Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Amanda Lorenz scorched another home run on Thursday against Alabama.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

Homer-heavy routs propel Gators softball to spotless Day 1 of California tourney

By Mari Faiello | Mar. 1, 2018

There’s a lot you can do in 15 seconds.

Senior Peggy Porter clinched the match for UF in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gators will move on to face rival Florida State.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Women’s tennis wins third straight meet after defeating Ole Miss

By River Wells | Mar. 1, 2018

Peggy Porter had been here before.

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 | SOFTBALL

Home Away From Home: UF’s softball team begins Judi Garman Classic in California

By Mari Faiello | Feb. 28, 2018

Gators catcher Janell Wheaton is stoked.

Guard Jalen Hudson scored a game-high 27 points in Florida's 73-52 win against Alabama Tuesday night.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Hudson performance against Alabama a good sign for Gators before Kentucky

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 28, 2018

It didn’t take much to get Florida guard Jalen Hudson going on Tuesday.

After starting off the season with a 5-4 record, coach Roland Thorqvist said the conference schedule ahead doesn't get any easier. “This is the most balanced I've seen (the SEC) in my 17 years at Florida," he said.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Women’s tennis to begin SEC run on the road in Mississippi

By River Wells | Feb. 28, 2018

With a 5-4 record, three true freshmen and the pressure of defending their NCAA championship from last season, the Gators women’s tennis team still has a lot to prove.

Lebron James didn't mince words on his feelings about paying college athletes. “I don’t know if there’s any fixing the NCAA,” he said.

SPORTS | COLUMNS

LeBron James was right. The NCAA needs to allow college athletes to get paid

By Skyler Lebron | Feb. 28, 2018

Call me a LeBron James fanboy, and you’d be one thing.

Junior Sydney Pirreca scored three goals and added an assist Wednesday night against Jacksonville.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida’s hot start leads to smothering of Jacksonville in blowout victory

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 28, 2018

“Goal, Florida!”

Forward Haley Lorenzen played her final game as a Gator Wednesday with 14 points against Ole Miss.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida’s woeful 2017-18 campaign comes to a close in first round of SEC Tourney

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 28, 2018

With six seconds remaining in the first round of the SEC Tournament, Florida knew its time was up.

Senior JJ Schwarz was honored on Sunday after an excellent (and ongoing) campaign at UF.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Homer-heavy fifth inning powers UF past North Florida

By Ethan Bauer | Feb. 28, 2018

Ping.

Guard Mike Okauru played seven minutes and didn't attempt a shot in the Gators' win against Alabama on Tuesday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Free the freshmen: Mike White’s late-game blowout strategy is baffling

By Jake Dreilinger | Feb. 28, 2018

Some things in life just puzzle me.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

AGENT DOUBLE ZERO: Delicia Washington’s journey to UF and her tough decision over whether to stay

By Justin Ahlum | Feb. 28, 2018

Tara Washington glanced down at her phone as it started to buzz.

Junior attacker Lindsey Ronbeck has 10 goals and three assists through the first three games of the season.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida lacrosse team ready for last game of home stand against Jacksonville

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 27, 2018

After opening the season with games against three opponents ranked in the IWLCA top 25, Florida will have a tune-up game of sorts against Jacksonville before hitting the road to play No. 3 North Carolina and No. 7 Syracuse.

Guard Jalen Hudson scored 27 points against Alabama Tuesday night.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida spoils Alabama’s Senior Night with 73-52 beatdown

By Benjamin Brandt | Feb. 27, 2018

Shoot. Miss. Repeat.

Sophomore Austin Langworthy moved from the leadoff spot to No. 7 in the Gators' lineup Tuesday against North Florida. He finished 1-for-3 with a single and a run scored.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Small ball and pitching powers Gators over Ospreys

By Morgan McMullen | Feb. 27, 2018

On a chilly Jacksonville evening, a nagging breeze danced across Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium. The wind nudged fly balls around the outfield without favor.

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

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS LACROSSE

Florida lacrosse team found new contributors in thrilling win over Loyola

By Tyler Nettuno | Feb. 26, 2018

When the Florida lacrosse team’s season began, expectations were high for returning starters like attackers Shayna Pirreca and Lindsey Ronbeck, midfielder Sydney Pirreca and defender Aniya Flanagan.

Thirty-six Gators swimmers qualified with B-cut times at the Last Chance Meet this past weekend.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Khader Baqlah, Georgia Marris preparing for NCAA Championships following Last Chance Meet

By Jacob McManamon | Feb. 26, 2018

The Florida men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are now preparing for the intense training period that’ll lead up to some of the biggest races of their lives.

The Gators softball team will face Georgia at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

SPORTS | SOFTBALL

The meaning behind UF’s softball team’s Sunflower Saturdays

By Mark Stine | Feb. 26, 2018

As it took the field Saturday in front of its home crowd at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, Florida’s softball team wasn’t focused on just wins and losses. The Gators had something else on their minds.

Guard Chris Chiozza will look to improve upon his prior performance against Alabama. He finished with four points, four assists and two rebounds in the first matchup between the Gators and Crimson Tide

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators vs. Crimson: A star-studded point guard matchup and more

By Andrew Huang | Feb. 26, 2018

With the race to earning a top SEC seed in the final stretch, conference foes Florida and Alabama face off tonight at 7 in Tuscaloosa.

Junior Blake Reese has started every game at second base for the Gators this season.

SPORTS | BASEBALL

Blake Reese continues to grow into everyday role

By Morgan McMullen | Feb. 26, 2018

For all his offensive firepower early in the season, Florida second baseman Blake Reese was still learning. His latest lesson came on an unusually warm February Sunday in Coral Gables.

Sophomore Sierra Brooks led her team to a win in New Orleans with a tournament-best 7 under.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS GOLF

After leading UF to first win, women’s golfer Sierra Brooks is ‘trusting the process’

By Chris O'Brien | Feb. 26, 2018

Florida women’s golf coach Emily Glaser appears to be tearing a page out of the Philadelphia 76ers’ playbook as she “trusts the process.” And by the look of her team’s recent success, it appears to be working.