Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Kentucky coach John Calipari and the Wildcats enter the SEC Tournament as the No. 2-seed, where they will play the winner of Ole Miss and Alabama on Friday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Predicting which team will win the SEC Tournament

Mar. 12, 2019

Kentucky

Coach Tim Walton said he plans to utilize the versatility of his roster. “Every series, we’ll have a different lineup," he said.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Three numbers to know ahead of UF’s matchup with UCF

By Brendan Farrell | Mar. 12, 2019

The No. 7 Gators (22-4) are looking to rebound after a series loss to Tennessee at home to open SEC play. UCF is 5-1 in its last six games ahead of Wednesday’s game and sit at a 17-8 record ahead of its first road game of the season.

Florida coach Amanda O’Leary (pictured) and the Gators lacrosse team return to Donald R. Dizney Stadium to face their fifth ranked opponent of the season.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Gators host fourth-ranked Syracuse after month long road trip

By Bryan Matamoros | Mar. 12, 2019

The Florida’s women’s lacrosse team has not played at home since Feb. 14 when it lost to No. 2 Maryland 17-12.

Sophomore Victoria Emma won her singles match, but she and McCartney Kessler lost their third consecutive doubles match as a pair. The Gators women’s tennis team fell 4-3 to the No. 30 Knights on Sunday night.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida tames Tigers in 4-1 win

By Victor Prieto | Mar. 10, 2019

Tsveta Dimitrova clinched her fist and casually strolled toward her opponent as Taylor Gruber’s shot collided with the net. Dimitrova claimed her fifth singles victory and the Florida women’s tennis team’s second-consecutive road win over a top-50 team.

Junior Marta Perez (+1) is in eighth after two rounds at the Longhorn Invite.  UF (+10) is currently in 10th.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Gators win their own event for the fourth-consecutive year

By Bryan Matamoros | Mar. 10, 2019

Florida’s women’s golf team entered the final round of the Florida Gators Invitational in second place at even par, three strokes behind first-place Miami.

UF men’s tennis player Johannes Ingildsen won his match against UCF’s Trey Hilderbrand 6-4, 7-5 on Friday night.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

UF improves to 3-0 in SEC play

By Noah Ram | Mar. 10, 2019

The No. 9 Florida men’s tennis team knew that this match would be different.

Florida coach Mike White and the Gators lost their final three games of the regular season and finished 17-14. UF plays Arkansas in the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators hope to boost NCAA resume at SEC Tournament

By Jake Dreilinger | Mar. 10, 2019

The future for the Florida men’s basketball team seems bleak.

Senior Nelson Maldonado went 2 for 3 at the plate with one run and three RBIs in Florida's 15-0 win over FGCU on Tuesday.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

UF is trending upwards with difficult stretch ahead

By Kyle Wood | Mar. 10, 2019

The nature of the Florida baseball team’s opponents and outcomes through 18 games have made it difficult to gauge where the Gators are.

UF junior Grant Holloway ran the 60-meter hurdles in 7.43 seconds at the Tyson Invitational. The time was one millisecond off of his personal record.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators repeat as indoor champions

By Graham Marsh | Mar. 10, 2019

For the second time in as many years, and for the fifth time since 2010, the Florida men’s track and field team won the NCAA Indoor Championship.

UF first baseman Amanda Lorenz went 3 for 3 with two home runs and five RBIs against Tennessee on Sunday.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators avoid sweep, run rule Volunteers at home

By Mark Stine | Mar. 10, 2019

Tennessee center fielder Cailin Hannon sprinted backward and tracked the softball as it gradually descended into her path. She outstretched her glove to make the catch, then ☺— WHAM!

Florida gymnast Trinity Thomas was named SEC Gymnast of the Week following her performance against Georgia on Friday. She collected 9.975s in both floor and bars.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Gators wrap regular season, turn focus to SEC Championships

By River Wells | Mar. 10, 2019

The Gators were nearly perfect at the O’Connell Center during the regular season, with their only loss coming against Georgia. Now, however, they’ll leave it all behind following their victory against No. 25 Penn State on Friday.

Starter Tyler Dyson allowed just two hits in five innings in his first win of the season. He finished with a season-high six strikeouts in the Gators' 16-4 win over Winthrop on Friday night.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Florida escapes with weekend sweep of Yale

By Evan Lepak | Mar. 10, 2019

Junior right-hander Tyler Dyson had his best start of the season on Sunday, commanding the strike zone by allowing just one walk after giving up nine combined in his previous three outings. His performance helped No. 5 Florida to a 4-3 victory over the Yale Bulldogs to preserve a weekend sweep at Alfred A. McKethan Stadium.

Gators sophomore right hander Jack Leftwich won his third game of the year after pitching six innings Sunday afternoon against Winthrop. He gave up two runs on four hits, struck out five and walked only one.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators crush Yale behind fifth-inning fireworks

By Evan Lepak | Mar. 9, 2019

The UF baseball team solved the issues that plagued it in Game 1 of its series with the Yale Bulldogs.

Natalie Lugo tied a career-high for strikes (13) in the Gators 1-0 victory over New Mexico.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators lose first home series to Tennessee in 12 years

By Mark Stine | Mar. 9, 2019

Natalie Lugo gazed toward the sky as the softball sailed over her head and past her back-tracking center fielder, Alex Voss.

Florida coach Mike White said center Kevarrius Hayes is the only player devoting 100-percent effort to rebounding. “He’s been asked to go, it’s his job," White said, "Kevarrius Hayes - and he’s hard to block out because he goes 10 out of 10 times.”

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida falls to Kentucky in regular-season finale

By Alanis Thames | Mar. 9, 2019

The Gators fell flat when it mattered.

UF women's tennis coach Roland Thornqvist said he was pleased after the Gators defeated Ole Miss 4-1 on Friday to open SEC play.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida comeback stifles Hogs en route to Thornqvist’s 500th victory

By Victor Prieto | Mar. 9, 2019

Marlee Zein finished off Jackie Carr in the fourth hour of Florida’s marathon match, clinching the decisive third set and the Gators’ first SEC victory on the road.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS