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New Story This, That, & More on a Monday: Gator News & Notes

JasonHigdon

Ring of Honor
Staff
Nov 5, 2021
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Slaughter Earns AP First-Team All-America Nod. The Florida star center was the cornerstone of the Gators’ efforts at the line of scrimmage.


GAINESVILLE, Fla. –
Florida Gators center Jake Slaughter has been named an AP First-Team All-American selection, the Associated Press announced on Monday. The accolade officially earns him a brick outside The Swamp.


Slaughter is just the third center in school history to claim a first-team all-america honor from one of the five current NCAA recognized publications for consensus and unanimous distinction; AP, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sporting News (SN) and the Walter Camp Foundation (WC). He joins Bill Carr (1966) and Maurkice Pouncey (2009) in the exclusive club.


Slaughter, a redshirt junior out of Sparr, Fla., shined throughout the 2024 campaign. He logged 728 snaps, the highest total of any Gator this season. In those snaps, Slaughter Graded out as the Gators’ top offensive player, best pass blocker, and best run blocker per Pro Football Focus (PFF).


PFF rated Slaughter as the best overall center in the Southeastern Conference, and tabulated that in his 728 snaps, he allowed only one sack, one QB hit, and six QB hurries and eight pressures while committing only three penalties. His sacks allowed, hits allowed, and penalty totals are improvements from last season, despite playing over 150 more snaps.


He also earned honors of 247Sports/CBS Sports All-American Second Team, PFF All-American First Team, CFN All-American Second Team, AP All-SEC First Team and USA Today All-SEC First Team.


Slaughter is Florida’s 13th first-team all-american offensive lineman in program history, joining a class of O’Cyrus Torrence (2022 NFL Draft first-round selection), Maurkice Pouncey (5x NFL All-Pro, 9x Pro-Bowler), and Lomas Brown (5x NFL All-Pro, 7x Pro-Bowler).


2025 Season TicketsAfter 12-straight sold-out games at The Swamp, fans can now secure season tickets for six games in 2025 with matchups against LIU (Aug. 30), South Florida (Sept. 6), Texas (Oct. 4), Mississippi State (Oct. 18), Tennessee (Nov. 22) and Florida State (Nov. 29).

Secure your 2025 season tickets here.



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Gators Gymnastics Hype Night is December 16

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -
Meet the latest edition of the preseason No. 3 Florida gymnastics team at Hype Night!

When: Monday, Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Exactech Arena in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center (gates open at 5:30 p.m.)
Tickets: FREE!

Gators Autographs: Stay after to get your 2025 poster signed by the Gators!

Plan to be at Gator Gymnastics Hype Night as the event will not be streamed or televised.

Fan Info:
The Gators will show full or partial routines on each apparatus. Guest judges evaluate the routines of the Orange & Blue dual meet format.

Alligator Alley:
Arrive early so you can add a visit to Alligator Alley prior to Hype Night.

Visit with the Spirit Squads

Tailgate games & giveaways

Enter ticket raffle for Gators Gymnastics 2025 season tickets

Autographs:
Stick around after the meet to get an autographed 2025 Gators Gymnastics poster! This will be the only time this season that the Gators will sign autographs, so don't miss out!

Kids Exclusive:
Think you got some stick skills? Some kids 12 and under will have opportunity to challenge the Gators in some basic gymnastics skills.

Share with Gainesville Community:
Bring non-perishable food items to donate as part of the Gators Holiday Food Drive and to earn prizes (while supplies last)!

2025 Gators:

* The 18-member 2025 Gator team includes eight All-Americans with 50 All-America honors.

* UF returns all 24 routines from its 2024 NCAA team final performance.

* Two All-Americans - Ellie Lazzari and Victoria Nguyen - are back as Super Seniors.

* The senior class includes Bri Edwards and a trio of All-Americans - Sloane Blakely, Riley McCusker and Leanne Wong. Wong is the defending NCAA uneven bars champion.

* The junior class doubled in size this summer. Joining Lori Brubach in the class is All-American Selena Harris-Miranda, who joins the Gators after competing at UCLA the last two seasons.

* The Gators biggest class are the seven sophomores - Alyssa Arana, Kaylee Bluffstone, Gabby Disidore, Skylar Draser, Danie Ferris and All-American Anya Pilgrim. Returning to the Gators after a gap year to pursue a 2024 Olympic berth is All-American and 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year Kayla DiCello.

