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  • WBB: Danielle Rainey set to suit up for Gators

    WBB: Danielle Rainey set to suit up for Gators

    Photo by Piper Hansen / UAA

    The Florida Gators women’s basketball team have begun to hit their stride. The team has won their last three games, including one against a very good Texas Tech team. Florida has also earned their last two wins despite missing the SEC leading scorer, Funda Nakkasoglu to an ankle injury.

    On Sunday, another key piece to head coach Cameron Newbauer‘s rebuild will join the lineup. Redshirt-sophomore Danielle Rainey will don the Orange and Blue in a game for the first time since announcing her transfer nearly a year ago.

    Rainey was one of the top guards in the 2016 recruiting class and signed to play at Texas Christian University, which had signed a surprisingly strong recruiting class. Rainey said that being close to her mother played a major role in her choosing the Horned Frogs.

    As a freshman at TCU, Rainey played in eleven games, all of which coming off the bench. Despite her limited playing time, Rainey did her best to make the most of her opportunities. In a December 2016 contest against Alcorn State, Rainey scored seven points in just fifteen minutes.

    Rainey didn’t play the fall semester of her sophomore campaign, and ultimately decided to transfer. Transferring to another Division-I program would require she sit out a full year.

    When talking with the coaching staff at Florida during the transfer process, Rainey stated that she appreciated “the transparency. The coaches here were very open, honest, energetic, and it was very genuine.” She also made comparisons to her recruitment out of high school, “When you’ve gone through a process (like this) more than one time, you start to see the red flags, but being around these coaches was just a different type of vibe.”

    Upon making the transition to the University of Florida, Rainey relied on her teammates as a whole on acclimating to the new campus. She confided that she would ask different teammates different questions and that everyone helped her to feel comfortable at UF.

    When asked to describe her style of play for Florida fans that haven’t seen her play yet, stated simply, “I’m the type of player that can give you what you need, whether it’s offensively or defensively. I do what I’m told, no matter how uncomfortable it is.”

    Rainey is extremely excited about the opportunity to wear the Orange and Blue and emphasized that she has a new perspective on the game. “Sitting out a year takes a toll on you mentally. But it also makes you value everything more. Things like practice, weights, film, everything.”

    Rainey got emotional describing her excitement to finally suit up with her teammates. “If I could cry right now I would, that’s how excited I am. It’s a blessing for me.

    “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve never imagined myself in this type of situation and thanks to my coaches and teammates, I have a whole new level of confidence now.”

    Rainey is expected to see the court on Sunday while wearing that Florida uniform. The Gators will face Ohio State before heading to Las Vegas to compete in the Duel in the Desert on December 20-21. Rainey’s first action in front of the Gator Nation is set for December 30, when the Gators will host Charleston Southern.

  • WGYM: Comeback Cheney

    WGYM: Comeback Cheney

    Photo by Tim Casey / UAA

    At what may be her final Orange & Blue intrasquad, Amanda Cheney returned to competition with a new perspective.

    Thanks to a leg injury, Cheney sat out her junior season in 2018 and does not appear to be taking a redshirt year, but she’s determined to make 2019 her best season yet. As one of only two seniors, this is do-or-die time for her: she hasn’t been a top lineup choice on any event so far in either of her competitive seasons.

    It’s clear that a season on the sidelines has taught her a lot. She was one of the most vocal team members of the night, her motivating shouts echoing through the practice facility as the tension of competing in front of a crowd brought many of her young teammates to silence. As her team warmed up vault last Thursday, the room was missing the usual cheers so commonplace among the Gator gymnasts – until Cheney’s voice broke through the silence, encouraging freshman teammate Nya Reed as she warmed up her difficult Yurchenko 1.5 vault.

    Though leadership and motivation is important, a season away has given Cheney something else – the fire to compete again. Sitting out while her teammates had some of their best performances in program history and took third at the national championship couldn’t have been easy. This intrasquad provided a unique opportunity to fans and journalists alike to get up close and personal with the gymnasts during competition, and being mere feet away from the end of the beam as Cheney fought for every tenth demonstrated the competitive spirit within her.

    Treating every moment as an opportunity for competition is part of that. After the intrasquad, Cheney said that the team “treat[s Orange & Blue] like a meet. We want to get that experience, that feeling, that energy… you can’t make it exactly what the O-Dome is, but having people here, having judges and long-sleeve leotards – we’re definitely treating it as a real meet, and we want to use that to build our confidence for season.”

    When asked about her return to competition, the senior’s face lit up with a wide smile. “It feels so great [to be back competing]! I missed it so much. Gymnastics is my first love, and I only have a few more months of it, which is really sad, but I’m excited to see what this season holds. This team is really special, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

    Cheney competed on vault and beam with team Blue at the meet, with beam her stronger of the two showings and the likelier event for her to contribute. She’s mixed up some of her composition on beam, showing a creative new mount and changing one of her back handsprings to a layout-stepout in her acro series, among other things. The biggest change that’s evident though is the attitude. Every flick of the arm and placement of feet showed her fire: she wasn’t giving anything away without a fight. Having seen her compete in the O-Dome two years ago, the difference is vast. As a sophomore, she was more tentative, less sharp. Fast forward to last week, and it’s a completely different story. According to Cheney, beam is her favorite event, so she’s definitely gunning for a place in the lineup. “I just want to do what’s best for the team, keep being consistent and confident,” she says of her chances at beam.

