ChompTalk.com

Chomping at the bit for Florida Athletics

recent posts

about

  • LAX: Gators to open 2020 season 14th in IWLCA Preseason Poll

    LAX: Gators to open 2020 season 14th in IWLCA Preseason Poll

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    The Gators lacrosse team will begin their second decade of play ranked No. 14 in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Poll, which was released Monday.

    Since its inaugural season in 2010, this marks the 10th time Florida has been ranked in the IWLCA Preseason poll.

    Last season, the Gators finished with a 14-7 record and an undefeated record in the AAC. The orange and blue brought back their ninth-straight conference championship title in 2019 and look to make it 10 consecutive in 2020.

    According to the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, which was announced last Thursday, they may do just that. The Gators are projected to hoist the conference championship trophy yet again — earning four more No. 1 votes than second-place Cincinnati — and earned five preseason All-conference accolades in Kaitlyn Dabkowski (All-AAC Team), Brianna Harris (All-AAC Team), Grace Haus (Preseason Attacker of the Year), Shannon Kavanagh (Preseason Midfielder of the Year) and Cara Trombetta (Preseason Defender of the Year). The latter two honors were unanimous.

    Florida is slated to face nine ranked opponents this year (three of which are ranked in the preseason top-10), starting with No. 18 Colorado in the first game of the season that will also serve as the home opener at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Gators will also compete against No. 1 Maryland, No. 2 North Carolina, No. 6 Princeton, No. 11 Loyola, No. 13 Stony Brook, No. 15 Navy, No. 22 Dartmouth and No. 25 High Point.

  • Gators land commitment of former 5-Star WR Justin Shorter

    Gators land commitment of former 5-Star WR Justin Shorter

    Photo by Scott Taetsch / Getty Images

    Florida picked up the commitment of Justin Shorter on Sunday afternoon. The Gators were widely viewed as the favorite to land the Penn State transfer. With the departures of four senior wideouts from last season’s prolific receiving corps, Shorter will provide added depth and immediate experience to the Gators’ roster.

    Shorter originally signed with Penn State as a five-star recruit before entering the transfer portal one year later. The 6’4″ 226-pound New Jersey native was the number one receiver in the 2018 class, ranking eighth overall.

    With his large frame, sure hands, and quick burst make him a valuable addition to the Gators’ lineup. Shorter’s commitment is just another piece to Florida’s recent momentum on the recruiting trail. Jaquavion Fraziars, Jordan Pouncey, Xzavier Henderson, and Leonard Manuel have also pledged their commitments or signed their name’s to Florida’s 2020 class and will restock the cupboards for years to come.

  • MBB: Gators fall to No. 1 Baylor in Big XII – SEC Challenge

    MBB: Gators fall to No. 1 Baylor in Big XII – SEC Challenge

    Final: Baylor 72, Florida 61

    Gators suffer tenth straight defeat to nation’s number one ranked team.

    Photo by Zach Bolinger / Getty Images

    Saturday night showed the best of Florida, and the worst of Florida. Unfortunately, the best of only lasted four minutes and fifty two seconds.

    It was in that time that the Gators grabbed a 14-7 lead over the number one ranked team in the nation. Florida forced Baylor into four turnovers and had converted on six of their first seven attempts from the field.

    Unfortunately, as the Gators’ fanbase knows all too well, these runs don’t last long. What took place after those first five minutes of play was some unspectacular to mediocre play, at best.

    The Bears utilized a 13-2 run to end the first half with a double digits advantage at 40-29.

    Baylor’s lead increased to as many as nineteen at 53-34 before Florida went on a mini run. With a 12-point deficit and 7:38 remaining, the Gators missed a huge opportunity. In three straight trips, Florida missed the front end of one-and-ones by their two best free throw shooters (Kerry Blackshear twice, and Andrew Nembhard).

    Florida closed the gap to ten with just under two minutes to play, but the Bears knocked down seven of eight from the charity stripe to put the game away.

    The Gators fell to 12-7 overall and return to SEC play on Tuesday against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs also sit at 12-7 overall and dropped a 63-62 decision to Oklahoma on Saturday.

    Individual Stats:

    • Keyontae Johnson: 20 points, 5 rebounds
    • Andrew Nembhard: 16 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds
    • Kerry Blackshear: 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists

    Team Stats:

    • FG% : 44
    • 3FG% : 24
    • FT% : 69
    • Reb+/- : -11
    • Assists : 11
    • Turnovers : 7
    • Bench Points : 11
  • WGYM Liveblog: No. 8 LSU at No. 2 Florida

    WGYM Liveblog: No. 8 LSU at No. 2 Florida

    The biggest night in the Southeastern Conference is here – the regular season title has gone back and forth between these two teams since its inception just a few years ago: it’s LSU vs. Florida, y’all! Last year was a doozy, as a closely-fought meet saw the Gators snap LSU’s home winning streak that was seasons long. Tonight will preview the likely fight at SEC Championships in postseason between these two stellar teams, but it’s still relatively early in the season, so nothing is certain. What is certain is that tonight will be a fight for every tenth, and we’ll be bringing you all the action here from the O-Dome!

    https://twitter.com/mycluttereddesk/status/1220850054837063680?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mycluttereddesk/status/1220850304884699136?s=20

    https://twitter.com/mycluttereddesk/status/1220858420674195457?s=20

    Looks like head coach Jenny Rowland is taking an opportunity to shake things up tonight – she’s confirmed Sydney Johnson-Scharpf will be in on beam tonight, and it looked as though Payton Richards will be in on beam for Clapper’s usual spot and on floor for Hundley’s usual spot, but Hundley also warmed up. Baumann went out of her usual order but then warmed up her double lay separately after everyone was done. We’ll see where she actually falls in the lineup very shortly, as I should be getting a lineup sheet any minute.

