Entering the program’s third year, No. 4 Florida Gators lacrosse is looking to continue their record pace and become the fastest team in the sport’s history to win the NCAA Championship. The Gators progressed from new kids on the block in 2010 to one of the elite teams in the country in 2011 and hope to continue that progress.

Florida opens their 2012 campaign on the road Saturday at No. 3 North Carolina for the second-straight year and is looking to avenge a tough 10-9 overtime loss.

Following the defeat in their 2011 opener, the Gators went on 14-match winning streak that spanned two months. Florida lost their final regular season game 9-6 to Cornell; however, UF still finished 11-0 at home and captured the 2011 ALC regular season title. The Gators then fell in the conference’s tournament to Northwestern and were ousted in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament by a talented Duke team.

KEY DEPARTURES

Midfielder Janine Hillier: Florida’s fourth-leading scorer from 2011, Hillier decided to transfer to Stony Brook for her final two years of eligibility. Part of the Gators’ inaugural recruiting class, she scored 34 goals and added six assists in 2011 and was an integral part of UF’s success. Hillier chose to transfer for what were deemed “personal reasons.” Those may include Stony Brook being closer to her hometown and her sister, Kim Hillier, serving as an assistant coach on the team.

KEY PLAYERS RETURNING

Junior attacker Kitty Cullen: A dynamic scorer and threat from anywhere on the field, Cullen led Florida and the nation with 77 goals in her sophomore campaign. She was named a consensus first-team All-American and All-ALC player as well as the 2011 ALC Player of the Year while averaging 4.3 points per game with a .501 shooting percentage and .755 shots on goal percentage. Cullen scored a point in every game in 2011 and now has a 24-game streak in that category dating back to April 28, 2010.

Junior attacker Ashley Bruns: Cullen’s cohort for the last two years, Bruns boats more of an all-around game as evidenced by her scoring 46 goals and adding 28 assists for the Gators in 2011. An All-ALC first-team selection, she was also recognized nationally for her accomplishments and will continue to build on her game in 2012.

Junior defender Sam Farrell: Though she did not score a single point for Florida in 2011, Farrell was one of three Gators (Cullen, Bruns) named to the ALC’s “Players to Watch” list during the preseason because her incredible prowess on the defensive end of the field. She started all 20 matches for Florida, and her 27 ground balls in 2011 were fourth-best on the team. Farrell earned a selection to the All-ALC first team as well as nod to one second team All-America.

Junior goalkeeper Mikey Meagher: One of the top 10 goalies in the country (in goals against average), Meagher allowed just 8.66 shots past her per game while helping lead the Gators to arguably the best second-year performance of any team in the sport’s history. She was an All-ALC second-team pick and hopes to continue to perfect her game while starting in the net for the third-straight season.

Florida’s initial recruiting class, ranked No. 1 nationally in 2010, boasts a number of terrific returning players who will undoubtedly have a big impact on the Gators this year. Two other standout performers from a year ago – juniors midfielder Brittany Dashiell and attacker Caroline Chesterman – combined to score 68 goals and register 16 assists last season. Dashiell started all 20 games, led Florida in draw controls (49) and was second in ground balls (30), while Chesterman serves as a co-captain, posted a team-best .554 shooting percentage and started 13 matches.

KEY NEWCOMERS

Junior attacker Gabi Wiegand: A transfer from Richmond, Wiegand started nine games as a sophomore and was third on the team in goals (33) and assists (13) for her former school. Looking to compete at a higher level, she decided to make the move to UF and earned a start in the Gators’ exhibition contest against England in which she posted five goals and two assists in the team’s impressive 17-2 victory.

Florida’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class includes four members of Inside Lacrosse Magazine’s top 25 freshman list. M Shannon Gilroy (6), A Nicole Graziano (12), M Nora Barry (15) and M/D Sally Jentis (18) should all see action on the pitch in 2012 though just how much time certainly remains to be seen.

