1 » After two days of action at the 2010 NCAA Championship in Ooltewah, TN, Florida Gators men’s golf is tied for fifth place with an even par score of 576. Florida is 14 shots off of the leader (Florida State, 562) and will compete in the final round on Thursday.

2 » CBS college football analyst Gary Danielson questions whether or not the Gators will remain successful running the spread offense without former quarterback Tim Tebow (now with the Denver Broncos) at the helm. “I’m still not sure any other spread will work in this conference,” he told Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel. “They cannot have John Brantley getting hit 12-15 times per game. He’s too valuable. […] It was tough for [Tebow] to take the punishment of [the SEC]. This conference is more and more simulating the NFL, with sophisticated defense to put hits on people.”

Four more BITS including a softball preview, updates on Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Spikes and a Florida Gators *trivia* question…after the break!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Golf in fifth, spread, softball, NFL, trivia

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, All-American, ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, Brandon Spikes, Denver Broncos, Francesca Enea, golf, NCAA, NCAA Championship, New England Patriots, NFL, SEC, softball, Stephanie Brombacher, Tim Tebow, Tom Brady, UCLA Bruins, Women's College World Series

No. 4 Florida Gators softball (48-8) won its second straight game against the No. 13 Arizona State Sun Devils (44-17), defeating them 5-2 on Sunday in the second game of the Gainesville Super Regional to advance to the 2010 NCAA Women’s College World Series. Florida’s berth to the event is their third in as many years.

The Gators outscored the Sun Devils 13-2 over the weekend at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, with junior starter Stephanie Brombacher (34-6) earning both victories in back-to-back complete game efforts. She did not allow a single run over the first 12 innings before letting ASU score one in both the sixth and seventh on Sunday.

Like Saturday, junior outfielder Kelsey Bruder (2-2) led the way for Florida offensively with three RBI off of two home runs. Fellow junior first baseman Megan Bush (1-3) added a solo shot of her own, giving the Gators a 4-0 lead going into the last six outs.

Florida will begin the WCWS by facing No. 5 UCLA in Oklahoma City, OK, on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The game will air live on ESPN and ESPN3.com.

Baseball selected to host a regional

No. 4 Florida baseball (42-15) has been announced by the NCAA as the host of one of 16 regionals for the 2010 NCAA Tournament. Four teams, including the Gators, will compete in the Gainesville Regional at McKethan Stadium beginning on June 4.

The NCAA will announce the entire 64-team field (including Florida’s three initial opponents) live on ESPN on Monday at 12:30 p.m. This will be the third time in the last six years that a regional has been hosted in Gainesville, FL.

Photo Credit: University of Florida

Tags: Arizona State Sun Devils, baseball, Gainesville Regional, Kelsey Bruder, McKethan Stadium, Megan Bush, NCAA, Pressly Stadium, softball, Stephanie Brombacher, Super Regional, Women's College World Series

1 » No. 4 Florida Gators softball (47-8) began its quest for a berth in the 2010 NCAA Women’s College World Series with an 8-0 shutout of the No. 13 Arizona State Sun Devils (44-16) while hosting the Gainesville Super Regional on Saturday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Junior starter Stephanie Brombacher (33-6) has been dynamite in the postseason; she recorded her 11th shutout of the year, pitching a complete game and only yielding four hits. Junior outfielder Kelsey Bruder (2-3) and senior third baseman Corrie Brooks (2-2) each led the Gators with three RBI, while freshman designated player Brittany Schutte (2-3) added two. Florida hopes to conclude Super Regional action by prevailing in the second game, Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

2 » The Gators’ No. 5 doubles pair of senior Marrit Boonstra and freshman Allie Will was eliminated from competition for the 2010 NCAA National Championship Saturday, falling 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 to Tennessee’s No. 1 duo of Natalie Pluskota and Caitlin Whoriskey at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, GA. Florida tennis – both men’s and women’s – has now been completely removed from NCAA competition for this season.

Find out which Gators qualified for the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships and what sport Georgia is going after Florida in…after the break!
Continue Reading » FOUR BITS: Softball up one, doubles falls, track

Tags: Allie Will, Arizona State Sun Devils, Brittany Schutte, Calvin Smith, Charlotte Browning, Christian Taylor, Corrie Brooks, Damon Evans, Evelien Dekkers, Fidela James, field, Georgia Bulldogs, Gray Horn, Jeff Demps, Josh Izewski, Julie Northrup, Keely Medeiros, Kelsey Bruder, Kemal Mesic, Magill Tennis Complex, Mariam Kevkhishvili, Marrit Boonstra, National Championship, NCAA, NCAA Outdoor Championship, Omar Craddock, Pressly Stadium, Shara Proctor, soccer, softball, Stephanie Brombacher, Steve Holeman, Super Regional, tennis, Terrell Wilks, Tony McQuay, track, Women's College World Series

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