    With all the depth on the Gator squad this year, it may be a fight for her, but head coach Jenny Rowland sees something there, too. Of the senior, Rowland said, “Amanda Cheney is healthy and happy, and I am so thankful for that alone. She is doing very well, training two events very hard, getting more and more consistent.” She mentioned Cheney’s recent emergency appendectomy, which put her out of training temporarily, but spoke highly of her ability to bounce back from challenges: “She’s unfortunately been used to having some setbacks, but after a little setback comes a major comeback.”

  • BSB: Gators to break ground on new stadium in February

    BSB: Gators to break ground on new stadium in February

    Photo via FloridaGators.com

    The University of Florida will soon have a brand new baseball stadium located on the Southwest part of campus, adjacent to the school’s softball stadium.

    On Wednesday, the University approved the budget which will allow for a groundbreaking in February.

    While the UAA initially planned on opening the new ballpark in 2020, delays have forced a later opening. The team will debut the new stadium on Opening Day, 2021.

    The cost of the new ballpark is expected to run at $65 million. The stadium will have a capacity of 7,000 with the ability to expand to 10,000, if necessary.

    Despite adding a new stadium to an area with Southwest Rec, the Donald R. Dizney Lacrosse Stadium, and Pressly Stadium, the plan only allowed for 400-500 new parking spots in the area, so make sure you get to the games early!

    Once the facility is complete (expected to be in June 2020), the current incarnation of McKethan Stadium will be razed to make way for the new football facility.

    Photo via FloridaGators.com
  • FB: Gators land in top five for 4-star CB Chris Steele

    FB: Gators land in top five for 4-star CB Chris Steele

    Photo via 247Sports

    On Tuesday, the one of the nation’s top prospects in the 2019 recruiting cycle released his ‘Top 5’ via Twitter.

    Not surprisingly, the Florida Gators are mentioned along with Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, and Southern California for the pledge of California CB Chris Steele.

    Steele had committed to Southern Cal in the Summer, but decommitted in October after the Trojans underachieved early in the season.

    Steele has tweeted out that he will announce which school he will attend at the 2019 All-American game in San Antonio on January 5.

    The 4-star CB is rated as the #6 cornerback in the country by 247Sports and has a national overall ranking of #55.

    According to the 247Sports Crystal Ball, USC holds the edge to sign the Bellflower, CA native, but Florida hasn’t backed down and has received a few crystal balls of their own in recent weeks.

    Florida currently has two four-star prospects committed at the cornerback position, but lacks the depth of every other team in his top five.

    National Signing Day is only eight days away, and Florida is in position to land several key targets.

  • WBB: Gators rout Rattlers for third straight win

    WBB: Gators rout Rattlers for third straight win

    FINAL: FLORIDA 62, FLORIDA A&M 38

    1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT FINAL
    FAMU 9 14 2 13 X 38
    GATORS 19 8 21 14 X 62
    Photo by Brian Fox / Chomp Talk

    Gainesville, FL-

    The Florida women’s basketball team is on a three game winning streak after defeating Florida A&M 62-38 on Sunday to improve to 3-6 on the season.

    Game Trends

    Florida’s leading scorer Funda Nakkasoglu is still day-to-day due to an ankle injury and sat out the entirety of this game. Paige Robinson also sat out due to illness, according to head coach Cameron Newbauer. Despite missing two key starters, the Rattlers were no match for the Gators.

    The Gators dominated the Rattlers 19-9 in the opening quarter before falling apart in the second quarter, allowing FAMU to shrink Florida’s lead to 27-23. Florida shot 25% in the second period and went 1-15 from 3-point range.

    Clearly, Florida regrouped during the halftime break, as the Gators only allowed the Rattlers to shoot only 1-12 in the third period to extend the lead heading into the fourth quarter. Florida allowed FAMU to score 13 points in the final quarter, but scored 14 points to end at a final of 62-38.

    Ariel Johnson was the three-point star for the Gators, making 4-9 for the game while Corey Staples was the only other Gator to make a three-pointer despite the team’s ‘chuck it from the cheap seats’ mentality. For the game UF made five of their 28 attempts from deep. The Rattlers shot only 14-48, including 2-11 from three-point range.

