1 - The Independent Florida Alligator

UF catcher Janell Wheaton was part of a controversial call in the fourth inning that allowed UCLA to card five runs in the frame.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Tigers spoil UF Senior Day with 3-0 victory

By Mark Stine | Apr. 28, 2018

The seniors on the UF softball team ‒ pitcher Aleshia Ocasio, first baseman Kayli Kvistad, third baseman Nicole DeWitt and catcher Janell Wheaton ‒ were honored during their second game of the series against No. 13 LSU on Saturday. Their numbers adorned Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium and were traced behind home plate, planted next to their positions and embroidered into the outfield.

The Florida men's sprint medley relay team of juniors Kyren Hollis, Ryan Clark, Michael Timpson Jr. and freshman Benjamin Lobo Vedel took first at the National Relay Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

UF competes in Day 1 at National Relay Championships

By Alanis Thames | Apr. 27, 2018

Kyren Hollis curled his fingers around his black baton as his arms pumped faster and faster. Kentucky’s sprinter was on his heels threatening to snatch the lead from the junior as the two approached the finish line almost simultaneously.

Junior pitcher Jackson Kowar started on Friday against the Razorbacks, throwing six innings and allowing four earned runs during his fourth loss of the season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators drop Game 2 against Tigers in offensive slugfest

By Morgan McMullen | Apr. 27, 2018

If Thursday night’s game between the Auburn and Florida baseball teams was a carefully choreographed ballet, Friday night’s matchup was a chaotic mosh pit.

Florida defeated LSU 7-0 in its first game of a three-game series. Junior Alex Voss led the Gators offensively with two RBIs.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Florida extends win-streak over LSU to nine

By Mari Faiello | Apr. 27, 2018

When Alex Voss stepped up to home plate for her first at-bat of the night, she was just trying to get on base and help the Gators get back to the top of the batting order.

Sophomore Andy Zhang finally broke through and won his first individual championship in 2018.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

A bolt from the blue: Zhang wins individual SEC championship

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 27, 2018

On the third playoff hole of the SEC Championship, UF sophomore Andy Zhang had a chance at individual victory over Ole Miss’ Cecil Wegener with a putt just a couple feet away from the hole. He calmly sank the putt, pumped his fist, shook Wegener’s hand and embraced his coach, J.C. Deacon. “You got it, you won,” Deacon said in between Zhang’s “Oh my God.”

The Flores-Colondres family poses for a photo at an Alabama church in 2010.

NEWS | FEATURES

Gainesville residents raise money to bring deported father, husband back home

By Amanda Rosa | Apr. 27, 2018

Every night for the past six years, Lina Colondres and her husband Ruben Flores Garcia have stayed up thinking of each other — 1,681 miles apart.

Junior McClain Kessler clinched the Round of 16 match for Florida over Ole Miss on Friday night, sending the Gators to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida tops Vanderbilt in quarterfinals of SEC Tournament

By Dylan Rudolph | Apr. 27, 2018

With the sky clear and the sun beating down in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the Florida men’s tennis team bested Vanderbilt 4-1 in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.

Third baseman Jonathan India slugged a two-run home run in Florida 3-1 victory over Auburn on Thursday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators outlast Auburn in pitcher’s duel

By Morgan McMullen | Apr. 26, 2018

Gators third baseman Jonathan India hadn’t been himself recently.Well, relatively speaking. Since having his 24-game hitting streak interrupted in UF’s series against Kentucky, he’d gone 3-of-11 from the plate with a pair of RBIs and one home run.

Sophomore Andy Zhang is tied for first heading into the final day of the NCAA Kissimmee Regional. He's at 8 under with freshman John Axelsen just behind him at 7 under.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Gators recover on second day of SEC Championship

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 26, 2018

The No. 11 Florida men’s golf team needed to have a big day on Thursday to have any hope of advancing to match play following a tough first day of the SEC Championship at the Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Award-winning journalist and author Jodi Kantor spoke to students Wednesday night in the Florida Gym as part of Accent Speaker Bureau's final event of the semester. The New York Times investigative reporter was recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her story uncovering Harvey Weinstein's sexual abuse in the entertainment industry as well as being named one of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2018.

