sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Outside hitter Thayer Hall made the All-SEC Preseason Team, which was announced Oct. 8.

Sports

Florida announces fan capacity for 2020 season

By Zachary Huber | Oct. 15, 2020

The Gators announced that fans will be in attendance at Florida volleyball games this season.

Quincy Lenton (14) lines up on special teams at Florida's game against Vanderbilt in 2019. Lenton was recruited to play at UF while Jim McElwain served as head coach.

Sports

Gators DB Quincy Lenton enters transfer portal as a grad transfer

By Sara Kate Dyson | Oct. 13, 2020

Florida defensive back Quincy Lenton officially entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, according to Matt Zenitz, Senior SEC football reporter for AL.com.

Susi Espinoza recorded three saves before allowing Texas A&M to score its first goal. The Aggies recorded nine shots to UF’s one in the opening half.

Sports

Florida falls to 11th-ranked Texas A&M on the road

By Bryan Matamoros | Oct. 12, 2020

Susi Espinoza kept Texas A&M’s Barbara Olivieri at bay in the early stages of Sunday afternoon’s game.

Sports

Walk-on: The Clifford Taylor IV story

By Christian Ortega | Oct. 11, 2020

When people are asked to describe a close friend in a word, it’s common to find them gazing at the distance as their brain scrambles to find the appropriate response. The momentary lapse for thought, varying from Joy from Inside Out-like efficiency or workers in SpongeBob’s brain office scrambling through burning ruins, leads to mixed responses.

Gators coach Dan Mullen stands on the sideline at Kyle Field Saturday. After the 41-38 loss, Mullen explained how he wants Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at full capacity from now on.

Sports

Mullen’s ‘pack The Swamp’ comments were off-base

By Tyler Nettuno | Oct. 11, 2020

There are an abundance of reasons why the Gators lost their first game of the 2020 season against Texas A&M on Saturday.

The No. 15 Gators first road game of the year is against No. 11 Texas A&M.

Sports

Florida set to take on No. 11 Texas A&M in first road game

By Declan Walsh | Oct. 10, 2020

Florida earned the attention of the United Soccer Coaches’ national rankings for the first time this season, slotting in at No. 15 after a win and a draw against ranked Alabama and Georgia teams.

The Gators allowed 41 points in their first loss of the season.

Sports

Florida drops first game of the season to Texas A&M in defensive nightmare

By River Wells | Oct. 10, 2020

When Malik Davis fumbled the football near midfield with time dwindling, it didn’t matter how stunted the crowd was at Kyle Field: It erupted all the same.

Quarterback Kyle Trask's performance against the Gamecocks last weekend earned him a QBR of 91.3.

Sports

Trask, improved defense lead to dominating victory over South Carolina

By Brendan Farrell | Oct. 8, 2020

Florida’s recent battles with former coach Will Muschamp and his South Carolina Gamecocks haven’t always been easy. While the Gators are 3-0 against USC under coach Dan Mullen, the previous two meetings weren’t exactly easy wins.

The men's and women's teams finished 12th and sixth, respectively, at their first tournament of the 2020 season.

Sports

Gators conclude play at Blessings Collegiate Invitational

By Michael Hull | Oct. 7, 2020

The Gators men’s and women’s golf teams finished their first tournament of the season Wednesday. The women placed sixth in the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. The men finished 12th.

After two days at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, the women's golf team sits in sixth place.

Sports

Gators enter final round in need of comeback

By Michael Hull | Oct. 7, 2020

The Gators men’s and women’s golf teams finished the second round of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational Tuesday.

Senior captian Duarte Vale won five of six matches in the Gators' first tournament of the 2020 fall season.

Sports

Gators win 30 matches in strong start to new season

By Ryan Haley | Oct. 7, 2020

The Florida Gators men’s tennis team started its season in a big way in Auburn, Alabama, this past weekend, with a 24-3 record in singles and a 6-6 record in doubles in its first official competition since March.

Senior Addie Baggarly practices at Mark Bostick Golf Course. Baggarly and freshman Maisie Filler are currently tied for third overall in the Gators' first tournament of the season.

Sports

Gators tee off from Blessings Collegiate Invitational

By Michael Hull | Oct. 5, 2020

The Gators’ men's and women's golf teams played the first round of their opening fall tournament, The Blessings Collegiate Invitational, on Monday.

Tight end Kyle Pitts had four receptions for 57 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's win over South Carolina.

Sports

Gators pick up second win but still have much to answer for

By River Wells | Oct. 4, 2020

A win is a win.

Sophomore forward Alivia Gonzalez nailed a game-winning shot in Alabama's goal to protect Florida's unbeaten record.

Sports

Gonzalez scores late winner for UF against No. 15 Alabama

By Declan Walsh | Oct. 4, 2020

In a tale of two halves at the Diz, Florida overcame a sloppy and toothless first-half performance to notch a 2-1 victory over No. 15 Alabama.

A view from the stands at Florida's home opener Saturday. The Gators beat the Gamecocks 38-24.

Sports

Gators topple Gamecocks in surreal home opener

By Payton Titus | Oct. 3, 2020

If there were holograms instead of fan cutouts in the stands at The Swamp, Saturday’s game could have been a Black Mirror episode.

As well as Bowman, head coach Dan Mullen and staff have drawn former five-star recruits such as Brenton Cox, Lorenzo Lingard and Justin Shorter to Florida.

Sports

Gators land high-profile transfer in Clemson running back Demarkcus Bowman

By River Wells | Oct. 3, 2020

Florida Gators coach Dan Mullen added another five-star transfer to his arsenal in the midst of UF’s matchup against South Carolina on Saturday.

Both Gators squads finished in the top eight at the FSU Invitational Friday.

Sports

Gators finish fourth and seventh at FSU Invitational

By Myles Herbert | Oct. 2, 2020

Florida traveled to Tallahassee for their second meet of the season, the FSU Invitational. The men’s squad finished fourth, while the women’s team finished seventh.

The Gators are traveling to Tallahassee for the FSU Invitational.

Sports

Gators aim for back to back championships at FSU Invitational

By Myles Herbert | Oct. 1, 2020

Friday brings the second meet for the Florida cross country team, as they travel to Tallahassee to compete in the FSU Invitational at Apalachee Regional Park. Both the men’s and women’s teams look to finish as they did last year: first.

Offensive lineman Brett Heggie (61) lined up in front of quarterback Kyle Trask at Florida's game against Tennessee last year. During quarantine, Heggie said he practiced all three interior positions in preparation for this season.

Sports

Gators revamp offensive line, face challenges ahead

By Christian Ortega | Oct. 1, 2020

The Gators’ offensive line had to improve as a unit without flashing signs of growing pains.

Then-junior receiver Kadarius Toney celebrates an Orange Bowl victory to end the Gators' 2019 season. A healthy Toney is poised to make a splash for Florida this year.

Sports

Future is bright for Toney following his evolution

By Christian Ortega | Sep. 30, 2020

On the field, he’s what a 13-year-old would create in Madden: a blend of speed and agility that would erode joysticks as users dance their way through CPU defenders.