sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Attacker Lindsey Ronbeck missed the second half of the game against Navy with an apparent knee injury.

Sports

Florida lacrosse team gearing up for conference action

By Tyler Nettuno | Mar. 15, 2018

If there’s one thing the Gators lacrosse team has going for it heading into Big East play, it’s momentum.

Junior Rachel Slocum said she is excited for the upcoming SEC Championships. “I'm just trying to leave it all out on the floor,” she said.

Sports

Gators focusing on “the little things” in week off before SEC Championships

By Alana Gomez | Mar. 15, 2018

The Gators gymnastics team is spending its week off between the regular season and SEC Championships in its usual spot — the practice gym.

Center fielder Nick Horvath is hitting .345 this year after failing to break the .200 mark in his first two seasons.

Sports

Nick Horvath’s bat coming alive at perfect time for Florida

By Justin Ahlum | Mar. 15, 2018

During the beginning of his career at UF, Gators center fielder Nick Horvath struggled in the batter's box. His average at the plate was below .200.

Sydney Sell and three of her teammates will compete in the 200-yard IM on Thursday

Sports

Florida’s women’s swimming and diving team competes in 800-yard relay on Day 1 of NCAAs

By Jacob McManamon | Mar. 14, 2018

The Florida women’s swimming and diving team began the first day of the NCAA Championships in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, finishing 22nd in the 800-yard freestyle relay.

Junior Alfredo Perez advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA Individual Men's Tennis Championships.

Sports

Florida men’s tennis team drops hard fought battle to TCU on Wednesday

By River Wells | Mar. 14, 2018

Striking the ball down the middle of the court, junior Alfredo Perez’s tennis racket slipped from his hands. His opponent, TCU’s Alex Rybakov, gingerly returned the ball to the opposite side of the court.

Sophomore Johannes Ingildsen (pictured) and junior Alfredo Perez make up the No. 1 doubles pairing in the country. They're hoping to carry their momentum into a home matchup against TCU.

Sports

Florida returns home for midweek matchup against TCU

By Dylan Rudolph | Mar. 14, 2018

After a weekend road trip, the No. 12 Florida men’s tennis team returns to its home court to play No. 32 TCU on Wednesday. The midweek matchup is set to begin at 6 p.m. at the Ring Tennis Complex.

Florida's Taylor Ault will be the lone freshman on the Gators women's swimming and diving team to compete in the NCAA Championships this week in Columbus, Ohio.

Sports

Florida Women set to compete at NCAA Championships

By Jacob McManamon | Mar. 14, 2018

The No. 17 Florida women’s swimming and diving team is in Columbus, Ohio, this week for the NCAA Championships.

Florida quarterback Feleipe Franks is looking to move on from a disappointing 2017 campaign.

Sports

Franks ready for a fresh start in 2018

By Dylan Dixon | Mar. 14, 2018

For Feleipe Franks, the start of spring football practice this week brings one thing to the forefront of his mind.

Craig Sager threw out the first pitch of a Cubs game in June 2016. He was a longtime NBA sideline reporter before his death in December 2016.

Sports

An honest assessment of bias in sports reporting

By Ethan Bauer | Mar. 14, 2018

Long after the Florida basketball team’s lifeblood had trickled from its veins on Friday in St. Louis, the Arkansas Razorbacks continued to pound a beaten UF team that just wouldn’t stop trying. That was much to the frustration of one broadcaster on press row, who slammed a table with his open palm and mouthed something under his breath.

Midfielder Shannon Kavanagh tied her career high of four goals Tuesday against Navy. “She came in clutch,” Gators coach Amanda O’Leary said.

Sports

Gators avoid second consecutive loss with comeback victory against Navy

By Tyler Nettuno | Mar. 14, 2018

Despite being tied at 16 with the No. 10 team in the country with just over six minutes to play, freshman midfielder Shannon Kavanagh kept her cool.

