The Florida Gators men’s basketball team is set to begin the 2009-10 season with an exhibition game Monday night against Saint Leo at 7 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Head coach Billy Donovan has not lost an exhibition game since Nov. 19, 2001, when the Gators went down to the EA Sports All-Stars. (Yes, the EA Sports All-Stars.) Tickets are available for the game and can be purchased from the box office. Not that I’m saying this is a must-attend game or anything like that.

OGGOA will publish a complete Florida basketball season preview next week before the regular season begins against the Stetson Hatters on Sunday, Nov. 15. We will have full coverage of basketball and every other sport throughout the season. Expect additions to the right side bar soon.

Tags: Billy Donovan, O'Connell Center, Saint Leo, Stetson Hatters

Sweeping their sixth consecutive Southeastern Conference opponent, the No. 10/12 Florida Gators volleyball team (18-3, 12-2 SEC) took down the Mississippi State Bulldogs (6-19, 2-13 SEC) 3-0 (25-23, 27-25, 25-22) on the road Sunday in Starkville, MS. Florida sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy recorded her seventh triple-double of the season with 11 kills, 25 assists and 10 digs. Murphy’s triple-double was the 13th of her career, a Gators record.

The Florida volleyball team will return home to host the Georgia Bulldogs (14-10, 5-8 SEC) next Friday at 7 p.m. in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

In soccer news… The Gators (14-4-2, 8-1-2 SEC) have earned the top seed in the SEC Championship Tournament and will face the defending champion No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers (8-8-3, 4-5-2 SEC) on Wednesday, Nov. 4 in Orange Beach, AL. Meeting earlier this season in Knoxville, TN, Florida and Tennessee tied 2-2 after two overtimes.

Tags: Georgia Bulldogs, Kelly Murphy, Mississippi State Bulldogs, O'Connell Center, soccer, Tennessee Volunteers, volleyball

1 » Volleyball (16-3, 10-2 SEC) continues to roll through the SEC as the No. 10/11 Florida Gators swept the Ole Miss Rebels (8-14, 2-10 SEC) in straight sets (25-18, 25-13, 25-16) on Sunday in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy continues her stellar play and recorded a match-high 14 kills. Florida goes on the road to Tuscaloosa, AL, to square off against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.

2 » The No. 12 Florida soccer team (13-4-2, 7-1-2 SEC) defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks (8-6-4, 2-6-2 SEC) Sunday afternoon on the road at Razorback Field by a 1-0 margin. The victory puts Florida in first place in the conference heading into its final match of the regular season Friday, Oct. 30 against No. 10 South Carolina Gamecocks.

3 » The Gators women’s swimming and diving team won the 2009 SMU Classic in Dallas, TX, on Saturday, finishing in first-place with 353 points ahead of the Louisville Cardinals, Wisconsin Badgers, Southern Methodist Perunas, Florida State Seminoles and Rice Owls. The rest of the team that did not compete in that event were also victorious on the weekend, taking down both Arkansas and the Kansas Jayhawks in double-dual on the road in Fayetteville, AK.

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Soccer rolls; Volleyball wins; Swimming dominates; Tennis in finals

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Alexandre Lacroix, Allie Will, Antoine Benneteau, Arkansas Razorbacks, Connor Smith, diving, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, Kansas Jayhawks, Kelly Murphy, Laura Vallverdu, Lauren McCreless, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Hurricanes, O'Connell Center, Ole Miss Rebels, Rice Owls, SEC, SMU Classic, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Southern Methodist, swimming, tennis, University of Florida, Vahid Mirzadeh, volleyball, Wilson/ITA Southeast Regional Championship, Wisconsin Badgers, Yale University

Friday night, senior libero Elyse Cusack registered 11 digs and became the first player in school history and just the third in Southeastern Conference history to achieve 1,900 digs for her career. Combine that achievement with an outstanding performance from sophomore outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel – who had a team-high 10 kills – and you can understand how the No. 10/11 Florida Gators volleyball team 15-3, 9-2 SEC) swept the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-12, 4-7 SEC) 3-0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-16) in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

Jaeckel’s had 12 digs of her own along with 10 kills on .500 efficiency to record her sixth double-double of the season. Florida is next in action on Oct. 25 when the Ole Miss Rebels come to Gainesville, FL, for a match set to begin at 1:30 p.m.