BIG QUESTIONS FOR 2012

How much will Hillier’s departure hurt the Gators’ chemistry?
There is no denying how good of a player Hillier was during her time wearing orange and blue, and it should not be doubted that Florida will have to go through some trial and error in replacing her as a starter, but one thing the Gators’ have is scorers. Hillier’s 34 goals from a year ago should be replaceable but her defense and nose for the ball – including 18 caused turnovers and 35 defensive clears (both second-most on the team) – will be tougher to supplant. Offense gets all of the glory in lacrosse but scoring opportunities come from turnovers and getting as many possessions as possible, which is one area in which Hillier truly exceeded for UF.

Just how talented is head coach Amanda O’Leary?
In order for Florida to actually win it all in 2012 (more on that below), the freshman class is going to have to play a major role. How well they blend in with the strong junior leadership and flow that the Gators have developed over the last two seasons will be a task O’Leary is responsible for overseeing.

She has proven to be a stellar recruiter and perhaps an even better coach, leading a team of freshmen to a respectable finish in the program’s first year and giving Florida a legitimate shot at a national title in the team’s second season of play. But there is a big difference between being a very good coach and a great coach.

In other words, it is one thing to get your team to the big dance and quite another to ensure they’re the ones still celebrating when the music stops. O’Leary’s early success will give her plenty of time to succeed with this Gators team. She has already built Florida into a program that recruits and plays with the best of them. However, she also has a unique opportunity to not only make a name for herself nationally but perhaps even establish herself as one of the best coaches in school history.

Can Florida actually take the final step and win a national title?
The short answer is: Yes. The Gators played so well in 2011 that there were only a few goals the team failed to reach when the book on the season was closed. Florida posted a 13-game winning streak, won a conference title and made their first NCAA Tournament berth, but the Gators did not go undefeated in the regular season, win the ALC Tournament or advance to the national championship game.

That first endeavor may be a bit of a stretch; however, it is certainly not impossible with all of the arrows pointing up for Florida in 2012. Unlike football, basketball and even baseball to some extent, there is not much turnover in the sport of lacrosse and O’Leary is returning a team that is experienced, immensely talented, well-coached and motivated.

The Gators have played the country’s best competition on the road and at home, know what it’s like to compete at the highest level in tournaments and have two years of collegiate lacrosse under their collective belt.

It will always be tough for Florida to take down some of the championship factories out there (namely Northwestern, Maryland and North Carolina), but the Gators are in the perfect position to do just that in 2012 and could very well bring home the school’s first lacrosse title this year.

Photo Credit: Matt Stamey/The Gainesville Sun

LEONARD OUT UP TO TWO MONTHS

Though the word had been going around for a few days, Muschamp confirmed that freshman tight end A.C. Leonard, who enrolled early and impressed during the 2011 Orange & Blue Debut, will miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus he suffered on Saturday. That time frame would likely keep him off the field for 3-5 games and may result in a medical redshirt for him this year if the team decides he is not healthy enough to return until even later in the season.

“It’s a noncontact injury — [he] planted on it wrong,” Muschamp said. “Nobody was near him or around him. We’re very disappointed. It’s going to be a 6-8 week process. We’ll make a decision on his playing this year at that time. He’s up to speed on everything we’re doing. He’ll be involved in the meetings and will start the rehab immediately. It’s a scope procedure. We feel like we can get him back if he heals quickly like a lot of guys do nowadays. We’ll make a determination on his playing status at that time.”

Leonard, who had surgery Wednesday morning, was listed as the team’s No. 2 tight end on the spring depth chart behind redshirt sophomore Jordan Reed. Sophomore Gerald Christian, who worked mostly at linebacker in the spring but was moved back in April, was ahead of Leonard anyway when fall camp began.

In order to increase depth at the position, Muschamp also announced that freshman defensive end Clay Burton would be switching over to offense (for at least this year) and redshirt junior wide receiver Omarius Hines (who played some tight end in 2010) will see time at the position in certain situations. Burton spent time at tight end in high school and has experience playing the position.

