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  • MBB: Gators survive late push to secure crucial SEC victory

    MBB: Gators survive late push to secure crucial SEC victory

    Photo by James Gilbert| Getty Images

    A home win just means more when it’s over an conference rival.

    The jam-packed Stephen O. Connell Center bore witness as the Florida Gators (13-6) picked up a massive 79-70 victory over Mississippi State Bulldogs (13-6)

    For head coach Todd Golden and the Gators, it was their third SEC win of the season, putting them only two games behind the top spot in the competitive conference.

    Florida started out strong, especially behind junior guard Will Richard, who scored 18 of his season-high 23 points in the first half.

    In the beginning of the second half, the Gators kept on rolling, leading by as much as 17 points with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest.

    However, the Bulldogs came barking back, finding themselves within six points in the games final minutes, mostly due to the contributions of freshman guard Josh Hubbard, who racked up 26 points in the game.

    However, the Gators ended up coming out on top by doing something they have struggled to do all season: hit free throws.

    This season, Florida is shooting just over 67 percent from the stripe, which ranks No. 299 of the 351 teams in Division I. Tonight, however, the Gators found their rhythm from 15 feet away, shooting 17-20 from the line.

    10 of those 17 makes came in the game’s last minute and 33 seconds, where both junior guard Walter Clayton Jr., freshman forward Alex Condon and senior guard Zion Pullin all converted on their free throws to secure the victory.

    Alongside Richard (23), both Clayton Jr. (15) and Pullin (15) scored in double digits, and they were also joined by senior forward Tyrese Samuel (12).

    It might not have been the prettiest game for the Gators, as they were outrebounded and outscored in the paint, but a win is a win nonetheless, and it was a much-needed one at that.

    The Gators will look to continue their newfound winning streak at noon Saturday in another conference matchup, this time against the visiting Georgia Bulldogs.

  • SB: Florida Ranked No. 7 in SEC Preseason Poll

    SB: Florida Ranked No. 7 in SEC Preseason Poll

    Photo via Florida Gators.com

    The SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll has projected Florida Softball to finish seventh in the conference for the 2024 season. The Gators also received one first place vote.

    The Preseason All-SEC Team was also announced by the league Wednesday morning with two Gators, Skylar Wallace and Kendra Falby, on the roster.

    Wallace is the reigning NFCA Player of the Year and SEC Player of the Year, accolades she earned after a standout season in 2023. She finished the season with the best batting average (.447) and slugging percentage (.980) in the SEC.

    Voted to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team, Falby hit for .403 with 75 hits and 27 stolen bases of her own. She is returning for her third season after two solid freshman and sophomore seasons.

    Both players have also been included in the USA Softball Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List, along with Korbe Otis.

    The 2024 SEC Softball Preseason Coaches’ Poll is as follows:

    1. Tennessee (6)
    2. Georgia (6)
    3. LSU
    4. Arkansas
    5. Auburn
    6. Alabama
    7. Florida (1)
    8. Texas A&M
    9. South Carolina
    10. Kentucky
    11. Missouri
    12. Ole Miss
    13. Mississippi State

    Florida opens the season against Oregon State at the USF-Rawlings Invitational that is hosted by USF. It is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 9.

    The Gators’ first SEC opponent will be the Alabama Crimson Tide Friday, March 8 through Sunday, March 10. First pitch times have yet to be announced.

    The season schedule can be found here.

  • WBB: Pair of Gator Signees Make McDonald’s All-American Roster

    WBB: Pair of Gator Signees Make McDonald’s All-American Roster

    Photo by Sean Elliott| Getty Images

    Just 24 women’s basketball players are selected for the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Games, and the Gators will be doubly represented for the first time in program history – signees Liv McGill and Me’Arah O’Neal were both announced as part of the roster on Tuesday.

    Basketball experts across the country selected the 24-woman roster based on fundamental skills, basketball IQ, competitive motor, potential for growth, and overall athleticism, so to have two Gators make the cut certainly speaks highly of the caliber of recruits head coach Kelly Rae Finley is pulling in. In a press release after the announcement, Finley praised the pair, saying, “They have both earned the opportunity to compete amongst the best players in the country and it’s exciting that they get to do it together. We are looking forward to seeing them on the same side of the court on April 2, and we hope Gator Nation tunes in to cheer them on!”

