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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Riley Kugel announces he will return to Florida for sophomore season

Kugel earned spot on SEC All-Freshman team in first season with Gators

Florida guard Riley Kugel stands on the court during the Gators' 69-68 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023.
Florida guard Riley Kugel stands on the court during the Gators' 69-68 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament Thursday, March 9, 2023.

Gators guard Riley Kugel will officially return to Florida for his sophomore season. 

Kugel announced on Twitter Tuesday that he will play another season with UF. The Orlando, Florida, native made the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team in his first season with the Gators.

He played in 32 games and started 17 of them in his freshman season. Kugel averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and one assist per game. The sophomore guard shot 46% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc last season. 

Kugel scored in double figures in eight straight games to finish the regular season. He averaged 18.3 points per game over that stretch. 

The 6-foot-5-inch guard started the Gators’ last 14 games. He scored double-digit points in 11 of those starts, including three 20-point performances. 

He drew National Basketball Association Draft buzz toward the end of the 2022-2023 season but ultimately chose to return to Gainesville for a second season.

Contact Jackson Reyes at jacksonreyes@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JacksnReyes.

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Jackson Reyes

Jackson Reyes is a UF journalism senior and The Alligator's Fall 2023 Sports Editor. He previously served as Digital Managing Editor and was a reporter and assistant editor on the sports desk. In his free time, he enjoys collecting records, long walks on the beach and watching Bo Nix.


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