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G<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Boosters</strong> members’<br />
<strong>exclusive</strong> <strong>look</strong> <strong>at</strong> G<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Athletics</strong><br />
Vo l u m e I V, I s s u e 2 1 • F e b r u a r y 5 , 2 0 0 9<br />
In This Issue...<br />
Football Signing Class...........1<br />
Football Endowment..............2<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or Softball Preview..........2<br />
WBBall vs. Tennessee............3<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or Goodies........................3<br />
Awards Corner......................4<br />
Quick Hits.............................4<br />
Sports Report.........................5<br />
Signee Bios.............................6<br />
Editors: Sean Cartell<br />
Suzanna Ollove<br />
Booster<br />
Liaison: Paul Vosilla<br />
G<strong>at</strong>orBytes Email:<br />
G<strong>at</strong>orBytes@g<strong>at</strong>ors.uaa.ufl.edu<br />
G<strong>at</strong>orBytes is a joint public<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
between G<strong>at</strong>or Booster,<br />
<strong>Inc</strong>. and the University<br />
Athletic Associ<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
Communic<strong>at</strong>ions department<br />
Florida Announces 2009 Football Signing Class ...<br />
The BCS Champion University of Florida<br />
football team on Wednesday announced its 2009<br />
signing class.<br />
The 16-member 2009 signing class was named<br />
the n<strong>at</strong>ion’s No. 5 signing class by ESPN.com and<br />
the No. 10 signing class according to Rivals.com.<br />
“It’s a gre<strong>at</strong> day for Florida football,” Florida<br />
head coach Urban Meyer said. “We have some<br />
real quality young people th<strong>at</strong> are going to join<br />
our program. We’ve done a gre<strong>at</strong> job recruiting.<br />
Our staff has done phenomenal. We had a few<br />
obstacles, even when you win a N<strong>at</strong>ional Championship.<br />
However, the ones th<strong>at</strong> we brought in are<br />
tremendous.<br />
“We addressed wh<strong>at</strong> we <strong>look</strong> for in a player,”<br />
Meyer continued We are very proud of the guys<br />
th<strong>at</strong> we brought in here. Number one, we <strong>look</strong> for<br />
high character people and then, competitors.”<br />
The complete signing class is listed below.<br />
2009 University of Florida Football Signees<br />
Nick Alajajian OL 6-4 280 Naples/Naples<br />
Jon Bostic LB 6-2 225 Wellington/Palm Beach Central<br />
Gary Brown DT 6-4 275 Greensboro/West Gadsden<br />
Andre Debose WR 5-11 176 Sanford/Seminole<br />
Josh Evans DB 6-2 185 Irvington, N.J./Irvington<br />
Dee Finley S 6-1 193 Auburn, Ala./Auburn/Milford<br />
Mike Gillislee RB 6-0 190 DeLand/DeLand<br />
Jon Halapio OG 6-4 300 St. Petersburg/St. Petersburg<br />
C<strong>at</strong>holic<br />
Jonotthan Harrison OL 6-3 279 Groveland/South Lake<br />
Edwin Herbert DT 6-3 295 Fairfield, Calif./Armijo<br />
(City College of San Francisco)<br />
Jelani Jenkins LB 6-1 200 Olney, Md./Our Lady<br />
Good Counsel<br />
Kedric Johnson DE 6-4 215 Palmetto/Palmetto<br />
Kyle Koehne OL 6-6 300 Indianapolis, Ind./C<strong>at</strong>hedral<br />
Xavier Nixon OT 6-6 285 Fayetteville, N.C./Jack Britt<br />
Desmond Parks TE 6-6 215 Greer, S.C./Greer<br />
Jordan Reed QB 6-3 225 New London, Conn./New<br />
London
GATOR • VOL. IV ISS. 21 • FEBRUARY 5, 2009<br />
Getting Underway<br />
Florida Softball<br />
Dear G<strong>at</strong>or Booster:<br />
2008 Football N<strong>at</strong>ional Championship Endowment ...<br />
It’s gre<strong>at</strong> to be a Florida G<strong>at</strong>or. It never gets old celebr<strong>at</strong>ing a n<strong>at</strong>ional championship and it’s safe<br />
to say our third is just as sweet as the first. Coach Meyer and his players showed an incredible<br />
amount of professionalism this season and ended it with a fantastic win over Oklahoma.<br />
