Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

The Florida volleyball team celebrates a point against the LSU Tigers Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

No. 14 Gators defeat Arkansas in five sets, sweep weekend

By Ethan Eibe | Oct. 30, 2022

After a sluggish start where Arkansas owned the opening frame, No.14 Florida outlasted the Razorbacks in five sets. The Gators had three players record double-digit kills, with senior outside hitter Marina Markova leading the group with 17. Junior outside hitter Sofia Victoria tied her season-high with 16 and sophomore outside hitter Merritt Beason tallied 12.

TIAA Bank Field, the home stadium of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, also serves as host for the annual Florida-Georgia game. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

UF, organizations respond to antisemitic message after Florida-Georgia game

By Brandon Hernandez | Oct. 30, 2022

An antisemitic message was projected onto the exterior of TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, after the Georgia-Florida game Saturday. UF, UGA and other organizations condemned the actions.

UF senior outside hitter Marina Markova rises above the net for a spike against the LSU Tigers Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

No. 14 Gators sweep Arkansas in Saturday Matinee

By Ethan Eibe | Oct. 30, 2022

No. 14 Florida’s three set sweep (25-20, 25-20, 25-21) over Arkansas at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Saturday afternoon kept UF atop the Southeastern Conference standings. The Gators are now 23-0 all-time against the Razorbacks at the O'Dome.

Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson in the huddle during the first half of the Gators' loss to Georgia Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Bulldogs prove resilient, defeat Gators in Jacksonville

By Joseph Henry | Oct. 29, 2022

Florida was defeated by No. 1 Georgia 42-20 Saturday evening in the 100th meeting between the bitter rivals. The Bulldogs 25-point halftime lead proved insurmountable and 555 yards of offense was the second most given up by the Gators this season.

A Florida football player during the Gators' game against Eastern Washington Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Gators return to action in rivalry matchup versus Georgia

By Jackson Castellano | Oct. 29, 2022

Just a year ago, Florida fell to the No. 1 Bulldogs in a lopsided affair. Three turnovers in the second quarter alone senta struggling Gators team back to Gainesville with very little to show. Now, Billy Napier and veteran members of the team must lead Florida against the 2022 Bulldogs, once again ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Bates family dons Gator gear. (courtesy photo from James Bates)

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Swimmer sisters continue their family’s athletic legacy in the Swamp

By Kate Wiggins | Oct. 28, 2022

Talia Bates, a 21-year-old UF sustainability senior and her younger sister, 19-year-old UF journalism sophomore Georgia Bates, are both on the university’s swim team — continuing their family’s legacy as UF athletes. Their parents, former UF linebacker James Bates and former UF swimmer Tina Bates, both competed for the Gators from 1992-1996.

Florida goalkeeper Francesca Faraci, who made her first UF start Thursday night against Texas A&M, sends of a goal kick during the Gators' game against Arkansas Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Bohon’s first season ends with loss, worst record in program history

By Jackson Reyes | Oct. 27, 2022

The Texas A&M Aggies defeated the Florida Gators 4-1 Thursday night. The Aggies outshot the Gators 15 shots to nine. Florida head coach Samantha Bohon finished her first season with the Gators with a loss. Bohon finished her first season at Florida with the worst in Florida program history.

The Florida volleyball team celebrates a point during its match against LSU Sunday Oct. 9, 2022.

SPORTS | VOLLEYBALL

No. 14 Florida fends off Auburn, still holds top spot in conference

By Brandon Hernandez | Oct. 27, 2022

No.14 Florida defeated the Auburn Tigers through three sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-15) to get back into the win column Wednesday and to keep the top spot in the Southeastern Conference. The Gators defense held the Tigers to a .112 hitting percentage on the way to earning the team’s 10th straight win against Auburn.

Florida's Yuxin Lin of the Florida men's golf team competes in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Cle Elum Regional at Tumble Creek Golf Club in Cle Elum, Wash., on May 19, 2021. (Photography by Stephen Brashear/Red Box Pictures)

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida men’s golf finishes runner-up at the Isleworth Collegiate

By Alyssa Britton-Harr | Oct. 26, 2022

The Florida men’s golf team was in Windermere, Florida, Sunday through Tuesday for the Isleworth Collegiate. The Gators ended the tournament 15-under par. UF also boasted four individuals — Yuxin Lin, Quentin Debove, Fred Biondi and John DuBois — finishing inside the top 25.

Linebacker Jamer Bates (left), quarterback Eric Kresser (middle) and wide receiver Chris Doering (right) were members of the 1995 Florida football team.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Break off a branch: Gators score 52 between the hedges

By Joseph Henry | Oct. 25, 2022

The circumstances of this game were special. The annual neutral site meeting between the Southeastern Conference rivals had to shift away from its normal setting in Jacksonville for two seasons. The Gators handily one won both matchups, but the players involved knew the weight of getting the unique opportunity to go play “between the hedges.”

