2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

From left: Rescue team members Candida Lozada, Stephanie Rivera, Mary Rodriguez and Zuly Ruiz embrace as they wait to assist in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Humacao, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, but recovery efforts are still ongoing

Feb. 17, 2019

Here’s a topic you probably haven’t seen in the news in a little while: Puerto Rico. As many of you know, this U.S. territory was hit by the devastating category 5 Hurricane Maria in September 2017. Despite over a year passing since Maria made landfall, the island of Puerto Rico is still dealing with the effects of the storm and the muddled response to the crisis.

Senior attacker Lindsey Ronbeck scored four goals in the Gators' 16-9 win over Colorado.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida dominates Scotland in exhibition game

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 16, 2019

The Gators played their second game in under 48 hours, but that didn’t seem to affect them.

Senior Amanda Lorenz returns to the Gators 2019 lineup after winning 2018 SEC Player of the Year and SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators’ hot start continues in the desert

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 16, 2019

The Gators softball team (10-0) continued its hot start to the season with a combined 25 runs in its two run-rule wins at the Littlewood Classic in Tempe, Arizona. Florida scored runs in all 10 innings it played. Here’s how it happened:

UF second baseman Blake Reese is one of three seniors on the baseball team. “We have to kinda write our own script,” he said. “We can’t ride the coattails of all these guys that have been here before.”

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida takes advantage of timely hitting to throw out Dirtbags

By Evan Lepak | Feb. 16, 2019

With two on and two out, second baseman Blake Reese popped a 3-2 pitch into shallow right field that narrowly fell in among the outstretched arms of three Long Beach State players.

Freshman guard Andrew Nembhard is second on the team in three-point shooting percentage (.467).

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Nembhard shines as Gators defeat Alabama on the road

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 16, 2019

Florida freshman guard Andrew Nembhard had as much confidence on Saturday as a lion when it spots its next meal.

Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill struck out 11 batters and allowed just two hits during UF’s 7-1 win over USF on Sunday at the USF Opening Weekend Invitational.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators pick up third top-25 win

By Mark Stine | Feb. 15, 2019

The Florida Gators never defeated Arizona State in Tempa, Arizona. They were tasked with taking down the 14th-ranked hosts in the second leg of a double-header at the Littlewood Classic on Friday.

Tyler Dyson allowed three runs on four hits through 2.0-plus innings in Florida's 3-2 loss to Kentucky on Saturday. He didn't record a strikeout in his shortest outing of the season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators’ miscues evident in opening night victory

By Kyle Wood | Feb. 15, 2019

Coach Kevin O’Sullivan preached throughout spring practice about the growing pains his young team would face.

UF senior Alicia Boren notched a meet-high 9.925 on her floor routine Friday to help the No. 3 Gators defeat Missouri 197.300-196.450 in their season opener.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

UF bests Alabama, remains undefeated in SEC meets

By River Wells | Feb. 15, 2019

The Alabama crowd was silenced when the judges flashed Alicia Boren’s floor routine score of 9.975.

Florida coach Dan Mullen signed 17 four-star recruits in his 2019 recruiting class. It was the Gators’ best class since 2013.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

By The Numbers: How does Mullen’s latest recruiting class stack up since Meyer’s first year?

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 15, 2019

Florida football coach Dan Mullen captured the hearts of Gators fans everywhere with his latest recruiting class.

Sophomore Jordan Butler is growing comfortable with his role in the Gators pitching staff. "Whatever they need me to do, start midweeks, close it out, come in mid-game ... it doesn’t matter to me, just that we win the game,” he said.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida’s four sophomores anchor the pitching staff

By Kyle Wood | Feb. 15, 2019

The future of Florida’s pitching staff is here.

Florida pitcher Tyler Dyson pitched five innings against South Carolina on Sunday. He allowed two runs on two hits and struck out five Gamecock batters.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF welcomes Long Beach State in season-opening series

By Evan Lepak | Feb. 14, 2019

Baseball is officially back.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Homophobic, racially insensitive posts surface from Student Body executive candidates

By Dana Cassidy | Feb. 14, 2019

Candidates acknowledged, apologized for them

UF lacrosse will match up against Kennesaw State for the second time in program history.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida comes up short in home opener against Maryland

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 14, 2019

Senior goalkeeper Haley Hicklen reached into the back of her net to retrieve the ball for a fifth time in the opening 10 minutes of the game.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

The NFL’s charitable contributions have sinister truths behind them

By Mark Stine | Feb. 14, 2019

Even when it tries to be good, the National Football League is still bad.

Freshman Jaimie Hoover stands in the batter's box during a UF win on Feb. 17.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

What to know about UF heading into weekend out west

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 14, 2019

The Gators softball team (6-0) heads out to Tempe, Arizona, to partake in five games at the Littlewood Classic following two mid-week games against Team Japan and North Florida. Here are three things to know about Florida’s start to the season:

Florida guard Jalen Hudson scored 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting in UF's 73-61 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida's bench steps up amid off nights from Allen, Locke

By Alanis Thames | Feb. 14, 2019

Vanderbilt forward Matthew Moyer did everything he could to stop Deaundrae Ballard.

Sophomore gymnast Alyssa Baumann earned SEC Specialist of the Week for her performance against Oklahoma on Friday.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Gators travel to Tuscaloosa to face top-10 Alabama

By River Wells | Feb. 14, 2019

Many gymnastics teams would consider a top-10 matchup a highlight of its competitive schedule. For the Florida Gators, it’s just another Friday.

OPINION | DARTS LAURELS

Darts and Laurels: Feb. 15, 2019

Feb. 14, 2019

It’s the day after Valentine’s Day, which means the day of love has come and gone just as quickly as that box of chocolates sitting on your dining room table. But today is even better because all things love-related are half off at Target. Were you eyeing that giant Reese’s heart-shaped candy but couldn’t possibly find a reason to buy it? Well, guess what? Today, it’s only $5 — an instant cop. This week was about showing everyone you love how much you care about them, with Galentine’s Day, Palentine’s Day and of course Valentine’s Day.

METRO

Suck it up: City Commission discusses banning plastic straws

By Karina Elwood | Feb. 14, 2019

The City Commission already banned bags and styrofoam containers

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Man stole master key to break into hotel rooms, police say

By Katherine Wallace-Fernandez | Feb. 14, 2019

Marcus Alexander Cromartie wasn’t a normal hotel guest. He was accused of stealing a master key and robbing a hotel room Wednesday.

COVID-19