Burton switched his number from 86 to 88 as a result of his position change seeing as redshirt junior TE Josh Postell is already wearing No. 86 on offense.

DEMPS AND RAINEY LEADING BACKS

It should come as no surprise that the team’s oldest running backs, senior Jeff Demps and redshirt senior Chris Rainey are leading the way for the unit in fall practice. Nevertheless, Muschamp made it a point to compliment how well they are doing through the first five practices.

“Both Jeff and Chris have been very impressive,” he said. “We do a nice job on the perimeter blocking with our wideouts. We create some one-on-ones with people who aren’t used to tackling as much as far as corners and secondary people. When those guys get the ball on the edge, they’re fun to watch.”

Muschamp wants his tailbacks to “score touchdowns” and “protect well,” noting that the team will have a lot of different one-back and two-back formations this year. With that being said, as of now, it looks like Demps and Rainey will be the ones primarily playing the position as the other two running backs are a bit behind.

“Right now Chris and Jeff certainly have distanced themselves from the pack,” he said. “Mike [Gillislee] and Mack [Brown] got some making up to do as far as Mack missed most of spring, Mike missed all of spring. Mentally, as far as getting back into it, and also physically. It’s been a long time since they’ve had contact. I think they’re progressing well, but certainly Jeff and Chris have distanced themselves.”

NOTES AND QUOTES

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1 » Florida Gators redshirt freshman forward Cody Larson has officially entered a not guilty plea on reduced charges of misdemeanor criminal trespassing. The Gainesville Sun reports that junior F Erik Murphy, the other player cited in the incident, has yet to enter a plea. Both men, along with student manager Josh Adel were arrested on felony burglary charges in April after they were caught allegedly forcing their way into a vehicle. Charges against Adel (for accessory to burglary) were thrown out; those for Larson and Murphy were reduced to misdemeanors.

2 » With former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor leaving his school in the dust, his next career move becomes just as (if not more) interesting as that of former Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Pryor has similar options to Jenkins but has seemingly decided to leave college altogether. Though he could enter the 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft in July, it is looking more and more like he will play professionally in another league in 2011 with the CFL (Canadian Football League) and UFL (United Football League) leading the charge for his services. The Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL, according to the Associated Press, own Pryor’s negotiation rights within the league and could bring him aboard if he chooses to enter their league. Theoretically, that could spell doom for former Gators QB Chris Leak, who signed with the team as a free agent on May 5 and is fighting for the No. 2 job on the team. UPDATE: Pryor’s attorney said Thursday that he will not entertain offers from the CFL.

3 » Florida senior running back Jeff Demps, widely considered the fastest man in college football and one of the fastest overall in the entire country, failed to qualify for the finals of the 100-meter dash at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday. Demps turned in a 14th place performance of 10.40 seconds. He won the title last year with a time of 9.96 seconds.

4 » After another stellar season in which they were continuously ranked in the top five teams in the country, beat what ended up becoming the 2011 NCAA Champions and had a chance to qualify for the national championship game, Gators lacrosse was awarded the No. 5 ranking in the final standings released by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association. No. 5 is the highest a second-year program has ever been slotted to end the season, just another in a long list of accomplishments for the young Florida team and head coach Amanda O’Leary.

1 » Taking a second look at spring practices across the country, ESPN Insider’s KC Joyner has come to a conclusion that may surprise some Florida Gators fans: redshirt senior quarterback John Brantley played well. Here is what he saw by watching the film. To read the rest of The Football Scientist’s observations, click here (subscription req.).

It might seem a bit odd to be touting Brantley after a 4-for-14, 45-yard performance in the Orange and Blue game, but consider this: In a three-game sample review of Brantley’s 2010 season, he threw a stretch vertical pass (defined as thrown 20 or more yards downfield) only 5 percent of the time. This is a very low number and indicates the Gators were not very effective at even threatening the long pass.

