The University of Florida has removed three gymnasts from its Gators gymnastics team this week, including senior Skylar Draser and juniors Ly Bui and Lily Bruce, prompting one of the athletes to publicly push back against what she called “disturbing false narratives” circulating about her departure.
Head coach Jenny Rowland confirmed the roster changes in a statement to local outlets but did not specify what led to the decisions.
“We wish them well moving forward. Our focus remains on supporting our athletes and maintaining a team culture built on accountability, respect and commitment,” Rowland said.
Draser, a South Huntington, New York native, responded on social media, saying she was heartbroken over rumors that have spread online since her removal from the SEC program in the middle of her final year.
“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,” Draser wrote. “It is heartbreaking to see people create stories about situations they know nothing about. While I cannot control what others choose to say or believe, I know the truth, I know my character, and I know what I gave to this program. I am also so blessed to have the best family support through one of the most challenging times in my life.”
Draser was a regular starter for the Gators on vault and beam throughout the 2026 season and posted a career-high score of 9.95 on both events during her junior year. She was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2025 and 2026, the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll in 2024, and was recognized as a WCGA Scholastic All-American in 2026.
Draser did not disclose what led to her removal from the program. She said she plans to finish her academic coursework at the University of Florida, graduate in December, and then enter the NCAA transfer portal. She has this season and a fifth year of eligibility remaining.
“As difficult as this chapter has been, I refuse to let it define me,” she wrote. “I will learn from it, hold myself accountable, grow through it, and come out stronger. I have learned how to keep showing up when things are hard, find strength in uncertainty, and believe in myself when the path ahead looks nothing like I imagined. 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.”
She added: “Although this chapter did not end the way I once dreamed it would I am leaving Florida with lessons I never expected to learn, strength I never knew I had, and a renewed belief that everything happens for a reason. I’ll forever be grateful for the memories, the lessons and the people Florida brought into my life. I’m closing this chapter with gratitude and walking into the next one with an open heart, a lot of faith and so much excitement for what’s ahead.”
Neither the university nor Bui and Bruce have publicly commented on the circumstances surrounding their removals from the team.
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