    It’s alumni night here in the O-Dome, so they brought out all the alumni present, from Maria Anz all the way to Amanda Cheney and Alicia Boren. Here’s the video of them processing back!

    https://twitter.com/mycluttereddesk/status/1220863185097515011?s=20

    I have lineups! Richards confirmed AA, Hundley anchoring floor! Baumann into the 3 slot, Richards in for SJS in the leadoff. But SJS on beam, and Richards in for Clapper there. Here’s the full breakdown for you… if my tweet will ever go through.

    7:31pm: Alright guys, let’s freakin go!

    Alexander, VT: Cute pep talk from Hundley before she goes. FTY, super floaty, just one step back.

    Johnson, UB: Maloney to bail, handstand is right on. Good handstand work, DLO stuck! At least I think. Jay is standing in front of me as per usual.

    7:33pm: Baumann, VT: Y1.5, hop forward! Happy for her to hit that, that’s great for her confidence.

    Dean, UB: good first handstand, if rushed. Ray is good. Good handstands on high bar. Bail was good. Good last handstand, if a little archy. DLO, little stutter step back.

    7:34pm: Schoenherr, VT: Y1.5, bounce forward. Needs more control, but nice in the air.

    Rivers, UB: I clearly missed something in there because it looked hit to me, but they didn’t celebrate and Rivers looked sad as she hugged Jay? There are a lot of people between me and the bars though.

    7:36pm: Reed, VT: Y1.5, baby hop forward. Less swimming and less on her toes too. She’s finally finding the control, I dig it.

    Durante, UB: Hecht mount jumping over the low bar, great handstands, Jaeger super high, lovely. Pak, legs are just glued together. Handstand on the low bar is good too. Great last handstand! Full in, aww she couldn’t find the landing. Hop forward. Otherwise a fabulous routine.

    7:38pm: Thomas, VT: Y1.5, little hop forward, a lot like Reed’s, but maybe a hair less control?

    Edney, UB: Great first handstand. Hindorff is gorgeous. Good handstand work, bail a little floppy but hits 90. Good last handstand. DLO, slide back.

    7:40pm: Richards, VT: Y1.5, WOW! Smallest of shuffles on the landing, maybe a slight knee bend too early in the air, huge distance.

    Harrold, UB: Zuchold is a huge hit here with the crowd, good handstand in it. Jaeger is fine, sticks her double front! She never does that! Good for her.

    AFTER ONE: UF 49.4, LSU 49.425.

    Holy crap, y’all. This one is gonna be close.

    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1220869476264087552?s=20

    Looks like Baker is watching from home, as she wasn’t in the alumni procession earlier. She knows what’s up though!

    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1220870585904963584?s=20

    I agree, I thought her handstands could’ve been more definitive, especially compared to someone like Durante before her. I’ll be interested to see what they do for Skaggs, Ms. Aggressive Handstand herself.

    7:49pm: Time for rotation two!

    Rivers, VT: FTY, maybe a small shuffle but damn close to stuck. Not as high or far as Alexander, but definitely better landing.

    Richards, UB: Good first handstand. Maloney good. Bail is good. Great last handstand! DLO bounce back.

    7:51pm: Rau, VT: Y1.5, a little off kilter and big step to the side to steady herself. Idk if that’s worth it for the SV over a full from someone who can be clean.

    Gowey, UB: Good first handstand. Ray is great, nice and high. Good handstand work after. Pak is lovely. Low bar handstand is TEXTBOOK but her last handstand was a little short to me. DLO dismount slide back.

    7:52pm: Harrold, VT: Y1.5, STUCK COLD WHAT

    Hundley, UB: Good first handstand. Maloney to pak, no leg sep this week in that. Next handstand was short. Van Leeuwen, normal leg sep. Last handstand a little short. Slung that dismount out but STUCK it!

    7:54pm: Edwards, VT: Y1.5, small hop. She’s so good this season.

    Schoenherr, UB: Good first handstand. Jaeger IS HUGE. Good handstands following, being patient. Bail a little floppy to me? Great last handstand. Double front half out STUCK we are getting these landing tonight y’all.

    7:56pm: Edney, VT: Y1.5, little adjustment back it looked like. I wish they would show the away team in slow mo too.

    Skaggs, UB: First handstand maybe a little shy. Tkachev to pak is GREAT. Rushed through her low bar handstand. She’s got to quit rushing, her last one was short ish too. DLO was stuck though! Not as good as Schoenherr (who got a 9.975 btw!)

    7:58pm: Johnson, VT: DTY! Little hop forward it looked like, but it was small.

    Thomas, UB: Great first handstand. Maloney legs pasted together, uprise to a perfect handstand. Pak is good. Van Leeuwen, legs together. Great last handstand! DLO stuck it! Crowd and team are all screaming for the 10, and it might happen….

