Sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Freshman making impact on court early in season

By BRITNEE MCCOY< | Jan. 20, 2014

Success is no stranger to Elliott Orkin.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Keegan and Oyen can't ride momentum into final day of tournament

By BRITNEE MCCOY< | Jan. 19, 2014

Kourtney Keegan and Sofie Oyen struggled on the final day of the 2014 Freeman Memorial Tennis Championships at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas.

Ronni Williams attempts a layup in Florida’s 59-52 win against Arkansas on Jan. 9 in the O’Connell Center. Williams fouled out for the 11th time this season on Sunday.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Fouls doom Gators in second straight loss

By GORDON STREISAND< | Jan. 19, 2014

For the first time this season, the Gators have lost consecutive games.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Gators remain undefeated despite shortened roster

By Logan McGuire | Jan. 18, 2014

It was another win on Saturday for the Florida’s swimming and diving men’s and women’s teams over FAU to keep the undefeated all-time record against the Owls going.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Women's team complete upset, men flourish in second day

By BRITNEE MCCOY< | Jan. 18, 2014

Head coach Roland Thornqvist is already beginning to reap the fruit of his team’s labor.

Florida forward Casey Prather (24) drives past Auburn forward Alex Thompson during the No. 7 Gators' 68-61 win against the Tigers on Saturday in Auburn Arena.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Prather returns from knee injury to help Florida knock off Auburn 68-61

By LANDON WATNICK< | Jan. 18, 2014

Back after missing two games due a bone bruise in his right knee, Casey Prather fueled Florida throughout its contest Saturday against Auburn.

Mackenzie Caquatto sticks a dismount in a quad meet Jan. 27, 2012. Caquatto struggled in UF’s season opener, but the senior rebounded Friday night to help Florida knock off Auburn.

SPORTS | GYMNASTICS

Caquatto rebounds off poor performance to help UF earn second win

By ERICA A. HERNANDEZ | Jan. 18, 2014

Two weeks into the 2014 gymnastics season and Florida has already begun the uphill battle towards improvement. The Gators improved their record to 2-0 after a road win against Auburn on Friday night. An .850 margin allowed UF (197.075) to defeat Auburn (196.225).

UF women's tennis coach Roland Thornqvist and the Gators were predicted to win the Southeastern Conference by the other SEC coaches.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Florida voted most likely to capture SEC

By BRITNEE MCCOY< | Jan. 18, 2014

Head coach Roland Thornqvist isn’t the only one with high hopes for his team this season.

Florida swimmers line up to begin the men’s open 400-meter individual medley during the Pinch A Penny All Florida Invitational on Sept. 28 in the O’Connell Center.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

After first day at SMU Invite, Gators sit in second

By Logan McGuire | Jan. 18, 2014

After the first day of competition at the Classic at Southern Methodist University the No. 3 Gators (5-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) men’s swimming and diving team is sitting in second place with 154 points, 21 points behind first place Michigan.

Casey Prather dribbles during Florida’s 67-66 win against Florida State on Nov. 29, 2013, in the O’Connell Center.

SPORTS | BLOGS BASKETBALL

Prather available for Florida against Auburn but likely in limited capacity

By LANDON WATNICK< | Jan. 17, 2014

Casey Prather (bone bruise in right knee) will be available for No. 7 Florida’s road matchup with Auburn on Saturday at 4 p.m., but Billy Donovan is doubtful the senior forward will log significant minutes against the Tigers.

Amanda Butler reacts to a play during Florida’s 87-54 win against Alabama on Feb. 3, 2013, in the O’Connell Center. The Gators are down to seven active players on the roster.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators hope rest will help depleted roster against Bulldogs

By GORDON STREISAND< | Jan. 16, 2014

After a full week off, Florida is poised to return to action against Georgia on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the O’Connell Center.

Senior Sebastien Rousseau swims the butterfly in the men’s 400-meter individual medley on Aug. 28 in the Pinch A Penny All Florida Invitational. Rousseau and the Gators start competition at the NCAA Championships today.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Florida takes on other top-ranked teams at SMU Invite

By Logan McGuire | Jan. 16, 2014

e two-day Southern Methodist University Invitational.

Cory McGee runs in the Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships on the Mark Bostick Golf Course on Nov. 1, 2013. McGee won her first event of the 2014 track and field season on Jan. 11.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TRACK

Senior continuing success during track and field season

By LAWRENCE LAGUNA< | Jan. 16, 2014

Throughout Cory McGee’s career at UF, she has been a triple-threat.

Scottie Wilbekin covers Georgia’s Charles Mann (4) during the Gators’ 72-50 win against the Bulldogs in the O’Connell Center on Tuesday.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gators’ full-court press irritates Bulldogs

By LANDON WATNICK< | Jan. 15, 2014

UF has flourished this year when sending a full-court press at opposing teams, and Tuesday night was the perfect example of how successful it has been for Billy Donovan’s unit.

SPORTS | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Shorthanded Florida looking to bounce back without Mercer

By GORDON STREISAND< | Jan. 15, 2014

The Gators have enough foul trouble on the court. Now, the problem has made its way off of it.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS TENNIS

Highly ranked Florida squad starts season with high hopes

By BRITNEE MCCOY< | Jan. 15, 2014

Coach Roland Thornqvist is excited to be back in business.

SPORTS | RECRUITING

Another big flip: Gators land four-star defensive tackle Holley

By MORGAN MORIARTY | Jan. 15, 2014

Thomas Holley, a Penn State verbal commit, is flipping to Florida, Rivals.com reported Wednesday morning.

Michael Frazier II prepares to shoot during Florida’s 72-50 win against Georgia on Tuesday in the O’Connell Center. Frazier finished with a career-high 21 points.

SPORTS | MEN'S BASKETBALL

Frazier’s shooting secures record home streak

By JONATHAN CZUPRYN< | Jan. 14, 2014

The last time the Gators had a home winning streak of 24 games, Billy Donovan was coaching Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer and Al Horford to two straight national championships.

Tyler Murphy looks to pass during UF’s loss to LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Oct. 12, 2013. Murphy, who started six games for Florida in 2013, enrolled at Boston College after transferring in December 2013.

SPORTS | FOOTBALL

Roper looks to improve quarterbacks

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Jan. 14, 2014

Florida’s list of starting quarterbacks the past four seasons has been a who’s who of wasted talent and missed opportunity.

SPORTS | OTHER SPORTS SWIM AND DIVE

Recruits look to bolster Florida lineup in middle of season

By Logan McGuire | Jan. 14, 2014

Two new recruits have joined the Gators men’s swimming and diving team. Sophomore Nick Alexiou, a transfer from Virginia, and Enzo Martinez, a freshman from Uruguay, both enrolled for the spring semester and have been cleared by the NCAA to compete.