Tag: Scott Stricklin

Florida’s Scott Stricklin named Athletic Director of the Year

Stricklin was one of five nominees for the award which recognizes work done during the period from March 1, 2019 to Feb. 28, 2020.

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Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin has been named the 2020 Athletic Director of the Year at the Sports Business Awards, which were held virtually Wednesday night.

Stricklin was one of five nominees for the award, joining  Boise State’s Curt Apsey, Texas Tech’s Kirby Hocutt, Oregon’s Rob Mullens and Baylor’s Mack Rhoades.

The award recognizes work done during the period from March 1, 2019 to Feb. 28, 2020. During that span, UF’s athletics programs captured six conference titles.

The program has also seen success academically, as 10 teams within the athletic department saw a Graduation Success Rate above the national average.

UF President Kent Fuchs gave a statement on Stricklin, who he hired to replace the retiring Jeremy Foley in 2016, winning the award.

“I can’t imagine a more deserving recipient of this award than Scott Stricklin,” said UF President Kent Fuchs. “He is an exceptional athletic director who has guided UF’s student-athletes to new heights athletically and academically, significantly strengthened our athletic program and is proving remarkably adept at leading the Gators in overcoming all the difficult challenges of COVID.”

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Gators football gets in on the fun with Florida’s stadium fire

UF fans got a bit of a scare on Saturday when a video was posted of a large cloud of smoke that was rising out of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Gator Nation got a bit of a scare on Saturday afternoon when a Twitter user posted a video of a large cloud of smoke that appeared to be rising out of the south end of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

As it turned out, it was a maintenance tractor fire that caused the blaze, which took about an hour for Gainesville Fire and Rescue to fully extinguish. No injuries or structural damage were initially reported, though the incident is still pending further investigation.

Throughout the ordeal, members of Florida’s athletics department have engaged in a humorous commentary of the situation beginning with redshirt junior defensive lineman Zachary Carter, who tweeted the following not long after the initial tweet was posted.

“We got something cooking in the swamp”

Head coach Dan Mullen got in on the fun shortly after, offering this nugget of encouragement for Florida Gators fans.

You know the Gators are gonna be on fire this year. But we still have 2 weeks til kickoff.

Not to be outdone by his head coach, athletic director Scott Stricklin also got in on the fun, offering up this dad joke that any UF alumn can appreciate.

September Saturdays in #TheSwamp are always hot, so nothing new here.

Wrapping things up, Mullen simply posted the following GIF that seems perfectly fitting for 2020.

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BREAKING: Florida Gators announce attendance policies for 2020 fall football

The University of Florida issued a press release on Thursday outlining its attendance policies for the 2020 fall SEC football season.

The University of Florida issued a press release on Thursday outlining its attendance policies for the 2020 fall football season at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Included in the announcement is the banning of tailgating on campus as well as plans for reduced fan capacity ahead of the Gators’ home opener against South Carolina scheduled for Oct. 3.

The press release included the following.

To comply with physical distancing requirements, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will host approximately 20 percent of its listed capacity of 88,548 in the bowl and club levels, putting the capacity right at 17,000.

In accordance with campus guidelines, face coverings (over the nose and mouth) will be required for all fans throughout the entire game. This includes when fans are entering and exiting the stadium. Fans may only remove face coverings while eating or drinking. Failure to comply with this important health guideline could result in loss of ticket privileges.

Additionally, the following activities will not be permitted.

  • Tailgating will not be permitted on the UF campus
  • Gator Walk will not occur in 2020
  • Gator Walk Village will not be set up for 2020
  • No Gators Fan Fest
  • No Spirit teams on the sidelines

Athletics Director Scott Stricklin also offered the following comment in the release.

“As we have throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked hand in hand with UF Health, the SEC and its Medical Guidance Task Force, and campus officials to create the safest environment possible for the student-athletes, staff and fans.”

Read the full press release for more details on mobile ticketing, parking and other aspects of the fan experience.

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Georgia baseball’s Tucker Bradley leads the SEC in home runs

With a fat dinger and a subsequent bat flip, Georgia’s Tucker Bradley sank the hopes of in-state rival Georgia Tech.

With a fat dinger and a subsequent (and well-earned) bat flip, Georgia’s Tucker Bradley sank the hopes of in-state rival Georgia Tech.

His sixth home run of the still-young 2020 college baseball season places him atop the list of the Southeasten Conference’s home run hitters.

Fourth-ranked Georgia didn’t need any more homers from Bradley today when topped Tech 12-0, ranked No. 17 but likely sinking in next week’s polls following two consecutive losses.

Bulldog Garrett Blaylock is close to the top with four home runs.

In the previous matchup, Georgia outlasted Georgia Tech in the series opener by a score of 6-5 at Foley Field.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, another at Tech’s stadium at 255 Ferst Drive in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball blanks Georgia Tech 12-0, wins season series

Tech needed a miracle entering the ninth, but the away team scored eight runs in the inning’s top half to put the game away for good.

Who runs this state?

In the past three months, the Georgia Bulldogs have clinched victories over the in-state Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in football, men’s basketball, and baseball.

Following last night’s dramatic victory at Foley Field in Athens, the Dawgs ensured that the next contest, held on Tech’s campus, would be less of a nail-biter for Georgia baseball fans.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Bulldogs built an early 4-0 lead across the first five innings. Tech already needed a miracle entering the ninth, but the away team scored eight runs in the inning’s top half to put the game away for good.

The Bulldogs improve to 10-1 on the season.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, today’s game at Grant Field in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball downs Georgia Tech in series opener

Georgia’s Webb oversaw the final ten outs and earned his first save of the season.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs swatted the No. 17 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first of three games the rivals will play this season.

After the Jackets put the first run on the board in the top of the fourth inning, the Dawgs answered in the bottom half of the inning with a five-run outburst.

Tech chipped away at their most hated rivals’ lead, scoring three runs and blanking the home team in the fifth and sixth innings.

Still maintaining a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Patrick Sullivan sent Cole Tate home from second base, giving the Bulldogs an insurance run that would prove to be vital.

The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases down two runs in the bottom of the ninth and scored one with a sacrifice fly. Junior reliever Ryan Webb, despite the immense pressure of the game’s ending, struck out similarly-named Jackson Webb (both billed from Roswell, strangely enough) to end the game.

Georgia’s Webb oversaw the final ten outs and earned his first save of the season.

Webb told reporters after the game:

“I just love being in when the game is on the line and this just means more to me because its Tech. I have a lot of friends on that team and last year I kind of laid an egg against them at Suntrust.”

Bulldawg Illustrated posted Webb’s post-game interview.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, another at Tech’s stadium at 255 Ferst Drive in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.