sports - The Independent Florida Alligator

Junior Alaina Johnson performs her routine on the balance beam during Florida’s 196.575-190.55 victory against Ball State on Jan. 4 in the O’Connell Center. Johnson competed for the first time since Jan. 18 at the NCAA Regionals on Saturday.

Sports

UF gymnastics wins NCAA Regional

By CHUCK KINGSBURY< | Apr. 7, 2013

When All-American Alaina Johnson stuck her first vault routine in 85 days, the Gators were relieved.

Senior Max Lang attempts to clear the pole during the Florida Relays on Saturday at Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressly Stadium. Lang tied for 20th in the men’s university division.

Sports

Florida honors history with top-two finishes in 4x400 relay

By GORDON STREISAND< | Apr. 7, 2013

Junior Florent Diep strikes the ball during Florida’s 5-2 victory against Miami on Jan. 19 at Linder Stadium.

Sports

Freshmen fail to clinch win for Gators

By CHRIS KIRSCHNER< | Apr. 7, 2013

Gordon Watson couldn’t end the Gators’ doubles curse this season.

Senior Kitty Cullen attempts a shot during Florida’s 14-7 win against Northwestern in the ALC Championship Game on May 5, 2012, at Dizney Stadium. Cullen said teammate Ashley Bruns could beat any defender when Bruns attacks from the crease.

Sports

Senior leading top-10 offense

Apr. 7, 2013

Ashley Bruns has the routine down. She catches the ball behind the net, sprints to the left or right side of the goal and snaps the ball past the pole and goalkeeper to hit the back of the net.

Lanie Whittaker runs at the Tom Jones Classic on April 21, 2012. Whittaker helped the Gators take first in the sprint medley relay at the Florida Relays on Saturday.

Sports

Gators get edged late on last day of Florida Relays

By GORDON STREISAND< | Apr. 6, 2013

On the final day of the 69th annual Florida Relays, the relay events took center stage.

Sophomore Kytra Hunter performs her beam routine in a dual meet against Ball State on Jan. 4 in the O’Connell Center. Hunter won the all-around title at the NCAA Regionals on Saturday.

Sports

Gators clinch berth in NCAA Championships

By CHUCK KINGSBURY< | Apr. 6, 2013

The pressure of performing in another NCAA Regional Championship didn't crack Kytra Hunter.

Zack Powers walks back to the dugout after striking out during Florida’s 4-1 loss to Florida State on March 12, 2013 at McKethan Stadium.

Sports

Gators shut down by Bulldogs' pitcher

By JOSH JURNOVOY< | Apr. 6, 2013

A day after getting a poor outing from their top starter, the Gators’ got an equally disappointing performance from their lineup.

Freshman running back Kelvin Taylor (21) scores a touchdown during drills at the Orange and Blue Debut on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Sports

Sophomore earns Gators’ starting running back job

By PHIL HEILMAN< | Apr. 6, 2013

Matt Jones has staked his claim to Florida’s starting tailback spot.

Junior quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) takes a snap during a drill in Saturday’s Orange and Blue Debut at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The event marked the end of Florida’s spring practice.

Sports

Florida concludes spring work with open practice

By GREG LUCA< | Apr. 6, 2013

Under the weight of injuries and attrition, Florida’s offense stumbled to the spring practice finish line on Saturday in The Swamp.

Senior attacker Kitty Cullen looks to score against UAlbany on Feb. 24 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Cullen scored two goals in her final game for the Gators.

Sports

Senior scores five goals in Florida win

Apr. 6, 2013

Coming off a loss to Penn State where Florida amassed 21 shots and only three in the second half, the Gators got back to their fire-and-score ways.

Leonardo Seymore hands the baton to Dedric Dukes in  the 4x400 relay at the Tom Jones Classic on April 21, 2012. Dukes won the men's 200m at the Florida Relays on Friday.

Sports

Gators win five events at Florida Relays

By GORDON STREISAND< | Apr. 5, 2013

The Gators were cooler than the weather on Friday at the Florida Relays.

Junior Jonathon Crawford pitches during Florida’s 11-5 loss to Kentucky on March 16 at McKethan Stadium. Crawford allowed just one run in 6.2 innings Thursday against the Bulldogs.

Sports

Junior follows shutout with subpar outing

By ADAM PINCUS< | Apr. 5, 2013

In a season with no rhyme or reason from one game to the next, Friday night proved no different. A week after right-hander Jonathon Crawford tossed a 106-pitch complete-game shutout against Mississippi, the junior didn’t last past the fifth inning in his first series-opening start in nearly a month.

UF senior Bob van Overbeek returns a volley. Van Overbeek won only his second match since Feb. 3 against Ole Miss on Friday.

Sports

Senior snaps losing streak in win against Rebels

By CHRIS KIRSCHNER< | Apr. 5, 2013

Senior Bob van Overbeek was back in the lineup on Friday after sitting out the past two matches. He only had one victory since Feb. 9, but he notched a victory against Ole Miss.

Olivia Janowicz prepares to return a serve in a match against Duke in 2011.

Sports

Junior wins tiebreaker in Gators sweep

By MICHELLE PROVENZANO< | Apr. 5, 2013

Olivia Janowicz fought tooth and nail to grab a win.

Junior Hannah Rogers pitches during Florida’s 7-3 win against FSU on March 27 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Rogers struck out 11 in her complete-game victory against Longwood on Saturday.

Sports

Rogers tosses no-hitter against Mississippi State

By ADAM LICHTENSTEIN< | Apr. 5, 2013

On March 2, Hannah Rogers had a no-hitter taken away from her when a seventh-inning error was changed to a hit after the game. On Friday, Rogers did not need to pitch a seventh inning to secure her no-hit bid.