worried and tells her parents. Mom calls the coaches worried about the Freshmen.”

The same user added, “Told one of the dismissed may actually have been dismissed for an unrelated instance of showing up somewhere black out drunk,” before sharing a further alleged update: “Latest update: More than the three athletes were involved. There was drinking involved but the recruit was not drinking. The recruit was not on an official visit.”

Addressing the online speculation, Draser wrote, “It is heartbreaking to see people create stories about situations they know nothing about.” She added that while she could not control what others chose to say or believe, she knew her character and what she had given to the program. She also expressed gratitude for her family’s support during what she described as one of the most challenging times in her life.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Draser made it clear that she would not allow the experience to define her future. She said she intended to learn from the situation, hold herself accountable and grow through the challenges she had faced. Reflecting on the lessons gymnastics has taught her, she wrote, “This sport has shaped me in countless ways, but it does not define my worth or who I am. I know who I am, I know what I deserve, and I am proud of the person I am walking away as.”

The gymnast also announced her plans to graduate from Florida in December before entering the transfer portal as a graduate transfer. With the upcoming season and her fifth year of eligibility remaining, Draser hopes to continue competing at a high level while experiencing a new environment and building relationships with a different program.

“I know I still have so much more to give to this sport,” she wrote, expressing excitement about continuing her gymnastics career and growing both as an athlete and as a young woman. Although Draser acknowledged that her time at Florida had not ended as she once imagined, she said she would remain grateful for the memories, lessons and people she encountered during her three years with the program.

Looking ahead to her next chapter, she closed her statement by writing, “Here’s to new beginnings, finding where I belong, and giving everything I have to a program that believes in its athletes as people, supports them through adversity, invests in their growth, and holds everyone to the same standards.” Despite the difficult end to her Florida chapter, Draser leaves behind a strong collegiate gymnastics record.

Skylar Draser’s career highs and achievements at Florida

During Skylar Draser’s time with the Gators, she became a regular contributor on vault and balance beam, recording career-best scores of 9.95 on both events. She also achieved a 9.90 on uneven bars, a 9.85 on floor, and an all-around career high of 39.50.

Draser continued to make her mark during the 2026 season, earning a 9.95 on beam at the Texas Woman’s University quad meet on February 28. Her performance helped Florida record a school-record beam score of 49.80. She later scored 9.90 on beam at the NCAA Tempe Regional final, further highlighting her value to the team.

Her performance wasn’t just restricted to the competition floor. Draser was named a WCGA Scholastic All-American in 2026 and earned SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition in 2024, 2025, and 2026. While her time with Florida did not end as she had hoped, her performances and academic achievements reflect the contributions she made throughout her collegiate career. As she prepares to enter the transfer portal, Draser will be looking to build on that experience and make the most of her remaining eligibility at a new program.