We want to permanently recognize this awesome fe<strong>at</strong> by cre<strong>at</strong>ing the “2008 Football N<strong>at</strong>ional<br />
Championship Endowment”. This endowment will forever recognize wh<strong>at</strong> this group of<br />
student-<strong>at</strong>hletes has done for the G<strong>at</strong>or N<strong>at</strong>ion and will put us one step closer to permanently<br />
funding our Athletic Educ<strong>at</strong>ion Fund.<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Boosters</strong> has opened the “2008 Football N<strong>at</strong>ional Championship Endowment” fund th<strong>at</strong><br />
will honor the incredible accomplishments of this football team. We are asking you and all<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or fans to please consider making a contribution <strong>at</strong> the level you find comfortable. Gifts for<br />
scholarship endowment will be given two (2) points per $100.00 and will be receipted <strong>at</strong> 80%.<br />
If you do not want points for your gift, it will be receipted <strong>at</strong> 100%.<br />
Florida softball All-America<br />
pitcher Stacey Nelson.<br />
The No. 1/1 University of<br />
Florida softball team begins its<br />
2009 campaign THIS FRIDAY<br />
when it plays host to Baylor in the<br />
first game of a three-game series <strong>at</strong><br />
K<strong>at</strong>ie Seashole Pressly Stadium.<br />
The G<strong>at</strong>ors finished the 2008<br />
season ranked third in the ESPN.<br />
com/USA Softball poll, the highest<br />
final ranking in program history.<br />
They also recorded the school’s<br />
first-ever number-one ranking by<br />
both USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.<br />
com/USA Softball polls. They finished<br />
the season tying for third <strong>at</strong><br />
the Women’s College World Series<br />
and setting an NCAA record with<br />
70 wins. The players and team<br />
also rewrote much of the Florida<br />
record book.<br />
Head Coach Tim Walton<br />
returns eight of nine starters from<br />
last year’s historic team, including<br />
five All-Americans who were just<br />
named to the Preseason All-SEC<br />
team.<br />
Friday * 6 p.m.<br />
S<strong>at</strong>urday * 1 p.m.<br />
Sunday * 12 p.m.<br />
2<br />
Please join us in recognizing this terrific accomplishment by contributing to the “2008 Football<br />
N<strong>at</strong>ional Championship Endowment.”<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Jeremy N. Foley John James Stumpy Harris<br />
Director of <strong>Athletics</strong> Executive Director Honorary Chair<br />
2008 Football<br />
N<strong>at</strong>ional Championship<br />
Endowment<br />
Name______________________________________________________________________<br />
Address____________________________________________________________________<br />
City___________________________St<strong>at</strong>e______________________Zip_______________<br />
Phone________________________E-Mail________________________________________<br />
Gift Amount_____________________ Please make checks payable to the UF Found<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
Credit Card # __________________________________Expir<strong>at</strong>ion D<strong>at</strong>e ________________<br />
Name on Credit Card_______________________Sign<strong>at</strong>ure___________________________<br />
Endowments are now eligible to receive two (2) points for every $100 of giving. If you elect to receive<br />
points, please note th<strong>at</strong> it will be receipted <strong>at</strong> 80/20.<br />
Please indic<strong>at</strong>e YES__________or NO___________ on points.<br />
Booster ID # ___________________(Points will be applied to this account).<br />
The University of Florida Found<strong>at</strong>ion is a 501 (c) organiz<strong>at</strong>ion. All payments will qualify as a charitable<br />
contribution, deductibility subject to normal IRS limit<strong>at</strong>ions. Thank you for your continued support!
