Tag: women’s basketball

Gators News: Women’s basketball wins, softball plays intrasquad

Kiara Smith and Lavender Briggs play big in the win over Wofford.

The midweek doldrums have already arrived as we have just two teams to report on for today’s Gators News. The women’s basketball team got back on the winning track on Monday night while the softball team plays the final of its three-game fall intrasquad exhibition series on Tuesday. Otherwise, things look to be pretty slow for the next few days until the weekend returns and the football team takes the field. For now, here is a look at what is happening in Florida sports.

Gators News: A mostly winning weekend for seven Florida sports

Take a look at how the Gator Nation fared these past few days.

Yet another uninspiring performance by the football team this weekend deflated what would otherwise be a rather triumphant few days for Florida sports. Despite the gridiron guys nearly losing to a significantly inferior opponent, five of the other six programs in action found some level of success since last Friday.

The women’s tennis team captured some wins before closing shop for the winter, the cross country teams fared well in their competitions, the softball team pounded its opponent in its final fall exhibition, the volleyball team swept the weekend series and the men’s basketball team beat FSU for the first time in eight years. However, the women’s basketball team lost its two games but has a chance to redeem itself tonight.

Here is the weekend wrapup from around the Swamp.

Gators News: Six teams play on Friday, eight total active this weekend

A whole smorgasbord of Gators sports is on tap this weekend.

There was a bit of a lull there during the week but Gators sports return on Friday in full force as eight athletic teams gear up for competition this weekend. Women’s tennis, both cross country teams, softball, women’s basketball, and volleyball all compete today — the latter two also spill into the rest of the weekend — while the football team hits the gridiron on Saturday and the men’s basketball team takes to the parquet on Sunday.

There is plenty to preview, so strap in and get ready for a weekend chock-full-o the Orange and Blue.

Gators News: Five programs score on signing day bonanza

A quick look at all of the signing day action yesterday.

It is that time of year again when the sports programs get an early start on signing their top recruits ahead of next season. For Florida, five programs were active on Wednesday, with the lacrosse team adding a whopping eight signatures, while the men’s and women’s basketball teams signed three and two, respectively, and men’s tennis and gymnastics both bringing in a top recruit. No sports were in action yesterday nor will any be today, so let us take a look at the newest members of the Gator Nation.

Gators News: Both basketball teams open with a bang

Double Ws for the men’s and women’s basketball teams!

Tuesday evening reminded us why it is great to be a Gator fan as both the men’s and women’s basketball teams took the O’Connell Center floor and defended home turf to open their respective schedules. Otherwise, things are pretty slow around the Swamp as the midweek doldrums roll in ahead of this weekend’s festivities. But for now, here is a look at our two victorious Florida squads.

Gators News: Florida kicks off hoops season, softball plays intrasquad

Hoops season is back Gator fans!

Get ready for college hoops season, Gator fans! Tonight, both the women and men open their 2021-22 campaigns at home in back-to-back games. Meanwhile, the softball team plays an intrasquad game in Gainesville as well. While Florida sports tend to slow during the week, should provide plenty of excitement for the Gator Nation. Let us take a look at what is on tap.

Gators News: Football falls, remaining sports lift Florida up

The football team may have flailed, but some other sports picked up the slack this weekend.

Well Gator fans, this past weekend was a bit of a rough one as the football team traveled to South Carolina only to lay an egg against the Gamecocks, sending its season into a downward spiral that has already seen two coaches dismissed from the program. The good news — besides the fact that the much-maligned defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is finally gone — is that the women’s and men’s tennis teams, as well as the women’s basketball team, gave the Gator Nation a reason to continue being proud. Here is the wrap-up from this past weekend.

Gators News: A few Florida sports on tap for the upcoming weekend

Take a look at all of the action around the Gator Nation this weekend.

The weekend is nearly here and with it comes a slate of sports to keep Gator Nation satiated for the next few days. On tap, we have volleyball’s big win last night, plus both the men’s and women’s tennis teams are in action while the women’s basketball team warms up for the season with an exhibition game. Unfortunately, the swimming and diving team had its dual meet canceled, but there is still the football game scheduled for Saturday night. It should be a fun weekend for Florida fans, so let us dive right into things.

