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

1 » In his weekly Monday afternoon press conference, Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer named his Champions Club for the Arkansas Razorbacks game. On offense, linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, Carl Johnson, Marcus Gilbert were honored, as was quarterback Tim Tebow, running back Jeff Demps and wide receiver Deonte Thompson. Defense received less accolades, with linemen Omar Hunter and Terron Sanders and safety Major Wright getting praise. WR Riley Cooper was named offensive player of the game while CB Joe Haden brought home the defensive player of the game honors.

Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Champions Club; Meyer & Mullen; Penalty mistake; SEC awards; Basketball news

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Donovan, Carl Johnson, Dan Mullen, Deonte Thompson, Erik Murphy, Jeff Demps, Joe Haden, Kelly Murphy, Kenny Boynton, Kentucky Wildcats, Major Wright, Malcom Sheppard, Marcus Gilbert, Maurkice Pouncey, Mike Pouncey, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Omar Hunter, Riley Cooper, SEC, soccer, Tahnai Annis, Terron Sanders, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, volleyball

1 » Former Florida Gators student-athlete Ryan Lochte is one of the most decorated swimmers in school history. A star in college, Lochte moved on to win three gold, one silver and two bronze medals combined in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Looking to return the 2012 Games in London, Lochte is not the only member of his family with aquatic tendencies. His brother Devon, 19, is a redshirt freshman at Florida and plans to compete in mid-distance free style and butterfly this season. “[Devon] has got some real good physical tools and a nice feel for the water,” said Gators swimming coach Gregg Troy. While Devon not nearly as good as his older brother, he is getting there. “If he’s 110 percent devoted and dedicated and willing to push his body, I think he’s going to be better than me,” Ryan said. In truth, all that Devon cares about is getting to the Olympics and achieving his secret lifelong goal. “We never really told anyone, but we want to be in the Olympics on the same relay team,” Devon said.

Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Another Lochte; Volleyball sweeps; Soccer ties, wins; Cross Country finishes 2nd

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Auburn Tigers, cross country, Devon Lochte, Georgia Bulldogs, Gregg Troy, Kelly Murphy, Lindsay Thompson, LSU Tigers, Olympics, Ramsey Student Center, Regal Soccer Stadium, Ryan Lochte, soccer, Student Activities Center, swimming, Tahnai Annis, Tennessee Volunteers, UGA Soccer Stadium, volleyball, Washington Huskies

Eight former letterwinners, including Gator Greats Brad Wilkerson (baseball), Fred Taylor (football) and Brian Gay (men’s golf), will be inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame 2010 class. The F Club and Gator Boosters, Inc. announced the class on Thursday, which will receive their honors at the Hall of Fame Banquet on April 9, 2010, in the Holloway Touchdown Terrace.

According to UF, “inductees are divided into three different categories: Gator Greats, Distinguished Letterwinners and Honorary Letterwinners.” The remainder of the induction class includes Gator Greats Leah Kirklin Anderson (women’s track & field), Jenny Manz Theis (volleyball) and Jason Odom (football) and Distinguished Letterwinners Laurie Burns (women’s golf) and William Freeman (men’s track & field).

More about each inductee and their career accomplishments after the jump.

Continue Reading » Wilkerson, Taylor, Gay highlight 2010 HOF class

Tags: baseball, Brad Wilkerson, Brian Gay, F Club, Fred Taylor, Gator Boosters, golf, Hall of Fame, Jason Odom, Jenny Manz Theis, Laurie Burns, Leah Kirklin Anderson, track & field, volleyball, William Freeman

The University of Florida women’s tennis doubles team of Lauren Embree and Allie Will made it to the finals of the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships. On Saturday at the Riviera Tennis Club, Embree and Will defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels team of Sophie Grabinski and Sanaz Marand, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Sunday afternoon, the ladies took on the Tennessee Volunteers‘ tandem of Caitlin Whoriskey and Natalie Pluskota for the title of an event considered to be the first leg of the NCAA’s version of the Grand Slam. The awe-inspiring run by the Florida Gators doubles team came to a halt, however, as Embree and Will were beat in three sets by Whoriskey and Pluskota, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

In other Gators sports news… The No. 6/6 volleyball team lost a three-set match to LSU Tigers Sunday evening in Baton Rouge, LA. LSU had three players with double-digit kills and won in straight sets, 28-26, 25-20, 25-22. “LSU played very well tonight,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “They really hit on all cylinders and I thought that their seniors played especially well for them.”

