COVID-19 - The Independent Florida Alligator

Sports

‘Evelyn Goes Gator’: Sport as a social language

By Evelyn O’Carroll | Feb. 15

Back home in Ireland, sport is tied first to geographic location. Even if you never played, you usually belong to something: a club, a parish or a county. The Gaelic Athletic Association organizes Ireland’s main indigenous sports, Gaelic football and hurling, through local clubs. Because it relies on volunteers and local pride, sport ends up woven into ordinary social life.

El Caimán

‘Shaine in Spain’: The week I stopped calling home

By Shaine Davison | Feb. 15

As I stood jetlagged in Plaza Mayor the morning I landed, I couldn’t help but think about all my friends who were together in Gainesville. Meanwhile, I was alone and halfway across the world in a country where I barely spoke the language.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Morteza “Mori” Hosseini interviews Dr. Donald Landry on his stance on antisemitism. Dr. Landry testified in front of the Board of Trustees at the Emerson Alumni Hall, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025 in Gainesville, Fla.

University

As UF starts third presidential search in 4 years, excitement wears thin

By Leona Masangkay | Feb. 15

This is UF’s third presidential search in four years. Following the abrupt resignation of Ben Sasse in 2024, Dr. Donald Landry was selected by the UF Board of Trustees as interim president when Santa J. Ono, the University of Michigan’s then-president, was rejected.

Funky Music stands at 210 NW 10th Ave., Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

The Avenue

Gainesville’s ‘little rock and roll guitar shop’ has a new home

By Isabel Kraby | Feb. 15

Kish, the 42-year-old manager and guitar repairer at Funky Music, has always dreamed of working at a mom-and-pop music store, much like the one where he worked to raise money for guitar lessons when he was young. He shared that dream with Funky Music’s owner, Mike Hetrick, a longtime member of the local music scene.

Florida's Pablo Perez Ramos returns a hit during NCAA men's tennis match against Pablo Paternostro of Florida Gulf Coast Univeristy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Sports

Florida finishes ITA National Indoors performance with win over SMU

By Ethan Feinberg | Feb. 15

The Gators men’s tennis team looked to walk out of Dallas with a positive record in the 2026 ITA National Indoors.

From left to right: Andy Hunn, Tyson Adams, William McCombie, Rodney Samuel and Robert “Bob” Tucker — all members of the Barbergators Chorus — deliver a Singing Valentine to Piney Gonzalez at her office on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

The Avenue

Barbergators surprise Gainesville with Singing Valentines

By Saugat Shrestha | Feb. 15

For more than five decades, the Barbergators Chorus has been bringing a cappella music to Gainesville. Founded in 1973, the group is one of over 700 chapters of the Barbershop Harmony Society.

News

Mini crossword for Feb. 5, 2026

By Rohit Paranjape | Feb. 15

Play The Alligator's original mini crossword.

News

Mini crossword for Feb. 4, 2026

By Rohit Paranjape | Feb. 15

Play The Alligator's original mini crossword.

News

Mini crossword for Jan. 27, 2026

By Rohit Paranjape | Feb. 15

Play The Alligator's original mini crossword.

News

Mini crossword for Jan. 24, 2026

By Rohit Paranjape | Feb. 15

Play The Alligator's original mini crossword.

News

Mini crossword for Jan. 22, 2026

By Rohit Paranjape | Feb. 15

Play The Alligator's original mini crossword

The Avenue

Fill your calendar with this week’s Gainesville music events Concerts and music events the week of Feb. 16

By Isabel Kraby | Feb. 15

A free downtown festival returns, a local punk band plays its last show and The Wooly celebrates a pop star's birthday — just a few of the many upcoming music happenings in Gainesville. Check out what concerts are going on this week.

News

Mini crossword for Jan. 21, 2026

By Rohit Paranjape | Feb. 15

Play The Alligator's original mini crossword.

UF Fine Arts Master Student Alex Awuku hosts "The Wisdom of Ananse: Ceramic Sculptures by Alex Awuku," on Feb. 13th, 2026. The exhibit explores Ananse, a spider figure from Ghanaian folklore known for his cunning and wisdom.

The Avenue

Ghanaian student artist debuts a spidery ceramics exhibit near downtown Gainesville

By Tess Lippincott | Feb. 15

Alex Awuku, a 40-year-old UF fine arts graduate student, captured the mythical spider's essence in his immersive ceramic art exhibit, which debuted Friday evening at the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center in the Springhill neighborhood near downtown Gainesville.

Florida’s Jack Turner sets up a putt during the Gators Invitational, an NCAA golf tournament, at the Mark Bostick Golf Course, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Sports

Florida men’s golf wins seventh-straight Gators Invitational

By Colby Kistner | Feb. 15

For a decent portion of the Gators Invitational, No. 10 Florida was behind No. 2 Auburn. It looked like the Gators would drop their first Gators Invitational in seven years.

Florida Gators outfielder Cassidy McLellan (22) prepares to steal second in a softball game against Providence in Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Sports

No. 4 Florida sweeps 2026 Florida Classic with 5–1 win over Georgia Tech

By Zach Moore | Feb. 15

The game was tied 1-1 in the fourth. Georgia Tech’s starter, sophomore Sydnie Watts, thought she recorded her second strikeout of the day, but softball is a game of inches, and the count moved to 3-2.

Metro

Man charged with carrying concealed weapon underage after Oaks Mall shooting

By Vanessa Norris | Feb. 15

A Gainesville man was charged with violating his probation and carrying a concealed weapon after police responded to reports of gunshots fired at the Oaks Mall Saturday evening.

University

For Gator Grill Club, barbecue isn’t just a hobby — it’s a lifestyle

By Nevaeh Baker Harris | Feb. 15

The executive board members of Gator Grill Club have a simpler explanation — it's the grill.

Florida's Kevin Edengren returns the ball during an NCAA men's tennis match against Gustav Hasslegren of Florida Gulf Coast University, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Sports

Florida claims commanding victory over Clemson in day two of the ITA National Indoors

By Ethan Feinberg | Feb. 14

The dual match came down to the third set as junior Kevin Edengren mounted a relentless comeback, winning 6-4 in his last two sets and securing the win for the Gators. After a slow start to the ITA National Indoors on Friday, Florida got things going and defeated Clemson 4-3 in the tournament's day-two back draw round Saturday night in Dallas, Texas.

Florida Gators sophomore first baseman Ethan Surowiec during an NCAA Baseball game against UAB, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.

Sports

Cooper Walls dominates in Gator debut as No. 13 Florida clinches opening series against UAB

By Adrian Carmona | Feb. 14

Hawaii transfer Cooper Walls showed out in his Gator debut as No. 13 Florida took the season series against the UAB Blazers 6-1.