    McGill and O’Neal were both Top 40 recruits on ProspectsNation and signed with the Gators back in November for the 2024-2025 season, and McGill is the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with Florida. In their most recent seasons, the two athletes averaged 14 and 7.8 points per game, respectively. McGill’s success contributed to consecutive state championship final appearances for her high school, Hopkins, and O’Neal competed for EYBL club CyFair Elite.

    Only two Lady Gators have been named to the McDonald’s All-American roster before, Laila Reynolds in 2023 and Ronni Williams in 2013. Reynolds will be a sophomore when McGill and O’Neal join the team, giving the ’24-’25 season the potential to be the Gators’ strongest year yet.

    The McDonald’s game will be particularly special for O’Neal and her family, as her father – basketball great Shaquille O’Neal – was named to the men’s team in 1989. She’s the only one of her siblings who will share this experience with her dad, though several of them have also played high school and collegiate basketball.

    Catch these future Gator standouts at the McDonald’s All-American Game on April 2 at 6:30pm on ESPN2.

  • WBB: Bulldogs Best Gators at Home, 89-77

    WBB: Bulldogs Best Gators at Home, 89-77

    Photo by Brian Fox | ChompTalk

    Coming off their first SEC win of the season against Georgia, the Florida Gators (10-7, 1-4 SEC) looked to get back on track after a rough start to conference play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs (16-5, 3-3 SEC). After a back-and-forth battle all the night, the Bulldogs pulled away in the fourth quarter for a win, 89-77.

    The Bulldogs started off on a fast break. After winning the tip-off, Mississippi State completed an 8-0 run through the first minutes of the first quarter. 

    Quickly falling behind, Florida’s Alberte Rimdal went on a scoring run of her own with a pair of layups and a three-point jumper to reduce an eight-point deficit to three at a score of 10-7. 

    Once able to contain the Bulldog’s three-point shooting, the Gators outscored the Bulldogs 10-4 in the final four minutes of the first quarter. The Gators successfully forced fouls and used the easy points to their advantage. 

    A pair of three-pointers from Leilani Correa helped, too. 

    Florida closed the gap, and the two teams ended the first tied at 19. 

    The second quarter contained back-and-forth play between the teams. The Gators struggled to defend the Bulldogs’ points in the paint, but forced turnovers. The two teams went into the locker room at halftime in a tight game, 44-40.

    The Bulldogs’ three point shooting went almost uncontested to start the second half. Combined with an inability to finish at the net, the Gators’ deficit extended to 54-45 halfway through the third quarter.

    The Bulldogs committed critical fouls which allowed the Gators to slowly gain traction back. A three-pointer from Aliyah Matharu trimmed the Bulldogs’ lead down to one point.

    Lailia Reynold’s free throw tied the game at 59. The Bulldogs had the slight 61-59 edge going into the fourth quarter.

    After Mississippi State’s 6-0 run to start the fourth, Correa added a jumper and three-pointer to allow the Gators, only down by three points, to creep up on the Bulldogs.

    However, the Gator defense quickly fell behind, allowing wide open lanes for the Bulldogs as they extended their lead to 78-66.

    Although fighting to the last minute, the Bulldogs topped the Gators 89-77.

    Following a 30-point game against Georgia, Correa finished the night with a season high 33 points. She also grabbed five rebounds, a block and a steal.

    The Gators will travel to Oxford, Mississippi to take on the Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion.

  • Gators add key piece to secondary after flipping DB Jameer Grimsley

    Gators add key piece to secondary after flipping DB Jameer Grimsley

    Photo by Andrew Ivins | 247Sports

    It’s never too late to add more pieces, especially when they come from a conference rival.

    That was the mentality for the Florida Gators as they gained a commitment from four-star defensive back Jameer Grimsley, who had recently entered the transfer portal after originally signing with the Alabama Crimson Tide last month.

    With the stepping down of legendary head coach Nick Saban, the NCAA allowed Alabama players a 30-day window to enter the transfer portal if they wanted to do so.

    Grimsley, who attended Tampa (Fla.) Catholic High School, originally had the Gators as one of his top three options before he eventually committed to Alabama.

    However, the commitment did not stop the Gators’ efforts to try and flip what they saw as a key piece of their future. Grimsley was in attendance at both of Florida’s matchups against Georgia and Florida State, and also went on a full visit this past December.

