1 » As a defensive-minded coach with no former head coaching experience, new Florida Gators boss Will Muschamp has been compared to former Florida and current Illinois head coach Ron Zook on numerous occasions. Florida fans, obviously, hope the comparison ends there as Zook’s tenure with the Gators (while successful from a recruiting standpoint) was filled with underwhelming records (23-14 combined) and early eliminations from the title hunt each year.

Appearing on ESPN 1000′s GameNight out of Chicago, IL on Monday, Zook offered some advice for Muschamp on his new gig. “The thing is you got be yourself,” he said. “Don’t try to be anybody else. It’s one of those jobs all you can do is the best you can do. You can’t get tied up with all the other stuff. Believe me, there’s a lot of noise in the system down as there is at a lot of places. He’ll do fine. There’s a great state base there, and he’s a good football coach. There’s no doubt they’ll do fine.”

2 » With the NFL lockout nearing its conclusion, former Gators safety Ahmad Black is excited to finally play professional football for his favorite team growing up, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Selected by Tampa Bay with the No. 151 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, the 2011 Outback Bowl Most Valuable Player has his sights set on a starting job but hopes to contribute in any way he can.

“I want to try to get a starting spot, but if not, then a significant role on the team,” he told the Pewter Report. “I really just can’t wait to get in there and do my thing.” In the meantime, he has been staying in shape and making sure he is ready to go when the season starts. “I’ve been pretty much training four or five times a week,” Black said. “I’ve been doing a lot of outside stuff, going to the beach and trying to relax a little bit. I know that once we start it is going to be crazy.”

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Tags: Abby Wambach, Ahmad Black, Alex Morgan, Dan Mullen, Draft, ESPN, Megan Rapinoe, MVP, NFL, Outback Bowl, Ron Zook, SEC, soccer, Steve Spurrier, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, USA, USA Soccer, Will Muschamp

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow and United States striker Abby Wambach – two former Florida Gators – were featured prominently on the air Tuesday, with the former’s ESPN/Make-A-Wish Foundation segment and the latter’s guest spot on the Late Show with David Letterman as their primary appearances.

My Wish: Tim Tebow:

Wambach, alongside goalkeeper Hope Solo, on Letterman:

Wambach on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning: Listen

Earlier in the day, Wambach and teammate Lauren Cheney stopped by the Early Show for an interview. CBS has decided not to post it online but instead provided the following quotes from the appearance:

Wambach on the fans: “The outpouring of support that we’ve gotten here since we’ve gotten home to the States has been unbelievable. Times Square, I mean I went for a walk last night, and I must have gotten stopped 100 times. Just congratulating us. People appreciate what we did. Hopefully, we inspired a country. The Olympics are just around the corner. Hopefully, we can bring home that gold.”

Wambach on not bringing home the World Cup: “This country was so supportive. We got so many great e-mails, text messages. Obviously, the people came out and supported us through this whole thing. We’re just so sorry not to have brought home the World Cup. But you know, we do a lot of things over there. We inspired people, and I think in the end those are the positives that we’re going to really take away from this.”

Tags: Abby Wambach, Denver Broncos, Hope Solo, Lauren Cheney, NFL, soccer, Tim Tebow, USA, USA Soccer, World Cup

It nearly happened again.

For the third time in as many matches, former Florida Gators striker Abby Wambach appeared to be the savior for the 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team, heading in a goal 14 minutes into extra time to give her squad a 2-1 lead. Unfortunately, for the second time in the match, the United States squandered its lead, allowed their opponent to score an equalizer and eventually fell 3-1 in a highly-contested penalty kick finish, losing the 2011 Women’s World Cup to Japan on Sunday in Germany.

After a first half in which the USA squandered a number of scoring chances, a beautiful floating pass downfield from Megan Rapinoe to 22-year-old striker Alex Morgan at 69’ put the Americans on the board. The U.S. began playing defensively from that point forward but, just minutes later, the Japanese took advantage of poor defensive play in front of the net and scored an equalizer at 81’.

Heading into extra time, the United States got aggressive once again. Wambach took advantage of a brilliant cross and headed it into the net at 104’, giving the Americans a 2-1 lead with just over 15 minutes of regulation to play.

The second half of extra time began with the USA once again just looking to hold on, but the Japanese would have none of it, scoring just three minutes before the end of extra time to force a penalty kick finish.