    Fast Facts

    • Redshirt-junior forward Zada Williams scored a career high 16 points to lead the Gators. Williams also grabbed nine boards, including four on the offensive glass.
    • Junior Delicia Washington finished with 11 points and 10 boards for her second straight double-double. Washington leads the Gators averaging 8.6 boards per game.
    • Freshman Ariel Johnson finished with 13 points and has become a major contributor off the bench for the team. Johnson has now made a three in five consecutive games.
    • Florida grabbed 44 rebounds, marking the third consecutive game with 40+.
    • Florida held the lead for 37:36, while FAMU never pulled ahead of the Gators. The game was only tied for 02:14.
    • Leading scorer Funda Nakkasoglu sat out with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day. Paige Robinson also sat out due to illness, according to head coach Cameron Newbauer.
    • Florida wore their orange uniforms for the third consecutive game, they are now 3-0 in these uniforms. Coach Newbauer stated after the game that the team will continue to wear whatever uniform the players feel like wearing and that he won’t give in to superstition in regards to the uniform combination.

    TEAM STATS:

    FLORIDA A&M GATORS
    FG % 29 40
    3-PT % 18 18
    FT % 73 58
    Offensive Rebounds 9 18
    Total Rebounds 30 44
    Assists 3 13
    Steals 10 11
    Blocks 2 0
    Turnovers 24 17

    What’s Next

    The Gators will have a few days off to take finals before making the trip to Columbus, Ohio to face Ohio State on December 16th. The Buckeyes are 3-3 on the season and are 3-1 when playing at home.

    The matchup against the Buckeyes kicks off the first of three consecutive away games for the Gators. The next home game will be December 30th at 2 p.m. against Charleston Southern.

  • SB: Gators add big bat with transfer of Kendyl Lindaman

    SB: Gators add big bat with transfer of Kendyl Lindaman

    The Florida Gators softball team announced a major addition to the program on Friday.

    Catcher Kendyl Lindaman has signed to play with the Gators for her final two years of eligibility and will be immediately eligible for Florida.

    Lindaman is the two-time reining Big Ten Player of the Year after crushing 40 homers and 131 RBI in her first two years of collegiate softball.

    As a freshman with the University of Minnesota, Lindaman crushed multiple program records including the home run (for a frosh), and single-season slugging percentage.

    Lindaman will make an immediate impact in the middle of the Florida lineup as she has hit for a .393 average while walking 118 times while only striking out 33 times over two seasons. Lindaman also has catches a solid game having made only 10 errors in two years and registering a .988 fielding percentage.

    Welcome to the Gator Nation, Kendyl! We can’t wait to see you hit inside that new ballpark.

  • FB: Recapping the Peach Bowl Presser

    FB: Recapping the Peach Bowl Presser

    Photo via Getty Images

    During the Peach Bowl press conference on Friday afternoon, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl Organization CEO, Gary Stokan extended the official invitation to University of Florida AD Scott Stricklin. With the formalities out of the way, the Gators will officially begin bowl preparations.

    The Gators will be making their first appearance in the Peach Bowl since 2004 and their third appearance in program history. The annual New Year’s Six game is the most charitable bowl organization in the nation, providing $31.8 million in charitable donations and scholarships since 2002.

    As part of the bowl week activities, the Gators will be treated with luxury accommodations, competitive activities for a special behind the scenes trophy, cultural and historical learning experiences, as well as an opportunity to give back to the community by visiting a local children’s hospital.

    The Gators have already announced a few open practice dates where the fans and media will be able to get a good look at the team as they prepare for Michigan. The open practices will be December 14th through the 16th and Dan Mullen expounded on the design for those particular practices.

    “We’ll practice next Friday, Saturday, Sunday. And those’ll be somewhat developmental practices. That’s why… uh, very much like spring practice that we’re using. A lot of fundementals. A lot of technique, some team work, a lot of guys getting reps. That’s why we open those up to the public, for all the Gator fans that wanna come out and watch the team and see the team practice.”

    In the midst of bowl prep, the staff is also working feverishly to close out strong in recruiting ahead of the December 19th early signing date. With the successes of this season, the impact on the recruiting trail is really paying off.

    Perhaps the most beneficial to that recruiting effort, is the availability of the players during this final stretch. The NCAA imposes a mandatory two week break from all team activities immediately following the season’s end. Were the Gators not playing in a bowl this year, that break would be taking place right now and the players wouldn’t be available to host recruits during their official visits.

    The added time could pay dividends for Florida as they are hosting a veritable who’s who over this weekend and next.

    Following a disastrous 4-7 season a year ago, many held low expectations for this year’s team as they broke in a new system under a new head coach. When asked about the internal perception, whether they were surprised by the early success or not, Dan Mullen deferred to Gators Athletic Director, Scott Stricklin.

    “You know, Dan did a phenomenal job. And his staff did a phenomenal job in year one. And I was remiss in earlier comments in not congratulating Dan and the team for putting us in this position.”

    Stricklin said, “So I don’t… when you make a change, especially coming off a 4-7 season I don’t think it’s realistic to say this was the expectation. I think at the University of Florida, you get accustomed to the level of success that all of our sports have. You expect the football team to be in this position regularly. But to turn it around in year one is a huge credit to Dan and his ability to come in and connect and do all the great things that he and his staff were able to do this year. Great credit to our players to accept new leadership and hold themselves accountable and then to go out and compete and put themselves in position to win 9 ball games and Go 5-3 in the SEC, go undefeated in non-conference, and all of those things. So, it’s really rewarding. I said this after the FSU game, the momentum and enthusiasm from Gator Nation, from all those fans out there wearing the orange and blue, that is really rewarding and that is fun to see.”