    Grimsley ultimately signed his letter of intent with the Crimson Tide, but with the shocking news of Saban’s departure, he decided to move on. Since he signed his NLI, he had to enter the portal to move teams, which means he will not count in No. 15 ranked Gator class in the 2024 overall team recruiting rankings.

    Previously, former defensive back coach Corey Raymond was in hot pursuit of Grimsely’s services, but following his firing, new secondary coach Will Harris assumed the recruiting role, playing a key part in flipping the four-star.

    In fact, it was Raymond’s LSU Tigers who were also in contention for Grimsley after he entered the portal, but Grimsley ultimately decided to make his way to Gainesville.

    The secondary was a key area that Billy Napier looked to improve on this upcoming season, and Grimsley is the Gators most highly-touted defensive back recruit now that he’s joined the team.

    The 247Sports Composite has Grimsley ranked as the No. 189 overall player and the No. 17 cornerback in the 2024 class.

  • MBB: Gators bounce back to defeat Missouri in SEC showdown

    MBB: Gators bounce back to defeat Missouri in SEC showdown

    Photo by Jamie Squire| Getty Images

    With SEC play in full swing, every game matters. And the pressure was on for Todd Golden and the Florida Gators (12-6) to regain momentum after a crushing loss in Knoxville last week.

    But the pressure did not seem to phase the Gators. Despite their opponent, the Missouri Tigers (8-10), being winless in conference play, the Tigers came ready for a fight. However, Florida relied on their trademark rebounding prowess and steady shooting to eventually pull ahead. The Gators did eventually pull away, winning 79-67.

    The first half was a back-and-forth duel between both teams, as the two sides traded leads multiple times early. At the end of the first twenty minutes, the Gators were up three, but still had work to do if they wanted to secure their second conference win of the season.

    But when the second half started, it was familiar faces that helped give the Gators a lead they would not concede in the final 17 minutes of the contest.

    Leading the Gators in scoring was forward Tyrese Samuel, who continued his strong season with a 17 point performance. Samuel, who has notably struggled from the free throw line this season, did shoot 7-12 from the stripe.

    Including Samuel, all five of the Gator starters scored in double digits, with guard Walter Clayton Jr. (15), guard Will Richard (13), guard Zion Pullin (11), and center Micah Handlogten (10).

    Handlogten also played a crucial role in the rebounding matchup, racking up 12 boards. Guard Riley Kugel also had seven rebounds off the bench, as the Gators out rebounded the Tigers 40-27. In fact, no players on Missouri had five or more rebounds in the entire contest.

    The Gators also found success beyond the arc, shooting just under 41% from three in the contest (9-22). Clayton Jr., Richard, and Kugel all had multiple three pointers in the game.

    However, it was not all perfect for the Gators. Despite a better defensive effort overall compared to Tuesday’s matchup, the matchup with Missouri marked the second straight game the Gators had allowed an opposing player to score 35 or more points.

    On Saturday, that player was Missouri guard Tamar Bates, who scored 36 points while shooting 13-21 from the field. While the Gators were able to withstand the junior’s offensive barrage, they must tighten up in order to keep themselves on a winning track.

    With another tally in the win column, the Gators will now head home for a Wednesday night matchup with the Mississippi State Bulldogs (13-5).

  • Gators being investigated by NCAA for potential recruiting violations

    Gators being investigated by NCAA for potential recruiting violations

    Photo by James Gilbert| Getty Images

    The Florida Gators football team could potentially find themselves in serious hot water, as the Tampa Bay Times announced earlier Friday that the NCAA is currently executing an investigation on potential recruiting violations within the program.

    According to ESPN, these violations stem back to the recruitment of quarterback Jalen Rashada, who signed with the Gators before departing after his $13 million name, image and likeness deal fell apart.

    A notice of inquiry was originally sent by the NCAA to UF president Ben Sasse in June, which was obtained today by the Tampa Bay Times and the Associated Press.

    According to the AP, the letter did not specifically mention Rashada.

    Rashada was originally committed to the University of Miami before he decided to flip to the Gators in December of 2022.

    However, after Rashada’s reportedly $13 million deal with the Gator Collective, a now-defunct collective, fell through, Rashada was released from his letter of intent and subsequently signed with Arizona State University.