The United States missed its first three penalty kicks; the first and third were blocked while the third sailed over the crossbar. Japan’s 2-0 lead was reduced briefly as Wambach struck one into the net, but a Japanese goal on the next try ended the Americans’ dream.

Should the United States have won, they would have captured a world-leading third Women’s World Cup title. The USA, which previously won in 1991 and 1999, lost in the World Cup finals for the first time in team history.

American goalkeeper Hope Solo went home with the Golden Glove Award, while Wambach was named both the Bronze Boot and Silver Ball Award winner.

Tags: Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe, USA, USA Soccer, World Cup

Just days after it occurred on the pitch, the game-tying header scored by former Florida Gators striker Abby Wambach in the 122nd minute of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 2011 Women’s World Cup quarterfinal match against Brazil on Sunday won the ESPY for Best Play as announced during the award ceremony Wednesday evening.

Down 2-1 and facing the earliest elimination from World Cup play in United States history, Wambach converted a beautiful cross from Megan Rapinoe to tie the game and force a penalty kick shootout, which the Americans eventually won 5-3.

With the ESPYS set to air three days later, ESPN‘s producers decided to add the connection between Rapinoe and Wambach to the Best Play category as what they termed an “extra time” nomination on Wednesday. Even with only a short window for fans to vote (it is the only award that can be voted on until the night of the show), Wambach and the USA brought home one of the most prestigious awards from the event.

Defeating France 3-1 on Wednesday, the U.S. advanced to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1999. The Americans will face Japan on Sunday at 2 p.m. live on ESPN.

Tags: Abby Wambach, ESPN, ESPYs, Megan Rapinoe, USA, USA Soccer, World Cup

Minutes away from elimination on Sunday, former Florida Gators soccer star Abby Wambach saved the day by tying the 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team’s match against Brazil and forcing a penalty kick finish. With her team looking for another boost Wednesday during 2011 Women’s World Cup semifinal action against France, Wambach came through again with a deft header from the far post to give her team a 2-1 lead and propel the United States to a 3-1 victory that will place them in the finals of the world’s biggest soccer event for the first time since 1999.

Leading 1-0 after Lauren Chaney deflected a goal into the net in the ninth minute, the U.S. coughed up the lead just minutes into the second half. USA goalkeeper Hope Solo, keeping an eye on Gaetane Thiney in the box, was fooled as a beautiful floater from Sonia Bompastor got past her and into the net at 55’.

The Americans made a number of runs trying to get their lead back but were unsuccessful until the 79th minute when Wambach converted Cheney’s corner kick into a dagger header that became the game-winning goal.

Alex Morgan would tack on some insurance just three minutes later, lofting a goal into the net from the left side 82 minutes into the match.

With 12 World Cup goals in her career, Wambach is now tied for the United States record with Michelle Akers. The duo are knotted at third on the all-time World Cup scoring list, and Wambach has at least one more game to play on Sunday before hanging up her international cleats.

The U.S. will face the victor of Japan-Sweden in the World Cup finals on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The match will air live on ESPN.

Photo Credit: Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Tags: Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Lauren Chaney, Michelle Akers, USA, USA Soccer, World Cup

On the brink of the earliest elimination from a World Cup in their country’s history, the 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team was saved as former Florida Gators soccer star Abby Wambach directed a sharp header into the net two minutes into injury time during extra time to tie the match 2-2 and force a penalty kick finish.

Leading 1-0 for most of the match after being on the positive end of an own goal by Brazil just minutes into the contest, the USWNT found themselves the victim of atrocious officiating. Following a questionable red card that took USA down to 10 women, Brazil was awarded a penalty kick as the foul occurred inside the box. After missing the try, Brazil was given a second chance after the referee noted that either USWNT goaltender Hope Solo moved off the line prior to the kick (she didn’t) or an American player encroached into the box before the kick.

Brazil took advantage and tied the match 1-1, forcing two 15-minute extra time periods. Marta, the five-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year, scored quickly for Brazil during the first extra time, putting USA at a distinct disadvantage as the clock was running down.

Failing to connect on attempt after attempt, the USWNT finally found their equalizer as Megan Rapinoe rocketed a cross in to the far post, allowing Wambach to propel herself forward and tie the match by heading the ball home.

Penalty kicks followed with USA making all five of theirs to complete an incredible come-from-behind victory and remain alive in the World Cup. The USWNT will square off against France on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. (ESPN) in semifinal action.