    Many conspiracy theorists and tin-foil hat enthusiasts have suggested that Scott Stricklin and the Florida Gators met with the CFP committee in some top secret volcano lair to ensure that they would not be matched up with UCF in the bowl season. Gary Stokan and Scott Stricklin laid those claims to rest by explaining the selection process and its integrity.

    Stricklin later went on to say, “People don’t know. They give me a lot of credit, I have more power than I realize, according to them. People are going to say things when they don’t know what they’re talking about, and that’s what happening there.”

    The narrative has been that Florida is scared to play UCF and that to do so is a no win situation for the Gators. If they win, they were supposed to and did so while UCF was without star quarterback, McKenzie Milton. If they lose, they’ve been bested by a lowly group of 5 team and are the laughing stock of the power 5.

    “If you win the game, it counts one win,” Stricklin said. “If you lose the game, it counts one loss. When I was at Mississippi State, they said, ‘Don’t play Southern Miss.’ We played Southern Miss. They had the same argument.”

    Stricklin went on to say that in the right circumstance, he would love to schedule the Knights. Even suggesting a 2 for 1 deal where the Gators would give UCF a home game.

    Florida will take on 7th ranked Michigan on Dec. 29 in the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. The game is set for a noon kickoff and the Gators will be looking for their first win over the Wolverines in the series.

  • VB: Gators to Face #4 BYU in Sweet 16

    VB: Gators to Face #4 BYU in Sweet 16

    Photo by Brian Fox / Chomp Talk

    The Florida volleyball team is now in the regional semifinal of the NCAA Tournament. After topping Florida State and Florida Gulf Coast, the Gators will take on their toughest test yet in Brigham Young University.

    Gators

    Florida failed to clinch a national seed after going 24-6 (15-3 SEC) in the regular season. The Cougars are the number four seed after going 27-1 in the regular season and shutting out most of their opponents.

    However, the Tournament Gators are a force to be reckoned with. The squad is posting a hit clip of .309 and is 6-0 in postseason sets, sweeping both the Seminoles and the Eagles. Defensively, Florida is holding opponents to a .137 hitting percentage.

    Paige Hammons is pacing the offense right now, averaging 5 kills per set off of a .369 clip.

    Cougars

    BYU dropped just one match this season, when the team lost 0-3 to Loyola Marymount. Other than that, the Cougars posted 24 shutouts in a 27 win season. Coach Heather Olmstead is in her fourth season at BYU, where she is 114-12.

    The Cougars have the Region Freshman of the Year in Heather Gneiting (147 blocks, 202 kills, .403 HPCT) and the Region Player of the Year in Roni Jones-Perry (185 digs, 456 kills, .348 HPCT). Olmstead was named Region Coach of the Year.

    Gametime

    Florida and BYU are not familiar opponents, with the last match between these two teams dating back to 2003. However, Mary Wise is 5-0 against the Cougars. Overall, the Gators are 16-8 in Sweet Sixteen matches.

    Friday’s match is set for 6:30 PM and will be streaming on ESPN3. Follow @GatorsVB on Twitter for more updates.

  • WGYM: December Intrasquad Liveblog

    WGYM: December Intrasquad Liveblog

    Welcome to Chomp Talk’s first gymnastics live blog of the 2019 season! We’ll be coming at you live from the closed intrasquad meet with quick hits and tidbits from your favorite Florida Gators. This year promises to be an exciting one, despite the departure of an incredible class last season. This year’s incoming freshman class, starring international elite Trinity Thomas, will bring a whole new set of skills and 9.9-worthy routines on all four events. This intrasquad meet is the final one for the Gators before they open the season on January 11 against Missouri here in Gainesville. It is not being broadcast nor is it open to the public – only the first 100 season pass holders and some special guests were invited. We’ll be your eyes on the inside, so refresh this page every few minutes for live updates on lineup formation, routine construction, and more.

    6:00PM: We are here and ready to go! The girls are introducing themselves right now, so we should be getting underway shortly!

    On the orange team, we have Alicia Boren, Rachel Gowey, Nicole Webb, Savannah Schoenherr, Halley Taylor, Nya Reed, and Leah Clapper. On the blue team, we have Amanda Cheney, Sierra Alexander, Amelia Hundley, Maegan Chant, Alyssa Baumann, Megan Skaggs, Trinity Thomas, and Sydney Johnson-Scharpf.

    6:08PM: Taylor, Orange, VT: Solid Yfull from the freshman, little bit of legs in the air.

    Baumann, Blue, UB: Toe on to Maloney, good, to pak, little bit of legs in the air. DLO, little bounce. Good! Would love to see her crack that lineup.

    6:09pm: Gowey, Orange, VT: Biiiiig air on her Yfull, hop back. That’s much improved.