    This isn’t the first time the Gators have been in hot water from the NCAA, as in late 2020, the Gators were given a one-year probation for recruiting violations.

    According to the Tampa Bay Times, there was a Level II infraction that involved former head coach Dan Mullen meeting with a high school player who had not finished his junior year.

    The Tampa Bay Times also reported on a Level III infraction that involved contact between coaches and recruits who were heading to a tournament in Tampa.

    If the Gators were to be disciplined for potential NIL violations, they would be the second school to face punishment.

    Last week, the NCAA finished an investigation of Florida State University, and they were subsequently placed on two years probation for violating NIL rules last week.

    More information will follow as the investigation continues.

  • WGYM Liveblog: No. 7 Florida at No. 12 Auburn

    WGYM Liveblog: No. 7 Florida at No. 12 Auburn

    The Gators open SEC action tonight against the Auburn Tigers in Neville Arena, historically a tough (and often eventful) competition environment.

    They’re coming off a home opener quad that saw a few hiccups, but nothing that should have fans too concerned. They defeated Fisk, Talladega, and George Washington with a respectable 197.1, a score they’ll look to improve upon tonight against the Tigers.

    Vault started things off relatively cleanly, with a 49.275 – all scores between 9.875 and 9.825. Only five out of the six competed 10.0 start value vaults, but with all the options available, at least one more should be ready for competition very soon, whether that’s Ellie Lazzari, Victoria Nguyen, Payton Richards, or freshman Kaylee Bluffstone. Additionally, it seems like no one was intentionally trying to stick, and honestly, that’s probably a good thing. It’s January. No one needs to be sticking vaults cold just yet and risk getting injured while the stakes are still relatively low. Expect to see things maybe a little more dialed in tonight, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for many vault sticks. They’ll come in time.

    Bars was where things got a little hairy. After freshman Gabby Disidore led off strong, Sloane Blakely went second and mistimed her dismount, leading to a large lunge forward and just a 9.575 on the scoresheet. To make matters worse, freshman Alyssa Arana fell twice during her routine in the fourth slot, causing Florida to have to count Blakely’s low score. Not the best look for a team that considers bars one of its best events. Still, Arana’s falls were likely due to opening meet jitters, and Blakely is typically a very solid performer. Expect to see Blakely perform normally tonight, and if Arana is given another opportunity to compete, hopefully it’s all out of her system. Alternatively, bars coach Owen Field may give someone else the chance to slot in – Lazzari has been training for her AA comeback, and Skylar Draser is a utility athlete that could fill in just about anywhere.

    Beam and floor were much more normal Florida performances, with both event scores over 49.4, highlighted by a 9.975 from Lazzari and 9.925 from Wong on beam, as well as a pair of 9.925s from Nguyen and freshman Anya Pilgrim, who earned her first AA title of her career with the highest AA score of a Gator freshman’s first meet in program history.

    Tonight, though, will be more of a challenge, as the SEC is one of the most competitive conferences in the country, and Auburn has been an upset threat in the past to many strong teams, including UF, when at home in its element.

    Let’s look one more time at my early season checklist to see how the Gators are doing:

    • Ferris’s return: she’s ready on vault! Having her back on floor would be even better, but starting the season ready on vault is a huge boon.
    • Lazzari’s expanded presence: we’re crossing our fingers on this one tonight. She had a bruised foot back in December that held her out of the late preseason intrasquads, so hopefully that’s healed enough now to allow her to add back some other events.
    • Hurd’s confidence and consistency on her two events: her beam and floor last week were excellent! If she can hit another set of routines like that this week, fans should be really excited about her 10.0 potential this season.
    • the adjustment of the freshmen to collegiate pacing: 12 routines from freshmen last week contributing to a 197.1 should feel great for head coach Jenny Rowland. They’re adjusting well, staying in their bubble, and rolling with the punches, but tonight, they’ll face a new test – the GymNasties, Auburn’s front row of rowdy fans who like to be disruptive to the visiting team, especially during floor.
    • the addition of Disidore to the bar lineup with a repeatable, stickable dismount – dismount looked good last week, she just needs to learn to stick it, but that’ll come with time! Having her lead off when she wasn’t even doing full routines six weeks ago was wild, but it’s working so far, so let’s not question it.