Two Lady Gators named to basketball Preseason All-SEC teams

Florida WBK isn’t expected to finish too high up in the SEC this year, according to a coaches vote, but they think you should keep an eye on these two Gators.

Florida is predicted to finish eleventh in Southeastern Conference after a vote was taken by the league’s coaches. They also voted on preseason awards, naming Florida guards Lavender Briggs and Kiara Smith to the All-SEC Preseason First and Second teams, respectively.

Briggs, a junior whose sophomore campaign was cut short due to a foot injury, led the team in scoring in each of her first two seasons. She also became the first Gator in five years to make the All-SEC Second Team in 2021, so expect Florida to lean heavily on her for production this year.

Kiara Smith has played three seasons with Florida after transferring from ASA College in New York. She stepped up big last year, becoming the first player in program history to lead the team in total points, rebounds and assists in a single season.

South Carolina, Texas A&M and Tennessee are predicted to finish at the top of the conference, and Kentucky’s Rhyne Howard was voted as SEC Women’s Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. To cut down on favoritism, coaches aren’t allowed to vote for their own team or players in this process.

Florida’s season begins against Georgia State on November 9.

The full results of the preseason vote can be found below.

Preseason Coaches’ Predictions

Order of Finish

1. South Carolina

2. Texas A&M

3. Tennessee

4. Georgia

5. Kentucky

6. Ole Miss

7. Arkansas

8. LSU

9. Mississippi State

10. Missouri

11. Florida

12. Alabama

13. Auburn

14. Vanderbilt

Player of the Year

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

First Team All-SEC

Lavender Briggs, Florida

Rhyne Howard, Kentucky

Khayla Pointer, LSU

Shakira Austin, Ole Miss

Rickea Jackson, Mississippi State

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina

Zia Cooke, South Carolina

Rae Burrell, Tennessee

Second Team All-SEC

Amber Ramirez, Arkansas

Kiara Smith, Florida

Que Morrison, Georgia

Jenna Staiti, Georgia

Aijha Blackwell, Missouri

Destanni Henderson, South Carolina

Tamari Key, Tennessee

Jordan Nixon, Texas A&M

Kayla Wells, Texas A&M

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Kelly Graves close to nation’s top recruiting class after No. 13-ranked Grace VanSlooten commits to Ducks

With the addition of 5-star Grace VanSlooten, the Ducks are well on their way to securing another No. 1 ranked recruiting class in 2022.

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The Oregon Ducks scored a huge win on Thursday afternoon, with Grace VanSlooten, the nation’s No. 13 prospect in the 2022-23 recruiting class, committing to come to Eugene.

VanSlooten is a five-star prospect who stands 6-foot-3 and is the 4th-ranked forward in the nation. She chose the Ducks over schools like Gonzaga, LSU, Arizona, Baylor, Duke, and UCLA.

In her junior season at the Notre Dame Academy in Ohio, VanSlooten averaged 21.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. She will now join a 2022 recruiting class in Oregon that already includes Chance Gray, who is the No. 7 rated player in the nation. According to The Oregonian’s Andrew Nemec, the addition of VanSlooten could put the Ducks ahead of the rest of the nation when it comes to recruiting rankings.

Oregon’s class is led by the dynamic duo of Gray and VanSlooten, two of the highest-rated pledges in program history, but it is significantly bolstered by elite wing Jennah Isai (No. 35 nationally) and 6-foot-7 post Kennedy Basham (No. 58), both of whom are on the bubble for five-star status.

The only other program with that level of firepower in its 2022 recruiting class is arguably UCLA, which has also has four top-50 pledges – Nos. 19, 21, 22 and 48.

In 2020, Kelly Graves finished the recruiting year with the No. 1 class in the nation, which featured 5 five-star players, in Sydney Parrish, Kylee Watson, Te-Hina Paopao, Maddie Scherr, and Angela Dugalic.

The year is far from over, but it looks like Graves is well on his way to doing the same thing again.

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