    We’re all the way across the room from bars so I’m having some trouble IDing this next gymnast.

    6:11pm: Chant, Blue, UB: Tkachev, good, big air. Bail solid, maybe a little shy on last handstand. Floaty DLO, nice! Scores confirmed Chant after the rotation.

    Reed, Orange, VT: Big 1.5, sat in warmup – hits! Hop forward is controlled, that looks goooood for December, y’all.

    6:12PM: Hundley, Blue, UB: Maloney to pak, lovely and floaty. Van Leeuwen, a little bit of legs but not near as bad as early season last year. Full in, stick! Wow.

    Schoenherr, Orange, VT: Y1.5, big bounce forward with a little leg back, but that’s gonna be good for them. Landing about what I would expect for December.

    6:14PM: Thomas, Blue, UB: Maloney good, to uprise nice. Pak is gorgeous. Van Leeuwen is sooo clean, especially coming right after Meals. DLO just soars, little bounce on the landing.

    Boren, Orange, VT: Still doing the Y1.5, probably a good idea. If she upgrades, I’d expect it later in the season. BIG air, bounce on the landing. Looks nice.

    6:15PM: Skaggs, Blue, UB: Tkachev just as big as later year, directly to an angel of a pak. Hits last handstand, DLO with a bounce back. I expect to see her late lineup this season tbh.

    After the first rotation, these girls have to feel good. Everyone went five for five, Jazzy still looks like the only major injury, and spirits are definitely high. They just announced scores but they’re not displaying them anywhere so I didn’t catch all of them. Mostly 9.8s from what I could hear.

    Warming up the second rotation now, Baumann showing a Y1.5 on vault! That’s big news. Hundley is throwing hers too but didn’t go nearly as well, she crunched an ankle on her landing and fell over sideways. Chant throwing the handspring pike half a la Slocum and it’s still being spotted, but could develop into something I suppose.

    6:23PM: SJS, Blue, VT: Yfull, deep on the landing but basically stuck?? Not a comp landing right now though, I don’t think.

    Clapper, Orange, UB: nice piked Jaeger, handstand work is a little archy right now but she’s fighting for them. Full in is pretty far out but she sticks it!

    6:25PM: Cheney, Blue, VT: Yfull, not on comp surface, bounce back. They’re still calling her a senior, so looks like she may not redshirt after her injury last season.

    Webb, Orange, UB: Short first handstands, Tkachev is a little scrapey and pak is spotted, but good to see that she’s training something other than beam. Last handstand is nice, DLO dismount is spotted but landing is basically stuck.

    6:27PM: Alexander, Blue, VT: BIiiiig Yfull, with a sizeable bounce back, but on what looks like their competition surface vault. That’s got some oomph behind it.

    Taylor, Orange, UB: missed most of this because Baumann is standing in front of me, whoops. Definitely a hit though, big cheer when she hit her release.

    6:29PM: Skaggs, Blue, VT: Yfull, basically textbook. Not on competition surface yet.

    Just a note, Reed was the only one of the Orange team not to be on comp surface.

    Boren, Orange, UB: Nice air on the Tkachev, clear hip to handstand a little short. Bail is dead on though, last handstand a lil short. DLO doesn’t fly like it normally does, but she still pulls out the stick!

    6:30PM: Baumann, Blue, VT: Y1.5!! That upgrade looks stellar. Not on comp surface yet, but just a hop on the landing.

    Schoenherr, Orange, UB: Release is good, bail straight up and down. Little archy toward the end in the handstands, double tuck dismount is close to the bar but otherwise OK.

    6:31PM: Hundley, Blue, VT: throws the Y1.5, crunches to the side again and ends up in the pit. She’s okay, gets back up and salutes.

    Gowey, Orange, UB: Ray is GORGEOUS as always, toe on is good, to pak, yes. Little short on last handstand, DLO stuck!

    6:33PM: Thomas, Blue, VT: Y1.5, super clean in the legs, just a little hop forward. She’ll get that landing by season, I think.

    Seeing not a full routine… I think it’s Schoenherr’s bigger dismount she’s working? Looks like a half in double back a la McCusker.

    6:35PM: Chant, Blue, VT: Spotted on her front pike half, stumbles back on the landing. Yup, that could definitely be something. We’ll have to keep an eye on that.

    After two, this Gator team has to be stoked. Hundley’s upgrade is the only iffy thing we need to be concerned about (because let’s be real – Chant will only be in if that upgrade is ready, and Webb should never have to do bars unless it’s a real disaster), and even then, she can go back to the full and still probably lead that fight for lead-off. Realistically, let’s talk about lineups.

    Vault should be all the 10.0 starts – Baumann, Reed, Schoenherr, Thomas with their Y1.5s and Boren anchoring with either her Y1.5 or DTY, if she decides to upgrade. If Hundley figures out that Y1.5, she should go in that lineup and that makes six. If not, she, SJS, Taylor, Gowey and Alexander should all be fighting for the Yfull leadoff slot.

    Bars should be a little less cut and dry, but I’m running out of time to talk about it, so we’ll have that discussion afterward!