    When we have lineups, I’ll let you know, otherwise, I’ll be back shortly before meet start – 6pm ET on SECN, but of course, I’ll have all your quick hits here if you can’t watch, don’t have access, or are watching other meets tonight.

    5:36pm: Live scoring link is live here and seems to indicate that Arana is indeed out of the bars lineup, and that Draser will replace her. Exact events are not listed, but assumptions can be made based on the order of the names listed – Edwards and Ferris are likely in again for vault, Brubach in again on floor, and either Hurd is out of floor, or Lazzari is in… I’m hoping it’s the latter!

    6:00pm: Hoping Finebaum will go ahead and finish up here… Kennedy Baker is commentating with Bart Conner tonight! Love that for her!

    Bart reminding us that the last time these two teams met in this arena, they both tied for a massive 198.575 – both teams have graduated many stars since then, so we’ll see what happens with these new teams!

    6:02pm: Groth, Aub VT: Yfull, a little soft in the knees maybe, but stuck! Great dynamics in the air too. That’s a fantastic start for the Tigers.

    Disidore, UB: Maloney to pak, van Leeuwen looks great – legs pasted together on every element. DLO is stuck! That’s what I’m talking about!

    Schumaker, VT: Tucked Y1.5, did not get a good block and sat it down, that’s not what they wanted at all.

    Blakely, UB: Great opening handstand! Maloney to pak looked better this week, legs more together. Great final handstand, blind change maybe a little over, double front dismount is much better this week! Just a little step forward.

    Hubbard, VT: Y1.5, legs pretty bent but I assume they’ll give her the layout position and just deduct for body position. Step forward on the landing.

    Nguyen, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney to pak, a little leg sep on the pak. Lovely low bar pirouette to handstand. Saved that handstand on high bar. DLO stuck! Yes ma’am!

    Huff, VT: Y1.5, biiiiiig air on that one, and another big hop forward, also some bent knees in the air.

    6:10pm: Pilgrim, UB: Maloney to pak, legs absolutely glued together, super clean. Great final handstand. Full in, just drops it in, gorgeous stuck landing! Holds it nice and long like she’s supposed to, too.

    Hollingsworth, VT: Y1.5, much cleaner body position than her peers, just a small hop on the landing, a little leg separation just before she lands.

    Draser, UB: Maloney to pak, pretty clean – a little wobbly on the low bar but saves it. DLO, little step forward. A good first outing for her! Bart saying Lazzari was originally supposed to be in the lineup… wonder what’s up with that.

    Stevens, VT: Y1.5, some knees in the air, great dynamics though. Little hop on the landing.

    Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, some leg separation there. van Leeuwen, very clean. Lovely final handstand! DLO, drops it in so confidently, stuck cold and holds it.

    AFTER ONE: UF 49.4, AUB 49.1

    Florida will be MUCH happier with that bars rotation than last week. I would love to know why Lazzari was originally supposed to be in and had to be taken out last minute – I hope they elaborate on that at some point tonight… but now there’s an audio issue with the commentary so if they do, we may not hear it.

    Auburn will hope to rebound on bars – their two outings so far this year have been 49.35 and 49.2, so if they can continue that, the Tigers certainly do better than they did on vault.

    Rowland is walking away from the judges’ table – maybe another lineup change?

    6:24pm: Edwards, VT: Yfull, great amplitude, looked stuck from here!! Wow, good for her! I’ve seen her stick so many in practice over the years but never in competition – that’s fantastic.

    Boyd, Aub UB: Solid first handstand, some leg sep on Maloney, pak is clean. Stalder to double tuck, little adjustment on the landing.

    Draser, VT: Y1.5, a little off to the side, some knees in the air, very small adjustment on her landing.

    Hollingsworth, UB: Looong wait for Boyd’s score. Piked Jaeger is huge, nice form. Little leg sep on the bail but handstand is good. Overarches her final handstand and falls, has to rechalk and remount. Dismount is clean, but it’s a little late for that.

    6:30pm: Ferris, VT: Y1.5, great form in the air, big amplitude but also a big bound forward.

    Brusch, UB: Maloney to bail, a little loose on that handstand. Final handstand also a little shy? DLO is stuck though!

