"Things have been great and sort of hectic at the same time. Every time I pick up my phone I am hearing from a new coach but I mean it’s what I’ve worked for so I can’t complain. For the most part just making sure to stay in contact with me every day and honestly having a relationship with me and my family outside of football. I plan on visiting Stanford, Georgia, and Florida."
"Things have been progressing pretty smoothly, to be honest it’s pretty broad for how many schools are showing interest as of now. Some of the schools that I’m interested in currently have great development, coaching stability, and culture. I’m have not yet planned out March but probably will find out here in a week or so."
"Things have progressed pretty good with my recruitment. I’m finding out what teams actually want me in their program. Mainly just showing that they want me at their program and reaching out to me. I plan of visiting Alabama, Clemson, Unc, and Tennessee."
"The recruiting has been good for me and my family. We been loving it so far and it’s just the beginning!! They are showing so much love to me and my family and they are making me feel like I'm at home and I'm only a junior! they are making a statement in my recruitment! Florida State, University of Florida, Cincinnati and Pitt."
UF WBK: Gators Out-Tough Tigers for Win at Auburn
Florida has now won six road contests in the SEC for the first time since 2001. AUBURN, Ala. - Florida women's basketball had to put together 40 minutes of hard-nosed basketball to overtake Auburn on Monday evening, and that's just what they did, holding off a hungry Tiger team, 83-77.
Five athletes scored in double figures for the Gators (19-6, 9-3 SEC), led by Zippy Broughton in her homecoming with 18 points in addition to six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Senior Kristina Moore tallied a career-high with 15 points, while Jordyn Merritt (13), Kiara Smith (12) and Nina Rickards (10) all crossed the 10-point threshold. For the game, the Orange & Blue shot 27-of-62 (43.5%) from the field and 6-of-16 (37.5%) from long range.
The Tigers (9-14, 1-11 SEC) ended their afternoon 28-of-65 (43.1%) and 8-of-18 (44.4%) from three-point range. A key difference in the game, Florida was impressive from the free throw line, knocking down 23 of their 28 attempts (82.1%). The battle on the boards was dead-even between the two squads, with both teams pulling down 38 rebounds. Broughton led the Gators with six rebounds while Merritt and Rickards each brought down five of their own.
Defensively, Florida locked down the Tigers, forcing 20 turnovers throughout the evening. The Gators tallied nine steals, with Broughton and Smith leading the way with three steals each. The defensive intensity helped UF to a 15-9 advantage in fast break points. For the second time in as many outings, the Florida bench put on a strong performance to propel the Gators. The Orange & Blue reserves outscored Auburn 28-7 off the bench, led by Moore's 15.
The game began quickly for Florida, with the Gators opening with the first four points of the game. Rickards battled for an offensive rebound put-back on the opening possession, followed by a Smith floater in the lane. The Tigers, however, responded with a 6-0 run, holding UF scoreless for over five minutes. Floor Toonders would break the scoring drought, connecting on the first three-pointer of her collegiate career with 4:13 remaining in the quarter.
Again, the Tigers would respond and take a 14-11 lead late in the period, eventually taking a 17-16 lead into the second following an exchange of triples from each side. After draining the three at the end of the quarter to keep the Gators within one, Moore would do it again at the start of the third to keep Florida within one at 20-19. Auburn would push their lead to four at 23-19 with 7:49 on the clock, but the Gators would use a quick 5-0 spurt, capped off with a three from Broughton, to reclaim the lead at 24-23.
With the score evened at 27, the Orange & Blue put together a string of six points to open their largest lead of the half at 33-27. Defense fueled the outburst, as Smith made picked a pocket for two at 3:48. Over the final three minutes of the half, both squads would trade punches with Florida taking the 39-36 lead into the break. Florida picked up their defensive intensity in the second quarter, forcing the Tigers into five turnovers while holding the opposition to 6-of-18 shooting in the period. For the half, UF forced seven total Auburn turnovers.