Florida center fielder Nick Horvath went 3-for-4, notched two RBIs and scored two runs on Tuesday against Florida State in a 12-6 win for the Gators.

Sports

Gators' offense explodes, blows past No. 7 Florida State

By Justin Ahlum | Mar. 13, 2018

Nick Horvath stood tall on second base with his hand on his belt buckle. After the Gators center fielder sent a double to left center field that scored two Gator runners, he whipped out some familiar dance moves.

Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill is 19-1 this season and was recently selected as SEC Pitcher of the Week.

Sports

Softball team using stickers as motivation to continue productive play

By Mari Faiello | Mar. 13, 2018

If you look close enough at a Gators softball player as she steps up to plate, you might see more than just a typical uniform.

Coach Roland Thornqvist believes his squad has figured out its identity. “We can win even when we aren’t playing at the top of our game, and that was certainly not the case about a month ago," he said.

Sports

After starting off slow, UF’s women’s tennis seems to have found its groove

By River Wells | Mar. 13, 2018

Last month, the Gators women’s tennis team walked out of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships with a 3-4 record. When it entered its next match against Saint Mary’s on Feb. 23, the defending national champions were unranked.

Coach Emily Glaser (right) and sophomore Sierra Brooks (left) will round out the regular season starting today in Athens, Georgia.

Sports

Despite wild shot from Brooks, UF enjoys 12-shot victory at SunTrust Gator Invitational

By Chris O'Brien | Mar. 13, 2018

Silence stung the atmosphere like a hornet attacking its prey.

Sophomore midfielder Brianna Harris (20) has a twin sister who plays for the Gators' next opponent, Navy. Harris will not play in the game due to a season-ending ACL injury suffered earlier in the year.

Sports

Gators looking to bounce back from recent loss against Navy on Tuesday

By Tyler Nettuno | Mar. 13, 2018

After beginning its two-game road trip with a bang, upsetting North Carolina 17-10 on March 3, the Florida lacrosse team finished with a thud, falling at Syracuse 17-15 on Wednesday.

Coach Bryan Shelton said he was happy with the way his pairings performed on Sunday against Auburn. “We are starting to find our rhythm on the doubles court," he said.

Sports

Florida rebounds to win decisively over Auburn

By Dylan Rudolph | Mar. 12, 2018

After a disappointing match March 9 against Mississippi State, the Florida men’s tennis team regrouped in Auburn on Sunday to win 6-1 over the Tigers.

Senior Anna Danilina closed out her singles match just after teammate Josie Kuhlman won hers. "I was kind of watching (Josie’s) scoreboard,” Danilina said.

Sports

Women’s tennis defeats Texas A&M in third consecutive shutout victory

By River Wells | Mar. 12, 2018

When freshman Katie Kubicz and senior Peggy Porter found themselves down 5-1 during their doubles match on Sunday, they didn’t panic.

Sophomore Sierra Brooks paced Florida with an even par at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic over the weekend.

Sports

Florida cruises to second straight win of the season in home tourney

By Chris O'Brien | Mar. 12, 2018

Never before had a team shot even par or better overall at the SunTrust Gator Invitational in Gainesville. That is, never before Sunday.

Left fielder Amanda Lorenz tied up the score in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 3-RBI triple in Florida's 5-3 victory over LSU.

Sports

UF sweeps No. 23 Kentucky in conference-opening series

By Mark Stine | Mar. 11, 2018

The UF softball team took the field on Sunday without one of its senior leaders and the walk-off hero from Saturday night’s thriller against Kentucky.

Senior Alex McMurtry tied a school record with a 39.825 in all-around against Nebraska on Friday.

Sports

Florida ends regular season on McMurtry’s record night

By Alana Gomez | Mar. 11, 2018

The Florida gymnasts were silent as they took their seats in front of the post-meet press conference Friday night. It wasn’t the attitude of a team that had just ended its last home competition with its second-highest meet total of the season. A somber mood settled over the room like a wet blanket.