Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Freshman Alyssa Baumann earned a 9.900 on beam while the Stegeman Coliseum erupted in cheers for a Georgia performer's 10.0 on floor. “I just tried to tell myself (the cheering) was for me and to stay calm and confident," she said.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Balance beam brings both highs and lows for Florida gymnastics

By Alana Gomez | Feb. 18, 2018

In what was supposed to be a series of perfect back handsprings, senior Alex McMurtry dropped to the floor off the balance beam. It was the first time since the 2017 season that she had competed in every event, a thought that didn’t escape her mind even as she wrapped up her last event of the night. The fall resulted in a 9.325, one point higher than her season-low score of 9.225 against Auburn on Feb. 2.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver switched up the All-Star Game's mechanics for the 2017-18 season.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Dear Adam Silver: Show the draft, please

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 18, 2018

Show the draft!

Junior Gordon Neale has taken over as Florida's leader on the links, holding the top spot in the Gators' lineup for five consecutive events heading into the Mason Rudolph Championship this weekend.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida men’s golf finishes second at SunTrust Gator Invitational

By Sam Campisano | Feb. 18, 2018

After 36 holes on Saturday, the No. 8 Florida men’s golf team was just a stroke behind No. 3 Vanderbilt for the lead in the SunTrust Gator Invitational, its first competitive event of the spring season.

Dyandria Anderson celebrated Senior Day by going 6 of 9 from the field for 16 points while dishing out four assists.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators women’s basketball teams sends off seniors with blowout victory over Commodores

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 18, 2018

A hand in her face didn’t stop Dyandria Anderson. From the left wing of the three-point line, the senior guard shot over her defender, finding nothing but the bottom of the net and giving Florida a 16-point lead midway through the third quarter.

Sophomore pitcher Tyler Dyson tossed six innings against Siena Sunday afternoon, allowing one earned run.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators demolish Siena in series finale blowout

By Morgan McMullen | Feb. 18, 2018

Sophomore pitcher Tyler Dyson spiked his pitch into the dirt. The ball skipped between the legs of catcher Cal Greenfield and to his right, allowing Siena’s Brendan Conley to advance to third.

Guard Chris Chiozza scored just six points in Saturday's loss to Vanderbilt.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators lacking consistency from back court during recent stretch

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 18, 2018

Consistency.

Catcher Nicole DeWitt's only hit of the Gators' first game against Louisiana pushed across two runs.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida defeats Louisiana twice in double-header to remain undefeated

By Mark Stine | Feb. 17, 2018

Nicole DeWitt waited.

Coach J.C. Deacon's squad shot 7 under through the first two rounds of the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Saturday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida men’s golf in the hunt after opening day of SunTrust Gator Invitational

By Sam Campisano | Feb. 17, 2018

It was a beautiful day for golf. With temperatures in the 70s for most of the morning and afternoon, Gordon Neale approached the 18th hole for the second time on Saturday. Under the coverage of scattered clouds, Neale took out his sand wedge and let loose a shot that elicited a roar from the crowd gathered near the green.

Guard Egor Koulechov had a chance to tie up the game late, but his shot wouldn't go down. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators choke away another game in three-point loss to Commodores

By Skyler Lebron | Feb. 17, 2018

Down 71-68 with 8.9 seconds left, the Gators had a chance to tie the score.

Senior catcher and team captain JJ Schwarz notched his first home run of the season Saturday afternoon. He finished 3 for 5 from the plate with three RBIs.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida baseball overcomes early deficit behind consistent hitting and a lucky bounce

By Ethan Bauer | Feb. 17, 2018

Joe Drpich looks more like an offensive lineman than a baseball player.

Florida attacker Shayna Pirreca had a goal revoked on Saturday after officials ruled the pocket in her stick was too deep. UF eventually fell to No. 1 Maryland 16-14.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida unable to complete comeback against No. 1 Maryland

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 17, 2018

Trailing Maryland 11-9 early in the second half, UF attacker Shayna Pirreca charged the goal and hurled in a shot to narrow the Terrapins’ lead to one.