In other news… The University of Florida men’s swimming and diving team defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 161-123 at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center. The Gators improved to 2-0 this season in dual meets after being led to victory by strong freestyle performances. Florida is 2-0 against the Atlantic Coast Conference this season and will open SEC competition against the Georgia Bulldogs at home on Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. from the O’Connell Center Natatorium.

Tags: ACC, Arkansas Razorbacks, diving, Elyse Cusack, Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Kristy Jaeckel, Natatorium, O'Connell Center, Ole Miss Rebels, SEC, swimming, University of Florida, volleyball

From time to time, OGGOA will come across tidbits and small news items we want to share with our readers. In those instances, we will be present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.

- On behalf of Nissan, America receives one official vote in the Heisman Trophy selection process. Cast yours for Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow here.

- For their game against the Florida Gators on Nov. 14, the South Carolina Gamecocks will be supporting and honoring the United States military by wearing camouflage uniforms.

- Did you know the Gators football team has not won a game in Starkville, MS, since 1985? In four road games against the Mississippi State Bulldogs since that year, Florida is 0-4. The team’s last loss at Davis-Wade Stadium served as the nail in the coffin that was Ron Zook‘s Florida head coaching career.

- Florida basketball tips off on Sunday, Nov. 15 at home; but before that happens, the team will be hosting the inaugural Rowdy Fest on Wed., Oct. 21, in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 6:30 p.m. Rowdy Fest will be a tip-off party for the team that is held exclusively for UF students featuring members of the men’s basketball team and head coach Billy Donovan.

- University of Florida senior Stacey Johnson was named SEC Female Athlete of the Week for her outstanding performance in cross country at the Pre-NCAA Invitational.

- Last Thursday, OGGOA noted that the Gators would be featured on a limited edition cereal box cover that would be available for both in stores and online. The Official Online Gator Sportshop has begun selling this product now – so go purchase it if you so please.

- Coming off one of its best seasons in the program’s history, the Florida softball team has announced its 2010 schedule.

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Billy Donovan, cereal, cross country, Davis-Wade Stadium, Heisman Trophy, military, Mississippi State Bulldogs, O'Connell Center, Ron Zook, Rowdy Fest, softball, South Carolina Gamecocks, Stacey Johnson, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Women's College World Series

The University of Florida men’s and women’s basketball teams held their respective media days Thursday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. While men’s head coach Billy Donovan spoke plenty about his returning players, incoming freshmen and the team’s prospects for the 2009 season, one particular news story stood out above the rest – redshirt sophomore forward Adam Allen‘s basketball career may be over.

According to Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel, who attended the media day and was able to speak with both coach and player, Allen’s kneecap is still giving him pain and discomfort even after he had surgery on it six months ago. “There’s a good chance I won’t be able to play basketball again,” Allen said. “The cards are stacked against me.”

Allen’s struggle to get healthy seemed to affect Donovan emotionally when he spoke with the media. “I feel terrible for him because he has been trying to get himself back,” Donovan said. While both are frustrated over the situation, all Allen can do at this point is wait and see what his future holds. One option for Allen may be foregoing the entire 2009-10 season and making a go of it next year.

Tags: Adam Allen, Billy Donovan, O'Connell Center

1 » New England Patriots running back Fred Taylor is set to undergo surgery on his injured right ankle according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Taylor, a former Florida Gators standout, is in his first season with the Patriots after spending his entire career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and leads the team with 45 carries and 201 yards.

2 » Louisiana weathermen are expecting thunderstorms and plenty of rain around game time when No. 1 Florida Gators face off against No. 4 LSU Tigers. Jo Goodman of the Miami Herald said the LSU-PD expect around 300,000 football fans and visitors in and around the campus on Saturday.

3 » Former Tennessee Volunteers defensive coordinator John Chavis could not beat the Florida Gators once head coach Urban Meyer took over. So he was fired. Now, Chavis has a shot at redemption after being hired by head coach Les Miles to helm the LSU Tigers‘ defense. And unfortunately for Gators fans, Chavis knows where to start when trying to defend Florida’s explosive offense. “If you can’t stop their run, they’ll mix it up on you with their speed and kill you,” Chavis said. “You’ve got to keep them from running the football.”

4 » The University of Florida‘s Stephen C. O’Connell Center has revamped its concession stands. Gators fans will now be able to choose from new menu items including pulled pork and grilled chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, turkey legs, hamburgers, jambalaya and much more.

Tags: Fred Taylor, Jacksonville Jaguars, John Chavis, Les Miles, LSU Tigers, New England Patriots, NFL, O'Connell Center, Urban Meyer