2 - The Independent Florida Alligator

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT LIFE

Earth Day celebration to clean up the springs

By Lucille Lannigan | Apr. 11, 2022

For more than 20 years, environmental organizations have called attention to the threats pollution and over pumping pose to the Santa Fe River. The river is home to more than 30 springs and provides habitat for a wide range of diverse flora and fauna. The Spring Fling event, hosted by several environmental conservation organizations, including Stand Up 4 Springs and the Public Interest Communications Student Association’s Florida Springs project, hopes to combat some of the damages. It will take place April 22 starting at 8:30 a.m. at Canoe Launch in Canoe Outpost High Springs.

Sophomore Wyatt Langford delivered his 26th home run of the season Monday, tying Matt LaPorta for most homers in a single season from a UF batter.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Wyatt Langford proves his coach right every day

By Ethan Budowsky | Apr. 11, 2022

Sophomore Wyatt Langford has arguably been Florida baseball’s best player this season. It comes after he had to prove himself worthy of the starting left field job in the fall.

Lousiana transfer Montrell Johnson hauls in a pass from Ohio State transfer Jack Miller

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Billy Napier and new-look Gators to showcase development at Orange and Blue game

By Topher Adams | Apr. 11, 2022

New Florida football head coach Billy Napier will man the sideline for the first time Thursday as the program hosts its annual Orange & Blue Spring Game under the lights of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

No. 7 Florida Gators softball fell in game two of a weekend series against the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators drop extra-inning heartbreaker to Tide, 2-1

By Caleb Wiegandt | Apr. 10, 2022

An inability to plate runs when Florida batters got on doomed No. 7 Gator softball in a 2-1 extra-inning loss to No. 5 Alabama.

Florida's Marlee Zein looks up for a serve during a match against Texas A&M on Feb. 28. The Gators women's tennis team were destroyed by Auburn, 6-1 Sunday afternoon.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida falls short against Auburn in singles matchups

By Vanessa Sanchez | Apr. 10, 2022

Freshman Alicia Dudeney and No. 15 Florida women's tennis (17-5, 9-3) fell to No. 13 Auburn (18-4, 9-2) 1-6.

The No. 3 Florida Gators clinched its third-straight SEC Title with a win over No. 27 Auburn Sunday afternoon.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators clinch SEC regular-season title with win over Auburn

By Joshua Morgan | Apr. 10, 2022

No. 3 Florida (19-2, 11-0) clinched the SEC title Sunday with a 6-1 win over No. 27 Auburn (17-7, 5-5). The Gators have now won their 14th consecutive match as they are just one win away from a perfect SEC season.

Florida softball pitcher Elizabeth Hightower started strong but was pulled early in loss to No. 5 Alabama

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida falls 8-3 in game one of the Alabama series

By Jose Tovar | Apr. 10, 2022

Florida softball dropped the first game of the series against Alabama, 8-3, Saturday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. The Gators struggled from the plate due to a solid outing from Alabama pitcher Montana Fouts.

Florida relieving pitcher Blake Purnell winds up a pitch Saturday afternoon in a monumental series win over No. 2 Arkansas.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators rise from the abyss, take upset series victory from Razorbacks

By Ethan Budowsky | Apr. 9, 2022

With the Florida Gators needing a win to get their season back on track, freshman Blake Purnell took to the hill. It has been a wild year for Purnell, but he came through when his team needed it most.

UF women's tennis coach Roland Thornqvist was pleased Friday afternoon with an impressive performance by the Florida doubles squads

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida continues impressive performances in doubles, pummel Alabama

By Vanessa Sanchez | Apr. 9, 2022

No. 15 Florida women’s tennis (17-4, 9-2 SEC) extended its SEC winning streak to nine games against No. 42 Alabama (14-8, SEC 4-6) Friday at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex.

New Florida basketball head coach Todd Golden held an introductory press conference Wednesday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida hires Todd Golden as next head coach

By Jackson Castellano | Apr. 9, 2022

The team announced Friday that Todd Golden, 36, will be taking the reins of Florida men’s basketball. He is the 20th head coach in program history.