Johannes Ingildsen won the clinching singles match in a 4-3 win for Florida's men's tennis team over Notre Dame on Saturday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Johannes Ingildsen clinches victory for Florida over Notre Dame

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 17, 2018

Before Saturday’s match against No. 22 Notre Dame (7-2), losing the doubles point usually signaled defeat for the Florida men’s tennis team.

Senior Caeleb Dressel broke the United States record in the 200-yard individual medley by a margin of 1.25 seconds on Thursday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Dressel breaks U.S. record as Gators men’s swimming and diving team climbs into first

By Jacob McManamon | Feb. 17, 2018

The Florida men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams completed the third day of the SEC Championships at Texas A&M University Friday.

Junior college transfer Wil Dalton launched his team-leading 16th home run of the season in Florida's 6-4 loss on Tuesday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF’s newcomers make an impact on opening night

By Ethan Bauer | Feb. 16, 2018

It started with a fly ball to right field, hanging in the air for about five or six seconds, carrying nothing but Wil Dalton’s pride.

Freshman Alyssa Baumann posted the high score in beam for the second time in her career with a 9.90.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Florida’s gymnastics team continues winning streak with road victory over Georgia

By Alana Gomez | Feb. 16, 2018

Before Florida’s meet against Georgia on Friday night, UF freshman Alyssa Baumann danced on the side of the mats while the rest of her teammates warmed up. The energy she entered the Stegeman Coliseum with carried into the Gators’ sixth competition of the regular season, where she placed first on balance beam with a score of 9.900.

Junior Brady Singer pitched seven innings and gave up just two hits in Florida's season-opener against Siena.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida’s baseball team thumps Siena 7-1 on opening night to kick off national title defense

By Morgan McMullen | Feb. 16, 2018

After the ceremonial first pitch from 2017 College World Series MVP Alex Faedo, after unveiling the national championship banner on the left field wall, after all the pomp and circumstance of honoring a year coach Kevin O’Sullivan would like to ignore, the Gators offense was bone dry.

Freshman Duarte Vale and junior McClain Kessler lost 7-5 in their doubles match against Texas A&M on Friday. The Gators eventually fell to the Aggies 4-0 in the opening round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida men’s tennis team swept by Aggies in opening round of ITA national indoor championships

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 16, 2018

For the second time in three matches, freshman Duarte Vale and junior McClain Kessler played from behind with the doubles point on the line. Unlike their comeback win against No. 11 Michigan on Feb. 9 – in which Vale and Kessler saved two match points – the pair lost 7-5 on Friday as No. 6 Texas A&M swept the No. 11 Florida men’s tennis team 4-0 in the first round of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle.

Florida's top two pitchers, Brady Singer (above) and Jackson Kowar, could be UF's highest pair of flamethrowers selected in the MLB Draft in program history.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

A PAIR OF ACES: Florida has featured an abundance of elite arms in recent years. This year’s pocket rockets could be the best of them all

By Ethan Bauer | Feb. 16, 2018

Senior Alejandro Tosti paced the Gators at the NCAA Championships with an opening round of even par.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Coach J.C. Deacon ready for men’s golf season-opener

By Sam Campisano | Feb. 16, 2018

After a long winter break, the Florida men’s golf team will begin its season this weekend at the SunTrust Gator Invitational in Gainesville.

Coach Mike Holloway's distance medley relay teams will look to rebound after the men's and women's runners dropped one and two spots in the rankings, respectively.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

UF distance medley relay team set to compete in qualifying race before NCAAs

By Alanis Thames | Feb. 16, 2018

With the 2018 SEC Indoor Championships set to begin next week, Florida’s distance medley relay team will compete in a qualifying race today at the UCS Invitational in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.