? THE EVENT IS AFTER SATURDAY’S FLORIDA-ALABAMA GAME.
By STEPHEN SHEEHAN
Alligator Writer
Beyond their ear-to-ear smiles and experience as top athletes at Florida, there wouldn’t seem to be many similarities between Francesca Enea and Ahmad Black.
Enea starred as the left fielder on the softball team from 2007-10, graduating as the Southeastern Conference’s all-time home run leader before current Gators first baseman Megan Bush broke her record on April 10.
Black, who stands only one inch taller than Enea at 5-foot-9, led the Gators in tackles last season with 108 and could be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft.
But past their love for sports, one person will forever bond the two All-Americans: Ian Lockwood.
During a visit to Shands Hospital with the Goodwill Gators her senior year, Enea met the fun-loving Navarre native, who was hospitalized with a malignant form of brain cancer.
“We hit it off right away,” Enea said.
Lockwood, who played football for the Navarre High Raiders, told Enea he had one wish before he died: to meet a UF football player.
Luckily for Enea, the solution wasn’t too far away.
“I had a class with Ahmad,” she said. “They hit it off and became best friends.”
With two top UF athletes as his new friends, Lockwood was fortunate enough to receive some star treatment.
Former Florida football coach Urban Meyer gave him a tour of the stadium and locker room and dedicated the game ball to Lockwood at the 2011 Outback Bowl.
After Enea graduated and moved back to California, Lockwood got the Hollywood treatment when Enea’s friend Khloe Kardashian bought him seats to a Lakers game for his 18th birthday.
But on Jan. 28, the former football star and close friend of Black and Enea succumbed to cancer and passed away.
This weekend, his life will be celebrated at the 2011 Swinging for the Cure, which will be held after Saturday’s 4 p.m. game at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Lockwood’s family will throw out the first pitch at Saturday’s game against Alabama, and there will be a moment of silence for Ian afterward.
During her junior year, Enea created the event, which typically consists of Florida softball pitchers trying to strike out former UF athletes.
Black, former quarterback Shane Matthews and former receiver Chris Doering will be among the participants. Proceeds will be donated to the Shands Brain Tumor program.
Because UF’s softball season is still ongoing, Enea’s current USSSA Pride teammate and former Washington Huskie Danielle Lawrie will pitch.
But the former Gator slugger has no plans of facing the pitcher who beat her team twice in the 2009 Women’s College World Series Championship.
“Danielle’s already struck me out enough times,” Enea said.