In the spring game, four of Brantley’s aerials fell under the “stretch vertical” designation and one would have been completed for 40 yards had it not been for a very good defensive play. Brantley also did not force any of these downfield passes into coverage, so the downside on these throws was limited. It bodes well for what the Florida vertical game will be able to do in 2011 — not just for Brantley and Charlie Weis’ new downfield passing game, but for the playmakers in the Gators’ running game as well.

2 » No. 2/3 Florida lacrosse (14-2, 5-0 ALC) is getting prepared for the 2011 ALC Tournament set to begin on Thursday, but in the meantime the conference announced its awards on Tuesday and honored seven different Gators. Florida sophomore midfielder Kitty Cullen was named Player of the Year and head coach Amanda O’Leary earned Coach of the Year honors. Also singled out by the conference were All-ALC First Team members Cullen, sophomore attacker Ashley Bruns and sophomore defender Sam Farrell as well as Second Team members sophomore M Janine Hillier, sophomore D Haydon Judge and sophomore goalkeeper Mikey Meagher.

3 » Moving on with his professional career, Gators forward Chandler Parsons is currently working out in Los Angeles, CA and training for camps that he will compete in prior to the 2011 NBA Draft on June 23. The University of Florida’s website caught up with him to pick his brain on a number of topics including the realization that his college career has come to an end. “I can’t believe how fast everything went, it feels like I was just a freshman and now I’m graduated and trying to make a career out this,” he said. “It was a great experience; my time at UF was the best four years of my life. The relationships with my teammates and coaches, the entire staff, those memories will last a lifetime. […] A lot of people look at the NBA Draft night as an end point. For me it’s just a starting point. I know I have things to work on, but I’ve gotten good feedback from people, I’m going to work as hard as I can and do everything possible over these six weeks or so to put myself in the best position.”

4 » Another Gator has had a run-in with the law, but this one went head-on with an Alachua County deputy police officer.

In only the program’s second season, No. 6 Florida Gators lacrosse (13-1, 4-0 ALC) made history by defeating the No. 2 Northwestern Wildcats (12-1, 2-1 ALC) 13-11 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville, FL to capture at least a share of the 2011 ALC Regular Season Championship and the top seed in the 2011 ALC Tournament.

Florida accomplished this feat in front of the second-largest crowd in school history (1,518) just 419 days after beginning their inaugural season while continuing a 13-game winning streak and concluding the regular season an undefeated 11-0 at home.

Gators sophomore attacker and the nation’s leading scorer, Kitty Cullen registered six goals on the evening including a hat trick in each half. She was responsible for three of Florida’s four second-half goals on the way to a signature win for the program.

The Gators started out hot, scoring five-straight goals (including three from Cullen) to take an early 5-1 lead after Wildcats A Erin Fitzgerald notched the contest’s opening score. Florida kept the pressure on Northwestern through the first half, leading 9-4 at the break after sophomore Caroline Chesterman scored with 26 seconds left.

The five-goal deficit was the Wildcats’ largest of the season; Northwestern had only been down at the half on one other occasion all year.

The Wildcats were intense coming out of the locker rooms, with Fitzgerald once again scoring the half’s first goal. She was followed by a pair of scores, giving Northwestern three goals in under two minutes and leaving UF with a quickly reduced 9-7 lead.

Still up two goals, the Gators used a pair of free position shots from Cullen to jump ahead 12-8 with 14:44 left in the game. The Wildcats responded with three more goals to cut their deficit to 12-11 with 6:37 remaining on the clock.

Cullen would have none of it, hitting an unassisted goal with 5:35 to go to give Florida the 13-11 lead that would end the game. Supporting her team-high six goals were scores from Chesterman (three), sophomore Brittany Dashiell (three), sophomore A Ashley Bruns (two) and sophomore A Janine Hillier (two).

