SEC now a partner with Papajohns.com bowl

The Papajohns.com bowl in Birmingham will now include a team from the SEC, officials announced Wednesday.

The game will host a team from the SEC and one from the Big East. The change was a result of the addition of the new St. Petersburg Bowl, which will include a team from Conference USA and an additional team from the Big East. Previously, Conference USA sent a team to the Papajohns.com bowl.

“The Southeastern Conference is excited about the opportunity to have a member institution participate in the Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham,” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said. “We look forward to working with the Bowl and the community to continue to grow the game. With the geographic proximity of Birmingham to our schools, it is a natural fit for a new bowl opportunity for the SEC. It is a wonderful opportunity to add an additional bowl against a quality opponent from the Big East Conference to our bowl lineup.”

Golfer Horschel named to Palmer Cup Team

Junior Billy Horschel has been named to the prestigious United States Palmer Cup team, announced Tuesday by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

The eight-player U.S. team will compete against the top collegiate players from Europe in the annual Ryder Cup-style competition, June 26-27, at the Glasgow Golf Club Gailes Links.

Horschel is the only returning member from last year’s victorious American team and posted a 4-0 record during the matches at Caves Valley. The United States, who will be coached by Stanford’s Conrad
Ray, leads the series, 6-4-1 but has lost the last two competitions in Europe. The U.S. won last year’s meeting by an 18-6 margin.

Horschel is a three-time All-SEC First-Team selection.

Drew Miller joins Jaguars

Former Florida offensive guard/center Drew Miller has signed a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars, his Tampa agent Glen Lansky said Tuesday.

The 6-foot-5, Sarasota native played all 13 games at center as a senior and was a 2007 All-SEC honorable mention selection. He was a four-year letterman with the Gators.

Gators among top 10 in spring football attendance

So you thought 61,000 at the Orange and Blue game was pretty impressive? A few other schools actually drew more fans.

The National Football Foundation on Monday released its compilation of the top ten attendance figures for spring football and the Gators are in fifth place.

Here's the list for games played through April 27. (NOTE: This is the attendance reported by the schools):

1. Nebraska - 80,149

2. Alabama - 78,200

3. Ohio State - 76,346;

4. Penn State - 73,000

5.Florida - 61,000

6. Texas - 43,000

7. Auburn - 35,000

8. LSU - 33,624

9. Texas A&M - 32,000

10. South Carolina - 31,125.

Gymnastics team advances to NCAA Finals

The No. 2 UF gymnastics team finished in first place in Session I of the team qualifying round of the NCAA Championships, and will advance to its third-consecutive NCAA Super Six team final on Friday in Athens, Ga. The NCAA champion is determined in the Super Six competition.

Florida used a 196.90 to lead the teams in Session I, which was held Thursday afternoon in the University of Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum. The Gators now have advanced seven times in the 16-year
history of the Super Six format. Thursday’s result marks the second time UF advanced after winning its session.

The other two teams advancing from Session I to Friday’s NCAA Super Six are also from the SEC - Alabama (196.65) and LSU (196.575).

Florida had five gymnasts receive various All-America honors, matching the school record number of honors (15) for the second consecutive year. The five also will represent Florida in Saturday’s individual event finals. Floor finals will have the largest Florida contingent, with four.

Gator second baseman named to Howser Watch List

Florida freshman second baseman Josh Adams, of Jacksonville, was named Thursday to the Watch List of 50 candidates for the Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top player in college baseball.

The award is presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, working in conjunction with the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

Adams has started 39 games at five different positions (25-2B, 5-3B, 4-CF, 4-LF, 1-RF) this season, and is hitting .354. He leads Florida in slugging percentage (.611), RBI (40), multiple-hit games (17) and doubles (17) and is tied for second on the team with six homers. Twenty-four of his 51 hits have gone for extra bases and he is 9-for-11 on the basepaths. Adams leads the team in SEC play, hitting .409, with 17 RBI, 13 runs, 10 doubles and three home runs in 18 league games.