The Gators pulled out to a 43-37 lead to start the second half behind buckets from Smith and Faith Dut, but the Tigers used an 10-0 run over two minutes to take the lead, 47-43, with 6:03 remaining in the quarter. Broughton would put an end to the streak, scoring five straight points to give the Gators the lead back with 5:15 on the clock. Auburn reclaimed the lead off of Jala Jordan three-pointer, but Merritt would pick up the intensity. After tying the game at 50 with a scoop-and-score, the sophomore would reject a shot at the top of the key and connect on two at the charity stripe for a 52-50 lead at the 3:27 mark. Six free throws at the backend of the period, paired with eight points from Merritt in the quarter, helped UF to a 60-56 lead with one to play. Any chance of an Auburn victory was put to rest almost right away in the fourth quarter. Moore, a senior leader for the Gators, once again made her presence known, scoring the first five points of the frame, helping UF to a 67-55 lead with 8:15 on the clock.
Florida's lead would eventually peak at 14 points before taking the victory, 83-77, in Auburn Arena. The Gators will be back in action on Thursday, Feb. 17 when they host Arkansas for their Play4Kay game in Exactech Arena.
Postgame Bites
- Florida has now won five in-a-row against the Tigers and two-consecutive on the road at Auburn.
- The Gators secured the season-sweep over the Tigers.
- Now boasting nine SEC victories, Florida has reach nine for the first time since the 2015-16 campaign when they finished with 10 conference wins.
- The win also marks the quickest the Florida has reached nine SEC victories since the 2000-01 season when they began 9-2 in the league.
- Six of Florida's six road wins have come on the road in SEC play, the most road-SEC wins for the Gators since the 2000-01 season.
- With the victory, Florida has reached 19 wins the fastest since the 2015-16 campaign when they also began 19-6.
- Kristina Moore tied a career-high with 13 points against the Tigers. - Broughton has now led the Gators in scoring in two-consecutive games.
No. 7 Gators to Host Scotland in Exhibition Game
Opening draw is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The seventh-ranked Florida lacrosse team welcomes the Scotland National Team for an exhibition game on Tuesday.
Opening draw is set for 6:30 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The two teams last competed against one another in the spring of 2019, when Scotland came to Gainesville. The Gators were victorious 32-1 in that exhibition game.
The World Training squad is set to compete against six teams across the state of Florida while in the states, facing Rollins (Feb. 13), Jacksonville (Feb. 14), Florida (Feb. 15), Tampa (Feb. 16), Florida Southern (Feb. 17) and Stetson (Feb. 18).
In its last contest, Florida topped Kennesaw State 22-7 to begin the 2022 season 1-0. Emma LoPinto and Danielle Pavinelli combined for 14 points in the victory. No. 7 Florida vs. Scotland Broadcast Information Time & Date: Tuesday, Feb. 15 | 6:30 p.m.
Napier, Singer and Zunino Primed for First-Pitch Honors Opening Weekend
Head football coach Billy Napier will be joined by legendary Gators Brady Singer and Mike Zunino in opening weekend's first-pitch honors.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – When the No. 9 Florida baseball program opens up the 2022 season against Liberty on Feb. 18-20 this upcoming weekend, fans in attendance will have the opportunity to celebrate an impressive collection of honorary first pitches. Head football coach Billy Napier will throw out the first pitch on opening night, which is set for Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.
Thereafter, a pair of legendary Gators are set to take over the honors for the duration of the series. 2017 National Champion and 2018 Dick Howser Trophy winner Brady Singer is scheduled to assume first-pitch duties on Saturday, Feb. 19.
Those planning to attend Sunday's 12 p.m. matinee will be in for a treat as well, as 2012 Golden Spikes Award winner and 2021 MLB All-Star Mike Zunino throws out the first pitch in the series finale. Below is a complete list of honorary first pitches scheduled for opening weekend.
