Category: College Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY — Alannah Leach had two hits and knocked in four runs as Tennessee rolled past Florida 11-3 in a Women’s College World Series elimination game Friday night. Tennessee (46-16) pounded out 12 hits in the matchup between two top SEC teams. The seventh-seeded Volunteers advanced to play the loser of Saturday’s Texas Tech vs. UCLA game in an elimination game Sunday. Third-seeded Florida (48-17) was knocked out in two games, including Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Texas. Tennessee, which lost its opener to Oklahoma on a walk-off homer by Ella Parker on Thursday, took out its frustration on...

SANDESTIN — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is throwing three times a week and is “on schedule,” coach Billy Napier said, as the Gators sophomore recovers from an injury that prevented him from passing during spring practices. Speaking at the SEC Spring Meetings, Napier said Lagway threw Tuesday on UF’s campus and is making 210 passes a week, not counting his warm-up — or the normal workload for a Gators quarterback. “We’re doing exactly what we would do this time of year that we’ve done in the past,” Napier said. “So he’s on schedule.” Lagway did not throw during the spring practices and...

GAINESVILLE — Florida freshman slugger Taylor Shumaker ended her weekend slump in record-setting fashion but not before shortstop Rylee Holtorf showed why the Gators will be a tough out during the Women’s College World Series. A surprising 2-run homer from Holtorf in the lineup’s No. 9 spot broke open a 1-0 game with Georgia in the fifth inning and set the stage for Shumaker’s 2-run blast two batters later to carry UF to a 5-2 win Sunday and back to the College World Series for the 13th time under Tim Walton — and third appearance since 2022. “That’s why I made the decision to come to...

GAINESVILLE — At a glance, Florida’s return to the Final Four in women’s lacrosse is hard to figure based on who the Gators lost and what it takes to get back. Coach Amanda O’Leary credited her players’ determination for her program’s continued success after No. 4 UF beat No. 15 Duke 11-9 during Thursday’s Elite Eight matchup at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. “It just is a testament to how hard they worked,” she said. “It wasn’t a rebuild, it wasn’t a reload, it’s just, let’s go. Just super proud of this team and their effort.” Riding a 17-game winning streak, the Gators (20-2) now push to make...

GAINESVILLE — Quarterback Graham Mertz was one of the nation’s top quarterback recruits when he signed with Wisconsin, but a longshot to get drafted by the time he left Florida. The Houston Texans decided to give the 24-year-old an opportunity to prove himself, selecting him during the sixth round of the NFL draft with the No. 197 overall pick. After UF failed to produce a draft pick during the first three rounds for the first time since 2012 and just the third instance since 1990 (’92, ’93), Mertz was among seven Gators to have their name called during the draft’s third day (Rounds 4-7)....