    IT’S A TEN Y’ALL!

    AFTER TWO: UF 99.050, LSU 99.000

    It is so close, man. But now we go to beam and floor – this is where either magic or disaster could strike.

    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1220874417976246272?s=20

    https://twitter.com/samisadancer/status/1220874746621054977?s=20

    8:08pm: Time for rotation three!

    Hundley, BB: Front aerial to sissone, good. Jump series. Bhs loso, locks her arms down. Switch side, good. Full turn, hesitates but gets through it fine. Roundoff 1.5 stuck! Continuing the trend, I like it.

    8:10pm: Harrold, FX: Front double full, controls her energy in a big step forward. Double pike, lunge back. I love this routine, honestly. It’s got the drama and all the musicality moments and she hits them really nicely. 1.5 front lay, dances out. A good start for them.

    8:12pm: SJS, BB: Okay, let’s see how it goes! Havana for her beam music, I love it. Punch front, dead on! Bhs loso, locks it down, good for her. Full turn, fine. Showing so much confidence here, I’m obsessed. Jenny told me earlier, “It’s time,” and I fully agree seeing this now. Switch half is good. Dismount sequence is a handstand to bhs to back full, STICKS IT! Yes! So stoked for her.

    8:14pm: Gunter, FX: Double arabian – maybe OOB? Hard to see from this angle and the cameraman is between me and the judge. Combo pass is good. This is probably the best I’ve seen her perform this, great energy and hitting her angles more sharply. Double back is good to finish!

    8:16pm: Richards, BB: I missed the beginning, apologies. Triple series is a dream, so calm. Switch to straddle, good positions. Side aerial to back full, hop back. Another good one though.

    8:18pm: Edwards, FX: DLO to open, good. Combo pass, she was off on the first element and ends up on the floor… and she’s hurt.

    8:21pm: Baumann, BB: If anyone can go after that and be fine, it’s Lyss. The ice queen. Bhs loso is great. Switch to switch half, lovely. Side aerial, perfect. Roundoff 1.5 STUCK! That’s my girl.

    8:23pm: Campbell, FX: They’re walking Edwards off on crutches and she just cheered for Raegan. I can’t. Campbell opens with a 2.5, gorgeous. Second pass is good too. She’s really working this for just watching her teammate go down. Double pike is short, stumbles forward a little but no hand down. That’s the corner where Edwards fell so.

    8:25pm: Gowey, BB: Triple series a hit. Front aerial to sissone, yes. Full turn perfect. Gainer full stuck! I must’ve missed her dance series.

    8:27pm: Edney, FX: Double arabian, looked a lil funky in the air but landing was fine. Bringing it through the distractions. Combo pass is good. Second split looked short in her jump series. Double back, chest down but pops it open quickly.

    8:29pm: Thomas, BB: Amazing so far. Bhs loso, perfect. Front aerial to beat to korbut swingdown, big hit in the arena. Side aerial back full, little slide. Won’t be another 10, but a good score.

    8:31pm: Johnson, FX: Full in, perfectly controlled! 1.5 front lay, another pass with just incredible control. Into the “You Should See Me in a Crown” section and the team is yelling, getting her hype. Double pike, a little bouncy but uses the lunge to keep it small. A good closer for her.

    https://twitter.com/mycluttereddesk/status/1220882266009718784?s=20

    https://twitter.com/dstr0y3r/status/1220882668499406852?s=20

    AFTER THREE: UF 148.725, LSU 148.25

    Obviously I love that the Gators are leading, but not like this.

    8:40pm: Dean, BB: Full turn is great, very confident off the top here. Side aerial bhs, that’s fun! I forgot she did that. Switch to split quarter. Side aerial back full, small shuffle it looked like?

    8:41pm: Richards, FX: Love seeing her make AA! DLO to open, great control on her landing. This routine is a little posey for me, but she makes it work for her. A little short on her straddle in her second dance element. Punch front through to double back, a little short but pops up quick. Gators are keeping the energy going for them, they’re not letting anything affect them.

    8:43pm: Rivers, BB: Bhs loso, bobble to the side but straightens up. Full turn is good. Switch half looked shy to me. Switch to split 1/4, those were okay. Cat leap to side aerial, straight on. Gainer pike stuck! Good recovery.

    8:44pm: Gowey, FX: Love seeing her in this lineup. Showing off that extension in this beginning choreo, yes. Front lay to Rudi to split jump, I think she added that in today, if I heard her during warmups correctly! Dance elements looked good. Double back, great control.

    8:46pm: Durante, BB: Bhs loso, snaps those arms down. Switch to split 1/4. Interesting that so many of them are doing that combo. Stuck her dismount! Well done.

    8:48pm: Baumann, FX: Bringing the drama! Just the double tuck still, the DLO is looking better and better though in warmups. Great control on her combo pass, just one step to dance out. Double pike, looked like she was gonna be short but made it around just fine! That’ll be a big one, me thinks.

    8:50pm: Edney, BB: Front aerial to sissone, lovely. Bhs loso, doesn’t even need to lock her arms down, she’s so straight on. Dance series is good. Full turn, fine. Front toss, lands standing straight up because that’s how she does. 1.5 dismount, rises up on her toes, but brings it back down for the stick!