Friday, Feb. 18 @ 7 p.m. – Florida Head Football Coach Billy Napier Saturday
Feb. 19 @ 4 p.m. – Kansas City Royals RHP Brady Singer Sunday
Feb. 20 @ 12 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays C Mike Zunino
Florida is set to open the 2022 season at home the weekend of Feb. 18-20 in the form of a three-game series against Liberty of the Atlantic Sun Conference. All three games of the season-opening series will stream live on SEC Network+.
No. 5/17 Gators Set to Compete at 2022 SEC Championships
The Championship Meet will run from Feb. 15-19 in Knoxville, Tenn.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The No. 5 men's and No. 17 women's swimming & diving teams are set to begin competition at the 2022 SEC Championships on Tuesday. The Championship event will run through Feb. 19 at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn. Prelims begin at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, then 9:30 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Finals are slated to start at 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday, then 5:30 p.m. for the rest of the championship competition.
Both prelims and finals throughout the entire meet will be streamed on SEC Network + and live stats can be found both at UTSports.com or on the Meet Mobile app. Entering the meet, the both the men and the women have an overall dual meet record of 3-0, each with two SEC victories over Georgia and Auburn. Eight women's SEC teams and six men's SEC teams are ranked in the latest CSCAA poll, with Florida leading the way on the men's side at fifth in the nation and Tennessee leading the women at third in the country.
The men are looking for their 10th-straight SEC Championship and 43rd in school history, while the women are looking to clinch their 18th conference title after finishing second for the past three seasons.
The 42 SEC Championships by Florida's men ranks second amongst all sports in the history of the SEC (Kentucky men's basketball).
Broadcast Information:
* All prelim and finals sessions will be streamed on SEC Network + Tennessee Bag Policy:
* The following will be allowed inside the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center
* Clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"
* Clear plastic storage bag - one gallon resealable
* Small clutch purse no larger than 4.5" x 6.5"
* Seat cushion - no arms or pockets
* Wallets must also conform to this size requirement
* No other bags will be allowed inside. All items, including clear bags and clutch purses, are subject to search at the gates. No items can be left or stored at the gates
* Medically necessary items must be searched. Diaper bags are not a medically necessary item. All diaper bag supplies should be carried in a clear bag Tickets:
* The 2022 SEC Swimming & Diving Championship are officially sold out
* However, fans can purchase Standing Room Only tickets for $15 beginning one hour before every session at Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center. These tickets are limited in number and will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis
Two Gators Earn AAC Weekly Awards
Emma LoPinto named Freshman of the Week; Danielle Pavinelli earns spot on Honor Roll
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - After defeating the Kennesaw State Owls to start the 2022 season, the Gators picked up two American Athletic Conference awards, as the league announced Monday.
Emma LoPinto was named Freshman of the Week for the first time in her career, while Danielle Pavinelli earned a spot on the Honor Roll - the third AAC weekly honor of her tenure at Florida (Freshman - 2; Honor Roll - 1).
LoPinto earned the title after recording eight points in her Gator debut on six goals and two assists. The six goals are a program record for most scored by any player in a season opener and that mark also ties the most goals scored by a freshman in program history. The Manhasset, N.Y. native also went 6-of-7 in the game for an .857 shooting percentage and currently leads the league in goals per game.
Pavinelli found herself on the Honor Roll after a career-high six-point performance to kick off the 2022 season. She tied her personal-best in goals with four and also dished out two assists in the 22-7 victory. The Northport, N.Y. native went 4-for-6 in the game and she currently sits third in the conference in points per game.
The Gators are back in action on Tuesday to take on Scotland in an exhibition game. Opening draw is set for 6:30 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
Attack Player of the Week: Gabby Fornia, Vanderbilt
Midfielder of the Week: Nicole LeGar, East Carolina
Defensive Player of the Week: Annie Carroll, G, Temple
Freshman of the Week: Emma LoPinto, A, Florida
Honor Roll: Danielle Pavinelli, A, Florida | Ava Goeller, M, Cincinnati | Lilly Siskind, A, Old Dominion | Belle Mastropietro, M, Temple | Paige Gunning, G, Vanderblt
UF MBK: Pair of Tip Times Updated GAINESVILLE, Fla.
