Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Natalie Lugo pitched her first complete-game shutout of the season in the Gators 5-0 win over Jacksonville Wednesday.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Quality pitching leads Florida to two victories in California

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 28, 2019

Three runs.

UF guard Andrew Nembhard is shooting 74.1 percent in his last four games.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators adding new aspects to their offense as season nears end

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 28, 2019

Florida guard Noah Locke went up for the jump shot, but he noticed forward Isaiah Stokes open in front of the basket with 49 seconds left in the first half.

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

Florida faces struggling Arkansas after upset loss

By River Wells | Feb. 28, 2019

The Gators were riding high as the SEC’s sole undefeated team in conference play when they stepped into the O’Connell Center to face off against Georgia last Friday.

Sophomore Jordan Butler is growing comfortable with his role in the Gators pitching staff. "Whatever they need me to do, start midweeks, close it out, come in mid-game ... it doesn’t matter to me, just that we win the game,” he said.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Gators fall at home after Knights’ late rally

By Kyle Wood | Feb. 27, 2019

Central Florida’s offensive war of attrition bested Florida’s scoring spurts on Wednesday night.

Florida pitcher Kelly Barnhill is fourth in the SEC in ERA at 0.59 with the second-highest innings pitched (47.2). She has earned SEC Pitcher of the Week three weeks in a row.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

UCLA hands Florida its first loss

By Mark Stine | Feb. 27, 2019

Kelly Barnhill charged toward home plate.

Florida guard Andrew Nembhard recorded 11 assists in Florida's 81-72 win over Texas A&M on Jan. 22.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Hudson, Nembhard lead Gators in dominant win at Vandy

By Alanis Thames | Feb. 27, 2019

Florida guard Jalen Hudson was sprinting toward the basket when guard Andrew Nembhard found him.

Lindsey Ronbeck scored five goals and one assist in the Florida lacrosse team's 32-1 win over Scotland on Saturday.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

Florida's women’s sports deserve more student support

By Mark Stine | Feb. 26, 2019

It’s no secret that the University of Florida has a top-notch athletics department, and the Gator Nation is one of collegiate sports’ most extensive fan bases.

UF guard Delicia Washington scored seven points in Florida’s 90-42 loss to Mississippi State on Jan. 24.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Washington’s absence felt on floundering Florida team

By Dylan Rudolph | Feb. 26, 2019

It was over early.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

UCLA presents Gators’ toughest test of 2019 season

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 26, 2019

The No. 3 Gators have been waiting nearly nine months for this.

UF outfielder Jud Fabian went 1 for 5 during Florida's 5-4 win over Jacksonville in extra innings. His only hit of the game came in the top of the 10th inning when he hit a double to right-center field.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Freshmen shine in extra innings of UF's road victory

By Kyle Wood | Feb. 26, 2019

Jud Fabian was 0 for 4 when he walked to the plate in the top of the 10th inning with fellow freshman Cory Acton standing on first base.

Florida coach Mike White has never defeated Vanderbilt in Nashville in his career.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators look to earn first win in Nashville under White

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 26, 2019

Mike White has never beaten Vanderbilt in Nashville.

Guard Funda Nakkasoglu scored 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc in the Gators' 80-62 loss to Texas A&M on Monday.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators can’t get out of first gear in blowout loss to Texas A&M

By Sam Campisano | Feb. 25, 2019

Aggies center Ciera Johnson scored an easy right-handed layup to open the scoring on the first possession of Monday night’s game at the O’Connell Center.

Georgia Marris races during Florida’s meet against Auburn on Jan. 23, 2016, in the O’Connell Center.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Men win seventh consecutive SEC Championship, women finish in second

By Jack Braverman | Feb. 25, 2019

The No. 9 Gators men’s swimming and diving team earned its seventh SEC Championship title in as many years on Saturday, its 1,233 total points placing it comfortably over next-best Missouri.

Sophomore Victoria Emma (pictured) and her doubles partner, junior Tsveta Dimitrova, lost narrowly (8-7) to the tournament's No. 1 seed of Southern California's Angela Kulikov and Rianna Valdes, eliminating them from the ITA All-American Championships. Emma later took victory in the tournament's singles back draw.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Gators comeback falls short in Lake Nona against UCF

By Victor Prieto | Feb. 25, 2019

Anastasia Kharitonova hadn’t been in a situation like this before. She held a third-set lead on Sunday with the match on the line. The Moscow-product needed just one more game to seal the victory over UCF, but faltered and couldn’t hang on to complete Florida’s comeback.

Freshman midfielder Shannon Kavanagh scored four goals and added three assists in Saturday's win over Marquette.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Kavanagh’s road performances provide a spark for Gators

By Bryan Matamoros | Feb. 25, 2019

Sophomore midfielder Shannon Kavanagh analyzed the Loyola defense as she moved toward the net.

Catcher Kendyl Lindaman (pictured) combined with outfielder Amanda Lorenz for three hits and four RBIs in Florida's 8-2 defeat of Syracuse.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Gators wrap up perfect Bubly Invitational

By Brendan Farrell | Feb. 24, 2019

Outfielder Amanda Lorenz was frustrated a week ago. The Florida offense was struggling, and she wasn’t doing much better. Coach Tim Walton pulled her aside for a brief drill.

Sophomore gymnast Alyssa Baumann will go toe-to-toe with her sister, UGA freshman Rachel Baumann, tonight when the Gators host the Bulldogs in the O’Connell Center at 6:45.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Gators have time to work things out despite mistakes

By River Wells | Feb. 24, 2019

Perhaps it was her family.

Florida guard Funda Nakkasoglu leads the Gators with 16.3 points per game this season, roughly six points higher than the next player.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Funda Nakkasoglu: Unequivocally Turkish with Aussie roots

By Sam Campisano | Feb. 24, 2019

Growing up, Funda Nakkasoglu wondered why she couldn’t have a “normal” name.

Senior guard KeVaughn Allen has scored in double figures in 22 of the Gators’ 27 games this season, and he has led the team in scoring 11 times.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Guard KeVaughn Allen is UF's best player right now

By Alanis Thames | Feb. 24, 2019

You may not have seen it coming two weeks ago.

Florida forward Keyontae Johnson scored 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting in UF's 64-60 win over Missouri on Saturday at the O'Connell Center.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

UF is finding ways to win as regular season winds down

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 24, 2019

Guard Noah Locke was having a rough game against Missouri. He had missed all five of his shots, but even as attempt after attempt came up short, forward Keyontae Johnson encouraged him to keep up his confidence.