    8:52pm: Reed, FX: DLO to open, good control, doesn’t overpower like she does sometimes. Jump series is good. Front lay to Rudi, just a little lunge out. Drumline section, the whole team is doing it too, love it. Just the double pike now, lands super upright, crowd is going BONKERS. She just grins over at Jeremy when she finishes, she knows she killed it!

    8:54pm: Johnson, BB: Full turn, solid. Bhs loso, looks like she wants to wobble but locks those arms down. The power of the arm swing, man. Switch to switch half looked good. Front aerial is beautiful, fun handstand bit grasping the beam. Roundoff double full stuck! Talk about fight from the Tigers. They aren’t letting this one go.

    8:56pm: Thomas, FX: DLO, lays it back into that lunge. Combo pass into her split jump, perfect control. Great control on her dance elements this week – she watched that video, you know she did. Crowd goes crazy for the worm to oversplit. Double pike, and Owen is already encouraging the audience to scream before the music even finishes. Boos from the crowd as it seems she doesn’t get the ten this time.

    8:58pm: Campbell, BB: Only saw a slight lean on her switch half, everything else I missed because apparently Johnson got a 10???? Hop on her dismount too, but I would guess everything else was good from the cheers.

    9:00pm: Hundley, FX: Love letting her anchor, this is that kind of routine. Whip double tuck to open, good control into the lunge. Crowd getting into with the handclaps. Double pike, chest a little low for my liking but good control. Dance series is good, shapes are fine and she goes straight to the floor so no need to control the landing, haha. Preparing for her last pass. 1.5 to front lay, she’s practically screaming for herself as she dances into her final pose. It won’t be a 10 like they’re screaming for, but it’s a hit, and that’s all the Gators needed for a win.

    FINAL: UF 198.375, LSU 197.775

    That will be an away score LSU can be proud of, despite losing Edwards, and Florida notches the HIGHEST SCORE in the nation thus far this season!

    Vault goes to Edney and Harrold with 9.95, bars to Thomas with a 10, beam to Johnson with a 10, and floor to Johnson and Thomas with 9.975s. AA will go to Thomas with a 39.775!

    Thanks for joining me for the massive rollercoaster that was tonight! Recap will be up tomorrow night or Sunday morning for you guys. Goodnight!

  • BSB: Where the Gators rank in the preseason polls

    BSB: Where the Gators rank in the preseason polls

    Photo by Peter Aiken / Getty Images

    With the 2020 baseball season just weeks away, all of the preseason rankings have been posted. The Florida Gators have been ranked in each preseason Top-25 poll that has been released. Florida has even received a pair of top five rankings, surprising considering what happened last season.

    In the 2019 season, the Gators finished with a 34-26 record and a 13-17 record in conference play. Florida barely snuck into the NCAA Baseball Tournament but was quickly eliminated by Dallas Baptist in the Lubbock Regional.

    Going into the 2020 season, Florida is a much more experienced team with a good mix of pitching and hitting. Florida also landed several elite freshmen: Hunter Barco, Joshua Rivera, Brandon Sproat and Nathan Hickey.

    Here are the Preseason Top 25 Polls and where Florida was ranked:

    Perfect Game: #13 (8 Opponents; #2 Vanderbilt, #6 Auburn, #7 Miami, #10 Georgia, #14 Florida State, #18 Ole Miss & #22 Texas A&M)

    Collegiate Baseball: #14 (7 Opponents; #2 Vanderbilt, #4 Miami, #7 Georgia, #8 Auburn, #9 Arkansas, #15 Florida State & #21 Texas A&M)

    Baseball America: #4 (6 Opponents; #1 Vanderbilt, #5 Miami, #7 Georgia, #11 Arkansas, #12 Florida State & #13 Auburn)

    D1 Baseball: #4 (8 Opponents; #2 Vanderbilt, #3 Miami, #5 Georgia, #7 Arkansas, #8 Auburn, #12 Florida State, #20 Texas A&M, & #25 Ole Miss)

    USA Today: #10 (8 Opponents; #1 Vanderbilt, #4 Georgia, #5 Arkansas, #7 Miami, #9 Auburn, #14 Florida State, #21 Texas A&M, & #23 Ole Miss)

    These preseason rankings are adding a lot of pressure and expectations to this year’s team. Everybody knows that this team is talented, but clearly some of the media outlets believe the Gators should be back in Omaha for the College World Series.

    D1 Baseball’s Aaron Fitt believes that the Gators are the most improved team from last season. Most of their starters last season were freshmen and sophomore with little to no collegiate baseball experience. Fitt also believes that Florida will have two true freshmen in the lineup with Nathan Hickey behind the plate and Joshua Rivera to shortstop.

    Rivera would replace Brady McConnell as he was drafted in the second round by the Kansas City Royals last draft. Hickey would be the starting catcher as they move Brady Smith to third, Cory Acton to second and Jacob Young to the outfield to replace Wil Dalton who was drafted in the eighth round by the Boston Red Sox in last year’s MLB Draft.

    For those who are interested in watching the Florida Gators on the diamond, their season opener will be against the Marshall Thundering Herd on February 14th at 6:30 pm ET at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium.