    6:45PM: Skaggs, Blue, FX: Don’t know why they’re starting with floor first, but oh well. Her routine is jazzy this year, oooh. First pass is a double pike right now, still doing it to resi. Second pass also to resi is a Rudi, solid. Little bit of crossy legs. Final pass on comp surface is 1.5 twist to front lay, that’s a solid leadoff.

    6:47PM: Clapper, Orange, BB: Bhs bhs loso to open, suuuuper close to the end of the beam but stays on with only a small wobble. Full turn fine. Switch to split, good positions. Side aerial to back full, stick! Quick but efficient routine for her.

    6:49PM: SJS, Blue, FX: Girl is bringing the drama! Double arabian to resi to open, little shuffle back to stabilize herself. I love the musicality in this routine already. Second pass also to resi is front lay to front full, interesting. Ankles are both taped, I wonder if they’re bothering her tonight or if everyone is gonna do first two to resi. Wow, all the sass in this music. Last pass also to resi is a double tuck, yeah must be the ankles. Good idea to keep those rested right now, they’ll want that in the lineup.

    6:51PM: Taylor, Orange, BB: Front toss, foot is way off center but she somehow stays on. Bhs loso, little wobble but again stays on. Full turn is lovely. Switch leap to another switch leap, little short on the second one. Bhs to gainer full off the side, a little helter skelter but she pulls it out. Probably a good backup option but probably not lineup material yet.

    6:53PM: Alexander, Blue, FX: I’m stoked for this one, y’all. DLO to resi, perfect control. Second pass to 8-incher is double pike, chest decently up. Looks like some legacy moves from Baker in here maybe? I recognize that shimmy. Last pass to comp surface is front lay to front full, a little wild in the legs in the prep but fine control upon landing. Fun choreo on the floor to finish. I love that!

    6:55PM: Schoenherr, Orange, BB: front aerial, lovely. Bhs loso, patient with it and doesn’t bobble. Full turn is really nice, Split to straddle 3/4 with some hesitation in the middle, don’t know if I give her that connection. Roundoff 1.5 dismount, little hop in place. Nice.

    6:56PM: Chant, Blue, FX: DLO to resi to open, wow! Lovely artistry and toe point through her choreo. Second pass to another non-comp surface (also resi I think) is front tuck through to double back, that’s different than most of her teammates. Last pass to resi is a double pike. Gator chomp to finish, I like.

    6:58PM: Webb, Orange, BB: Full turn is nice. Her arms are so precise, lovely. Bhs loso, looked crooked in the area but she corrected. Switch to split, nice. Front aerial, looked a little unsteady but covered well. Beat to sheep, those legs have improved since last year. Roundoff double full dismount, nice!

    7:00PM: Hundley, Blue, FX: DLO to resi, looks way better than last year. Opens with Greatest Showman, switches to Circus by Britney Spears, I see a theme here. 1.5 twist to front lay to comp surface, good. Some legacy moves from past routines, I love. Double pike spotted to sting mat at the end, good. I worry about the stamina with the spot at the end, but other than that, that routine will score really nicely.

    7:02PM: Boren, Orange, BB: Front toss, dead on. Bhs loso, looked a little off on takeoff but settled in well. Switch to straddle, great positions. Cat leap to gainer loso, not as quick a connection as I’d like. Overturns her full turn but covers nicely. Cartwheel to gainer full, legs way cleaner than any of her teammates so far.

    7:04PM: Baumann, Blue, FX: DLO to resi to open, again, way more confident than last year. 1.5 to front full on comp surface for second pass, really nice. Split positions gorgeous as always. Lots of team interaction in her choreo this year. Double pike to 8-incher, just a little help on the landing from coach Adrian Burde. That’ll be another stunner.

    7:06PM: Gowey, Orange, BB: Switch to split, solid. Bhs loso loso, straight on, what a star. Front aerial to sissone, good. Punch front tuck is straight on too! Full turn, gorgeous. Gainer full stuck cold – she’s gunning for that 10 this season.

    7:08PM: Thomas, Blue, FX: Her music sounds like she’s going for something a lil creepy and a lil ethereal this year. Double layout just FLIIIIIIES, wow. Most air we’ve seen all night. Front lay to front full on comp surface for her second pass. Serving us some Kytra Hunter vibes with the worm on the floor leading up to her third pass. Double pike gets crazy air too, still to resi. Butterfly to finishing pose on the floor. I’m obsessed.

    I’m already in love with most of these floor routines, they’re killer. And beam is looking like way less of a problem than I thought it would be, with lots more really viable options. That’s definitely encouraging. The key is going to be taking some of those from 9.8-level options to 9.9-level options, but that’s what the next month is for.

    7:19PM: Webb, Orange, FX: Double pike, spotted to 8-incher. I’m pretty sure this is the same routine as last year, 50 Shades music. Wolf hop is a little oddly forced in her dance combo. Rudi to resi for her second pass. 1.5 twist to front lay, couldn’t get her feet under her and she sits it down. Team is quick to rush out and high five her, keep her spirits up.