* A trio of freshmen join the Gators for the 2025 season - Skye Blakely (Frisco, Texas), Lily Bruce (Kingwood, Texas) and Taylor Clark (Orange Park, Fla.)

* Of the 16 gymnastics earning a spot in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, seven are on 2025 collegiate rosters. Florida's three - Skye Blakely, DiCello and Wong - leads all as no other program has more than one. Blakelyand DiCello suffered Achilles tears at Olympic Trials and were unable to compete. Wong was named a replacement athlete and traveled to Paris for the 2024 Summer Games.

* A national-high four among the 2025 Gators earned World Championship' individual or team medals for the U.S. -Skye Blakely (2022 and 2022 team gold), DiCello (2021 AA bronze; 2023 team gold), McCusker (2018 team gold) and Wong (2021 AA silver; 2022 team gold, 2023 team gold)

* Six Gators have been a part of U.S. Senior national teams - Sloane Blakely (2018-19), Skye Blakely (2021, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25), DiCello (2019-20, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025), McCusker (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2021), Nguyen (2016-17), Wong (2018-19, 2019-20, 2021, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25)

* Five Gators own collegiate bests of 10.0 -Sloane Blakely (floor), DiCello (bars), Harris-Miranda (vault, bars), Pilgrim (floor) and Wong (vault, bars, beam, floor)

How Do I Get My Season Tickets?
The Gators sold out 19 of their last 22 regular-season meets. Florida reset its season attendance record in five of the last seven seasons, with the current record of 9,351 per meet achieved in 2023.

Gators Gymnastics fans can now choose from additional seating options in the upcoming season - including getting closer to the captivating floor exercise action.

Find more information about 2025 Gators Gymnastics Tickets and Apparatus Layout<https://floridagators.com/sports/2024/2/21/gymnastics-tickets.aspx>.

Check out the view from different seats in these 360 photos<https://skywayvr.com/tour/gators/gymnastics/>.

2025 Gators Gymnastics Ticket Prices<https://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_gymnastics_.aspx>

Section

Ticket Price

Contribution

Loge

$80

$500

Club

$80

$250

Lower Level (01-19)

$80

$50

100 Level (101-129)

$80

$25

Upper Level (201-228)

$50

$0

All tickets are now mobile. Download the Florida Gators app<https://floridagators.com/sports/2019/7/31/mobile-app.aspx> to purchase, view and transfer your Gator Gymnastics tickets. For more information on mobile ticketing click here<https://floridagators.com/sports/2020/9/3/mobile-ticketing.aspx>.

Gator Ticket Office Contact Info:

Location:


Gate 18 behind the Bull Gator Statue - Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET)

Phone:

1-800-34-GATOR

Mobile App:

Florida Gator app<https://floridagators.com/sports/2019/7/31/mobile-app.aspx>

Web:

FloridaGators.com/Tickets<http://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_.aspx>


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Florida Defeats Longwood, Extending Win Streak to Four. The Gators had another successful Sunday, defeating the Lancers 93-65 at Exactech Arena, wrapping up week six of non-conference action.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -
Florida defeated Longwood 93-65 at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on Sunday afternoon. The win was a combined effort as five Gators posted double figures in scoring. Freshman Liv McGill led all with 21-points, and Ra Shaya Kyle followed with 20-points and 11 rebounds. Sunday's outing solidified Kyle's fourth consecutive double-double and her seventh overall.

The Gators set the tone early, going on an 8-0 run in the first period. Laila Reynolds was responsible for six of those points, contributing to her game total and season high of 16. Florida continued its offensive efforts in the second with McGill and Kyle each tallying 12 points to put the Gators ahead 43-33 at half.

Reynolds opened up scoring at the start of the third with a three-point play opportunity to fuel the start to Florida's strong finish. UF ultimately found themselves ahead by as much as 28 points in the final minutes of play and led in all categories. The second half success can be attributed to McGill, Kyle, and Reynolds offensive performances, as they all hit double digits in scoring across the final two periods. McGill secured 11 points, Kyle and Reynolds both had 10-- combining for 31 of Florida's 50 points in the second half.

