Former Florida Gators striker Abby Wambach will be the subject of ESPNU‘s eighth SEC Storied documentary, OGGOA has learned.

Abby Head On, which is set to premiere on May 15 at 8 p.m. on ESPNU, will be officially announced by the network later Monday. The film chronicles Wambach’s collegiate career with the Gators, international accomplishments with the U.S. Women’s National Team and quest to break Mia Hamm’s international scoring record.

After surprising the soccer community by choosing to attend Florida over powerhouse North Carolina, Wambach led the Gators to four-straight SEC Championships (1998-2001), two Final Fours (1998, 2001) and an NCAA Championship (1998), which remains the soccer program’s only national title to this day.

Individually while playing for UF, she was a two-time SEC Player of the Year (2000-01) and SEC Freshman of the Year (1998) who was also a four-time All-SEC First Team selection and three-time first-team All-American.

Wambach left Florida upon graduation as the school record holder in goals (96), game-winning goals (24), points (242), assists (49) and hat tricks (10); she maintains the No. 1 spot in each of those categories to this day.

Continue Reading » SEC Storied film to feature UF’s Abby Wambach

Tags: Abby Wambach, All-SEC, Ballon d'Or, FIFA, Freshman of the Year, Jack Youngblood, NCAA, NCAA Championship, Olympics, Player of the Year, SEC, SEC Championship, soccer, World Cup

The No. 2 Florida Gators men’s swimming and diving program entered the 2013 Southeastern Conference Championships on Wednesday looking to get over the hump and take home the title for the first time in 20 years. After leading the pack for the final three days of the event, the Gators finally accomplished that feat on Saturday, taking home the 34th SEC Championship in team history and first since 1993.

Florida (1408.0) beat the Auburn Tigers (1196.0) for the title, snapping a 16-year winning streak and reclaiming the pool after finishing second to Auburn for 11-straight years. The No. 11 Gators women (1190.5) were not as lucky, finishing third behind the Georgia Bulldogs (1420.0) and host Texas A&M Aggies (1296.0).

The men’s and women’s teams combined for eight individual SEC Championships (five and three, respectively). Florida also won four individual awards and earned 21 NCAA “A” time automatic qualifying marks.

2013 SEC Awards (4)
» SEC Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year – Gregg Troy
» SEC Commissioner’s Trophy (High Point Winner, women) – Elizabeth Beisel
» SEC Female Freshman Swimmer of the Year – Natalie Hinds
» SEC Female Freshman Diver of the Year – Cassie Weil

2013 SEC Individual Titles (8)
» Men’s 100-yard butterfly – Marcin Cieslak (46.02s) [back-to-back]
» Men’s 200-yard butterfly – Marcin Cieslak (1:42.17)
» Men’s 200-yard breaststroke – Matt Elliott (1:54.13)
» Men’s 200-yard freestyle – Pawel Werner (1:33.82)
» Men’s 800-yard freestyle relay – Pawel Werner, Sebastien Rousseau, Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, Marcin Cieslak (6:14.76)
» Women’s 100-yard butterfly – Natalie Hinds (51.70s)
» Women’s 200-yard backstroke – Elizabeth Beisel (1:50.40) [third-straight]
» Women’s 400-yard individual medley – Elizabeth Beisel (3:59.53) [third-straight]

Tags: Auburn Tigers, Cassie Wil, Coach of the Year, Commissioner's Trophy, diving, Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, Elizabeth Beisel, Freshman of the Year, Georgia Bulldogs, Gregg Troy, Marcin Cieslak, Matt Elliott, Natalie Hinds, NCAA, Pawel Werner, Sebastien Rousseau, SEC, SEC Championship, swimming, Texas A&M Aggies

1 » New England Patriots defensive end Jermaine Cunningham has been suspended four games by the NFL for violating its performance-enhancing substances policy. The substance Cunningham used was not disclosed and it is currently unknown if he already filed or plans to file an appeal. Cunningham is the fourth former Florida Gators defender to receive a four-game suspension for PEDs since 2010. New England linebacker Brandon Spikes (2010), Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden (2012) and New York Giants safety Will Hill (2012) have missed four games each. All three claimed their positive tests resulted from an ingredient contained in ADHD medication like Adderall. Cunningham would be eligible to return in the playoffs.

2 » Pittsburgh Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert is one of four former Gators on his team and one of three Florida offensive linemen that got injured this season. Unfortunately for Gilbert, while center Maurkice Pouncey and left tackle Max Starks were able to return to action, he has been sidelined since Week 6 with an ankle injury and was officially placed on the team’s injured reserve on Monday. He is the third former Gators player to be knocked out for the season with an injury, joining Buffalo Bills wide receiver David Nelson (ACL) and Patriots running back Jeff Demps (leg).

