Florida Gymnastics Removes Skylar Draser, Ly Bui and Lily Bruce; Draser Denies 'False Narratives'

The University of Florida gymnastics program removed three athletes from its roster on Wednesday, Oct. 7, and has not said why.

Head coach Jenny Rowland confirmed that senior Skylar Draser and juniors Ly Bui and Lily Bruce are no longer on the team. Her statement was short: "Three athletes are no longer members of the team. We wish them well moving forward. Our focus remains on supporting our athletes and maintaining a team culture built on accountability, respect and commitment."

That is the whole official explanation. Rowland did not say whether the moves were disciplinary, voluntary or something else.

Draser pushes back

On Thursday, Oct. 8, Draser posted her own statement on social media. She did not say what led to her removal. She did say she is hurt by what she has seen online.

"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," she 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."

She also wrote: "As difficult as this chapter has been, I refuse to let it define me. I will learn from it, hold myself accountable, grow through it, and come out stronger."

Draser, who is from South Huntington, New York, said she committed to Florida in eighth grade. She wrote that she "gave EVERYTHING" to that commitment, even at times when she "questioned my happiness and whether this was truly where I belonged."

She said she will finish her coursework in Gainesville, graduate in December and then enter the transfer portal. She has this season and a fifth year of eligibility remaining.

Speculation about the reason has circulated on gymnastics message boards. Neither the school nor any of the three athletes has confirmed any of it, and Draser has called the stories about her false.

Who the three athletes are

Draser was the most prominent of the group. She was a regular starter on vault and beam in 2026 and led off the beam lineup for much of the season. Her career highs are 9.95 on both events. She was a WCGA Scholastic All-American in 2026 and made the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2025 and 2026.

Bui came to Florida at 16 after graduating high school early. She competed mainly on vault, with a career high of 9.925. She hyperextended her knee on a vault on Jan. 23, 2026, according to WRUF, and missed the rest of that season. She has struggled with injuries during her time in Gainesville, and she earned WCGA Scholastic All-American honors in 2025 and 2026.

Bruce did not make Florida's regular competitive lineup in either of her two seasons. Her only competition in 2026 was three exhibition routines on bars. She also earned WCGA Scholastic All-American and SEC Academic Honor Roll recognition in 2025 and 2026.

What the school has said, and what it has not

Rowland's line about "accountability, respect and commitment" describes the culture she wants for the program. She did not tie it to any specific conduct by the three athletes, and no school document or named official has done so.

That leaves a gap. Three players are gone before the 2027 season, one of them a regular starter. The coach is saying nothing about why, and the athlete with the most to lose from rumors says they are untrue.

Under Florida's rules, a roster removal with no stated cause could mean many things. Without a statement from the school or the athletes, the public has no way to tell.

Two questions remain. One is whether Florida or any of the three will explain what led to Wednesday's decisions. The other is where Draser, who plans to enter the transfer portal after her December graduation, will compete in her final seasons.