The 2008 winner will be announced at the College World Series in Omaha on Saturday, June 14, at 11 a.m.

The Dick Howser Trophy is awarded in memory of the former Florida State University All-America shortstop and major league player and manager who died of brain cancer in 1987. It is regarded by many as college baseball's most prestigious award.

Plant QB Murray chooses Georgia

Plant quarterback Aaron Murray announced today that he intends to play college football at the University of Georgia.
Murray, who made the announcement during a ceremony at Plant’s football fieldhouse, chose Georgia over SEC rival Florida.
The Bulldogs’ pro-style offense seemingly suits Murray’s style. He threw for 4,000 yards his junior season and threw 51 touchdown passes, which broke former Plant standout Robert Marve’s state touchdown record of 48. He led Plant to an 11-2 record as the Panthers advanced to the region final.
Also, the 6-foot, 200-pound Murray will likely have the opportunity to earn playing time earlier at Georgia. Starter Matthew Stafford would be a senior (if he’s not an underclassman NFL draftee) when Murray arrives on campus and the Bulldogs did not sign a quarterback this past recruiting season.
Georgia coach Mark Richt has reportedly said he wants to sign two quarterbacks this season, and Watkinsville, Ga. prep Zach Mettenberger has already committed to the Bulldogs.
Murray, the 48th best prospect in the nation in the Rivals 100, received 56 Division I-A scholarship offers, so breaking it down to one school was a tedious task, one which is finally now over.
"He’s got a 7-on-7 game (today), and I think he’ll probably play his best ever," Plant coach Robert Weiner said.
Murray plans to graduate from Plant in December so he can enroll at Georgia early and participate in spring practice in 2009.
-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Tebow Fever in the Capitol

Lawmakers, Gator alums or not, are fawning this morning over Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, who is being recognized in both chambers for his record-setting young football career and for his international missionary work.

Clad in a blue shirt and gray suit, the UF sophomore was all smiles as he stood next to Senate President Ken Pruitt and got the Senate's Medallion of Excellence.

"Thank you very much. Football is the game I love," Tebow said. "But more important than winning awards, football gives me a platform. In today's society, there are a lot of role models in football, but there aren't a lot of good role models. My prayer... is to be a good role model. ... We are a nation in need of character. I encourage you to do the same, because there are a lot of people watching you."

He recently became the first sophomore to win the Heisman, college football's highest honor.

Posted by Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler at 10:14:37 AM on April 24, 2008
in | Permalink

Lawmakers, Gator alums or not, are fawning this morning over Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, who is being recognized in both chambers for his record-setting young football career and for his international missionary work.

Clad in a blue shirt and gray suit, the UF sophomore was all smiles as he stood next to Senate President Ken Pruitt and got the Senate's Medallion of Excellence.

"Thank you very much. Football is the game I love," Tebow said. "But more important than winning awards, football gives me a platform. In today's society, there are a lot of role models in football, but there aren't a lot of good role models. My prayer... is to be a good role model. ... We are a nation in need of character. I encourage you to do the same, because there are a lot of people watching you."

He recently became the first sophomore to win the Heisman, college football's highest honor.

Golf coach is SEC Coach of Year

GAINESVILLE - Three days after leading her team to Florida's first SEC championship since 1995, women's golf coach Jill Briles-Hinton was named SEC Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

She is the first Florida golf coach to receive the honor honors since Mimi Ryan in 1984 and 1985.

Four Gators were also named to the All-SEC teams.

Freshmen Jessica Yadloczky and Hannah Yun were both named to the SEC All-Freshman team, in addition to receiving first team All-SEC honors. Senior Whitney Myers earned first-team All-SEC honors and senior Tiffany Chuddy was named to the second team.

Tebow to be recognized with state capitol visit

Tim Tebow will join UF president Bernie Machen for a visit Thursday at the state capitol.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winer will be recognized on the senate floor at 10 a.m. and on the house floor /at 11 a.m.