“I was just screaming, ‘Oh my God, we just won.’ It was so exciting,’’ Cullen said. “I’m so happy for me and my team. I wouldn’t want to share this with anyone else. This is what we’ve worked so hard for day in and day out.’’

The reigning ALC Defensive Player of the Week, goalkeeper Mikey Meagher was clutch the entire game, saving 10 shots including two in the final minutes with the Gators shorthanded due to a pair of yellow cards given out by the referees. She did not allow the opponent to score a single goal off a turnover and ensured her team was a perfect 22-for-22 on clearances away from the net.

The loss was Northwestern’s first in 2011 and first in the regular season since 2004. Florida never trailed after scoring their first goal and won the turnover battle 10-13.

Leading a team of 20 sophomores, six freshman and only one junior, UF head coach Amanda O’Leary was understandably emotional after the program-defining victory.

“We’re just so excited,” she said with a smile. “I have chills, goosebumps…I just couldn’t be more proud of what we accomplished tonight. We stayed focused when they went on runs. We didn’t let down. The team we are today is certainly not the team who played Northwestern last year.”

The Gators were shelled 19-5 in Evanston, IL one year ago, a win the Wildcats used to help propel them deep into the ALC Tournament. This year is Florida’s turn to capitalize. UF will face Vanderbilt (Apr. 17) and Cornell (May 1) before heading to Nashville, TN to begin the three-day event on May 5.

Photo Credit: Matt Stamey/The Gainesville Sun

OGGOA RELATED: Top 10 for 2010: Off the Field Stories of the Year

10 » FLORIDA WINS INAUGURAL LACROSSE GAME (2/20/10)
When Florida decided it wanted to start another women’s athletics program, the University Athletic Association did extensive research and found out that women’s lacrosse would be the perfect fit. In preparation for their first season, the Gators and head coach Amanda O’Leary secured the country’s No. 1 recruiting class (according to Inside Lacrosse Magazine). All the hard work and preparation to get the team ready paid off on Feb. 20 when lacrosse debuted in the brand new Donald R. Dizney Stadium to a boisterous crowd of 2,114 spectators. Florida defeated Jacksonville 16-6 behind four goals and four assists from freshman sensation Ashley Bruns. All-in-all the Gators faced 16 championship-caliber teams and played so well that they reached the 2010 ALC Tournament semifinals. In just their second year of existence, Florida women’s lacrosse is ranked as the No. 17 team in the country going into the 2011 season.

9 » NEAR VICTORIES/HEARTBREAKING LOSSES (5/25/10 * 3/18/10 * 10/9/10)

It is rare for teams to go undefeated and even less likely that an entire athletic program can go through a season without its share of close losses and nail biting finishes. Such was the case for the Gators in 2010. On May 25, No. 3 women’s tennis was barely defeated by the No. 8 Stanford Cardinal for the 2010 NCAA National Championship. Stanford won 4-3 after Florida rallied when they were just two individual games away from being defeated. The Gators forced third sets in two singles matches; sophomore Joanna Mather took down her opponent but senior No. 65 Marrit Boonstra was not as lucky. Losing her first set 6-4, Boonstra fought back to even her match with No. 33 Mallory Burdette by taking the second set 6-7 (4). Down 2-0 in the third, she pushed ahead with a valiant effort to take a 5-4 lead but ended up losing her final three games, the match itself and the championship.

Returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three seasons, No. 10-seed Florida got in a bit easier than some might have expected. Matched up against the No. 7-seed Brigham Young Cougars in the event’s opening game, the Gators fought hard but could not stop Cougars star guard Jimmer Fredette. Allowing BYU to jump ahead 59-46 in the second half, UF came back behind freshman G Kenny Boynton and junior forward Chandler Parsons. Florida missed potential game-winners during regulation (Parsons) and the first overtime (Boynton) and eventually fell to Brigham Young 99-92 in a double-overtime heartbreaker with Fredette adding to his game-high 37 points.