GATOR • VOL. IV ISS. 21 • FEBRUARY 5, 2009<br />
Women’s Basketball Hosts Tradition-Rich Lady Vols Sunday ...<br />
The No. 11 Florida women’s basketball team<br />
needs your help to “Pack the House” on Sunday <strong>at</strong><br />
5 p.m., when the G<strong>at</strong>ors play host to the traditionrich<br />
No. 12 Tennessee Lady Vols in the Stephen C.<br />
O’Connell Center.<br />
Please note the time change to 5 p.m. EST, which<br />
will accomod<strong>at</strong>e a n<strong>at</strong>ional-television broadcast by<br />
espn2.<br />
Florida, which boasts a 20-2 overall record and a<br />
first-place tie in the Southeastern Conference, has<br />
won 13 consecutive home games <strong>at</strong> the Stephen C.<br />
O’Connell Center.<br />
The G<strong>at</strong>ors are <strong>look</strong>ing to break the school’s <strong>at</strong>tendance<br />
record of 12,222 th<strong>at</strong> <strong>at</strong>tended a Florida-Tennessee<br />
game on Feb. 11, 2001 (pictured<br />
below).<br />
All fans are encouraged to wear<br />
blue to Sunday’s game.<br />
Free admission coupons to the game, which is presented<br />
by Publix and DISH Network, are available<br />
<strong>at</strong> particip<strong>at</strong>ing Wendy’s loc<strong>at</strong>ions.<br />
The first 1,000 fans to pass through the turnstiles<br />
receive G<strong>at</strong>or Women’s Basketball stadium cups<br />
courtesy of GRU and it’s also UF Sutdents Clean<br />
Out the Closet Day. The first 500 UF students with<br />
a valid student ID receive leftover t-shirts from the<br />
marketing closet.<br />
Admission is $5 for reserved se<strong>at</strong>s; $4 for adult<br />
general admission; $2 for youth 17 and under and<br />
free for UF students.<br />
goodies<br />
Softball vs. Baylor<br />
Friday, February 6 • 6 p.m.<br />
• Schedule Magnet Giveaway – The<br />
first 500 fans will receive 2009 G<strong>at</strong>or<br />
Softball Schedule Magnets courtesy<br />
of G<strong>at</strong>orade<br />
• Winner, Winner, Dancer’s Dinner<br />
– A song will be played between<br />
innings and fans will be asked to<br />
dance. The marketing staff and Alberta<br />
will select a winner to receive<br />
dinner from Ballyhoos.<br />
• G<strong>at</strong>or Softball Trivia – At an inning<br />
break, one fan will be selected<br />
to answer a multiple choice softball<br />
trivia question. If they guess correctly<br />
they will win a G<strong>at</strong>or Softball<br />
prize pack!<br />
• UF Faculty & Staff Appreci<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
– UF Faculty & Staff members th<strong>at</strong><br />
show their G<strong>at</strong>or1 ID will receive a<br />
coupon for a free hotdog!<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or <strong>Boosters</strong> Day <strong>at</strong> Women’s Basketball<br />
Florida vs. Tennessee<br />
Feb. 8, 2009 * 5 p.m. * O’Connell Center<br />
One Membership Card = One Free Admission<br />
Come Support Your G<strong>at</strong>ors As They<br />
Pack The House Against Tennessee<br />
Softball vs. Baylor<br />
S<strong>at</strong>urday, February 7 • 1 p.m.<br />
• Campus USA Credit Union Day<br />
• G<strong>at</strong>or T-shirt Giveaway – The first<br />
500 fans will receive G<strong>at</strong>or Softball<br />
t-shirts!<br />
• Dollar Dog Day – Hotdogs and<br />
other select concession items available<br />
for $1.<br />
• G<strong>at</strong>or Softball Bingo – The first<br />
250 fans receive a Bingo card and<br />
can mark off squares as the plays<br />
happen during the game.<br />
W Bball vs. Tennessee<br />
Sunday, February 8 • 5 p.m.<br />
• GRU Stadium Cup Giveaway – The<br />
first 1,000 fans will receive stadium<br />
cups courtesy of GRU.<br />