    Nguyen, VT: Y1.5, well done! Great form in the air, little crossover step across the right boundary line on the landing. So happy she’s in this lineup.

    McLaughlin, UB: Great opening handstand. Maloney to pak, big leg separation on the pak. Great last handstand! Full pirouette very late, double tuck is stuck.

    Wong, VT: Yhalf-on, pike half off as usual – not as open a body position as she’s done before, some weird leg separation, but the landing is a good one! Just a small adjustment.

    Groth, UB: Jaeger is lovely. Pak looks like it’s coming in short, big bend in the knees and separated. Pirouette is better than McLaughlin’s, stuck double tuck dismount!

    Pilgrim, VT: Freshman anchor, we love to see it. Y1.5, perfectly straight body position, a little off to the side but stayed in the boundary, good for her. Little hop forward.

    Stevens, UB: Great opening handstand work. Ray to immediate overshoot, fine. DLO is so floppy but she sticks it.

    We’re getting a glimmer of Bart’s voice now – the audio has been so garbled through this entire rotation.

    AFTER TWO: UF 98.625, AUB 98.275

    Another week, another lack of 9.9 vault scores – though frankly, I’d say Edwards was robbed as clean as her full was. Landings will get better as time goes on, though, and there’s no need to force sticks if they’re not coming yet. Getting cleaner body positions and stronger blocks will be the priority for now.

    Auburn will feel better about bars than vault, but I can’t imagine head coach Jeff Graba is satisfied with that – they only went 49.175, which is worse than the last two weeks.

    Florida will go to floor next!

    6:47pm: Rotation 3!

    Brusch, Aub BB: Turn to beat jump, little adjustment there. Series, another bobble. Much more secure on her dance series, good. Gainer full of the side of the beam, stuck.

    Brubach, FX: Front layout to Rudi, clean so far. A little lack of amplitude on her leap series but positions are clean. Double tuck, little slide back. A solid start.

    Zancan, BB: Fun press handstand mount! Series is clean. Switch to switch half, great amplitude on both. Big step forward on her dismount.

    Nguyen, FX: A little wink at the camera to get us started, really showcasing her extension and long lines here. Front double full, comes in a little crooked but still finds her sissone connected out of it. Switch ring to switch leap, gorgeous extension and amplitude. Y turn is also lovely. Really bringing the drama now. 1.5 to front layout, nails the landing on that one.

    Hollingsworth, BB: Full turn to open, steady. Back handspring-layout stepout (bhs loso) series, very secure. Switch to split, lovely. Bhs gainer full off the end, looked stuck from here!

    Lazzari, FX: Here she is! Very excited to see how she does with this. Front double full to start, well controlled, but maybe a little cheated in terms of getting it all the way around? Camera angle wasn’t dead on so it was a little hard to tell. Leap series is gorgeous, great amplitude and extension through her toes. 1.5 to front layout, great control there as well. That should be a great score. Welcome back, Ellie Lazzari!

    Groth, BB: Bhs loso bhs acro series to open, absolutely nails it. Switch leap, balks the connection and bobbles, so she backs up. Switch half to split jump, much better connection there and no bobbles. Cartwheel to gainer full off the side is stuck!

    Blakely, FX: Punch front through to double pike, a little short but lands it fine. Switch leap to switch ring half, don’t love that but it’s not awful? 1.5 to front layout, much better control there. A good first outing, but she’ll want to be more secure in that first pass before long.

    7:02pm: Stevens, BB: Bhs loso, some knees but very secure. Split to ring stag, lovely. Front aerial to knee – aka the Stevens – very nice. Roundoff 1.5 twist is stuck! Auburn needed that.

    Hurd, FX: Front layout to Rudi, gorgeous form and decent control. Really bringing the drama in her choreography in the middle section here – I can’t wait to see this live in the O-Dome later this year. If you have a chance to, you ahve to go. Double pike, MUCH cleaner this week, perfectly controlled, if chest a little low. Love that routine from her.

    McLaughlin, BB: Bhs loso series, very steady. Side aerial to split jump, lovely. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, maybe a little bobble? But covers well. Gainer pike off the end, gets the stick! Auburn will be really happy with that.

    Wong, FX: Double wolf to open, that’s porting over from elite I suppose. Double pike to open, huh. No E pass, no connection, no nothing. Weird. Triple leap series is gorgeous, great amplitude and crisp positions in the air. Whip half to front full – she’s doing really easy tumbling passes right now, I assume that that’s to help with her longevity not just for post, but for elite season this summer as well.