Though losing a national championship and NCAA Tournament game are both difficult, Gators fans will probably look back on No. 12/14 Florida’s shocking loss to the No. 9/12 LSU Tigers on Oct. 10 as the worst near-victory of the season. Wearing orange jerseys for the first time since 1989, the Gators came back from a 12-point deficit when freshman wide receiver Andre Debose returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown, sophomore running back Mike Gillislee rumbled in for a touchdown and redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley completed a two-point conversion to sophomore WR Frankie Hammond, Jr. to cap a 10-play, 80-yard drive. All Florida wanted when its defense came out was a stop, but LSU put together a 62-yard game-winning drive that included numerous third down conversions and a converted fake field goal attempt on fourth down from UF’s 36-yard line with 35 seconds remaining. Back-to-back passes to WR Terrence Toliver (of 28 and 3 yards, respectively) and the Tigers left The Swamp with a 33-29 victory. Players have noted that the loss was a negative turning point in the season, one that may or may not have led to the team dropping their third-straight game one week later at home to Mississippi State.


8 » MOMENTS OF RAW EMOTION (11/20/10 * 5/12/10)

What gets most fans to rise to their feet during athletic contests are spectacular plays, but in 2010 there were three on the field moments that received standing ovations for simply being emotional. After back-to-back 13-1 seasons including wins in two BCS bowl games, Gators football was expected to live up to the same level of greatness in 2010. Faced with a fractured locker room, rabid fan base and disappointing record, the team celebrated Senior Day prior to facing the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Though Florida would go on to win the game 48-10, the two most memorable moments from the game were not game-winning plays or athletic feats.

Running on the field individually to be recognized by head coach Urban Meyer and the roaring crowd, seniors safety Ahmad Black and center Mike Pouncey broke down crying. Black was so overcome with emotion that he took a knee in the end zone before sprinting to Meyer, while Pouncey kept his helmet on to hide his tears before running to Meyer and giving him a bear hug. “I don’t use the word ‘cry’ – that’s soft,” Meyer said after the game. “Whimper? Eye moisture and whimper. [Does] ‘whimper’ sound tough enough? Balled my eyes off then. I was emotional, those are good guys.”

That day was also special for redshirt senior walk-on Gary Beemer, a workhorse practice player who Meyer made sure scored a touchdown on Senior Day. After getting into the end zone on his third attempt, Beemer celebrated like he had won a championship by ripping off his helmet and letting his long hair flow. His jovial post-game press conference only furthered his 15 minutes of fame. “[It was] overwhelming,” he said of scoring the touchdown. “When you’re a kid you dream of something like this. And I’m a lineman, so the chance that – if I was a starter here – to score a touchdown as a defensive lineman is astronomical in itself. For them to just come up to me with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter and say, ‘Hey, would you like the ball on the goal line?’ I’m still trying to process it and make it a reality right now.”

In the same category as these moments was one that occurred on the baseball diamond. Recovered from a fractured face that kept him out two months and occurred when a line drive hit him directly in the mug, sophomore right-handed pitcher Tommy Toledo took the mound and received a standing ovation from the McKethan Stadium crowd of 3,147. Toledo was overcome with emotion during the moment. “That was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had here at Florida,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting that at all. […] I was shaking out there. The fans were amazing.” Freshman catcher Mike Zunino said the moment gave him and most of his teammates chills. A starter, Toledo came in as a relief pitcher during the game and helped his team complete a 7-3 victory.

7 » TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN EIGHT DAYS (3/13/10 – 3/21/10)
No. 1 Florida men’s track & field captured its first NCAA Indoor Championship in 2010 and did so with a 13-point margin of victory over the second-place finisher (Oregon). Fantastic individual performances by senior Charlotte Browning (mile), freshman/sophomore Jeff Demps (60-meter dash), senior Mariam Kevkhishvili (shot put) and sophomore Christian Taylor (triple jump) propelled the Gators to victory. Pulling off an equally impressive feat was Florida’s women’s swimming and diving team, which captured the 2010 NCAA Championship with a near 2.5-point victory over second-place Stanford just eight days later. In all, 12 Gators were named All-Americans and five school records were set in the event. It was Florida’s first national title in women’s swimming since 1982.

