sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Senior Shayna Pirreca and her sister, Sydney, led UF to victory over Colorado in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday with a combined seven goals.

Sports

TOURNAMENT CHAMPS: Gators rout Denver to capture fourth Big East title

By Tyler Nettuno | May 5, 2018

A bachelor’s degree in history and a conference title?

Florida first baseman had three of the Gators' four RBIs against Missouri.

Sports

Florida softball named SEC Regular Season Champions with win over Missouri

By Mari Faiello | May 4, 2018

In the top of the sixth, senior catcher Janell Wheaton walked up to home plate with an 0-1 count.

Junior attacker Lindsey Ronbeck scored the first two goals of the game on Saturday, but it wasn't enough as the Gators fell to James Madison, 11-8.

Sports

Ronbeck’s monster performance leads Florida to Big East Final

By Tyler Nettuno | May 3, 2018

When the Gators lacrosse team played Marquette on April 14, Lindsey Ronbeck was held to only one goal in UF’s 18-6 victory. However, the junior made the most of her second matchup against the Eagles, notching a Big East Tournament record eight goals as Florida defeated MU 19-8 in the Big East Semifinals on Thursday.

Left fielder Amanda Lorenz tied up the score in the bottom of the fifth inning with a 3-RBI triple in Florida's 5-3 victory over LSU.

Sports

Florida takes series against LSU with 5-3 home victory

By Mari Faiello | Apr. 29, 2018

Things looked pretty grim at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium as the Gators entered the bottom of the fifth, down 3-0 to the LSU Tigers.

Sports

Gators’ triple jumpers highlight Day 2 of National Relay Championships

By Alanis Thames | Apr. 29, 2018

Yanis David had been working for this moment all season.

Junior Alfredo Perez (left) and sophomore Johannes Ingildsen (right) are onto the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships along with fellow Gators pairing of junior McClain Kessler and freshman Duarte Vale.

Sports

Florida loses heartbreaker, bounced from SEC Tournament in semifinals

By Dylan Rudolph | Apr. 29, 2018

The Florida men’s tennis team fought until the end but lost to the Mississippi State Bulldogs 4-2 in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Sophomore John Axelsen (-7) is in a three-way stalemate for first place at the Trinity Forest Invitational. The Gators sit in eighth overall.

Sports

Gators fall in SEC semifinal

By Sam Campisano | Apr. 29, 2018

Coach J.C. Deacon and the rest of the No. 11 Florida men’s golf team will have to wait at least another year before they can win their first SEC championship.

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.”