Gators place 66 on Freshman Academic Honor Roll

Sixty-six Florida athletes have been named to the 2007-08 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, tying with South Carolina for a league-leading number honored.

The athletes were named Tuesday by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, based on grades from the 2007-08 academic year.

Two freshmen women's track and field athletes, Ali Crabb and Rebecca Lowe, earned perfect 4.0 grade point averages in their first year.

Tuesday's announcement gives Florida a total of 253 student-athletes
that were named to an SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2007-08. Florida placed 187 on the SEC Academic Honor Rolls (93 on the Spring list, 48/Winter, 46/Fall) and 66 on the Freshman Honor Roll. That total is second only to South Carolina's total of 266 honorees.

Among the athletes honored, here are the most recognizable names: FOOTBALL - Carlos Dunlap, Chas Henry, Brandon Hicks, Moses Jenkins, Duke Lemmens, Justin Trattou and Major Wright. MEN'S BASKETBALL: Adam Allen, Nick Calathes, Jai Lucas and Chandler Parsons.      

Florida ranked No. 6 among nation's sports programs

With a school-record-tying 12 athletic teams earning top-10 finishes during the 2007-08 season, Florida placed sixth in the 2007-08 United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings.

It is the 25th consecutive year the Gator program has ranked among the nation’s top 10 in all-sports standings.

Points are awarded based on finishes in 20 NCAA Division I sports, based on participation. Florida fielded 17 sports that advanced to NCAA Championship action, compiling 1,126.75 points for the sixth-place overall finish. Only two programs in the nation - Florida and UCLA - have ranked among the country's top 10 in each of the national all-sports rankings over the last 25 years. Stanford won its 14th consecutive Directors' Cup title in 2008 with 1,461 points.

Florida's top 2007-08 finishes both came during the month of May. The Gator softball squad finished its best season in the 12-year history of the program by tying for third in their first Women's College World Series appearance. Women's tennis advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships for the 19th time in the last 22 years.

Here is the complete list of Florida's 2007-08 top-10 teams: Softball (Tied-3);  Women's Tennis (T-3);  Gymnastics (No. 4); Women’s Swimming & Diving (No. 6); Men's Swimming & Diving (No. 8); Men's Indoor Track & Field (No. 8); Women's Indoor Track & Field (T-8); Women's Golf (No. 9); Women's Outdoor Track & Field (No. 9); Soccer (T-9); Men’s Tennis (T-9) and Volleyball (T-9).

Ninety-three Gators make SEC Academic Honor Roll

Seven area athletes are among 93 Gators on the 2008 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.

Florida's 93 recipients is third behind South Carolina (105) and Georgia (96).

To be recognized, each student-athlete must  have a GPA of 3.0 for either the preceding academic year or have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above at the nominating institution; be on scholarship, a letterwinner or have participated on a varsity team for two years if non-scholarship; have completed 24 semester hours of non-remedial credit at the nominating institution; and have been a member of the varsity team for the sport’s entire NCAA championship segment.

The seven area athletes are:

BASEBALL: Brandon McArthur (Seffner), Sr. Criminology; Brett Bentley  (Tampa), Sr. Exercise Physiology.  This is McArthur's fourth consecutive year earning SEC Academic Honors, one shy of a school record held by three other players.

SOFTBALL: Kristina Hilberth (Dunnedin), Jr. Sport Management

WOMEN'S TRACK: Kathryn Kramer (Tampa), Jr. Nutritional Sciences; Natalie Moser (Tampa), Sr. Health Education and Behavior.

MEN'S TRACK: Calvin Smith (Lutz), So. Sport Management; Kurt Lee (Springhill). Sr. Exercise Physiology.

Brandon McArthur earns SEC honor

Senior Brandon McArthur has been named to the 2008 SEC Baseball Community Service Team, announced by the SEC on Monday. The league sponors community service teams for all 20 SEC-sponsored sports, and highlights and athlete from each school who gives back to the community in service.

McArthur, a native of Seffner, is a representative on Florida's Student-Athlete Committee (SAC) and is a frequent speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ meetings. He often visits the pediatric care unit at Shands Hospital and participates in wheel-chair basketball with Special Olympians.

He has been a speaker at “Youth Quake,” an organization that provides alternative Christian entertainment that confronts issues relevant to today’s teenagers and has given speeches at Gainesville middle schools about the importance of doing well in school. He's also a member of the Big Brothers' organization.

The Gators’ starting first baseman, McArthur has overcome numerous injuries, including a life-threating head injury after he was attacked his freshman year. This year, he decided to finish out his senior season, despite suffering a ruptured ACL earlier in the year. He is currently hitting .339 with 40 RBI, 10 doubles, four triples and a pair of home runs. He helped lead UF to a third-place finish in the league with a
team-high .362 and tied for second on the squad with 23 RBI.