6 » ENEA SETS HOME RUN RECORD, GETS ENGAGED ON SENIOR DAY (5/9/10)
Her final home game in the orange and blue was an emotional day for senior softball player Francesca Enea – for more than one reason. In addition to hitting her Southeastern Conference record 61st career home run and winning her final game with the Gators on Senior Day, Enea was surprised when her longtime boyfriend Christian Bruey proposed to her at the pitcher’s mound before the game in front of over a thousand fans. She said yes and, at the end of the season, traded in the black Florida jersey she was wearing that day for a bright white wedding dress. “I had a dream two years ago,” Enea said during the post-game press conference. “I told him, ‘I had a dream you proposed to me on Senior Day,’ and he said, ‘Well, that will never happen because I’ll never make enough money for the ring you want, and I said, ‘Yeah, you’re probably right.’ He said he wasn’t going to be able to make it [to the game] and I was giving him [grief] about it for weeks. […] All of a sudden someone shouted his name out from the crowd, I looked and saw him. He didn’t waste any time, he went right down on one knee. I was just shocked. Everything with Mother’s Day, my family being here, Senior Day, my engagement, it’s just amazing. I’m happy.”

5 » TEBOW DELIVERS SWEET FINALE WITH SUGAR BOWL PERFORMANCE (1/2/10)
Disappointed after losing the 2009 SEC Championship and coming off a week filled with seemingly endless questions and distractions, the No. 5 Gators routed the No. 3 Cincinnati Bearcats 51-24 in the 2010 Sugar Bowl. In the final game of his college career, Florida senior quarterback Tim Tebow delivered arguably his best performance, completing 31-of-35 passes for a career-high 482 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air to go along with 51 yards and another touchdown on the ground. Tebow, who won the game’s Most Outstanding Player award, completed his first 12 consecutive passes and finished with 533 total yards – more than anyone in both BCS and Sugar Bowl history. “It was incredible,” Tebow said of the contest. “Just a great game. It was exactly how you want to go out with these seniors and these coaches in your last game and your last time together. It just really doesn’t get any better than this.”

4 » BASEBALL ADVANCES TO COLLEGE WORLD SERIES WITH EXTRA INNINGS COMEBACK vs. MIAMI IN GAINESVILLE (6/13/10)

Looking to advance to the NCAA College World Series for the first time since 2005, No. 4 Gators baseball defeated the No. 11 Miami Hurricanes 4-3 in extra innings due to the Hurricanes tying a postseason school record with seven errors including three in the final two innings. In a rare position as the away team in their home stadium, Florida was down 3-2 with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning. Miami shortstop Stephen Perez was charged with a throwing error on a routine grounder by Zunino, which advanced all runners and tied the score. In the top of the 10th, freshman SS Nolan Fontana got on base after Canes right fielder Chris Pelaez misjudged a fly ball and eventually scored as his teammates drove him home for what would eventually be the game-winning run. The Gators also salvaged a 15-game home winning streak and extended their record to 30-9 all-time at home during NCAA play.

3 » VOLLEYBALL RALLIES TO BEAT FLORIDA STATE IN FIVE-SET THRILLER AND ADVANCE IN NCAA TOURNAMENT (12/4/10)

Having won 28 of their first 29 contests of the season, No. 1 Florida volleyball did not expect to be faced with too much opposition when they faced the Florida State Seminoles in the second round of the 2010 NCAA Championships at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Down two sets to one and facing elimination, the Lady Gators rallied together and pulled off a spectacular come-from-behind five-set victory to defeat their bitter rivals 3-2 (20-25, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 17-15). After squeaking out a win in the fourth set, Florida trailed by four points (11-7) in the final set and was facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit (considering it takes 15 points to win). Fighting to even things up, the Gators found themselves down 13-11 after senior outside hitter Callie Rivers nailed a service ace. The officials believed UF touched the ball four times on the next point and whistled them for illegal contact, giving FSU a temporary 14-11 lead before they decided to negate the call and play the point over. Florida would go on to tie the set at 13 and eventually win it outright after junior OH Kristy Jaeckel hit consecutive kills to win it 17-15. The Gators were so thrilled with their victory that they formed a dogpile at center court as the crowd erupted in applause.

