2 » Though they failed to reach the 2010 NCAA Tournament, the Florida women’s basketball team (15-16) got off to a quick start in the WNIT with a 61-54 win over the South Florida Bulls (15-16) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen scored a team-high 16 points as sophomore center Azania Stewart contributed 11 of her 15 points in the second half. The Gators move on to face the Miami Hurricanes (19-13) on Sunday at the BankUnited Center.

3 » Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy of the Florida volleyball team has been announced as one of 24 players selected to the roster of the 2010 U.S. Women’s National A2 team. The 2008 AVCA National Freshman of the Year, Murphy ranked third in the SEC in hitting percentage (.344) and seventh in assists per set (7.04) in 2009. She is the 35th Gators volleyball player to receive this honor since 2001.

4 » One of OGGOA’s favorite all-time Florida football players is Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that one of our all-time favorite Gators’ mom’s is his very own – Pauline. Aside from helping raise Channing and supporting him throught his life, Pauline has started a Football 101 for Women & Friends class that has become quite popular in South Florida. You can read more about it here.

2 » Also from ESPN, bracketology expert Joe Lunardi has released his latest edition, and Florida remains a part of the projection. Lunardi has the Gators even after a close home loss to the No. 13/19 Vanderbilt Commodores Tuesday. He lists Florida as a No. 11 seed squaring off against the No. 6-seed Baylor Bears in first-round action in Buffalo, NY.

3 » Competing in 2010 Southeastern Conference Tournament first-round action Thursday, the No. 7-seed Gators women’s basketball team (14-16) fell 74-61 to the No. 10-seed Auburn Tigers (15-15). Senior guard Steffi Sorensen led the team with 14 points (12 in the first half), while senior forward Sharielle Smith contributed 11 points.

4 » Three members of Florida’s women’s track and field team were awarded end-of-season honors from the SEC Thursday. Head coach Mike Holloway was named Women’s Coach of the Year, senior jumper Shara Proctor won Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and sprinter Lanie Whittaker shared Women’s Freshman Runner of the Year. The ladies won the 2010 SEC Indoor Championship on Feb. 28.

Bubble Watch » Richmond (23-7), which beat the Gators 56-53 on Dec. 19, took down Dayton (19-10) 60-56. Dayton was on bubble and is now considered out of the running.

1 » No. 3 Florida Gators women’s track and field won the 2010 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championship Sunday, its first since the 2004 season. Scoring 110 total points, the team was led by junior Charlotte Browning and senior Shara Proctor, who were named co-winners of the Cliff Harper Trophy for the SEC’s high-points scorer. The men’s team finished second at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, AR, as the home team Arkansas Razorbacks beat them out for the men’s crown 123-119. Both the women’s and men’s teams also captured numerous individual SEC titles over the weekend.

2 » No. 3/11 Gators softball (12-1) swept the Northwestern State Lady Demons (8-5) 15-0, 5-0 and 10-1 over the weekend at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, FL. Sophomore outfielder Michelle Moultrie powered Florida’s offense by going 5-8 (.625) with a double, triple, home run and six RBI, while junior OF Kelsey Bruder joined her with similar 5-8 performance for four runs, two homers, six RBI and 11 total bases. Junior pitcher Stephanie Brombacher (10-1) won each game of the series, striking out a combined 13 and only allowing three walks.

Read four more BITS on gymnastics, lacrosse, men’s tennis and Senior Day…

3 » Also posting a win this weekend was No. 4 Florida gymnastics (6-2, 5-1 SEC), which took down the No. 16 Auburn Tigers (2-5, 2-4 SEC) 196.80-195.70 on the road at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. The Gators swept the event titles as freshman Ashanée Dickerson won her fifth all-around title of 2010.

4 » Though the Gators’ inaugural lacrosse season has been nearly flawless thus far, perfection had to come to an end sometime. Sunday, the ladies fell 18-5 to the No. 4-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels on the road. Freshman Brittany Dashiell led Florida with two goals, but North Carolina’s 19 additional shots on goal doomed UF.

5 » Also in action Sunday was the No. 6 men’s tennis team, which found success against the No. 13 Illinois Illini. Taking their competitors down 5-2 at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex, the Gators (8-2) now look ahead to conference play beginning this week. The No. 10-ranked doubles pairing of redshirt senior Antoine Benneteau and junior Alexandre Lacroix fell, and Benneteau lost in singles competition for the first time this season. No. 17 Lacroix won his singles match 6-4, 6-4.