    7:21PM: Skaggs, Blue, BB: Double wolf turn to open, keeps it nice and extended and even. Nice. Switch to split, good. Bhs loso, looked a little crooked in the air but lands it perfectly. Looked like she marked through something in the middle… maybe full turn? Cat leap to side aerial to back full dismount, good.

    7:22PM: Clapper, Orange, FX: Lots of claps in the beginning choreo from the team, maybe a play on her name? Hah. Double tuck to sting mat to open, good height. Second pass to comp surface, 1.5 to front lay, solid. Leap positions are nice. Last pass to resi, double pike, good control. That could be a lead-off.

    7:24PM: Cheney, Blue, BB: Good to see her back on what I consider her best event, at least. Fun handstand to straddle mount. Full turn off the top is good. She’s being aggressive with this, I love it. She wants in this lineup. Bhs loso loso, wooooow. Switch to shushunova (where she dives to support herself on her hands and put her hips on the beam), nice. Missed the dismount entry but she cut it close to the end of the beam there. She’s gunning for it.

    7:26PM: Schoenherr, Orange, FX: Double pike to open, big air, lovely landing control. Drama in this choreography here. Twisting combo pass to comp surface for her second, good. And 2.5 twist to finish, nice! That sets her apart a little bit from some of the other new options.

    7:28PM: SJS, Blue, BB: Bhs loso to start, good. Punch front, giving me angry beam face and determined to land straight on no matter her position in the air. Switch, balks and has to reset. Switch half to beat, good backup. Full turn is good. Side aerial to back full, missed her foot on the end of the beam and goes to her knees on the landing. Still, barring that final error, that was really good. I love the attack.

    7:31PM: Taylor, Orange, FX: DLO to open on resi, nice. 1.5 twist to front lay, good, on comp surface. Double pike also on resi to close, good control there. Not sure I think the choreo fits her, but the tumbling is killer at least.

    7:33PM: Hundley, Blue, BB: Front aerial to sissone, good. Bhs loso, big bobble but stays on and doesn’t bring a leg up. Switch side, good, missed the combo there. Full turn, patient with it and squares up. Roundoff to 1.5 twist, stick! A good finish, she fought through.

    7:35PM: Gowey, Orange, FX: I missed what her first pass was, something twisty and she sat it. Womp. It was to the 8-incher and I think that got in her way. 1.5 to front lay, good, comp surface. This might be the same as last year? Hard to say, I’d have to go back and look. Double pike to finish, chest low but good on the landing. Ending position looks familiar, I think it is the same.

    7:37PM: Thomas, Blue, BB: Switch half to beat, super sharp. One arm bhs to loso, yes. Little shimmy in there, love the confidence. Front aerial, small hesitation into wolf jump. Choreo so sharp, I’m obsessed. Walks to the end of the beam, something missing there that’s not ready yet. Roundoff double full dismount, queen. Calling it now, SEC Freshman of the Year.

    7:38PM: Reed, Orange, FX: BEAUTY of a double lay to open. Also seeing some legacy Baker moves in here. A little indistinct in her second jump position, think it was supposed to be a wolf. Rudi second pass, fights to stay in bounds as her foot came up to lunge back. Third pass to 8-incher is a double tuck, she SLAYED that. Team rushes the floor.

    7:40PM: Baumann, Blue, BB: My fave, not even gonna lie. Onodi is beautiful! Bhs loso, straight on. Switch to switch half, gorgeous. Full turn, good. Side aerial to split jump, yes. Roundoff 1.5 twist, stuck cold, she holds it just to show it off. Love it.

    7:42PM: Boren, Orange, FX: Oh my god. Opening music is the MGM Lion opening! I’m dying. DLO spotted onto sting mat to open. 1.5 to front lay on comp surface, good. Hammer time! A callback to last year’s on the floor choreo with some new additions, nice. Getting a little Nina McGee on us in the corner with a “Worth It” snippet. Double tuck to comp surface to close, and the crowd goes BONKERS, even with just a hundred or so people in here. That routine is going to kill in the O-Dome.

    That closes it up for routines – I’ll have some postgame analysis here for you… as soon as I find an outlet! I’m sitting on the floor with my computer to get the best view, so I haven’t been plugged in and my computer’s dying! Be right back!

    8:24PM: Okay, here I am! We did some post-game interviews, so we should have those for you sometime in the next day or two. But I’m here to draw some conclusions from tonight’s performance and maybe talk about some lineup possibilities.

    The biggest takeaway for the Gators tonight is depth. Depth, depth, depth. This team has 10+ routines on every event that are getting very close to viable for season. The fight for the lineup six is going to be really tough, but that should get the Gators even closer to the title fight. Four on the Floor is daunting, but they would have qualified had postseason been this way last season, so I’m not too worried, and neither is head coach Jenny Rowland.

