The Gators will have a different look when the 2012-13 season begins.
Florida has five seniors leaving the team along with sophomore guard Brittany Shine, who announced her decision to transfer via Twitter on Monday.
While the prospect of returning only four players who suited up for UF’s final game seems daunting, Florida faced a similar scenario in 2010-11.
In coach Amanda Butler’s fourth year, six Gators made their Division-I debut in the season opener. Barring redshirts, UF will have six players joining the team next season.
However, the inexperience does not concern Butler as much as it did two years ago.
“I don’t think that we’ve been in a situation where we were returning a first-team All-SEC player, and we have that in Jennifer (George),” Butler said.
George was a key cog in Florida’s NCAA Tournament run this season, emerging as a playmaker in the frontcourt for the Gators.
The junior forward set career-high marks with 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, leading UF in both categories. The best statistical stretch for George this season was a streak of double-doubles, which lasted eight games from Dec. 7 to Jan. 8.
“She’s going to be the best player on the team,” redshirt senior guard Jordan Jones said. “She has to take that on her shoulders and know that the gameplan is going to be for her to score, but the opponents’ gameplan is going to be to stop her.”
George is a soft-spoken player who said she relied on senior center Azania Stewart to be the vocal leader in the frontcourt.
However, George acknowledged that she needs to become a team leader, something she said she hasn’t had to do since her senior year of high school.
“I have to be prepared, mentally and physically, to take on a new role,” George said. “I’ll be ready for it.”
George will have some help guiding the Gators’ young roster next season from sophomore guard Jaterra Bonds. Bonds, who ranked second to Jones with 967 minutes played this season, was the only UF player to start all 33 games of the 2011-12 campaign.
“The experience that Jaterra’s had the past two years will really help us,” Butler said.
The Gators’ berth in the NCAA Tournament this season was the their first since 2008-09. Despite losing six players, George believes Florida will improve on this year’s second-round exit in 2012-13.
“We’ve been to a tournament now, and we expect to go again,” George said.
“I feel like it’s all about the atmosphere around here that we expect greatness from all players, even if they’re going to be freshmen.”
Shine to transfer: Shine announced via her Twitter account that she does not intend to return to Florida for her junior season.
A UF spokesperson confirmed Shine is leaving the program.
“Thank you gator nation The love and support u showed me was amazing.. every1 knows I love this game.and I have 2 do wats [sic] best 4 my future,” Shine said in a tweet on Monday.
One minute later, she added, “I miss the feeling of being able 2 look up in the stands and see my family, and I want to play closer to home ...”
Shine, the No. 89 prospect in the ESPNU HoopGurlz 100 coming out of high school, was one of six prospects to commit in 2010. She is the second player from that recruiting class to transfer after Deaundra Young decided to leave UF on Oct. 6, ultimately choosing to go to UCF.
The departures of Shine and Young, coupled with Deana Allen and Lanita Bartley graduating, leave Bonds and Kayla Lewis as the only remaining members of ESPN.com’s 21st-ranked recruiting class in 2010.
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