6 » On Senior Day, forward Sharielle Smith and guards Steffi Sorensen, Lonnika Thompson, Jennifer Mossor and Susan Yenser played their hearts out, but the Florida women’s basketball team (14-15, 7-9 SEC) would eventually fall 66-61 to the Alabama Crimson Tide (12-17, 4-13 SEC). Freshman F Jennifer George recorded her first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the contest.

2 » No. 7 men’s tennis (7-2) continued its terrific play this season, taking down the South Florida Bulls (3-5) 6-1 on Sunday at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. The No. 10-ranked doubles duo of redshirt senior Antoine Benneteau and junior Alexandre Lacroix won its 20th match of 2009-10 with an 8-2 victory. Lacroix, ranked No. 17 as a singles competitor, took down No. 91 Jamal Adderley, 6-2, 6-4 for his 11th win against a ranked opponent this season.

3 » Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski is one of the most famous Gators fans in professional sports. From attending games to razzing teammates who are fans of opposing teams, Pierzynski is not shy about his Florida pride. That includes wearing orange and blue shoes around MLB camp last week, according to the Chicago Tribune.

4 » The Gators want three-star tight end Michael McFarland (Tampa, FL) to gain weight. His high school basketball team? Not so much. “They want me to put 10 to 15 pounds of solid muscle on before I get there,” McFarland told the St. Petersburg Times. “I want to start [working out] so bad.” McFarland, at 6’6” 240 lbs., is his team’s starting center and has two weeks to go before he can begin Florida’s workout routines.

Extra BIT » High school junior Lindsey Cooper, the younger sister of former Gators wide receiver Riley Cooper, recently made unofficial visits to Florida and Florida State as she decides where to attend college on a soccer scholarship. A standout at Clearwater Central Catholic High School, Cooper hopes to sprint for a university’s track and field team as well.

1 » ESPN has taken to praising 2011 athlete recruit A.C. Leonard (Interlachen, FL), a current Florida Gators commitment. Called “a jack-of-all-trades in high school,” Leonard is projected as a tight end or defensive end in college and worked out extensively at the former position during the Jacksonville, FL, Under Armour combine over the weekend. Leonard continues to impress and remains a solid verbal commitment.

2 » No. 4 Florida men’s golf took home its seventh straight SunTrust Gator Invitational title on Sunday, shooting a team score of 279 (-1) in the final round at the Mark Bostik Golf Course. Up nine strokes going into the final round, the Gators doubled it up and won by 18. Seniors Tyson Alexander and Tim McKenney, along with redshirt junior Andres Echavarria, tied for third place with a total score of 212 (+2).

Four more BITS on tennis, women’s b-ball and softball’s rebound after the jump!

3 » Though they fell Saturday, the No. 12 Florida men’s tennis team (6-2) responded with a 4-0 victory over the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs on Sunday at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, VA. The No. 10-ranked doubles pair of redshirt senior Antoine Benneteau and junior Alexandre Lacroix won their 10th straight match; Lacroix also took home a 6-0, 6-3 singles victory, helping propel UF to victory.

4 » Continuing their slide and penchant for blowout losses, the Gators women’s basketball team (13-12, 6-6 SEC) fell Sunday to the No. 5 Tennessee Lady Vols (23-2, 11-1 SEC) 83-44 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen scored a team-high 12 points in the loss.

5 » Previously undefeated, the No. 7 women’s tennis team (7-2) dropped back-to-back matches Sunday at Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, WI, against the No. 2 Northwestern Wildcats (6-0) and No. 12 UCLA Bruins (7-1). Falling 4-3 and 4-1, respectively, the Gators were bounced in the quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships and then lost the consolation quarterfinals.

6 » Also in action this weekend was No. 3/5 Florida softball (3-1), which rebounded with two big wins after an uncharacteristic loss on Saturday. Early Sunday, the Gators took down the South Florida Bulls 12-8 in a three-hour game on the second day of the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, FL. Senior outfielder Francesca Enea recorded a team-high four RBI with a double and homer while junior pitcher Stephanie Brombacher (2-1) got her first win of the season a day after losing the first game of her career (44-1). Later in the day, Enea continued her rampage with a grand slam that propelled Florida to a 7-2 win over the Long Island Blackbirds. Brombacher added another win to her resume on 1.1 innings of relief work.