Tags: Allie Will, Lauren Embree, LSU Tigers, Mary Wise, North Carolina Tar Heels, Tennessee Volunteers, tennis, volleyball

1 » Sun Sports announced on Thursday that the Nov. 21 game between the No. 1 Florida Gators and FIU Panthers will be aired live on pay-per-view at 12:30 p.m. throughout the state of Florida. A taped presentation of the game will air that Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and the next Tuesday at 11 p.m. “Per Southeastern Conference television contracts, when an SEC team does not have its game selected for live TV by one of the SEC’s television partners (i.e. CBS, ESPN, SEC Network, etc.), it is permitted to offer that game live on a statewide basis on pay-per-view,” the University of Florida said in a release. Outside Florida, the game will be offered via ESPN GamePlan.

2 » Sophomore right-side/setter Kelly Murphy led the way for the No. 6/6 Florida Gators volleyball team (12-2, 6-1 SEC) as it defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 3-1 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-15) Wednesday night live on ESPNU from Columbia, SC. Murphy had her NCAA-leading fourth triple-double of the season, outside hitters Kristy Jaeckel and Colleen Ward combined for 36 kills and the Gators out-blocked the Gamecocks 12-5 in the victory. Florida returns to action Sunday in Baton Rouge, LA, following in the football team’s footsteps by taking on the LSU Tigers at 7 p.m. The match will also air live on ESPNU.

A little extra is no big deal » Associate head coach and defensive coordinator Charlie Strong forced his unit to watch tape of the 2007 Florida Gators vs. LSU Tigers game – the last time the teams played in Tiger Stadium. Seeing the defense painfully falter in the waning minutes provided extra motivation for the players this week.

Tags: Charlie Strong, Colleen Ward, Kelly Murphy, Kristy Jaeckel, volleyball

1 » It was reported that Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer was going to attend the Tampa Catholic high school football game Friday night, presumably to watch 4-star quarterback recruit Christian Green. Personally attending the No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas vs. No. 2 Byrnes game this evening, I spotted Meyer on the sideline in Fort Lauderdale, FL, along with former St. Thomas Aquinas safety Major Wright and right tackle Marcus Gilbert. Meyer was in attendance presumably to keep an eye on 4-star cornerback Cody Riggs, a heavy Gators lean. The Gators are off from practice until early next week. In the game, Riggs blocked and field goal and played decent coverage all night, except for turning around too soon and being taken advantage of for a touchdown late in the game. I am curious to find out if the St. Petersburg Times got the story wrong, or if Meyer chose to visit Riggs over Green, who the team is reportedly extremely interested in.

2 » No. 5/5 Florida Gators volleyball lost their first regular-season home game since 2004 in front of 3,820 fans at the O’Connell Center Friday night to the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats. The Gators jumped out to an early lead before losing a heartbreaker to the Wildcats.

3 » Senior linebacker Ryan Stamper suffered two concussions during his younger years and is able to relate to what his quarterback, Tim Tebow, is going through in recovery. “Your head hurts a lot and you get a lot of rest,” Stamper said. “It all comes back to you though.”

4 » FOX Sports college basketball writer Jeff Goodman believes that the improved experience and talent of SEC teams will make the conference a contender in the national picture this season. He predicts the Florida Gators will finish fourth in the SEC East, due to losing guard Nick Calathes to Greek professional team Olympiakos. I am of the belief that Florida will actually improve this year without Calathes.

Tags: Christian Green, Cody Riggs, Nick Calathes, Ryan Stamper, Tim Tebow, volleyball