NEWS | CAMPUS STUDENT GOVERNMENT

New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor talks Weinstein, journalism

By David Hoffman | Apr. 26, 2018

Jodi Kantor, a Pulitzer-prize-winning reporter for The New York Times and one of the two reporters who broke the story that Harvey Weinstein was paying off sexual harassment accusers, was kicked off her college newspaper in the late ‘90s, she candidly told her student audience at UF.

Senior Alejandro Tosti is struggling at the SEC Championship despite being the returning individual champion. He shot 6-over-par on the first day of competition.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

UF falls apart on opening day of SEC Championship

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 25, 2018

J.C. Deacon, coach of the No. 11 Florida men’s golf team, is in his fourth year as Florida’s coach and has not won an SEC championship.

Sophomore Sierra Brooks and the Florida Gators ended their season at the NCAA Championships.

SPORTS | FEATURES

FULL CIRCLE: Sierra Brooks’ redemption tour hits Florida

By Chris O'Brien | Apr. 25, 2018

CRACK!

It was left fielder Amanda Lorenz's birthday on Wednesday. She went 2 for 3 and scored a run in UF's 5-1 win over Florida State.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Lorenz gets her birthday wish as Florida softball defeats FSU at home

By Mari Faiello | Apr. 25, 2018

When junior left fielder Amanda Lorenz woke up this morning she had one wish for her birthday: a win against Florida State.

Gregg Troy retired from being head coach of UF Swimming and Diving after spending 20 years in the position. “I’ve experienced countless memorable moments here at Florida," Troy said.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

BREAKING NEWS: Gregg Troy, legendary Florida swimming and diving coach, retires

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 25, 2018

If you laid out Gregg Troy’s resume, it would probably stretch the length of an Olympic swimming pool many times over.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Seek out your own Alligator experience

By Ethan Bauer | Apr. 24, 2018

I have an Alligator ‘a’ tattooed on my right forearm, and many of my friends and family thought it was a terrible idea. But it’s been about a year and a half since I got that bulky black ‘a’ sewn into my skin forever, and just yesterday, I looked down at it while showering and thought, “Man, this was a great idea.”

SPORTS | COLUMNS

The Alligator taught me I’m not who I thought I was. And that’s 100 percent OK

By Dylan Dixon | Apr. 24, 2018

Who the hell are you?

SPORTS | FEATURES

OPEN SEASON: Andy Zhang’s drive to golf’s biggest stage

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 24, 2018

Walking into the locker room at San Francisco’s Olympic Club, Andy Zhang was unfazed.

SPORTS | FEATURES

FULL CIRCLE: Sierra Brooks’ redemption tour hits Florida

By Chris O'Brien | Apr. 24, 2018

CRACK!

Junior college transfer Wil Dalton launched his team-leading 16th home run of the season in Florida's 6-4 loss on Tuesday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Broom handles Gators, cleans up early mess for Mercer

By Morgan McMullen | Apr. 24, 2018

At least a few of the 3,133 Gators fans at McKethan Stadium Tuesday night probably didn’t see it coming. After Florida (34-9, 14-4 SEC) won its series against No. 14 Kentucky with relative ease over the weekend, they probably believed the Gators were due for a nice, easy midweek win against Mercer.

A group of law enforcement officers drive under the U.S. flag hoisted by Alachua County Fire Rescue and Gainesville Fire Rescue fire engine ladders as part of the funeral procession on South Main Street in Bell, Florida for the two deputies who were shot in Trenton.

METRO

‘Never be forgotten’: Thousands honor killed deputies

By Robert Lewis | Apr. 24, 2018

With a New York Police Department patch clutched in one hand, 9-year-old Kaden Rogers waved with the other to first responders who drove by him.

El Caimán