2 » Former Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes has decided to continue training in Gainesville, FL, as he prepares for the 2010 NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February. His agent, Terry Watson, spoke with The Gainesville Sun about Spikes. “He’s doing well,” Watson said. “He continues to work out hard and he’s eating well. He’s fully committed to a plan that will get him ready for the Combine.” Also in Gainesville working out with Florida strength and conditioning coordinator Mickey Marotti is wide receiver Riley Cooper. “Coach Mick is the best,” Cooper said. “I’m following the same plan Percy (Harvin) did a year ago under Coach Mick.”

Four more very informative Florida Gators BITS after the jump!

3 » On Thursday, former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was a Grand Marshal for the Gatorade Duel at Daytona that set the order for the Daytona 500. Though Tebow avoided reporters and would only speak about the event, he was asked how he might respond if ESPN director of college scouting Todd McShay was to mock how he says the famous phrase, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” Tebow’s reply? “I actually think the way I pronounce it, it will probably be a little bit off, so I’m going to be working on that.”

4 » Also serving as a Grand Marshal Thursday was Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who received his fair share of questions about Tebow. “Getting drafted by Jacksonville would be a lot of pressure [on him],” Jones-Drew told The Miami Herald. “I grew up in the Bay Area and went to college in L.A. I know if I would have gotten drafted to Oakland or San Francisco, people would have thought ‘He’s going to change the team right now.’ I got away from all the pressure, all the family and got to turn into the guy I wanted to be and not have people try to change me into something I’m not.” Jones-Drew also discussed his feelings should the Jaguars draft Tebow. “If we pick him, he’s still going to do a great job [...] wherever he goes he’s going to do a great job.”

5 » After winning three of their previous four games, the Florida women’s basketball team (13-11, 6-5 SEC) fell hard Thursday to the No. 23 LSU Tigers (16-7, 5-6 SEC) at home in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The Gators were defeated by an astonishing 40 points (70-30) by a Tigers team led by guard Allison Hightower, who scored a game-high 19 points. Florida only shot 19.6 percent on the evening (11-of-56) and went 1-of-19 (5.3 percent) from downtown. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen tallied a team-high nine points, almost one-third of the team’s total. “We were just outplayed in every facet [of the game] tonight,” head coach Amanda Butler said.

6 » The No. 3/5 Gators softball team, which finished as a runner-up in the 2009 Women’s College World Series to the Washingotn Huskies, will open its 2010 season in Clearwater, FL, this weekend at the USF Wilson-DeMarini Tournament. Florida will face the No. 13/14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Long Island Blackbirds, South Florida Bulls, Canisius Griffs and Illinois State Red Birds over the course of three long days. All times and results will be available here on OGGOA.

Extra Bit » Former Florida soccer player Abby Wambach has been selected as one of 19 players to join the United States’ roster for the 2010 Algarve Cup. Though she missed last year’s tournament with a broken leg, Wambach scored three goals at the 2008 Algarve Cup and is one shy of Kristine Lilly’s U.S. career record.

2 » While most of the country was focused on the Super Bowl, the Florida women’s basketball team (13-10, 6-4 SEC) was in Gainesville, FL, hosting the Mississippi State Bulldogs (15-9, 6-5 SEC) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The Gators kept it close all game, eventually pulling out a hard-earned 80-78 double-overtime victory. Senior guard Lonnika Thompson scored all of her 11 points in overtime while classmates G Steffi Sorensen and forward Sharielle Smith each recorded double-doubles. Redshirt sophomore G Jordon Jones was responsible for the game-winning free throws with only 2.7 seconds left to lift Florida for the win.

3 » Following in the footsteps of their male counterparts, the No. 7 Gators women’s tennis team (5-0) completed a sweep at home over the weekend. The Florida women took on and defeated the Troy Trojans 7-0 at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. No. 13-ranked freshman Allie Will and No. 81-ranked senior Marrit Boonstra each won their singles matches and combined as the No. 26 doubles duo to take the event’s first doubles match 8-1.

4 » The Florida club cycling team took home the annual Swamp Classic in Gainesville, FL, on Sunday. Called “one of the most dominant teams in the nation,” by The Gainesville Sun, the Gators group seemingly dominated the event from start-to-finish. For more, read Ray FItzGerald’s report here.