- Two upcoming Florida men's basketball games had tip times adjusted on Monday. The Gators' Feb. 22 home game vs. Arkansas has been moved up to 7 p.m., and the Feb. 26 contest at Georgia has been set for noon. The game vs. the Razorbacks moves up from its originally-scheduled 9 p.m. slot and will air on ESPN or ESPN2, while the Georgia game has been selected for ESPN2.
Delbrey Named SEC Freshman of the Week
This is the first freshman of the week award for the right-handed pitcher.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida softball's Lexie Delbrey has been tabbed as the SEC Freshman of the Week after a standout Opening Weekend in Tampa at the USF - Rawlings Invitational.
This is the first SEC Freshman of the Week honor for Delbrey and she the first freshman pitcher to earn the award following Opening Weekend in program history. Delbrey, a right-handed pitcher, saw her first collegiate action Friday, Feb. 12, against Illinois State.
She entered the game in the 7th inning of play with a 3-0 lead and retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts. The Bainbridge, Ga. native also helped the Gators shutdown an attempt at a Kansas City rally in her second appearance. She entered the game with two runners on and two outs with a 3-1 lead in the 6th inning and forced a fielder's choice groundout to end the inning.
Delbrey saved her most impressive performance for her first collegiate start against No. 16 Michigan. She was dominant against the Wolverines as she posted a complete-game, one-hit, shutout, which was only the second time in program history that a freshman pitcher has achieved the feat against a Top 25 opponent. The only other time a freshman pitcher turned in a performance like that occurred April 10, 2004 when Stacey Stevens did it against No. 18 South Carolina.
Delbrey and the Gators head to Jacksonville Tuesday afternoon for a single game at the Debbie & Fred Pruitt Softball Complex. The contest is slated to start at 6 p.m. and fans can follow along on the radio by listening to Kyle Crooks and Ryan Urquhart on ESPN 98.1FM/850AM WRUF
Nesty Named U.S. Head Coach for 2022 FINA World Championships
The FINA World Championships will run from June 18-July 3 in Budapest, Hungary
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Anthony Nesty - head coach for Florida's men's and women's swimming & diving teams - added another addition to his lengthy resume on Monday, being named head coach for the U.S. men's swim team at the 2022 FINA World Championships.
The World Championships will take place June 18-July 3, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. Todd DeSorbo - the head coach at the University of Virginia - will take helm of the women's team this summer.
"Todd and Anthony are both incredibly accomplished and successful coaches, but also very thoughtful and supportive individuals," USA Swimming National Team Managing Director Lindsay Mintenko said. "As assistant coaches at the Olympic Games in Tokyo last summer, they really connected with the athletes who showed them a lot of respect and excelled under their coaching philosophies. I look forward to seeing how these two will help lead our team to success in Budapest." Both Nesty and DeSorbo served as assistant coaches with the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, helping the U.S. to 11 gold, 10 silver, nine bronze and 30 total medals.
Nesty's efforts in Tokyo helped lead his University of Florida swimmers, Bobby Finke and Kieran Smith, to three medals, including two gold. His current training group at the University of Florida consists of five men on the U.S. National Team and a No. 5 ranking among NCAA Division I men's programs. While the upcoming World Championships will mark his first time as head coach of a U.S. team at an international competition, he previously served as head coach for Suriname at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and 2012 Olympics in London.
This will be the second time that Budapest has hosted the FINA World Championships after the city previously hosted the competition in 2017. This meet will be the first international long-course meter meet since the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and will be the second senior-level international team trip for the U.S. in the Paris 2024 quadrennial.
