Sports | Other Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Florida goalkeeper Haley Hicklen earned Big East Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday for her efforts against Villanova and Temple. It was the second time this season she has been awarded the title.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Gators lacrosse motivated by last year’s NCAA quarterfinal exit

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 7, 2019

Athletes know the feeling all too well.

Gordon Neale finished the Sea Best Invitational tied for second.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida men falter in final round, women descend on leaderboard

By Victor Prieto | Feb. 5, 2019

The Gators men’s golf team entered Tuesday leading the field in Jacksonville at the Sea Best Invitational. It finished the day in third place, shooting 9-over par in the final round and stumbling to finish 8-over for the tournament.

Redshirt senior thrower AJ McFarland set a personal indoor record for this second time this season at the Virginia Tech Elite Invitational. McFarland's 22.58-meter throw was also his sixth time breaking the school record.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

McFarland makes UF history for sixth time

By Graham Marsh | Feb. 5, 2019

The record books for UF throwing events seemingly change every time the page is refreshed.

Junior Sierra Brooks (17-under) took home the individual title during a shortened opening weekend at the Cougar Classic in Hanahan, South Carolina. Florida won the tournament by three strokes.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Gators women’s golf team struggles through first round of spring season

By Victor Prieto | Feb. 4, 2019

The No. 3 Gators women’s golf team labored through a two-hour weather delay in Palos Verdes, California, where its 2019 spring season began at the Northrop Gumman Regional Challenge.

Bryan Shelton was modest after earning his 100th career win as Florida's coach. “I don't hit a single ball in these matches so the players are the ones that should get the credit,” he said.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators overcome rain delay, defeat Florida State

By Noah Ram | Feb. 3, 2019

Not even the weather could prevent the Florida Gators from beating their in-state rivals.

Senior Lindsey Ronbeck was named the American Athletic Conference’s Preseason Attacker of the Year. She’s fourth on UF’s career goals list with 159.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Gators embrace change of conference heading into 2019

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 3, 2019

Players leaving, coaching changes and evolving tactics all affect the preparation of a team and how it performs from season to season.

Florida sophomore Taylor Ault notched two second-place finishes in both the 500 free (4:48.38) and the 1,650 free (16:29.57) in her last meet.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Gators set to compete on Senior Day

By Evan Lepak | Jan. 31, 2019

The Florida Gators swimming and diving teams will be in the O'Connell Center Natatorium this weekend, looking to send 12 seniors out the right way by winning their final home meet of the season.

Junior Grant Holloway started the season with a national No. 2 long-jump ranking at 8.02 meters, a national first place 60 meter hurdle time of 7.49 seconds and a national fourth-place 200 meter dash ranking with a time of 20.69 seconds.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

UF to compete at Virginia Tech Elite

By Graham Marsh | Jan. 31, 2019

The field eventers will bring their sprinters with them this time around when they head to Blacksburg, Virginia, for the second time in two weeks.

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

Riffice leads Gators in rout of Knights

By Brendan Farrell | Jan. 31, 2019

The doubles tandem of freshman Sam Riffice and sophomore Oliver Crawford walked into the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, Florida, fresh off a couple of wins at the ITA Kickoff event where it dropped just one point.

UF men’s tennis sophomore Oliver Crawford is the No. 9-ranked collegiate player. He is one of three Gators ranked in the top 50.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Same goal, different start for Gators men’s and women’s teams

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 29, 2019

Florida’s women’s tennis team hasn’t had an ideal start to the season.

UF women's tennis coach Roland Thornqvist said Monday's 4-3 loss to North Carolina State will make his team better in the future. “This is the first time competing at a level like this for a lot of them and it is going to take getting used to,” he said.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida loses heartbreaker in ITA Kickoff Championship

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 28, 2019

Almost.

Sophomore Oliver Crawford has a 13-7 record in singles play this season.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida wins ITA Kickoff Weekend after lengthy rain delay

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 28, 2019

The clock struck 10:26 p.m. on Sunday, and the Gators men’s tennis team had finally clinched a 4-1 victory over Florida Atlantic University to claim the ITA Kickoff Weekend title and earn a spot in the ITA National Indoor Championships in Chicago.

The Florida men's and women's swimming and diving times compete in Austin, Texas, this weekend in an event hosted by the Texas Longhorns. The UF men enter the meet ranked No. 8, while the women have a national rank of No. 19.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Men prevail while women fall against Auburn

By Evan Lepak | Jan. 28, 2019

Florida's men's and women's swim teams went head-to-head with the Auburn Tigers at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center in Auburn, Alabama on Saturday.

Florida sprinter, jumper and hurdler Grant Holloway finished first in both the 60-meter hurdles and the 200-meter sprint. His time of 7.49 seconds in the hurdles was the fifth fastest in collegiate history.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators take home nine national top-10 marks in Arkansas

By Kyle Wood | Jan. 28, 2019

Grant Holloway is quite literally on top of the world. His time of 6.51 seconds in the 60 meters broke a seven-year-old school record, was good for the world lead and put him in the top 10 on the all-time collegiate list for the event. Holloway also holds the national lead in the 60-meter hurdles and the No. 2 marks in the long jump and 200 meters.

Sophomore McCartney Kessler defeated UC Santa Barbara's Elizaveta Volodko in straight sets (6-1, 7-5) during the Gators' ITA Kickoff Weekend Saturday.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators singles play secures first win of season

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 26, 2019

The Gators women’s tennis team began the ITA Kickoff Weekend Saturday afternoon against UC Santa Barbara at the Ring Tennis Complex.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Gators look to remain undefeated in the SEC

By Bryan Matamoros Sports Writer | Jan. 24, 2019

Florida’s swimming and diving teams travel to Alabama this Saturday to face Auburn at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center, looking to remain undefeated in conference play.

UF track and field coach Mike Holloway. The Gators had 10 athletes bring home hardware from the SEC Outdoor Championships.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Gators track teams look to continue success in Arkansas

By Kyle Wood | Jan. 24, 2019

Florida’s track and field teams will travel to Arkansas this weekend for the first of two times this season to face off against some of the top teams in the nation.

Senior McClain Kessler fell in the second round of singles play at the ITA All-American Championships as well as in the second round of doubles play with partner Sam Riffice.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators men’s and women’s teams host ITA Kickoff Weekend

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 24, 2019

Both the Gators women’s and men’s tennis teams are back in action for the opening weekend of the spring season at home in the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The men’s team will open its 2019 campaign against William & Mary at 11 a.m., while the women’s team will take on UC Santa Barbara at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

UF coach Roland Thornqvist was pleased with how freshman Marlee Zein played in Las Vegas. “She played really well from both a physical and a mental perspective,” he said.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Cal comeback shocks Florida in home opener

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 23, 2019

Cheers echoed all night long through the Ring Tennis Complex. After backhand winners. After decisive break points. And after the final match point.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Zein impresses during Florida’s spring debut in Vegas

By Victor Prieto | Jan. 22, 2019

It took just three days for freshman Marlee Zein to make an immediate impact for the Florida Gators tennis team.