Women's golf earns SEC championship title

The women's golf team earned its first SEC title since 1995 with a victory on Sunday.

It was the eighth title in Gator program history, and the first for UF coach Jill Briles-Hinton

No. 5 Florida posted a tournament-low 284 to claim the title by 17 shots, completing a wire-to-wire finisht at the Tennessee National Golf Club in Loudon, Tenn.

Florida finished the tournament at 10-over 874. No. 12 Arkansas finished second at 27-over 891.
The 17-shot margin of victory was the largest this decade at the SEC Championship and the largest since Georgia won the title by 18 strokes in 1999.

The Bulldogs finished third on Sunday with a total of 903 (+39). Auburn was fourth at 910 (+46) and South Carolina was fifth at 915 (+51).

Florida’s final-round 4-under 284 was the only under-par round of the tournament and tied for the fourth-lowest round in school history. The 2008 Lady Gators now own four of the top six team rounds in program history. Florida’s second-round 293 was the next lowest round of the weekend by any team.

Florida freshman, 15-year-old Hannah Yun captured runner-up honors with a final-round 72 that put her at 1-under 215 overall, one shot back of the leader.

Florida will now await a bid to an NCAA Regional, May 8-10, at one of the three designated host sites. The tournament venues are in Athens, Ga., Sacramento, Calif., and Austin, Texas. The regional tournament leads up to the NCAA Championships, May 20-23, in Albuquerque, N.M.

McArthur to attempt to play through injury

Former Armwood standout Brandon McArthur has been cleared to play again, two weeks after he ruptured his right ACL.

McArthur will be in the lineup and attempt to play in the Gators' weekend series at at No. 23 Kentucky. This is a pivotal series for the Gators who are in a three-way tie for second in the SEC East with South Carolina and Tennessee.

Florida is 4-5 with McArthur out of the lineup (he was hitting .314 when he was injured). He will need surgery eventually, but for now will try to play with a brace.

The Gators (24-13, 9-6 SEC) enter this weekend's series in desperate need of some wins. They have lost four of their last six SEC games and eight of 12 overall.

Meyer returns to his Cincinnati roots

Urban Meyer was back home in Ohio this week and spent some time on the University of Cincinnati campus, where he was a walk-on tight end in the 1980's. If you're interested, here are a couple of stories about Meyer's visit. 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080417/SPT0101/804170374/1062/SPT

http://www.journal-news.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/2008/04/16/hjn041708spucfootball.html

Gator named SEC player of the year

Senior Greg Ouellete was named the 2008 SEC Men's Tennis Player of the Year during an awards ceremony Wednesday night.

It is the first time a player has received the honor during the seven-year tenure of coach Andy Jackson. He joins Mark Merklein (1994), Jeff Morrison (1999) and Justin O’Neal (2000), the three previous Gator
winners of the honor.

Ouellette is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation in the ITA singles poll and has defeated 16 ranked opponents this season.

Follow the breaking ball: Plant's Charles broke BCS trophy

For about a minute, no one moved. Everyone was silent at the football offices at UF, as Gators coaches  and local recruits stared at the floor as a a championship season shattered into hundreds of pieces of Waterford crystal.

Plant tight end Orson Charles, in town participaing in a Nike football camp, was posing for photos with the Tim Tebow's Heisman Trophy and the 2006 BCS National Championship trophy. While posing with the Heisman, his hip bumped the table, and the $35,000 crystal football on top of the trophy crashed to the floor just outside coach Urban Meyer's office.

Jaws dropped. For once, Plant coach Robert Weiner, 3 feet  from the fall, didn't know the next play.

"We didn't know what to do, if we should have started picking up the pieces or what," Weiner said. "It was surreal, like everything happened in slow motion."

Weiner whispered to Charles (right): "They're either going to take your scholarship away or they're going to make you commit to them today."