    Vault I kinda already discussed at halftime, but basically, it comes down to the viable 10.0 starts. Everyone who showed one tonight except Hundley looked like they’ll be ready for January. Baumann was especially surprising, considering her full wasn’t faring so well last season. I hear tell that Alexander is also training a Y1.5, but since she didn’t show it tonight, she might be taking it slow/easy, which is probably for the best considering the Achilles last season.

    Bars, as I said before, is going to take some finagling. I was surprised to see Johnson-Scharpf not out there, even with all the depth showing, so maybe she’s stepped out of contention for some reason or another. I expect Gowey and Hundley to be leading the team on bars, as well as Thomas, and Boren is pretty much a lock for the AA, so consider her in on bars as well. Two more spots… right now, I’d give those to Schoenherr and Skaggs, but I could easily see Chant or Baumann getting opportunities to slide in, provided they keep up what they showed tonight.

    Beam has SO. MANY. OPTIONS. Wow. I fully expect Baumann to anchor this year, she’s too strong not to give it to her. Boren and Gowey should be locks as well, but honestly, I think the other three are wide open. Maybe Thomas too, so two spots up for grabs. Cheney and SJS both showed massive fight tonight, they’ve really got the fire. Skaggs was also really lovely tonight, though there is a piece of her routine missing that she has yet to work out. And I was really impressed with Clapper’s work, I think beam might be a possibility for her to sneak in.

    Floor was an absolute blowout as far as performance level. Boren, Reed, and Thomas all had the crowd going absolutely bonkers, Schoenherr and Baumann were really nice technicians, Hundley’s tumbling is much improved… there’s lots of options. I’d say those are probably your six right now, with the possibility for Skaggs, Alexander, and Johnson-Scharpf to wiggle in there some weeks.

    8:55PM: That’s it for me tonight guys! We’ll see you sometime in the near future with some interview low-down about tonight and a feature on one of your Gator faves – stay tuned! Thanks for joining us.

  • WBB: Gators get by Bethune-Cookman 64-53

    WBB: Gators get by Bethune-Cookman 64-53

    FINAL: FLORIDA 64, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 53

    Photo by: Brian Fox / Chomp Talk
    1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT FINAL
    BCU 13 6 14 20 X 53
    GATORS 10 12 21 21 X 64

    Gainesville, FL- “We won a game yesterday, if we win one today that’s two in a row. If we win one tomorrow that’s called a winning streak. It has happened before.” -Cleveland Indians manager Lou Brown in the 1989 movie, Major League.

    According to Brown’s proclamation, the Florida women’s basketball team has an opportunity on Sunday to be on a winning streak after earning their first two wins of the season in the last two contests. The Gators defeated Bethune-Cookman 64-53 on Wednesday to improve to 2-6 on the season.

    Game Trends

    Florida got off to a slow start with leading scorer Funda Nakkasoglu missing the game due to an injury. The Gators only connected for ten points in the opening quarter, but managed to lead at the half by a 22-19 total. The Gators only allowed the Wildcats to shoot 2-12 in the second period to maintain the lead at the intermission.

    Florida extended their lead to ten by the end of the third quarter thanks to shooting at a 7-16 clip, including 3-4 from beyond the three point line. Bethune-Cookman got to within two points at 28-26 before Florida went on a 7-0 run to extend the lead to 35-26.

    The two teams pretty much traded baskets through the fourth quarter to end at a final of 64-53.

    For the game the Gators shot 31% but drilled eight three-pointers. The Wildcats shot a poor 4-17 from deep.

    Junior guard Delicia Washington led four Gators in double-figures, scoring 16 points. Washington also grabbed a team-high ten rebounds and helped the Gators control the glass by a 48-38 margin. Zada Williams added 15 points and 9 boards while freshman Ariel Johnson added 12 points and 9 rebounds off the bench.

    The Gators will complete a four game homestand on Sunday with a bout against Florida A&M before making the trip to Columbus, Ohio to face Ohio State one week later.

    Fast Facts

    • Redshirt-junior guard Corey Staples (pictured above) scored her first career points, knocking down a three-pointer with 1:34 to play in the third quarter. Kiki Smith earned an assist on the basket that put Florida up 38-30.
    • Washington finished with 16-10 for her eighth double-double. Washington leads the Gators averaging 8.4 boards per game.
    • Florida went 16-19 from the free-throw stripe for 84%, Kristina Moore made all five attempts from the charity stripe.
    • Leading scorer Funda Nakkasoglu sat out with an ankle injury and is listed as day-to-day. Corey Staples received her first career start as Nakkasoglu was a late scratch.
    • Florida wore their orange uniforms for the second consecutive game, they are now 2-0 in these uniforms.

    TEAM STATS:

    BCU GATORS
    FG % 33 31
    3-PT % 24 31
    FT % 65 84
    Offensive Rebounds 11 17
    Total Rebounds 38 48
    Assists 5 12
    Steals 7 5
    Blocks 6 0
    Turnovers 14 13

    What’s Next

    The Gators will complete a four-game homestand with a date against FAMU. The Rattlers are 1-5 on the season. Florida A&M did earn their first win in their last contest against Edward Waters, the Rattlers won 70-64.