Quarterback Kyle Trask (left) was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2020. He finished with the most passing touchdowns in the country that season (43) while racking up the second most passing yards (4,283). Tight end Kyle Pitts (right) was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2020. He finished the year with 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns, despite only playing in eight games.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

2021 Georgia defense versus 2020 Florida offense: Who wins?

By Michael Hull | Oct. 25, 2022

The 2021 Georgia defense was one of the best squads of all time. The 2020 Florida offense could’ve been in the history books if a few things go differently on the other side of the ball. If these two units went at each other head-to-head, who would come out on top?

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

The case for Jacksonville: How Florida-Georgia extends outside the stadium

By Jackson Castellano | Oct. 25, 2022

Although Florida-Georgia is set to remain in Jacksonville for the near future, controversy has emerged surrounding the location of the historic rivalry game. If relocated, the city of Jacksonville could face irreparable damages.

Mike White departed from Florida in March to become the head coach at Georgia. White ended his time in Gainesville with a 142-88 record over seven seasons.

SPORTS | BASKETBALL

Mike White looks for a fresh opportunity at Florida’s rival school

By Jackson Reyes | Oct. 25, 2022

White left the Gators to fill the void of former Georgia head coach Tom Crean. UF hired White in 2015 as the successor to Billy Donovan, who coached in Gainesville for 19 seasons and led the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007. White never lived up to the expectations set by his predecessor. As the years went on, he faced pressure from fans and it all culminated in his final season.

Rachel Baumann (left) and Victoria Nguyen (right) transferred to Florida after previously competing with the Georgia Bulldogs. Photos by Kathryn Skeean — The Red and Black.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Florida gymnastics adds two Georgia talents in offseason

By Brandon Hernandez | Oct. 25, 2022

Gators gymnastics brought in graduate student Rachel Baumann and junior Victoria Nguyen from rivals Georgia this summer. The moves add to the elite arsenal of weapons for the Florida team, which was just 0.1125 points away from a national title last season.

Lukas Greif, who is now a senior, swings at a tennis ball on the fourth day of the 2019 ITA Tournament in Gainesville.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Greif, Braswell lead Gators at ITA Southeast Regionals

By Kyle Bumpers | Oct. 24, 2022

Senior Lukas Greif won five straight games to take home a victory in the consolation bracket final, and freshman Jonah Braswell made it to the semifinals of the main draw. The two also competed alongside each other in the doubles draw and outlasted the Gators’ other pairs.

Florida Gators women's golf on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at the Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville, FL / UAA Communications photo by Alex de la Osa.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

Florida women’s golf finishes fall season T13 at Stanford Intercollegiate

By Alyssa Britton-Harr | Oct. 24, 2022

The Florida women's golf team competed in its final tournament of the fall season this past weekend. The Gators won't see action until February of next year.

Running back Montrell Johnson Jr. is lifted up in celebration by offensive lineman Austin Barber after a Florida touchdown against LSU Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Struggling Gators face upcoming test against Bulldogs

By Topher Adams | Oct. 24, 2022

No. 1 Georgia is the current measuring stick for Florida football. Year one under Billy Napier has been up-and-down, but the program is building to eventually compete with the top-ranked Bulldogs.

UF athletic director Scott Stricklin observes the Florida football team during its game against Eastern Washington Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022.

SPORTS | FEATURES

Stricklin to serve as bridge for athletics between Fuchs’ presidency, his successor

By Kyle Bumpers | Oct. 24, 2022

UF President Kent Fuchs was faced with the tough task of replacing one of the most decorated athletic directors in SEC history within his first two years at UF. Sen. Ben Sasse is currently in line to take over for Fuchs as he’s the sole candidate to be named president of the university. Sasse, or whoever becomes the next president, likely won’t have this same hurdle as Stricklin is set to be in charge for the foreseeable future. Stricklin’s set to work with the next university president as he’s under contract until 2027.

Sophomore defender Madison Young during Florida's match with Arkansas Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Florida soccer misses out on SEC Tournament for the first time ever

By Jose Tovar | Oct. 23, 2022

No. 3 Alabama rolled past Florida 2-0 Sunday to sink the Gators to the bottom of the standings. After chaining losses to Vanderbilt and the Crimson Tide this week, Florida’s been eliminated from contention for the 10-team SEC tournament for the first time in program history.

Florida sophomore defender Madison Young controls possession during the Gators' match with Arkansas Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

SPORTS | SOCCER

Gators lose high-scoring match to Vanderbilt

By Jackson Reyes | Oct. 20, 2022

The Vanderbilt Commodores beat the Florida Gators 5-2 Thursday night at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Commodores scored three of their goals in the opening 45 minute and never looked back.