For the first time in nearly a decade, Midnight Madness will make its return to the O’Connell Center -- albeit with a name change.
The Florida men’s and women’s basketball teams will host Gators Madness on Oct. 2 at 9 p.m., giving the public its first glimpse of coach Mike White’s inaugural Florida men’s basketball team.
Events similar to Gators Madness are held across the country to signal the start of basketball season for NCAA Division I programs.
The Gators last held Midnight Madness in 2006 following Florida’s first-ever men’s basketball national championship. Former coach Billy Donovan replaced the event in 2007 with an open scrimmage, but that was a one-off occurrence.
Preseason events have been few and far between ever since, although Donovan held open events for UF students in the weeks leading up to the season.
The men’s basketball team is coming off a disappointing 16-17 season that saw the Gators miss a postseason tournament for the first time in 18 years.
With coach Amanda Butler entering her 10th season as head coach, the UF women’s team will return the bulk of its rotation. After losing redshirt senior Kayla Lewis to graduation in May, the Gators will rely on five players entering their final season of eligibility.
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UF men's basketball coach Mike White speaks at his introductory press conference on May 11 in the Gator Room at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