Meyer came to survey the scene.

Plant assistant T.J. Lane broke the silence: "That's a replica right?"

UF assistant John Hevesy informed the Panthers it was the real thing that the Gators had hoisted after beating Ohio State in Arizona. After further review, all parties were relieved once they realized the crystal is insured. Another one is in the mail. Hevesy joked that Charles, who has offers from Florida, Florida State and Miami, better come to Gainesville now.

"It was 100 percent an accident," Weiner said. "If he ends up going to Florida, I can see the story about it years from now when he plays for a national title for another trophy -- about him overcoming 'Shattered Dreams.'"

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Oops: Gators' $8,000 BCS football trophy smashed

As part of Florida's Orange and Blue weekend, fans viewed and posed with the 2006 BCS national championship trophy. But it was damaged Friday when someone knocked the top of the Waterford Crystal trophy, valued at $8,000, off its pedestal as it sat on a coffee table outside coach Urban Meyer's office. The football shattered. Chip Howard, associate athletics director for operations, said the trophy, one of two that UF owns, is insured and a replacement is expected to arrive in about three months. The company that manufactures the trophy told Howard that UF is the third school this year to need a replacement. Officials don't know who knocked the trophy down, but will continue to occasionally display it. "Accidents happen," Howard said.

Mitchell receives permission to transfer

Florida forward Jonathan Mitchell has asked for and received permission to transfer, school officials said Friday.

Mitchell played in all 35 games this season with one start. He averaged 3.1 points and 1.8 rebounds in 11.4 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-7 Mitchell was a highly touted recruit who averaged 19.5 points and nearly eight rebounds and led Mount Vernon (New York) High to a Class 4A state title. But he never seemed to find his place on the Gators' squad. He showed signs at times of the talent he possessed in high school but never had any consistency with the Gators.

Antonya English, Times Staff Writer

Speights will enter NBA Draft

Florida sophomore center Marreese Speights has decided to enter the NBA Draft but will not hire an agent.

By taking this route, Speights, a St. Petersburg native, is leaving open the option of returning to school.

Speights finished the season as the Gators' second-leading scorer (14.5) and top rebounder (8.1). He had a team-high 10 double-doubles on the year, including a16-point, 18-rebound effort against UMass in the NIT semifinals.

“Marreese has informed me that he would like to explore his future options in the NBA,” UF head coach Billy Donovan said in a statment. “I will do whatever I can to help Marreese gather all necessary information to make an educated decision.”

-- Antonya English, Times Staff Writer

Harvin's surgery completed

Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin underwent surgery in Charlotte, N.C., Monday evening.

The surgery, performed by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson at the Orthocarolina Orthopedic Clinic, corrected a chronic right heel problem. Harvin is expected to recover in time for pre-season practice in August.

Harvin, a 5-11, 181, junior from Virginia Beach, Va., has seen action in 24 games with 15 starts in two seasons. He has the most career rushing yards by a Florida receiver (1,192) and has made 93 receptions for 1,285 yards. He has 15 career touchdowns (nine rushing and six receiving).

Percy Harvin to undergo surgery

After consultation with UF team physician Dr. Pete Indelicato and North Carolina foot specialist Dr. Bob Anderson, receiver Percy Harvin has decided to undergo surgery on his injured heel, which has already caused him to miss most of spring practice.

Harvin will travel to North Carolina to have the surgery.

"They're having surgery on his heel, and it's not a career-threatening injury,'' UF coach Urban Meyer said. It's a very minor surgery ... probably an eight-week recovery, and then he'll be full speed for off-season."

Gator target is Parade All-American

Plantation American Heritage shooting guard Kenny Boynton Jr., a player the Florida Gators are said to covet, has been named to the Parade All-American boys' basketball fourth team. Boynton, who averaged a state-best 34.5 points per game, was the only player from Florida selected. He is rated No. 7 in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com.

To read more about Boynton, go HERE.