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Tags: All-SEC, Betsey Smith, Brandon Spikes, Broyles Award, Buffalo Bills, Caleb Sturgis, Chloe Mann, Cleveland Browns, Coach of the Year, Dan Quinn, David Nelson, Freshman of the Year, Jeff Demps, Jermaine Cunningham, Joe Haden, Kyle Christy, Lou Groza Award, Marcus Gilbert, Mary Wise, Maurkice Pouncey, Max Starks, New England Patriots, New York Giants, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Player of the Year, Ray Guy Award, SEC, Tangerine Wiggs, Taylor Brauneis, volleyball, Will Hill, Ziva Recek

1 » Action continued in the 2012 NCAA Tournament on Saturday with Florida Gators women’s tennis fielding a singles competitor and doubles pairing.

No. 1 Allie Will (junior) def. No. 6 Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar (Texas A&M) – 6-3, 6-3

No. 10 Natalie Pluskota/Kata Szekely (Tennessee) def. No. 22 Lauren Embree/Joanna Mather (junior/senior) – 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3)

Will’s victory advances her to the Final Four round of the 2012 NCAA Individual Championships on Sunday at noon where she will face No. 3 Nicole Gibbs (Stanford) whom she defeated 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 earlier this season in team competition. The winner will take on either No. 5 Mallory Burdette (Stanford) or No. 13 Zsofi Susanyi (California) in the national title game on Monday.

2 » Florida athletics lost a head coach for the second-straight day after women’s golf’s Jan Dowling resigned from her position on Saturday. “It truly has been an honor to coach at the University of Florida for the past three seasons, and I want to thank Mr. [Jeremy] Foley and the entire administration for this opportunity,” Dowling said in a school release. “I am very proud of what these young women have accomplished, and feel very fortunate to be involved with such a great athletic association. My decision was extremely difficult, however, I have to make the right choices for my personal life too. I will cherish my time at Florida, and wish nothing but the very best for the future of the program and the entire athletic association.”

The women’s golf program made steady progress in Dowling’s three seasons at Florida improving from 10th in the Southeastern Conference in 2010 to fourth in 2012. The Gators did not participate in the NCAA Championships in her first year at the helm but finished tied for 10th in 2011 and alone in 12th in 2012. Downling also recruited and coached the 2012 SEC Freshman of the Year in Camilla Hedberg. A statement from Foley indicates that Dowling’s decision was her own and that she was not relieved by the university. “I was surprised with Jan’s decision, but I respect her decision to do what is best for her. We wish her the best in whatever her future holds,” he said. Foley and Florida announced the resignation of head men’s tennis coach Andy Jackson on Friday in a move that, while titled a resignation, appeared to be at the behest of Foley.

Tags: Allie Will, Camilla Hedberg, Final Four, Freshman of the Year, golf, Jan Dowling, Jeremy Foley, Joanna Mather, Lauren Embree, NCAA, NCAA Tournament, SEC, tennis, University of Florida

No. 1 Florida Gators gymnastics lived up to its ranking on Saturday, taking home the 2012 Southeastern Conference Championship in Duluth, GA.

Florida (197.150) defeated Alabama (196.775) for the title, edging past the 2011 NCAA and SEC champion for the Gators’ first conference title in three years. UF also beat Georgia (196.575), LSU (196.425) and Kentucky (194.35) to round out the top five.

The Gators won the vault (49.525) and uneven bars (49.375) outright, shared the top spot in the balance beam (49.050) and came in second on the floor exercise (49.200) on their way to the championship. Florida also picked up three individual titles with freshman Kytra Hunter winning the vault (9.975) and all-around (39.625), and sophomore Alaina Johnson taking home the uneven bars (9.925).

Hunter was named SEC Freshman of the Year at the event’s conclusion, and Florida head coach Rhonda Faehn was recognized the SEC Co-Coach of the Year.

Next up for UF is NCAA Regional action. The Gators will learn of their destination (likely Fayetteville, AR or Auburn, AL) on Monday and begin competition on April 7. The top two teams at each of the six regional events will compete in the NCAA Championships from April 20-22 at the site of Florida’s SEC Championship victory.

Photo Credit: @GatorZoneGym

Tags: Alaina Johnson, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year, gymnastics, Kytra Hunter, SEC, SEC Championship

1 » Florida Gators freshman runner Jimmy Clark was named 2011 SEC Freshman of the Year by the league’s coaches on Friday. Clark is just the second male member of Florida’s cross country team to earn the honor in the history of the program and was also awarded a spot in the All-SEC first team and All-Freshman team. Eight of his teammates were honored with All-SEC accolades including senior Genevieve LaCaze and sophomore Cory McGee (women’s first team), junior Florence N’Getich (women’s second team), freshman Grace VanDeGrift (women’s All-Freshman team), sophomores Mark Parrish and Matt Mizereck (men’s first team), and freshmen Eduardo Garcia and JL Hines (men’s All-Freshman team).