  • SB: Gators ranked No. 9 by D1Softball; Adams named Preseason All-SEC

    SB: Gators ranked No. 9 by D1Softball; Adams named Preseason All-SEC

    Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com

    It’s beginning to look a lot like softball season. The polls are starting to roll out and the Florida Gators are receiving a lot of positive marks from members of the media and from the league’s coaches.

    On Tuesday, D1Softball.com released their preseason Top 25 rankings and the Gators were listed at No. 9.

    Despite earning a No. 5 ranking in last week’s SEC Coaches Poll, Florida is the second highest ranked SEC team in the D1Softball Poll. Alabama enters the season ranked No. 1 while LSU is just beind the Gators at No. 11.

    D1SOFTBALL.com Preseason Top 25:

    1. Alabama
    2. Washington
    3. Arizona
    4. UCLA
    5. Oklahoma
    6. Texas
    7. Minnesota
    8. Louisiana
    9. Florida
    10. Florida State
    11. LSU
    12. Oklahoma State
    13. Northwestern
    14. Tennessee
    15. Georgia
    16. Texas Tech
    17. Kentucky
    18. Michigan
    19. Oregon
    20. South Carolina
    21. Arkansas
    22. Auburn
    23. Arizona State
    24. Wisconsin
    25. Missouri

    __________

    On Wednesday, the Southeastern Conference revealed the Preseason All-SEC Team as voted on by the league’s coaches.

    Junior second baseman Hannah Adams was the lone Gators player to be featured on the All-SEC squad.

    The Hoschton, GA native hit .284 with 3 HR and 28 RBI in 67 games in 2019. Her .394 on base percentage ranked third on the team last season and her on-base plus slugging was .805.

    Defensively, Adams has excelled for Florida. In 2019, she committed just five errors and was involved in eleven double plays. As a freshman, the second-sacker went error-free on 104 chances.

    __________

    Florida opens the 2020 season on February 7 against Iowa State at the USF – Rawlings Invitational in Tampa.

  • WGYM: Florida’s All-Decade Team

    WGYM: Florida’s All-Decade Team

    Photo by Michael Wade / Getty Images

    It’s finally 2020, which means the end of a decade of excellence for the Florida Gator Gymnastics team. In celebration of the decade where the Gators earned three national championships and countless other titles, we wanted to put together a “best of” team for the 2010s. But there are so many gymnasts to choose from – there had to be parameters set. To make this the most realistic team possible, we selected the best team of gymnasts using only 12 scholarship athletes, a stipulation each year’s actual squad must adhere to, and aimed to create the highest possible team total, using the most consistent and high-scoring athletes on each apparatus. In alphabetical order, here is your All-Decade Florida Gymnastics team!

    Kennedy Baker at Link to Pink 2018, earning a perfect 10.0. Photo by Erin Long.

    Kennedy Baker
    Often hailed as one of the most entertaining performers to ever grace the O-Dome, Baker was a powerhouse tumbler, an electric entertainer, and a well-rounded leader that made her a force to be reckoned with. All three years she finished healthy, she ranked in the top ten on floor, earning a perfect 10.0 during each of those seasons. She performed what is arguably the most difficult tumbling pass ever competed by a Gator – a piked double arabian that might as well have been a layout on many occasions. With three individual SEC titles, 11 All-American honors, and the 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year crown, Baker absolutely belongs on this list. While she competed all four events and earned the SEC AA crown as a sophomore, we’d use Baker on vault and floor with this all-star team.

    Baumann
    Alyssa Baumann at the 2019 SEC Championships. Photo by Erin Long.

    Alyssa Baumann
    Though she’s only a junior, Alyssa Baumann has already made a name for herself in Florida history as one of the best, especially on beam. She’s the only Florida athlete with three 9.975 marks on the apparatus, and she’s the first Gator since Elfi Schlegel (’86) to earn two conference championships on beam. She’s also a three-time All-American and two-time All-SEC honoree, and this year promises to bring more accolades as she aims to compete in the all-around this season. Her teammates call her the “Ice Queen,” because of how cool and calm she stays on beam, never letting the pressure affect her. She trains several different compositions for her beam routine, and in her freshman season, she once got so lost in her focus that she threw all of the difficult elements she’d been working on all into one routine! We’d love to see her anchor this beam lineup with her most complex and icy routine. 

    Boren
    Alicia Boren at the 2019 SEC Championships. Photo by Erin Long.

    Alicia Boren
    The most recent addition to the wall of national champions in the training gym at Florida, Boren was the picture of dependability throughout her time as a Gator. During her four years at Florida, she hit every single floor routine she competed and only missed one bar routine. Couple that consistency with her high scoring potential – she has a career high of 9.95 or better on every event – and it’s easy to see why she competed in the all-around every single week since her second meet as a Gator. Boren holds 18 All-American honors, 3 All-SEC nods, and the No. 10 slot in the ranking for career all-around wins for a Gator, so though she’s new to the Wall of Fame, she can absolutely hang with the best. We’d love to see her lead off the bars and beam lineups, because of her consistency, and feature on floor as well. 

    B Caquatto
    Bridgette Caquatto at the 2016 SEC Championships. Photo by Erin Long. 