2 » OVERTIME MIRACLES: HILL’s INTERCEPTION / HENRY’s FIELD GOAL (10/30/10)

Trying to stop the bleeding after losing three games in a row for the first time since 1988, Florida football entered the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against the Georgia Bulldogs and surprised their opponents with an up-tempo offense that kept them in the game despite the defense struggling for a third-straight contest. Nevertheless, the most memorable plays of the game did not come from the offensive side on the ball but instead from the secondary and special teams. Though only two of his three interceptions will count when looking at the box score 10 years from now, junior safety Will Hill’s performance will be remembered for some time. Following in the footsteps of some of the Gators’ other terrifying free safeties, Hill came through when it counted by saving a two-point conversion with a pick and starting Florida’s celebration early with an 89-yard interception return that was stopped four yards short of the goal line in overtime. “I was struggling earlier in the season and coaches never gave up on me, teammates never gave up on me,” Hill said after the game. “And for me to come out and playing like this, it’s just like paying the team back.’’

Though Hill’s play was the most electric, senior punter/kicker Chas Henry’s performance is likely the most memorable. After missing his initial field goal attempt wide left in the first quarter, Henry nailed two in a row including a 37-yarder in overtime to ice the game, start a massive celebration and allow the Gators to go 5-1 against the Bulldogs under Meyer. “It was the best feeling I’ve ever had,” he said in a post-game press conference. “The main thing that went through my mind was how I let my team down two weeks ago against Mississippi State. That was one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. I got so much support through the coaches, my family and friends, and my brothers in the locker room. The internal family we have is as strong as you can get. I let them down one time. I was never going to let it happen again. It felt great. Unbelievable.”

Hill, Henry, their teammates and fans were not the only ones emotional about their performances. “Big play of the day,” Meyer said of Hill’s overtime pick. “We’ve been waiting for that all year. Will Hill played very well tonight.” He also commented on Henry’s game-winning kick, one which made Meyer drop to his knees on the field. “After he hit that field goal? It was Chas Henry hitting a damn field goal. Think about that for a minute. That’s not easy. I didn’t realize I [dropped to my knees]. It was a good moment.”

1 » OH MY! PARSONS HITS TWO BUZZER BEATERS IN JANUARY! (1/3/10 * 1/23/10)

Hitting a buzzer beater in a game will automatically get you a spot on SportsCenter’s Top 10. But hitting two not only in less than a month? That gets you on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays of the Year. Who are we to deny Parsons a similar honor here at OGGOA? Down two with 2.6 seconds left in overtime, Parsons converted a missed free throw into a 75-foot buzzer-beating, game-winning three-pointer to give Florida a big road win over the N.C. State Wolfpack. Just 20 days later, chants of “Chandler! Chandler! Chandler!” rang throughout the O’Connell Center as Parsons did it again with another game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer. South Carolina Gamecocks guard Devan Downey hit a dynamic layup and left 5.1 seconds on the clock. Senior F Dan Werner grabbed the ball and immediately inbounded it to sophomore point guard Erving Walker, who drove the length of the court before dishing it to Parsons, who was waiting beyond the arc. Keep your eyes pealed for Werner calling Parsons’s shot in the N.C. State video and injured F Adam Allen limping down the court to celebrate with Parsons after the USC win.

Photo Credits: John Raoux/Associated Press, The Gainesville Sun, University of Florida, Stephen Morton/AP