    AFTER THREE: UF 148.1, AUB 147.575

    Florida’s 49.475 is definitely another strong outing for them, and having both Lazzari and Blakely take their first turns is good to see.

    Auburn will be glad for a stronger beam score than vault or bars, but there are definitely some things for them to fix.

    7:18pm: Rotation 4!

    Draser, BB: Bhs loso, very secure. Switch leap to switch half, a little bobble but recovers well. Roundoff 1.5, looked like maybe a small adjustment with one foot. Love seeing her lead off this lineup, what confidence Rowland has in her to put her in that role.

    Brusch, FX: Punch front through to double tuck, strong landing. Great extension through her split positions in her dance elements, the wolf element looked maybe a little off axis. Double pike, lands split-legged but does not move a muscle! That’s a great start for Auburn.

    Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso – big bobble, break at the hips, but stays on the beam! Dance series, recovering her confidence, good. Front aerial, very clean. Cartwheel to gainer full, stuck landing.

    Huff, FX: Full in, great dynamics but puts one foot out of bounds (OOB). Front layout to Rudi, much better controlled. A very short routine but fine overall.

    Hurd, BB: Single wolf turn, a little bobble but recovers well. Front aerial to bhs, much cleaner. Beat jump to standing loso, another bobble. Switch leap to straddle jump, GORGEOUS oversplit. Roundoff double full, looked stuck from here! Not her greatest but she fought for every tenth.

    McLaughlin, FX: 1.5 to front layout, really well controlled. Double pike to close – really strong too! This Auburn team is not going down without a fight… the Gators need to stop giving away tenths on beam.

    Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs – I feel like that’s new for her? Split leap to switch half to beat jump, absolutely gorgeous. Switch leap to gainer full, holds the landing really dramatically, and then celebrates with her team. A really great reset for the Gators!

    Groth, FX: Front double full, just the single step forward out of it. Great positions in her leap series, nice amplitude too. 1.5 to front layout, clean twisting form and well controlled. Rudi to close, clean as well – that will be another great score for Auburn.

    Nguyen, BB: Lovely mount, it’s all choreo but I still love it. Onodi to bhs, just gorgeous, very secure. Switch leap to split leap, somehow connected that even though she hesitated between skills, shoulder dipped a little low. Roundoff 1.5 with a step on the landing. Should be a good score, but not good enough to secure the win just yet.

    7:35pm: Stevens, FX: Front layout to Rudi, her feet do not move. Another Stevens, this time on floor. Double tuck, almost a two-foot stick but just steps it back to the lunge. Wow. That’ll be an excellent score. Wong has got to nail this final routine.

    Wong, BB: Switch leap mount to split leap, lovely. Bhs loso, a little arm wave but if it was a bobble, she didn’t show it. Front aerial, super clean. Roundoff double full, just a little slide, legs a little helicopter-y. Hopefully that will be enough.

    Hollingsworth, FX: Really open full-twisting double back, wow. Great split positions in her dance series. Punch front through to double back, a step OOB, and that’s probably the meet regardless of Wong’s score. Still, that’s a great routine.

    FINAL: UF 197.325, AUB 197.025

    Wong wins the all-around at a whopping 39.625, as well as the bars and floor titles with a pair of 9.95s. Groth wins vault with her 9.9 for her stuck Yfull, and McLaughlin won beam with a 9.95.

    Overall, Florida has some new things to work on, but fixed several of the concerns from last week. Let’s take a look at that checklist we talked about earlier:

    • Ferris’s return: another good-not-great vault this week, and no additional events. For right now, that’s just fine, but she would definitely be a big help if she can add back floor this season.
    • Lazzari’s expanded presence: floor tonight looked great! It’s not where I necessarily expected to see her next, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how well it went. Hopefully next week, we’ll get to see her in bars as had been planned tonight.
    • Hurd’s confidence and consistency on her two events: a few hiccups on beam tonight, but floor again looked excellent. I think she’s cemented her place in those lineups, though.
    • the adjustment of the freshmen to collegiate pacing: Draser was maybe affected some by the GymNasties tonight, but overall the freshman continue to play a key role in the success of this team. I think we can call this one checked off for sure.
    • the addition of Disidore to the bar lineup with a repeatable, stickable dismount – Disidore led off again well this week. I’m calling this one done too!

