Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Freshman Natalie Lugo logged her first career start Saturday against Hampton.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Lugo leads Gators in 3-1 win over UNF

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 13, 2019

The Gators’ win over North Florida wasn’t quite the way they drew it up.

Freshman Keyontae Johnson scored a team-high 15 points and collected nine rebounds in the Gators' 66-57 win over Vanderbilt Wednesday night.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida survives slugfest to down Vandy

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 13, 2019

If there’s one thing UF has going for it, it’s that it doesn’t lose to bad teams.

Florida midfielder Sydney Pirreca scored six goals against Maryland last season. The Gators play the Terrapins on Thursday at 7 p.m.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Senior class gets one last shot against Maryland

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 12, 2019

Seniors on the Florida lacrosse team have played Maryland three times throughout their collegiate careers.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Now is the best time to be an undersized NFL quarterback. Kyler Murray will prove it.

By Alanis Thames | Feb. 12, 2019

Kyler Murray’s announcement on Monday was a mere formality.

UF softball coach Tim Walton and Athletic Director Scott Stricklin cut the ribbon at the unveiling of the newly renovated Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium before the Gators faced the Japan National Team in an exhibition Tuesday night.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

UF opens newly renovated stadium with exhibition loss

By Mark Stine | Feb. 12, 2019

It wasn’t about the score as much as it was about the occasion.

Florida men's basketball coach Mike White and the Gators play Vanderbilt at 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the O'Connell Center. The Commodores are looking to pick up their first SEC win of the season.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida looks to keep Vandy from attaining first SEC win

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 12, 2019

Florida men’s basketball coach Mike White will continue saying it until he is blue in the face: Vanderbilt is a lot better than its 0-10 SEC record shows.

Florida's men's and women's diving teams had three top-five finishes and two top-ten finishes on Day 1 of the Auburn Invitational.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Gators peaking in the pool ahead of SEC Championships

By Jack Braverman | Feb. 10, 2019

The Florida men’s and women’s swimming teams traveled to Auburn, Alabama, this weekend for the second time in three weeks, as they both competed in the Auburn Invitational.

UF men’s tennis sophomore Oliver Crawford is the No. 9-ranked collegiate player. He is one of three Gators ranked in the top 50.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators complete massive comeback, beat TCU in Fort Worth

By Noah Ram | Feb. 10, 2019

Oliver Crawford won his singles match to help the Gators men's tennis team to a 4-3 win over TCU on Sunday.

UF junior Grant Holloway ran the 60-meter hurdles in 7.43 seconds at the Tyson Invitational. The time was one millisecond off of his personal record.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Holloway, 4x4 teams continue to update the record books

By Graham Marsh | Feb. 10, 2019

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

AAF is bringing the fun back to football

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 10, 2019

Fans of the NFL were disappointed nearly a week ago because of that atrocity of a Super Bowl.

Florida attacker Lindsey Ronbeck scored four goals during UF’s 16-9 road win over Colorado.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida’s win over Colorado serves as blueprint for success

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 10, 2019

The Gators’ lacrosse team is experiencing déjà vu heading into its second game of the 2019 campaign.

Florida guard Jalen Hudson scored 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting in UF's 73-61 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators have plenty to build on after loss to No. 1 Tennessee

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 10, 2019

Florida’s men’s basketball team went face-to-face against the top-ranked team in the country on Saturday and came up short. It trailed for nearly the whole game against the superior Volunteers, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t encouraging signs for the Gators in the 73-61 loss.

“You have to learn that in the SEC when you get punched you can’t flinch, you can’t falter,” said Gators women's basketball coach Cam Newbauer. “We just kinda flinched a little bit at the wrong time and got away from what our game plan was.”

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Georgia dominates Florida in rivalry matchup

By Dylan Rudolph | Feb. 10, 2019

Florida was down 17 early in the third quarter in Athens, Georgia, looking for anything to shift the momentum. An easy rebound floated up for UF, and a sea of Gator hands reached up for the ball. But the big paws of Georgia forward Caliya Robinson soared above them all to snatch the rebound and make the easy put-back.

Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill struck out 11 batters and allowed just two hits during UF’s 7-1 win over USF on Sunday at the USF Opening Weekend Invitational.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators win both legs of a doubleheader, start undefeated

By Mark Stine | Feb. 10, 2019

TAMPA — Jordan Matthews watched with anticipation as two pitches hit the catcher’s mitt.

UF freshman gymnast Savannah Schoenherr made her floor debut on Saturday against Auburn, scoring a 9.850. "I've been working really hard in the gym to try and make the floor lineup," she said.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Schoenherr beginning to create a splash in Florida's lineup

By River Wells | Feb. 10, 2019

The SEC has its team to beat.

Senior Lindsey Ronbeck was named the American Athletic Conference’s Preseason Attacker of the Year. She’s fourth on UF’s career goals list with 159.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Fast offensive start leads Florida over Colorado

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 9, 2019

It took only 65 seconds for Florida’s lacrosse team to score its first goal of the 2019 season.

UF guard Noah Locke scored 16 points, including a 4-of-9 from three-point range in the Gators' 78-67 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators dominated by Tennessee on the road

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 9, 2019

It didn’t matter when guard Andrew Nembhard stole the ball in the final minute of the game off a full-court press. It didn’t matter if he dished the ball out to guard Noah Locke in the right corner for a late three.

Junior Kelly Barnhill and the Gators are set to take on Texas A&M in a three-game series starting Saturday.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators win both games of tough doubleheader

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 9, 2019

TAMPA -- The Gators walked into USF Softball Stadium knowing that Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 19 Michigan and No. 7 Arizona was going to be their toughest test at the USF Opening Weekend Invitational.

UF gymnast Trinity Thomas earned SEC Gymnast of the Week for her performance against Kentucky. She scored a 9.975 on the bars against the Wildcats.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

UF defeats Auburn, remains unbeaten at “Link to Pink” event

By River Wells | Feb. 8, 2019

The Gators had already won when freshman Trinity Thomas took the mat for her floor routine.

Shortstop Sophia Reynoso went 3-for-6 from the plate in Saturday's games against Jacksonville and Hampton.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators clobber Illinois State in five-inning shutout

By Mark Stine | Feb. 8, 2019

TAMPA -- The UF softball team was dialed in from the first pitch of the season.