Last Thursday, McArthur snapped a 6-6 tie against No. 13 Vanderbilt with a two-run homer in the eighth inning that provided the winning margin and sent the Orange and Blue on its way to a three-game sweep of the Commodores.

Two Gators honored by SEC

Two Gators have earned weekly honors by the SEC in their respective sports.

Junior first baseman Ali Gardiner was named the SEC Player of the Week after he led the Gator softball team to a 5-0 record last week, including series sweeps over conference foes South Carolina and No. 8 LSU.

Gardiner was the Gators' leading hitter over its five games against SEC opponents this week. She hit .643 for the week, including a 1.143 slugging percentage and a .706 on base percentage. She also led the team in hits (9), runs (5), home runs (2) and shared the lead in RBI (4) on the week.

Also junior right hander Patrick Keating was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week after his first-ever complete game on Saturday to clinch the series victory over LSU. He became the first Gator pitcher to earn the accolade since Darren O'Day collected the honor on Feb. 20, 2006, and the 16th different Florida pitcher to be recognized.

Keating improved his season record to 4-0 and lowered his ERA to 2.41.

UF has 46 athletes on SEC Honor Roll

                        

GAINESVILLE - A total of 46 Florida student-athletes,including 25 football players, are among the 483 student-athletes named to the 2007-08 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, according to the league office.

The Gators had the third-highest number of athletes named to the honor roll behind South Carolina (65) and Kentucky (60).

Among them are four area football players: WR Riley Cooper, K Joey Ijjas; OL Jim Barrie and DB Telly Concepcion.

To be eligible for the honor roll: a student-athlete must have a grade point average of 3.00 or above for either the preceding academic year (two semesters or three quarters) or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above; if a student-athlete attends summer school, his/her grade point average during the summer academic term must be included in the calculation used to determine eligibility for the Academic Honor Roll; and student-athletes eligible for the Honor Roll include those receiving an athletics scholarship, recipients of an athletics award (i.e., letter winner), and non-scholarship student-athletes who have been on a varsity team for two seasons.

Prior to being nominated, a student-athlete must have successfully completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of non-remedial academic credit toward a baccalaureate degree at the nominating institution and must have been a member of a varsity team for the sport's entire NCAA Championship segment.

Here is a list of the Gators named to the honor roll by sport and major:

FOOTBALL: Derek Baldry (Sr., Telecommunications); James Barrie (Jr., Political Science); Riley Cooper (So. Sport Management); Javier Estopinan (Sr., Geography); Eddie Haupt (Jr., Zoology); Aaron Hernandez (So., Social and Behavioral Sciences); Markus Manson (Sr., Criminology); Kestahn Moore (Jr. Sport Management); Jonathan Phillips (Jr., Finance); Wondy Pierre-Louis (So., Sociology); 
James Smith (Sr. Physiology/Kinesiology); Ryan Stamper (Jr., Criminology); Tim Tebow (So., Family, Youth and Community Sciences); Phil Trautwein (Sr., Family, Youth and Community Sciences); Paul Wilson (So., Sport Management); Telly Concepcion (Sr., Criminology); Andrew Fritze (Jr., Exercise Physiology); Brad Hiers (Jr., History); Joey Ijjas (Sr., Architecture); Andrew Johnson (Jr., Interdisciplinary Studies- Biology); Bobby R. Kane (Sr., Criminology); Christopher Pintado (So., Finance); Vernon Shelton (Sr., Agriculture & Operations Management); Joey Sorrentino (Jr., Exercise Physiology); Cody Worton (So., Civil Engineering).

SOCCER: Jessica Eicken (So. Sport Management); Bianca Gibbs (Sr., Management); Ashley Harris (Sr.,  Zoology); Caitlin Howard (So., Journalism); Lauren Hyde So., Sport Management); Megan Kerns (Jr., Exercise Physiology); Shelley Lyle (Sr., Political Science); Angela Napolitano (So. Economics); 
Vanessa Rangel (So., Accounting); Anne Rose (So., Psychology); Elizabeth "Liz" Ruberry (Sr., Community Health); Jenny Taylor (So., Advertising); Tricia Townsend (So., Marketing).

  VOLLEYBALL: Kelsey Bowers (Jr., Public Relations); Maurelle "Marcie" Hampton (Sr., Telecommunications); Kristina Johnson (Jr., Family, Youth and Community Sciences); Lakisya Killingsworth (Sr., Family, Youth and Community Sciences); Amber McCray (Grad. Student Sport Management): Angela McGinnis (Sr., Early Childhood Education); Christina Diaz (Jr., Health Promotions).

PHOTOS: Top, Riley Cooper; Bottom, Joey Ijjas.

Fourteen student-athletes to graduate this weekend

Eight football players are among 14 Gator student-athletes who are scheduled to participate in commencement ceremonies today and Saturday on the University of Florida campus.

The baseball, soccer and women’s swimming and diving programs each have two graduating student-athletes, while gymnastics, softball, women’s basketball, women’s tennis and men’s track and field each have one.