2 » Florida freshman cornerback Marcus Roberson, a starter for all eight of the Gators’ games this season, settled his underage drinking case with the state by accepting deferred prosecution. Roberson will perform 10 hours of community service and pay $150 in fines ($100 of which goes to charity) as restitution for his brush with the law. He has 20 tackles this season as well as a fumble recovery; Roberson caught the first interception of his career last week against Georgia.

Extra BIT » According to the Naples News, Florida tennis will receive a national letter of intent next week from Gordon Watson, a “phenom” junior tennis player who has garnered plenty of honors and won a number of tournaments already in his career. Watson has held national USTA rankings including No. 1 in Boys 12s and 14s and No. 2 in Boys 16s. He plans to play right away for the Gators and hopes to be in either the No. 5 or No. 6 position at the start of the 2012-13 season.

Tags: All-Freshman, All-SEC, cross country, Freshman of the Year, Gordon Watson, Jimmy Clark, Marcus Roberson, SEC, tennis

1 » A trio of now former Florida Gators baseball players signed professional contracts this week. Seniors second baseman Josh Adams and right-handed pitcher Matt Campbell agreed to their deals, and junior left-handed pitcher Nick Maronde gave up his final year of eligibility by choosing to play professionally in 2011. Adams, the No. 403 overall pick in the 13th round by the Florida Marlins, will begin his career with the Class A Jamestown Jammers (New York-Penn League). The No. 751 overall pick in the 24th round, Matt Campbell signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and will report to the rookie league Gulf Coast League Phillies. Maronde was picked the highest out of all his teammates as the Los Angeles Angels selected him with the No. 104 overall pick in the third round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He will head over to the Pioneer League’s Orem Owlz and try to work his way up the ranks.

2 » The 2011 USTA Collegiate Team was announced on Thursday and two Gators made the cut. Juniors No. 4 Lauren Embree and No. 9 Allie Will were selected for the team, which is funded by the USTA and administered in conjunction with the ITA. Players will have the chance to train and develop as they compete on the USTA Pro Circuit. Joining the duo, on the men’s side, is junior Sekou Bangoura, Jr..

3 » Florida sophomore linebacker Neiron Ball, still recovering from an arteriovenous malformation found in his brain in Feb., is expected to sit out the 2011 season as he continues to recover. The Orlando Sentinel’s Rachel George spoke this week with Ball’s brother-in-law, who told her that the player underwent “radial surgery” that was performed with the hope “that the malformation withers up and dies over time.” Having not practiced since the spring and unable to work out with the team, Ball would not be in shape to play in 2011 even if completely cleared by doctors. His brother-in-law confirmed this to the Sentinel but also provided good news about his overall heath. “He’s healthy. He’s fine,” he said. “He’s probably going to miss next season. […] We’re all appreciative to Coach [Will] Muschamp, the doctors, the staff, everybody.”

4 » Former Florida All-American golfer Jessie Mudd has turned in his orange for white after being named assistant men’s golf coach for the Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday. Mudd helped propel the Gators to three top-10 NCAA finishes and won multiple awards including notably being named co-SEC Freshman of the Year.

Tags: All-American, Allie Will, baseball, Draft, Florida Marlins, Freshman of the Year, golf, Jessie Mudd, Josh Adams, Kentucky Wildcats, Lauren Embree, Los Angeles Angels, Matt Campbell, MLB, NCAA, Neiron Ball, Philadelphia Phillies, SEC, Sekou Bangoura, tennis, USTA, Will Muschamp

1 » During the 2011 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on Friday, the Florida Gators men’s team brought home a pair of National Championships. Competing in Minneapolis, MN, senior Brett Fraser captured the national title in the 200-yard freestyle. He was also part of the four-man team – including senior Conor Dwyer, junior Jeffrey Raymond and sophomore Sebastien Rousseau – that won the championship in the 800-yard freestyle relay.

2 » Former Florida golfer Sandra Gal picked up the first LPGA victory of her career on Sunday, winning the Kia Classic and $255,000. She finished at a 16-under 276 and won on the 18th and final hole on Sunday. “I’m a bit overwhelmed,” she said after the win. “you know, it was close all day long, so I had to kind of dig deep to pull out some shots. I’m just happy to have finally done it. I had a good feeling about today when I woke up.”

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Tags: Alaina Johnson, Alexandre Lacroix, Alicia Goodwin, All-Freshman, All-SEC, Artem Ilyushin, Ashanée Dickerson, Brett Fraser, Coach of the Year, Conor Dwyer, diving, Dizney Stadium, Freshman of the Year, Jeffrey Raymond, Kia Classic, Kitty Cullen, lacrosse, LPGA, Maranda Smith, Marissa King, Mississippi State Bulldogs, NCAA, NCAA Championships, Nicole Ellis, Ohio State Buckeyes, Ole Miss Rebels, Rhonda Faehn, Sandra Gal, Sebastien Rousseau, SEC, swimming, tennis