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The second ranked Florida lacrosse team continues postseason play when it hosts an NCAA Tournament match up this Sunday in Gainesville.
After winning the Big East title last Saturday, the Gators are the only team in the conference to make an NCAA Tournament appearance. Due to their Big East conference win, the Gators earned a first round bye and will host the first and second round NCAA match ups at home. Florida lacrosse head coach Amanda O’Leary talks about the importance of the home field advantage the team has.
This is also the Orange and Blue’s sixth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. This is their best start in program history as well, with an 18-1 record and this is their highest seeding in the NCAA Tournament since 2012, where they were the number one seed. Several individual members picked up conference honors as well. Nicole Graziano was named Big East Midfielder of the Year as well as the conference’s Most Outstanding player, Sammi Burgess was named Co-Attacker of the Year, Caroline Fitzgerald is the Defensive Player of the Year, and Lindsey Ronbeck was named Freshman of the Year. According to O’Leary, the importance of the regular season only propels the Gators to do well in the post-season play.
The teams visiting Gainesville are Penn State and Winthrop, the current Big South Conference Champions. Florida will face the winner of this game on Sunday. Florida is 5-1 against the Penn State Nittany Lions and have only matched up against Winthrop once in 2014 where the Gators won.
You can catch the Lacrosse Big Dance right here in Gainesville at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium at 4 P.M on Friday where Penn State and Winthrop will face off, and then the Gators match up will be on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Get excited y'all! @NCAA_Lax 1st & 2nd Rounds come to Gainesville THIS WEEKEND! Info: https://t.co/xQeJL0MNcu pic.twitter.com/zvo9JhoGaC
— Gator Lacrosse (@GatorsLAX) May 9, 2016