• Blue Out – All fans are encouraged<br />
to wear blue to the game!<br />
• Wendy’s Free Admission Coupons<br />
– Fans can pick up free general admission<br />
coupons <strong>at</strong> particip<strong>at</strong>ing<br />
Gainesville Wendys loc<strong>at</strong>ions.<br />
• G<strong>at</strong>or Booster Day III – All G<strong>at</strong>or<br />
<strong>Boosters</strong> will be admitted free<br />
with their G<strong>at</strong>or Booster card. There<br />
will be a pre-game reception with a<br />
member of the coaching staff.<br />
3
GATOR • VOL. IV ISS. 21 • FEBRUARY 5, 2009<br />
Awards Corner... Quick Hits ...<br />
SEC Track and Field<br />
Weekly Awards<br />
Gray Horn<br />
Freshman Hept<strong>at</strong>hlete<br />
SEC Male Freshman of the Week<br />
Mariam Kevkhishvili<br />
Junior Thrower<br />
SEC Female Field Athlete of the<br />
Week<br />
SEC Swimming and<br />
Diving Weekly Awards<br />
Jemma Lowe<br />
Freshman Free/Fly<br />
SEC Female Swimmer of the<br />
Week<br />
Anna-Liisa Pold<br />
Freshman Back/IM<br />
SEC Female Freshman of the<br />
Week<br />
Kara Salamone<br />
Junior Diver<br />
SEC Female Diver of the Week<br />
CVU.com Stellar Spikers<br />
(Volleyball)<br />
Kelly Murphy<br />
Freshman setter/right-side<br />
Honorable Mention<br />
Alltel<br />
4<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or<br />
Alerts<br />
Don’t miss a thing!<br />
Get Florida G<strong>at</strong>ors text alerts<br />
delivered directly to your cell<br />
phone.<br />
Scores / St<strong>at</strong>s / Standings /<br />
Breaking News / Player and<br />
Coach Profiles / Special G<strong>at</strong>ors<br />
Events<br />
Sign up any time <strong>at</strong> www.<br />
G<strong>at</strong>orZone.com!<br />
BASEBALL<br />
The University of Florida baseball program<br />
recently announced th<strong>at</strong> the annual<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or Baseball Alumni Weekend will<br />
be held April 24-26 in Gainesville. The<br />
event will be held in conjunction with<br />
the G<strong>at</strong>ors’ home series against Eastern<br />
Division rival South Carolina.<br />
MEN’S<br />
BASKETBALL<br />
UF has won 15 consecutive home<br />
games d<strong>at</strong>ing back to last year, the<br />
fourth longest home winning streak of<br />
the Billy Donovan era.<br />
WOMEN’S<br />
BASKETBALL<br />
Amanda Butler became just the second<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or head coach to guide the team to<br />
20 wins in their second season with the<br />
program (Debbie Yow was the other).<br />
CROSS COUNTRY<br />
Junior Justin Taylor earned Florida top-<br />
10 in the 2008 season with a 24:03 finish<br />
on the five-mile course <strong>at</strong> the Notre<br />
Dame Invit<strong>at</strong>ional. The G<strong>at</strong>or men tied<br />
for sixth as Taylor crossed the finishline<br />
15th overall and second for the G<strong>at</strong>ors.<br />
FOOTBALL<br />
The football team is busy preparing for<br />
N<strong>at</strong>ional Signing Day next Wednesday,<br />
Feb. 4. Once again, the G<strong>at</strong>ors are<br />
<strong>look</strong>ing to reload with another top-15<br />
recruiting class under Coach Urban<br />
Meyer.<br />
MEN’S GOLF<br />
The 12th-ranked University of Florida<br />
men’s golf team turned in a solid performance<br />
on Monday <strong>at</strong> the Golden<br />
Ocala Collegi<strong>at</strong>e. despite the rainy conditions.<br />
In the 36-hole event, the G<strong>at</strong>ors<br />
shot 558 (-18) to finish 26 strokes ahead<br />
of second-place North Florida.<br />
WOMEN’S GOLF<br />
The G<strong>at</strong>ors open their 2009 spring<br />
season Feb. 9-11 when they travel to<br />