Florida secured the regular season AAC Championship Saturday in a 16-4 win over the East Carolina Pirates.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida crushes Old Dominion 21-6 in AAC home opener

By Topher Adams | Apr. 9, 2022

Florida returned to the confines of Donald R. Dizney Stadium and surged to a 21-6 victory over Old Dominion.

Freshman Nate Bonetto (left) and senior Duarte Vale celebrate a score. The Florida men’s tennis team rolled the Crimson Tide Friday night, 5-2

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators continue rolling with win over Crimson Tide

By Joshua Morgan | Apr. 9, 2022

No. 3 Florida (18-2, 9-0) improved their winning streak to 13 matches with a 5-2 win over Alabama (6-17, 0-9), as UF retains a perfect record in conference play.

Brandon Sproat pitching against Miami Feb. 21, 2021. Courtesy of the SEC Media Portal. Sproat will start on the mound for Florida's first-round matchup with Central Michigan.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Sproat deals, offense wakes up in Friday-night blowout of Hogs

By Carson Cashion | Apr. 8, 2022

In a night highlighted by a dominant showing from sophomore starting pitcher Brandon Sproat, the Gators (20-11, 4-7) snapped a six-game SEC losing streak, topping the Razorbacks (23-6, 8-3) 7-2.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public School’s racial achievement gap persists

By Emma Behrmann | Apr. 8, 2022

ACPS has the state's widest achievement gap between white and Black students in both English language arts and mathematics. Segregation met its end in 1970 for Alachua County Public Schools, but disparities between Black student and white student performance afflict the district today. This district serves more than 30,000 students, 33% of which are Black and 41% of which are white. ACPS officials acknowledged this gap and crafted an equity plan in 2018, promising to eliminate the disparity by 2028, but the plan failed to narrow the difference in student performance.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

One dead after a shooting at Wawa

By Troy Myers | Apr. 8, 2022

A shooting Tuesday night at Wawa on 1007 E. University Ave. left one man dead. At about 9 p.m., Gainesville Police Department officers responded to the gas station about a person being shot. Wallace Lee, a Gainesville resident, was found by officers lying on the ground with what looked like a gunshot wound to the head.

Florida Gators baseball added a member to its coaching staff Monday in Taylor Black.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida plummets to rock bottom with depressing loss to Razorbacks

By Ethan Budowsky | Apr. 7, 2022

The Gators (19-11, 3-7) mustered just two hits and two walks Thursday night in a deflating 8-0 loss to the No. 2 Arkansas Razorbacks (23-5, 8-2).

Skylar Wallace drilled a home run in Florida's 9-3 quarterfinal win over Kentucky.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida drops rivalry game against Florida State in a 10-inning thriller

By Jose Tovar | Apr. 7, 2022

The Gators left 12 runners on base during Wednesday night's 4-2 loss against in-state rivals Florida State.

Fred Biondi shot a team-best 6-under-par 64 in the final round of the Ben Hogan Collegiate Tuesday. The Florida men's golf team finished ninth in the event.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida closes out season at Calusa Cup with second place finish and Biondi victory

By Lillian Randolph | Apr. 6, 2022

As the regular season comes to a close, the men’s golf team traveled to Naples, Florida, where they competed against seven of the nation’s top-25 teams. The Gators placed second overall while redshirt junior Fred Biondi took the individual tournament victory.

Freshman Deric Fabian rounds third base and sprints for home during a midweek matchup with Florida A&M. Fabian hit his third home run of the season on Tuesday night against Florida A&M. The third baseman knocked a solo walk-off to survive the series in Vanderbilt

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators dominate weekday matchup against Rattlers

By Carson Cashion | Apr. 5, 2022

In a lopsided 13-3 weekday affair, Florida (19-10, 3-6) dominated the Florida A&M Rattlers (12-18, 6-3) on the back of three perfect innings from starting pitcher Nick Pogue.

Florida senior Marlee Zein on the court during a match against UCF on Feb. 9, 2021. The No. 16 Gators surpassed Vanderbilt on the road Sunday, 6-1.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida takes down Vanderbilt behind stellar performances from Marlee Zein

By Vanessa Sanchez | Apr. 5, 2022

Florida women’s tennis (16-4, 8-2 SEC) gained its eighth-consecutive win over the No. 41 Vanderbilt Commodores (11-7, 3-6) on the road Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee.

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