The atlhetes will be honored at a graduation luncheon at 11:15 a.m. Saturday in the Touchdown Terrace.

The 2007 Florida graduating senior student-athletes are: Chris Petrie (Baseball); Austin Pride (Baseball); Derek Baldry (football); Andre Caldwell (football); Markus Manson (football); Clint McMillan (football); Carlton Medder (football); Drew Miller (football); Moise Paul (football); Phil Trautwein (football); Chantelle Tousek (gymnastics); Steven Hassen (men’s track and field); Stacy Bishop (soccer); Daniela Sanchez (soccer); Lacy Howard (softball); Tammy Jackson (women's basketball); Brittany Johnson (women's swimming and diving); Laurie Moreau (women’s swimming and diving) and Alexis Gordon (women's tennis).

Thirty-Six Athletes to Participate in Commencement Ceremonies

GAINESVILLE - Among those participating in spring commencement ceremonies this weekend are 36 Florida athletes.

Seven football players completed undergraduate degrees this semester, followed by the softball team which had the next highest number with six.

Former All-American volleyball player Amber McCray (Journalism) received the 2006-07 Tracy Caulkins Award as the outstanding UF female student athlete. Former quarterback Chris Leak was the Doug Beldon Award winner for the outstanding male student athlete. Leak graduated in December with a degree in sociology.

Here is a list of the 2007 graduating student athletes:

NAME                                SPORT                          MAJOR
Lutrell Alford                     Football                         Religion
Boglarka  Berecz                W Tennis                       Political Science
Kristen Butler                     Softball                         Sport Management
Candace Cabey                   W Track                       Criminology
Lindsey Cameron               Softball                          Sociology
Brittany  Davis                  W Basketball                   Fitness Wellness
Jordan Dolberg                  M Tennis                        Recreation Programming
Kimberly  Dye                    W Basketball                   Fitness Wellness
Kelli Eisenbrown                 Soccer                           Health Science
Tina Epps                          W Track                         Criminology
Kris Gawriluk                     Baseball                          History
Jamie Geissler                   W Track                         Early Childhood Ed
Maria Camila Gonzalez-Moreno    W Golf                  Accounting
Galey Gravenstein             W Cross Country             Public Relations
Chris Hetland                    Football                          Anthropology
David Hurst                      Baseball                          History
Beth Kleiman                    Gymnastics                     Food Science & Human Nutrition
Billy Latsko                       Football                          Building Construction
Samantha Lutz                 Gymnastics                     Business Admin
Amber McCray                  Volleyball                        Journalism
Dominique McLeggan        W Track                         History
Jesse Mudd                      M Golf                            Anthropology
Scott Mullervy                  M Swimming                   History
Ananda  O'Neal                 Soccer                            Health Education & Behavior
Stacie Pestrak                  Softball                          Sociology
Steven Porter                   Baseball                         Food & Resource Economics
Steve Rissler                    Football                         Sociology
Darryon Robinson             Football                         Family, Youth & Community Sciences
Johnny  Rutledge              Football                         Recreation Programming
Stacey  Stevens               Softball                          Chemistry
Amanda Stroud                Gymnastics                     Elementary Ed
Laura  Templeton             Softball                           Chemistry &  Psychology
Patrick Thompson             Baseball                          Building Construction
Mirelis Torres                   Softball                           English
Candace Weiman              W Swimming                   Journalism
Eric Wilbur                       Football                           Telecommunications

Tennis Player Honored

GAINESVILLE - Freshman Csilla Borsanyi was named the SEC Tennis Athlete of the Week on Tuesday.

Borsanyi had a combined singles and doubles record of 4-0 last week, which kept the Gators in contention for the SEC regular-season title.

With two singles victories last week, she improved to a team-leading 22 victories.

Nelson named to All-America team

Gator junior free safety Reggie Nelson was named the Football Writers Association of America's 63rd All-America Team on Saturday. Nelson is the first Gator selected for the honor since 2001, when Alex Brown, Jabar Gaffney and Rex Grossman all were named to the team.

Nelson stands sixth among the Gators with 50 tackles. His six interceptions rank third in the SEC. He also has blocked two punts this season.

Stiff-armed by the Heisman

Who will win the Heisman Trophy tonight? Probably Ohio State's Troy Smith, who will lead the Buckeyes against the Gators in the BCS title game next month.

Danny Wuerffel was the last Gator to win the Heisman, taking home the trophy in 1996 after a fantastic season in which he finished with a QB rating of 170.6. That Florida team averaged 46 points a game and won the national title after beating Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

One other Gator who certainly deserved to be a Heisman finalist in the years since '96? That'd be Rex Grossman in 2001. The bottom line is that Grossman lost because he was a sophomore and the winner, QB Eric Couch of Nebraska, was a senior. Grossman threw for more than 300 yards in every game but one -- when he threw for 290.