2 » Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Gene Smith told The Florida Times-Union that his team’s experiment with the 3-4 defense is over. Part of the reason for the change is a belief of Smith in former Gators defensive end Derrick Harvey, who only had two sacks in 2009. “The third year is usually a defining year for what you’re going to become,” Smith said as he indicated that Harvey will begin camp as the starting left end. Former Florida safety Reggie Nelson, who had an outstanding rookie campaign but has since floundered with the Jaguars, may be cut if he does not show significant improvement throughout training camp.

Women’s basketball, lacrosse and men’s & women’s tennis after the jump!

3 » Though the men lost in the waning seconds of their contest, the Gators women’s basketball team (12-9, 4-3 SEC) pulled out a close 67-64 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels (14-7, 5-3 SEC) at C.M. Tad Smith Coliseum in Oxford, MS on Sunday. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen scored a team-high 18 points by going 6-for-7 from downtown. Seniors forward Sharielle Smith and G Lonnika Thompson each posted 11 points; Smith added five rebounds while Thompson contributed five assists and three steals. Florida returns to Gainseville, FL, for a three-game homestand that begins with a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

4 » Florida lacrosse played its first game in team history, albeit an exhibition, against the U.S. National Developmental team on Saturday at the Disney Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL. The Gators fell 17-8 against their more experienced opponent and let a close 7-4 score to get out of reach by allowing the U.S. team to score five straight goals early in the second half. Florida starts its first regular season against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Feb. 20 but must first face the Princeton Tigers on the road in a final exhibition game on Feb. 14.

5 » The No. 11 Florida men’s tennis team (2-1) advanced to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships after finishing ITA Kick-Off Weekend with a 7-0 shutout victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Sunday at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex. redshirt senior Antoine Benneteau and junior Alexandre Lacroix, the No. 10-ranked doubles pair in the country, once again pulled out an impressive victory. The team’s final match of the season, before competing in the indoor championships, is against the Florida Atlantic Owls on Feb. 6

6 » While the men are on their way to the championships, the No. 8 Gators women’s team (4-0) has already advanced to the round of 16 after sweeping the Florida International Golden Panthers 4-0 in second-round action in Gainesville, FL, on Sunday. Florida will next compete in the tournament’s third round from Feb. 12-15 at the Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison, WS.

2 » Losing four assistant coaches (and one graduate assistant) after the 2009 SEC Championship, head coach Urban Meyer has replaced all of them post-haste. Even so, his cornerbacks coach position apparently remains vacant and additional coaching turnover in Heater and/or assistant head coach and defense/defensive line coach Dan McCarney (whose name has popped up as a candidate for the recently available head job with the USF Bulls) may very well occur. Perhaps McCarney would even take Heater as his defensive coordinator? There is still a ways to go before this situation is settled.

3 » Florida women’s basketball (9-6, 2-0 SEC) turned in a thrilling 71-68 double-overtime victory against the Auburn Tigers (9-6, 0-2 SEC) Thursday evening in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Senior guard Steffi Sorensen began the second overtime without a point in the contest but drained three treys to lift her team to victory. The Gators led by 20 points in the first half but gave up the lead in the second half as the Tigers won the rebound (58-46) and turnover (22-15) battles. Sophomore center Azania Stewart led Florida with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

4 » Football has the Swamp Things, basketball has the Rowdy Reptiles, but baseball’s student section remains unnamed – until now. The baseball team is set to throw its first pitch of the 2010 season in just over a month’s time, and the University of Florida is looking to the student body for suggestions on what to name McKethan Stadium’s student section. The winning entry will receive a baseball autographed by head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, Nike Gators gear and the opportunity to throw out a first pitch before a game this season. Submissions are being accepted through Jan. 15 with the voting lasting from Jan. 19-22. An announcement will be made on Jan. 25. Only students are able to apply – visit GatorZone.com for more information.

2 » Using a 20-1 run to end the first half, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (6-4) took down the Florida women’s basketball team (3-5) 51-38 on Monday in the Women’s Jimmy V. Classic. Senior Steffi Sorensen scored 13 points to lead the Gators, though the team shot just 22 percent from the floor. Even though Florida outscored Rutgers by one in the second half, their 14-point halftime deficit was too much to overcome. The Gators next game is against the Old Dominion Monarchs (1-5) on the road Friday at 7 p.m.