Palos Verdes, Calif., to compete in the<br />
Northrop Grumman Invit<strong>at</strong>ional hosted<br />
by Ohio St<strong>at</strong>e University.<br />
GYMNASTICS<br />
Melanie Sinclair earned her third career<br />
10.0 for the uneven bars last Friday versus<br />
Kentucky. She is one of four G<strong>at</strong>ors<br />
to earn the perfect mark on the bars and<br />
the only one to earn the mark on multiple<br />
occasions. No. 8 Florida travels to<br />
B<strong>at</strong>on Rouge, La., to meet No. 11 LSU<br />
on Friday, Feb. 6. LSU is the fourth top-<br />
15 opponent for UF this season.<br />
LACROSSE<br />
Both of Florida’s assistant coaches will<br />
be in Prague, Czech Republic, next<br />
June for the 2009 Feder<strong>at</strong>ion of Intern<strong>at</strong>ional<br />
Lacrosse World Cup. Erica<br />
LaGrow was named to the 18-member<br />
team following last weekend’s U.S.<br />
Lacrosse Champion Challenge in Lake<br />
Buena Vista, Fla. UF’s other assistant<br />
coach, Jenny Ulehla, is an assistant<br />
coach for the U.S. N<strong>at</strong>ional Team and<br />
will be with the 2009 Women’s World<br />
Cup next June in Prague.<br />
SOCCER<br />
Senior Megan Kerns is a 2008 Soccer-<br />
Buzz.com All-American. She led UF in<br />
2008 with 35 points, 13 goals and five<br />
game-winning goals and shared first in<br />
assists (9). Two G<strong>at</strong>ors appear on SoccerBuzz.com<br />
Freshman All-America<br />
teams. Tahnai Annis is part of the SoccerBuzz.com<br />
Freshman All-America<br />
second team, while Jazmyne Avant appears<br />
on the third team.<br />
SOFTBALL<br />
Florida opens its season <strong>at</strong> home for the<br />
first time in five years. The last time the<br />
G<strong>at</strong>ors began their season in the friendly<br />
confines of K<strong>at</strong>ie Seashole Pressly<br />
Stadium was on Feb. 6, 2004, when<br />
they defe<strong>at</strong>ed Appalachian St<strong>at</strong>e, 10-0,<br />
in the first game of the GRU Classic.<br />
The three-game home series against<br />
Baylor also marks the first time since<br />
2003 UF has not started the season with<br />
a tournament.<br />
MEN’S SWIMMING<br />
& DIVING<br />
Both Florida swimming and diving<br />
programs sent their seniors out in winning<br />
fashion S<strong>at</strong>urday afternoon from<br />
the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The<br />
No. 8 men topped Indian River, 128-<br />
83, in the Orange and Blue’s last home<br />
dual meet of the 2008-09 season. Prior<br />
to the start of the swimming and diving<br />
action, seniors Bradley Ally, Jeana<br />
Bartell, Laurabeth Guenthner, Cody<br />
Kauffman, Aaron Leech, Eric Shrestha,<br />
Jos Smith, Kelsy Smith, Rachel Sowers,<br />
Whitney Stern, Scott Thompson,<br />
Rex Tullius and Lindsay Woodward<br />
were honored.<br />
WOMEN’S SWIMMING<br />
& DIVING<br />
Three University of Florida women’s<br />
swimmers and divers swept the final<br />
week of swim & dive conference<br />
awards Tuesday. Freshmen Anna-Liisa<br />
Pold and Jemma Lowe joined junior<br />
diver Kara Salamone with the weekly<br />
accolade. Lowe was named the SEC<br />
Female Swimmer of the Week. Pold<br />
garnered SEC Female Freshman of<br />
the Week, while Salamone reeled in<br />
SEC Female Diver of the Week for the<br />
second time this season, the first being<br />
Nov. 11. The honor for the trio comes<br />
after the No. 5 Lady G<strong>at</strong>ors defe<strong>at</strong>ed the<br />
seventh-ranked Tennessee Volunteers,<br />
174-125, in the last SEC dual meet of<br />
the season for both teams Jan. 30.<br />
MEN’S TENNIS<br />
The No. 7 G<strong>at</strong>ors defe<strong>at</strong>ed No. 48 Arizona<br />