    Bridgette Caquatto
    Though some have complained about overscoring, it’s hard to argue with the results Bridgette Caquatto produced in her four years as a Gator. With eight floor scores and seven bars scores at 9.95 or higher, Caquatto has incredibly high scoring potential. She’s also a seven-time All-American and a member of all three national championship-winning teams. Though she doesn’t make our top six on either bars or floor as they stand now, she could easily slot into either lineup if she were needed and provides great depth for this all-decade team – a blessing the Gators have always used to their advantage. 

    Caquatto
    Mackenzie Caquatto at the 2014 Super Six Finals. Photo by Erin Long.

    Mackenzie Caquatto
    An elegant technician, Mackenzie Caquatto was known for her effortless bars and clean beam routines. She’s a nine-time All-American, with all of her honors coming from just those two events. Mackenzie also earned a perfect score on bars, one of only six Gators in history to do so. She’s a two-time All-SEC honoree and a two-time regional bar champion, and while event finals were still a thing, she qualified to both the bars and beam finals in her junior and senior years. Though she may not have all the accolades that some of her classmates enjoyed, she still stands out as one of the best of the decade on these two events, so we’d put her in the lineup in a heartbeat. 

    Ashanée Dickerson at the 2013 SEC Championships. Photo by Erin Long.

    Ashanée Dickerson
    From the moment she stepped into the gym in Gainesville, Dickerson proved she would be something special for the Florida gymnastics program. Scoring a 39.350 (out of 40) in the first meet of her career was only the beginning. She would go on to earn SEC Freshman of the Year, and during her career racked up 16 AA titles, 11 All-American honors, and 9 individual regional titles. She also led the team to its first national championship win where she contributed a huge 9.9 on floor, and never missed a single vault or floor routine. For that reason, we would have her in both the vault and floor lineups.

    Hunter
    Kytra Hunter at a 2015 meet vs. LSU. Photo by Erin Long.

    Kytra Hunter
    When you talk about accolades in Florida Gymnastics, it’s hard to not bring up the name Kytra Hunter. Two Honda Awards (think Heisman Trophy of gymnastics), 25 All-American honors, six individual regional titles, seven individual conference championships, four individual national titles, three national team championships, SEC Freshman of the Year and Gymnast of the Year awards – the list goes on and on. Hunter owns perfect 10.0s on both vault and floor and actually holds the school record for most perfect 10.0s in a season: she earned a whopping six perfect scores in 2014. But what the statistics don’t tell you is just how fun she is to watch. She engaged the crowd like no other and had a unique skill vocabulary that she used to its fullest extent, putting together tumbling passes like the back 1.5 twist to front layout to a flying front handspring to a Shushunova she used in her junior season. Her signature move on floor was the worm, and she had power in her tumbling that very few can rival, showing off an open position in her double tuck that she frequently used to close out her routine. There’s no version of an all-decade team that doesn’t include Hunter on vault and floor.

    Johnson
    Alaina Johnson at the 2014 SEC Championships. Photo by Erin Long.

    Alaina Johnson
    Though she doesn’t own any of the 41 perfect scores attributed to the Gators, Alaina Johnson holds a different high honor – the highest all-around score ever recorded for a Florida gymnast. A huge 39.825 speaks to the well-rounded, quality gymnastics she produced during her time as a Gator, as do the 16 All-America honors, the six regional titles, and the SEC Freshman of the Year award that she won. While she may not fit into the top six in any of the lineups we’ve set, Johnson absolutely belongs on this team, and could slot into the first half of any of the four lineups. We consider her a jack-of-all-trades alternate for this team.

    Marissa King at the 2013 NCAA Championship Event Finals. Photo by Erin Long.

    Marissa King
    International recruiting has been a staple of the Florida program for decades, and King is a perfect example of the high-caliber athletes that Florida is capable of drawing. She represented Great Britain at both the 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Championships before joining Florida in January of 2010, just in time for her freshman season to begin. With a unique skill set and huge difficulty, including a Tsuk 1.5 vault that earned her several All-American honor and a national vault title. Thanks to her high scoring potential and rankings in the Top 25 throughout her career, we’d love to see her in the vault, bars, and floor lineups.

    McMurtry
    Alex McMurtry at Senior Night 2018 v. Nebraska. Photo by Erin Long.

    Alex McMurtry
    Her story is one of determination – no matter the difficulty, Alex McMurtry persisted. Despite a back injury that limited her training time and repetitions more and more as her career progressed, she listened to her coaches and trainers, trusted her training, and was able to compete all-around in postseason in three of her four years at Florida. Earning the Honda Award, a berth in the NCAA Elite 90, 25 All-American honors, and an individual conference title for every single year she competed wasn’t enough, either. McMurtry is the record holder for most perfect 10.0s by a Florida gymnast, a two-time SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (her degree is in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology – no big deal!), and the proud owner of a Gym Slam – a perfect score on every event over the course of her career. Earning a 10.0 was especially impressive on bars, considering she learned her single-bar release, a Ray, while she was in college! With everything she brought to the table, from the most difficult vault in the country to the leadership she showed in the gym, it’s impossible to make this team without McMurtry. We’d love to see her in all four events in our all-decade lineup, but in the spirit of realism, we’d keep her out of floor until postseason.

    Sloan
    Bridget Sloan at 2016 Super Six Finals. Photo by Erin Long.