IN THE FIRST:

* Florida went on an 8-0 run in the first three minutes of play (7:32)

* UF's 23 first quarter points were posted across seven players

* Reynolds (6), McGill (4), Kyle (4), Warren (3), O'Neal (2), Dizeko (2), and Gassett (2)

* Both McGill and Kyle shot 100 percent from the field (2-2)

* Warren led on the boards with three of Florida's 14 rebounds

* Reynolds snagged two steals and a block

* The Gators shot 57.9 percent from the field (11-19)

IN THE SECOND:

* 12 of the Gators' 20 points came from inside the paint

* Florida forced five turnovers on Longwood, converting for seven points

* McGill and Kyle led in scoring with six points a piece

* Kyle also led on the boards with three offensive rebounds

* The Gators went 8-16 from the field (50%)

IN THE THIRD:

* UF had its highest scoring period of the contest with 29 points

* Florida went 12-24 from the field (50%)

* Reynolds led on offense with eight points

* The Gators outscored the Lancers in the paint 16-6

* Florida snagged a game best 18 rebounds

* Warren and Kyle led on the boards with six rebounds each

IN THE FOURTH:

* Florida tallied 21 points to close out the game with a combined 93

* With a minute remaining, UF led by a game high 28 points

* McGill led in scoring, seeing the charity stripe eight times to post six points

* McGill distributed three assists, adding to UF's five in the fourth

* The Gators shot 50 percent from the field once more (7-14)

CAREER HIGHS:
Paige Clausen

Points

3

vs Longwood 12/15/24

Assists

1

vs Furman 11/21/22, vs Longwood 12/15/24

FG Made

1

at Georgia Tech 11/29/23, vs Longwood 12/15/24, vs LSU 02/19/23

FG Attempts

3

vs Longwood 12/15/24, vs Chicago St. 11/12/24

3 FG Made

1

vs Longwood 12/15/24

Alexia Dizeko

Steals

2

vs Longwood 12/15/24

Ra Shaya Kyle

FG Made

10

vs Longwood 12/15/24

Liv McGill

FT Made

7

vs Longwood 12/15/24

FT Attempts

10

vs Longwood 12/15/24

Daviane Mindoudi Ongbakahoumb

Rebounds

1

vs Longwood 12/15/24, vs Chicago St. 11/12/24

Steals

1

vs Longwood 12/15/24, vs Chicago St. 11/12/24, vs Florida A&M 11/07/24

Kenza Salgues

Rebounds

4

vs Fla. Atlantic 11/04/24, vs Florida A&M 11/07/24, vs Longwood 12/15/24

WORTH NOTING:

* Florida shot above 50 percent from the field in all four quarters

* Eleven Gators contributed to Florida's 93 points

* Five Gators reached double figures in scoring, McGill (21) Kyle (20), Reynolds (16), Warren (10), and Gassett (10)

* Eight Gators snagged one or more steals

* Kyle posted her seventh double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds

* With 20 points, Kyle recorded her third game this season in the 20+ category for scoring

* Warren secured her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds

* Kyle led Florida on the boards for her 33rd time as a Gator and tenth time this season

* Warren set a season high in rebounds, snagging 11 to match Kyle

* Reynolds set her season high in scoring, tallying 16 points and going 7-10 from the field

* McGill led UF in assists for the eighth time this season, distributing five

* Paige Clausen hit her first collegiate three pointer

* The Gators went 38-73 (52.1%) from the field

* The Gators have secured 20+ points in 27 of 44 quarters played this season

* Florida recorded 56 points inside the paint

* Florida held a combined 77 possessions and converted for 1.2 points per possession

* The Gators made 27 layups in 36 driving attempts

* Florida led for a combined 39 minutes and six seconds

GATOR BITES:
UF coach Kelly Rae Finley on Florida's improvement as the season progresses:


"I thought our team did an exceptionally good job of moving the ball, of flowing, and just playing into our secondary. We really improved on next play mentality, not getting hung up on a mistake or an error on the other side of the ball, and I thought we rebounded well. Shay with 11, Jeriah with 11 and Lex with 7. Our guards got in there and rebounded, so just a good day for us."

Senior Ra Shaya Kyle on her rebounding and defensive mindset:
"We've just emphasized on it in practice a little bit more. We're a great defensive rebounding team and we just need to get a lot more offensive rebounds, so today my focus was to crash it on both ends."

TEAM RECORDS:
Florida: 7-4, (0-0 SEC)
Longwood: 7-5, (0-0 Big South)

SERIES RECORD:
Florida holds the all-time series over Longwood at 3-0.