Wambach’s teammate, fellow former Florida soccer star Heather Mitts, celebrated USA’s thrilling penalty kick victory with a post-match Gator Chomp:

Wambach’s post-match comments:

Tags: Abby Wambach, Gator Chomp, Heather Mitts, Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe, soccer, USA, USA Soccer, World Cup

Former Florida Gators soccer player Abby Wambach – an Olympic gold medalist, three-time U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year and member of the 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team set to compete at the 2011 Women’s World Cup beginning June 26 in Germany – is featured in ESPN’s latest “This Is SportsCenter” commercial. Check out the video featuring the third highest scorer in U.S. history below:

Wambach was also recently profiled by the Associated Press, noting the one thing missing from her extensive resume is a World Cup win. “You can score all the goals you want, you can win all the awards you want, and they might look pretty on your bookshelf when you retire. But the prettiest medals are the ones for the championships that you’ve won,” Wambach said. “I guarantee you [Brazil star] Marta probably would trade in every player of the year award she had for a world championship, and I’m the same way.”

Tags: Abby Wambach, Olympics, soccer, USA Soccer, World Cup

1 » Wide receiver recruit Latroy Pittman (Citra, FL) became the Florida Gators first commitment for the 2012 recruiting cycle on Aug. 17. When head coach Urban Meyer stepped down in December, Pittman paused for a second even though it has been “my dream to play there since I was three,” as he said himself last year. With new head coach Will Muschamp and WR coach Aubrey Hill now in the fold, Pittman told The Gainesville Sun that he remains as committed as ever after visiting campus over the weekend. “I feel so at home when I’m up there,” he said, according to the paper. “It’s like a feeling you get when you just know something feels right, that no other place can give you that factor.”

2 » With three-star offensive lineman Chase Hounshell (Kirkland, OH) switching his commitment to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Monday evening, Florida is left with only two commits at that position for 2011. One of those two players, three-star Tommy Jordan (Ridgefield, CT), was supposed to be an early enrollee set to begin classes at the University of Florida last week. Instead Jordan decided not to join UF in the spring and said he would be back in the summer. Shutting off communications, Jordan was rumored to be wavering in his commitment by assumption due to his decision to go silent. In a conversation with Ridgefield Patch, Jordan explains he remains committed to the Gators and simply wanted a break from the stress of school and recruiting. “I am going to take the semester off and go back in the late spring,” Jordan said at one of his high school’s basketball games. “I have been working my butt off to graduate early and now all this stuff is happening. It just seemed like I needed a break.” He also spoke about Muschamp and new offensive line coach Frank Verducci. “I am really excited about that staff they are putting together there,” he said. “I just thought it was better to come back here while all this was going on and they figure out how it is all going to work. But I still plan on going there and am really excited about the future.”

3 » The fourth former Florida player to earn this honor, goalkeeper Katie Fraine will play in Women’s Professional Soccer in 2011 after being selected in the league’s draft held last Friday. Only one of two goalkeepers selected in the draft, Fraine joins former Gators Heather Mitts, Abby Wambach and Stacy Bishop in the league. She will be teammates with Wambach on the Washington Freedom. Fraine left the Gators as the school’s career leader in solo shutouts (27) who played a big role in helping Florida win the 2010 Southeastern Conference Championship.

4 » No. 1 Gators gymnastics (2-0, 1-0 SEC) is off to a fast start this season with back-to-back victories over the then-No. 10 Nebraska Cornhuskers (0-1) and No. 16 Kentucky Wildcats (2-1, 0-1 SEC). Florida took down Nebraska 196.925-194.950 in front of over 5,000 fans at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Jan. 8 and followed up that performance with a 196.775-192.90 win against Kentucky on Jan. 14. The Gators took home five events against the Cornhuskers with sophomore Ashanée Dickerson winning four of them. Dickerson won two more against the Wildcats; freshman Alaina Johnson and sophomore Marissa King each captured two of their own.

Tags: Abby Wambach, Alaina Johnson, Ashanée Dickerson, Aubrey Hill, Chase Hounshell, gymnastics, Heather Mitts, Katie Fraine, Kentucky Wildcats, Latroy Pittman, Marissa King, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, O’Connell Center, SEC, SEC Championship, soccer, Stacy Bishop, Tommy Jordan, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, Washington Freedom, Will Muschamp, WPS