How Florida Gators Continue Title Streak With Basketball Out
Last April 7, UF men’s basketball climbed its way into the Final Four of March Madness. Students flooded University Ave. in celebration, cheering with their peers. UF would go on to win the national championship title, beating Houston by a two-point margin.
This past weekend, the Gators watched as Iowa delivered a decisive three-point shot in the last five seconds of their game. The 73-72 loss was only Florida’s second game in tournament play. With one less team contending for a national title this spring, no students will be storming University Ave. this year for basketball.
On the line, now more than ever, is Florida’s claim as an “everything school.” UF has won a national championship every year since 2010. With men’s basketball out of March Madness, here are the top contenders to continue UF’s title legacy.
Gymnastics
Gator gymnastics (20-2, SEC 6-2) won SEC championships this past weekend, narrowly beating runner-up Oklahoma, considered the best team in the nation currently. UF also beat Missouri, LSU and Alabama at the championships. Oklahoma and Missouri were the only losses in UF’s regular season.
No one is more important for this team than senior Selena Harris-Miranda, who’s accumulated three perfect scores across uneven bars and beam. Her vault performance also proves strong, with a score of 9.9 or higher in over half of her regular-season routines. Sophomore Skye Blakely, who has one perfect score on beam under her belt, is another player leading in statistics. She earned top scores across the board this past season, with four first-place rankings on bars and an additional four on floor.
The Gators will start the NCAA championships as the third seed, with their first matchup set for April 2. The last time UF won a national gymnastics title was in 2015, though that was under a different coach than Jenny Rowland.
Softball
UF softball (31-2, SEC 8-1) is another top contender for a national title this year. The Gators, who currently sit at No. 3 on Softball America, beat Tennessee in their series this past weekend. The Lady Volunteers were ranked No. 1 on Softball America before the series, and have now dropped to No. 4.
The roster holds high statistics with a team batting average of .389 and a .700 slugging percentage. Four players have a BA of .400 or higher among those who have played in at least 75% of games, with at least two plate appearances per game. The Gators have 71 home runs for the season so far, 29 belonging to senior catcher Jocelyn Erickson and sophomore outfielder Taylor Shumaker.
UF softball will face Stetson at home this Wednesday at 6 p.m. SEC tournament play will begin in May. The last time the Gators softball won a national championship was in 2015.
Track and Field
Gators indoor track and field wrapped up their seasons March 14. The men’s team finished in third place in the NCAA championships, with the women’s team finishing in fifth place. Track and field will kick off its outdoor season in Tallahassee on March 26.
Three athletes placed second in their events during the NCAA championships. One was senior Justin Braun, who achieved a new personal best in the men’s 400m at 44.67 seconds. Senior graduate student Wanya McCoy placed second in the men’s 200m, as did senior Gabrielle Matthews in the women’s 200m. McCoy and Matthews both earned new personal bests, McCoy’s time at 20.17 seconds and Matthews’s time at 22.55 seconds. Both of their times are listed in UF’s top ten for their event.
SEC play for outdoor track and field will begin in May. Men’s outdoor track and field won back-to-back national championship titles in 2023 and 2024. Women’s outdoor track and field preceded it with a national title in 2022.
Category: Gator Sports, Gators Gymnastics, Gators Softball, Gators Track and Field