NEXT UP:
Florida will travel to the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte, N.C. and play the Tar Heels on Wednesday evening. The Jordan Brand matchup is set for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off inside Spectrum Center and will be aired on ESPNU.

UNC is currently ranked No. 14 and is amidst a seven-game win streak. The Tar Heels victory run started in November after they fell 69-58 to No. 2 UCONN. UNC will play No. 25 Georgia Tech later today in their final matchup before facing the Gators in Charlotte.

NEXT UP: The Jumpman Invitational vs. No. 14 North Carolina (10-1, 0-0 ACC)

* Date: Wed., Dec. 18

* Site: Spectrum Center<https://www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com/>

* Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Live=5515&type=Live>

* Watch: ESPNU<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/2bd6fb95-26e8-4530-901c-b9b89a39a2ba>

* Live stats<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=556027>

* Tickets<https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2D00612C81AE8A4F>


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Gator Talk Spring 2025 Schedule Announced

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -
The spring schedule for Gator Talk, sponsored by Dream Finders Homes, opens on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m., live from Miller's Ale House. Men's basketball head coach Todd Golden joins Voice of the Gators Sean Kelley to open the show's 2025 schedule.

Six episodes will air beginning in January through the opening week of March, with five different UF head coaches set to join the program, including episodes featuring Jenny Rowland (gymnastics), Kelly Rae Finley (women's basketball) and Kevin O'Sullivan (baseball). Florida's golf head coaches - JC Deacon and Emily Glaser - join the Feb. 27 program.

Golden makes three appearances - Jan. 9, Feb. 20 and March 6 - throughout the course of the men's basketball season in addition to his previous preseason visit on Oct. 23<.

Gator Talk is a weekly hour-long program covering the latest in Gator Football. The show is available across all 38 affiliates of the Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD, the Florida Gators Mobile App, and on the Varsity Mobile App.

Fans are welcome to join the show as it airs from 7 - 8 p.m. at Gainesville's Miller's Ale House.

Spring 2025 Gator Talk Schedule

All episodes 7-8 p.m. live from Miller's Ale House in Gainesville, Fla.

Thursday, Jan. 9 Todd Golden (men's basketball)
Thursday, Jan. 16 Kevin O'Sullivan (baseball)
Thursday, Jan. 23 Kelly Rae Finley (women's basketball)
Thursday, Feb. 13 Jenny Rowland (gymnastics)
Thursday, Feb. 20 Todd Golden (men's basketball)
Thursday, Feb. 27 J.C. Deacon (men's golf), Emily Glaser (women's golf)
Thursday, March 6 Todd Golden (men's basketball)

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Gators Land Two on Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top 50 List.Theresa Bragg (48) and Elyse Finnelle (38) both earned spots on the list, helping the Gators be one of 14 teams with two or more players in the top 50.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -
The Florida lacrosse team landed two players in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top 50 List, which was concluded on Friday. Defender Theresa Bragg came in at No. 48 on the list, alongside goalkeeper Elyse Finnelle who was ranked at No. 38.

The Gators were one of 14 teams to place two or more players in the preseason top 50 and the only program from the Big 12.

Theresa Bragg - Defender - No. 48 on the IL Preseason Top 50 List
Bragg has been a key piece to the Gators defense since arriving in Gainesville, starting 44 out of 44 games in her first two seasons at UF. The junior was named All-AAC Second Team in 2024, posting 24 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers, both career highs. The Severna Park, Md. native posted a career high four caused turnovers in the Gators NCAA Semifinal matchup against Northwestern this past May. Bragg forced two or more caused turnovers in three games and scooped two or more ground balls in seven games in 2024. She has totaled two assists in her career.


Elyse Finnelle - Goalie - No. 38 on the IL Preseason Top 50 List
Finnelle stepped onto the scene in 2024, appearing in 22 games and mounting 13 starts. The redshirt junior posted a 9-3 record, totaling 156 saves and a .529 save percentage (ranked fourth nationally), while leading the team with 35 ground balls. The Deale, Md. native was named 2024 AAC Goalkeeper of the Year, All-AAC First Team and a two-time AAC Goalkeeper of the Week. Finnelle took home IWLCA All-Region South First Team honors, along with Inside Lacrosse All-American Third Team recognition. She totaled double-digit saves in seven games last season, including tying a career high 14 in the Gators NCAA First Round victory over North Carolina. Finnelle was one of five goalkeepers to make the top 50 list.

UF Release
 
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