Florida gymnastics had just wrapped up a strong 2026 campaign with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships, but the Gators’ offseason took an unexpected turn overnight. With the 2027 season approaching, three Florida gymnasts were suddenly removed from the team’s roster before head coach Jenny Rowland addressed the departures, leaving the program with only 15 athletes listed for the upcoming season.

The three athletes no longer listed on Florida’s roster are senior Skylar Draser and juniors Ly Bui and Lily Bruce, as reported by WRUF, Home of the Gators, on October 7.

Draser, a former three-star recruit from South Huntington, New York, became a dependable contributor during her Florida career. She regularly competed on vault and beam and also appeared in the all-around twice during the 2024 season. She recorded a career-best all-around score of 39.500 at regionals that year. 

Bui and Bruce arrived in Gainesville with even higher recruiting credentials. Both were five-star recruits who joined Florida for the 2025 season. Bui took an unusual path to college gymnastics, graduating from high school early and enrolling at Florida at only 16 years old. She primarily contributed on vault and posted a career-best 9.925, showing the potential to become a regular part of Florida’s lineup. Her 2026 campaign, however, was interrupted by a knee injury suffered in January. 

Bruce had a smaller competitive role during her time with the Gators. The former five-star recruit did not compete in Florida’s regular lineup during the 2026 season, although she appeared in three exhibition routines and recorded a career-best exhibition score of 9.8. 

Their departures were confirmed by Rowland, who acknowledged that the trio are no longer members of the team but did not publicly explain what led to the roster changes. “Three athletes are no longer members of the team. We wish them well moving forward,” Rowland said. “Our focus remains on supporting our athletes and maintaining a team culture built on accountability, respect, and commitment.”

The timing is especially notable given how Florida ended the previous season. The Gators finished third nationally after advancing to the NCAA championship final, putting themselves in position to challenge again in 2027. Now, they will begin that campaign with a 15-athlete roster and three unexpected absences.

Florida is scheduled to open the 2027 season on January 9 and 10 at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in Greenville, South Carolina. The Gators will face a strong field that includes Clemson, Georgia, LSU, North Carolina, Oklahoma, UCLA, and Utah.

With the new season approaching, the sudden removal of three athletes has naturally raised questions about what led to the decisions. Florida has not provided a public explanation, but there are a few possible factors that could offer some context, although none have been confirmed by the program.

Possible reasons behind Florida gymnastics’ sudden roster shake-up

Florida had already made its championship ambitions clear before the 2027 campaign. In April 2026, after qualifying for the NCAA Championships, The Independent Florida Alligator reported that the Gators entered the meet with “one goal in mind: to bring a national title back to Gainesville.” Florida ultimately finished third at the 2026 NCAA Championships.

After the season, head coach Jenny Rowland spoke positively about the future, saying she was looking toward 2027 with “great hope and great excitement.” With a talented roster returning, the Gators were expected to make another push for the national title. That championship push could provide some context for the program’s decisions.

Another possibility has emerged through unverified claims on Reddit. The post stated, “There was drinking involved but the recruit was not drinking. The recruit was not on an official visit.”

However, none of these claims have been confirmed by Florida, Jenny Rowland or the athletes involved.