    I’ll add a few more items to this list before next week’s meet, but this is good steady progress on an early-season list of “must-haves” – so if you’re seeing any nay-sayers or doomers about Florida’s chances this year on social media, pay them no mind. It’s January, y’all. The Gators are pacing themselves just right.

    See you back here next week for Alumni Night vs. Alabama at 6:45pm!

  • BSB: Gators Debut at No. 2 by D1 Baseball

    BSB: Gators Debut at No. 2 by D1 Baseball

    On Tuesday morning, D1Baseball released their preseason baseball rankings. The Gators expectations for the 2024 season begin to ramp up as they were placed at the No. 2 spot.

    The Gators ended last season at the exact same spot, No. 2 in the country, after falling to LSU in Game 3 in the College World Series Final. The Gators were 54-17 overall last season with a regular season SEC championship.

    Florida once again has high expectations for this season as there is fourteen returning players from last year’s team, including 2023 Golden Spikes Finalist, Jac Caglianone. Following up his outstanding sophomore season, Caglianone has been named as a 2024 preseason first team All-American, as well as the 2024 preseason Two-Way Player of the Year. The Gators also picked up seven transfer players in the portal to add even more depth in their roster.

    The rest of the field features Wake Forest at the No. 1 spot. They lost to eventual NCAA champions, LSU, in the College World Series. The SEC showed its continued dominance in baseball with eight teams featured in the top-25: Florida at No. 2, followed by Arkansas at No. 3, who the Gators shared the regular season SEC championship with last season. Last year’s National Champions, LSU, debut at No. 4. Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Tennessee also fall in the top ten teams at six, eight, and nine, respectively. South Carolina rounds out the top-25 at No. 25. The SEC led the way with the most teams featured in the top-25 in a conference.

    The highly anticipated 2024 season kicks off in less than a month on Friday, February 16th against St. John’s at Condron Family Ballpark.

  • MBB: Gators no match for No. 6 Tennessee, fall to 1-3 in SEC play

    MBB: Gators no match for No. 6 Tennessee, fall to 1-3 in SEC play

    Photo by Howard Eakin | Getty Images

    The Florida Gators (11-6) headed into Knoxville fresh off a dominant performance against Arkansas, their first win in SEC play. However, the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, the Tennessee Volunteers (13-4) were on their A-game Tuesday, knocking off UF 85-66.

    The Volunteers came out strong out of the gate and put it on the Gators, holding a lead as large as 22 points in the second half. Florida did not lead at all during the contest.

    The Gators seemingly had no answer for last week’s SEC Co-Player of the Week, senior guard Dalton Knecht. Knecht dropped a season-high 39 points on 13-23 shooting, making it his second straight game amassing 35-plus points.

    Also for the Volunteers, junior forward Jonas Aidoo added 19 points to go along with 9 rebounds. No other Tennessee players reached double-digits, but Knecht and Aidoo nearly outscored the Gators on their own.

    Where Tennessee really dominated the Gators, however, was on the defensive end. The Volunteers are KenPom’s fourth ranked defensive team in the nation, and their dominant defensive performance Tuesday showed why.

    Smothered by the Volunteers, Florida shot a measly 20-67 from the field, as well as 5-22 from beyond the arc. Even the Gators’ go-to scorers were off target, as junior guard Walter Clayton Jr. led UF with 18 points while shooting 6-18.

    The Gators had three other players reach double-digits with guard Riley Kugel (12), guard Zion Pullin (11), and forward Tyrese Samuel (10). However, all three shot under 50% from the field.

    Meanwhile, Tennessee as a team shot almost 52% from the field all together, and also had a whopping 17 assists in the contest compared to the Gators’ seven.

    For Florida, the loss marks its third loss in four SEC contests, placing them near the bottom of the standings in the ultra-competitive conference. An even more alarming fact is that in all three SEC losses, the Gators have given up 85 or more points, including the 103 they surrendered to Mississippi last Wednesday.

    Now the spotlight is on Todd Golden and the Gators to improve, and they have a chance to do so on the road Saturday against the Missouri Tigers, who themselves are winless in SEC play.