    Bridget Sloan
    No All-Decade list would be complete without mentioning the greatest Gator gymnast to ever chomp, Bridget Sloan. She won almost every award imaginable – SEC Freshman of the Year, two Honda Awards, 31 All-American honors, the Gym Slam, you name it – even after competing in two Olympic cycles of elite gymnastics, highlighted by an Olympic and a World team silver and a World all-around gold. Sloan’s energy was contagious; it spread from her to her team, and from the team to the audience. Her power and focus were palpable every time it was her turn to compete, and even when she was injured, she still fought tooth and nail to compete for her team. She absolutely belongs on each event in our all-decade lineup.

    Thomas
    Trinity Thomas at 2019 Rivalry Night v. Georgia. Photo by Erin Long.

    Trinity Thomas
    The youngest competitor on this list, Trinity Thomas became an instant sensation the moment she hit Gainesville. With a rare match of power and precision, her freshman season was one for the books as she earned SEC Freshman of the Year, 5 All-American honors, and an individual berth to nationals when Florida’s national quest ended abruptly. She may not have any perfect 10.0s to her name yet, but as just a sophomore, at the time of writing, she’s earned a whopping ten 9.975s. If she keeps going the way she’s been going, Thomas will easily earn her place among the Gator greats featured on this list. We fully expect she’ll continue to earn her place in the bars, beam, and floor lineups on this team. 

    So here’s the lineups as we would set them with this absolute all-star team. 

    VaultBarsBeamFloor
    DickersonBorenBorenDickerson
    SloanKingCaquattoKing
    HunterCaquattoThomasThomas
    BakerThomasSloanSloan
    KingMcMurtryMcMurtryHunter

    McMurtry

    		SloanBaumann

    Baker

    Alternates: Alaina Johnson and Bridgette Caquatto

    Of course, these aren’t the only Gators who have brought the team success in the last ten years. We had some close ones here, so it definitely wasn’t an easy decision. Anyone you loved this decade that wasn’t included here? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook and Twitter! 

  • MBB: Gators come up short at LSU

    MBB: Gators come up short at LSU

    Final: LSU 84, Florida 82
    Photo by Michael Reaves / Getty Images

    Florida traveled to Baton Rouge on Tuesday to take on the LSU Tigers who entered the night undefeated in league play. Despite trailing by ten with 1:11 to play, the Gators gave themselves a shot and finished 0.1 second short in a thriller. Ultimately, Florida lost 84-82 and fell to 12-6 overall and 4-2 in SEC play.

    How it Happened:

    Florida came out hot from the start, with Kerry Blackshear hitting three pointers on back to back plays for the Gators. Omar Payne added another alley-oop lay up as Florida took a 13-9 lead early.

    Florida and LSU traded buckets after this early lead until Florida began to separate themselves at the 11-minute mark, pushing the lead to seven with 9:30 left to play in the first. LSU had missed shots on 11 straight possessions, yet Florida could never muster more than that seven point lead through the first 12 minutes, before LSU began their full court press to slow the Gator offense down.

    The Tigers managed to take a late first half lead with under a minute left in, but Scottie Lewis responded with a buzzer beating deuce from just inside the three-point arc. Florida entered the break with a 36-34 advantage.

    Both teams came out of the break scoring at will.  LSU went 4-4 to open the period and took a one point lead. A Nembhard layup put Florida back on top 43-42 just thirteen seconds later. 

    Freshman forward Omar Payne was charged with a flagrant-1 foul at the 14:06 mark for a trip after an offensive rebound. The Tigers capitalized by sinking both free throws and getting a bucket from Skylar Mays to take their largest lead of the game at that point (46-43). LSU continued this hot streak and extended the lead to nine with 9:53 left forcing a Gator timeout.

    LSU just couldn’t miss in the second half as Skylar Mays banged home a 35-foot shot clock beater to extend the lead to nine at the 3:50 mark.

    Trailing 79-69 with 1:20 to play, the Gators continued to fight. An Andrew Nembhard layup, a Noah Locke three, and a Keyontae Johnson three pulled Florida within two at 79-77. LSU hit 5-6 from the charity stripe on the final :36, but the Gators still had a chance.

    After video replay gave Florida the ball under their offensive basket with 0.5 seconds, Keyontae Johnson came free and put the easy layup in. Upon further review, the ball was still on Johnson’s fingertips at the buzzer and the Gators fell just short of the victory.


    Quick Stats

    FG%: 49%

    3 FG%: 33%

    FT: 82%

    TO: 12

    Rebound +/-: -10

    Fast Facts:

    Nembhard: 15 points, 10 assists

    Locke: 16 points, 2 rebounds

    Johnson: 16 points, 9 rebounds

    Payne: 7 points, 4 rebounds

    Blackshear: 15 points, 5 rebounds

    What’s Next:

    Florida will take part in the annual Big XII / SEC Challenge on Saturday. The Gators will welcome No. 1 ranked Baylor into Exactech Arena for an 8:00 PM tip.  The Bears are 16-1 on the season.

  • Gators Primed for a Playoff Run

    Gators Primed for a Playoff Run

    Photo by John Korduner / Getty Images

    In two years as Florida’s head coach, Dan Mullen has a 21-5 record. The Gators’ improvement from ten wins last year, to eleven this season is modest only in number. That one win difference is actually a monumental feat. The step from ten wins to eleven is one that takes discipline and sacrifice. Something that has been missing from the Gators’ football program over the past decade.

    The fact that Florida managed to improve their win total and repeat as New Year’s Six bowl champions, is an accomplishment that is made all the more impressive when accounting for the level of adversity and the strength of competition that they faced this season. The Gators battled injury nearly every week. The injury bug affected everyone from star defensive players like Jonathan Greenard, Jabari Zuniga, or CJ Henderson, to the Gators’ starting quarterback, Feleipe Franks.

    It isn’t often that a team can sustain such injuries and still weather the neverending onslaught of power that is the SEC schedule. Florida defeated Auburn with a quarterback that — prior to this season — hadn’t started a game since he was a freshman in high school. They went toe-to-toe with one of the most prolific offenses of our time, while missing key defenders from the starting lineup… on the road and at night. To say that Dan Mullen is doing something special at the University of Florida would be an understatement.

    With the way things have gone since Mullen arrived in Gainesville, it stands to reason that the next logical progression is a twelve or thirteen-win season and a playoff berth. Now, Florida is losing a good deal of talent either to graduation or to the NFL this season, but there is reason to be optimistic about the Gators 2020 football season.

    One of the nation’s best receiving corps isn’t going to see as significant of a drop as one might think. With so many talented receivers and a quarterback that is particularly adept at spreading the ball around, the Gators didn’t have one or two superstars. Instead, they had players that placed team before self and took advantage of what the defense gave them every Saturday.

    Florida returns Trevon Grimes, Jacob Copeland, Kadarius Toney, Kyle Pitts, Keon Zipperer, and they are bringing in a handful of very talented receivers in this year’s signing class. The tandem of Grimes and Pitts will likely be the leaders of the pack here.

    Grimes improved on his year one production this past season, totaling 491 yards and three touchdowns on 33 receptions. His large frame and sure hands will be a sure weapon for the Gators next year.

    Pitts was a matchup nightmare, having tight end size with the speed of a wide receiver. As a sophomore, Pitts was one of the Gators’ leading receivers hauling in five touchdowns and 649 yards on 54 receptions. He really improved as a blocker last season and another year in the system will only improve his game.

    Toney is unpredictable if nothing else. There’s no denying his playmaking ability but health and a lack of touches have plagued his career. The dynamic speedster has announced his return to continue making Gator Nation stand up and holler as he jukes defenders out of their socks. If he can remain healthy and follow the script, there will be many exciting highlights for the talented athlete.

    Jacob Copeland and Keon Zipperer are two guys that can really make a statement next season. With the upperclassmen out of the way, now is the time to shine for this pair. Copeland displayed flashes in limited playing time last season and has really worked to improve his understanding of the playbook as well as his route-running. Zipperer flew mostly under the radar but had a year to develop under tight ends coach Larry Scott. With his size and talent, Zipperer could be a perfect complement to Kyle Pitts.

    The biggest question mark last season was the offensive line. Through recruiting and transfers, Mullen has done a fine job of creating depth. Although they were extremely inconsistent in run blocking a year ago, this unit appeared to gel as the season came to an end. With a few weeks off to prepare, they opened up holes for Lamical Perine to gash the Virginia defense on the way to 138 rushing yards on just thirteen carries. If this is a sign of things to come, Florida’s offense will be deadly next season.

    On the defensive side, Florida received some good news when Marco Wilson announced that he would return for his senior campaign. His return means the Gators will have some meaningful experience at cornerback. Brad Stewart, Donovan Stiner will also contribute to the school’s DBU moniker.

    The rest of the secondary is chock full of talent, as Kaiir Elam, Trey Dean III, and Amari Burney, will be a big part of the rotation. Jaydon Hill and Chester Kimbrough will add talent, youth, and depth to the unit, as well.

    The defensive line does lose a great deal of production but Zach Carter began to turn it on toward the end of the season and if he can continue to play at that level, he could be the next in a long line of great Gators’ defensive linemen. Brenton Cox will likely provide pressure from the opposite end. Cox was once a five-star commitment for Georgia before transferring to UF last year. He will be eligible to play next season.

    Florida returns with a great deal of talent and extraordinary promise. If Dan Mullen can get them to push themselves just a little bit harder this offseason than they did last year, the schedule, the talent, the work ethic, and the coaching set up quite nicely for the next step forward for a Gators’ football program that is on the rise. The Gator Standard is returning and the rest of the nation has been put on notice.

  • Feleipe Franks announces transfer to Arkansas

    Feleipe Franks announces transfer to Arkansas

    Photo by Michael Reaves / Getty Images

    Former Florida Gators starting quarterback Feleipe Franks has announced via Instagram that he will enroll at the University of Arkansas.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B7j1aYtgeG3/

    Franks was a 4-star prospect in the 2016 recruiting cycle and started under center for three years before an injury in the fourth game of his redshirt junior season.

    The Gators were successful after the injury as Kyle Trask proved to be more than capable as the team’s starter.

    Dan Mullen also made a point of giving significant snaps to redshirt freshman Emory Jones.

    Franks announced in December his decision to leave Florida, just a week after Trask announced his intention to return to the school.

    The Crawfordville, FL native’s final stats at UF were: 367-622, 59%, 4,593 yards, 38 touchdowns, 17 interceptions. He was also named the MVP of the 2019 Peach Bowl.