and No. 15 Texas A&M this past<br />
weekend in the opening rounds of the<br />
ITA N<strong>at</strong>ional Team Indoor Championships<br />
<strong>at</strong> Linder Stadium. Florida advances<br />
to the round of 16 in Chicago,<br />
Ill., on Feb. 13-16.<br />
WOMEN’S TENNIS<br />
The G<strong>at</strong>ors opened their season last<br />
week winning four home m<strong>at</strong>ches, including<br />
the first two rounds of the ITA<br />
N<strong>at</strong>ional Team Indoor Championships<br />
th<strong>at</strong> advanced Florida to the Round of<br />
16 held in Madison, Wisc. The wins extended<br />
UF’s regular-season home win<br />
streak to 69 consecutive. The team’s<br />
victory over Stetson on January 27th<br />
improved the G<strong>at</strong>ors’ all-time record<br />
vs. other teams from the st<strong>at</strong>e of Florida<br />
to 182-32.<br />
TRACK & FIELD<br />
Freshman Gray Horn recorded the<br />
third-highest hept<strong>at</strong>hlon score in school<br />
history and the best opening day (four<br />
events) score by a freshman in program<br />
history. He finished with a score of<br />
5.384 and was named the SEC Male<br />
Freshman of the Week for his efforts.<br />
VOLLEYBALL<br />
Six Florida volleyball players were<br />
named to the Southeastern Conference<br />
Academic Honor Roll for the Fall<br />
2008 season. Th<strong>at</strong> total ties for the most<br />
SEC Academic Honor Roll selections<br />
in school history with the 2001, 2003,<br />
2006 and 2007 teams.<br />
DAZZLERS<br />
The University of Florida Dazzlers will<br />
be hosting dance clinics for aspiring<br />
dancers of all ages. The Junior Dazzlers<br />
Clinic, which is open to children<br />
in grades one through eight, will be S<strong>at</strong>urday,<br />
Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon and<br />
the High School and Collegi<strong>at</strong>e Clinic<br />
will be on S<strong>at</strong>urday, Feb. 21 from 8:30<br />
a.m. to noon. Both clinics will be held<br />
<strong>at</strong> the Florida Gym in Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Log on to G<strong>at</strong>orZone.com for more inform<strong>at</strong>ion.
The Sports Report ...<br />
GATOR • VOL. IV ISS. 21 • FEBRUARY 5, 2009<br />
Records & Rankings<br />
SPORT ALL SEC RANK<br />
Men’s Basketball 19-4 6-2 RV/RV<br />
Women’s Basketball 20-2 6-1 11/13<br />
Gymnastics 3-1 2-1 8<br />
Men’s Swim/Diving 8-2 4-1 8<br />
Women’s Swim/Diving 8-2 4-1 5<br />
Men’s Track and Field -- -- 4<br />
Women’s Track and Field -- -- 17<br />
Coming Up in G<strong>at</strong>or<br />
N<strong>at</strong>ion...<br />
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5<br />
W Bball <strong>at</strong> Alabama • 7 p.m.<br />
(GRN)<br />
M Tennis vs. UCF • 3 p.m.<br />
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6<br />
SB vs. Baylor • 6 p.m.<br />
(GVO/WRUF)<br />
Gymnastics <strong>at</strong> LSU • 8 p.m.<br />
(GVO)<br />
MEN’S BASKETBALL: Sophomore guard Nick Cal<strong>at</strong>hes scored 22 points, sophomore forward Alex<br />
Tyus added 19 and Florida held on in the closing minutes to be<strong>at</strong> South Carolina with a 97-93 victory<br />
on Tuesday night in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Florida won for the 13th time in its past 15<br />
games, snapped South Carolina’s four-game winning streak -- and with help from Mississippi St<strong>at</strong>e --<br />
took over sole possession in the Eastern Division. The Bulldogs upset Kentucky 66-57 earlier Tuesday.<br />
The G<strong>at</strong>ors will hit the road next week, traveling to Kentucky for a 9 p.m. tip on Tuesday (Feb. 10).<br />
They will head to Athens to take on the Georgia Bulldogs <strong>at</strong> 3:30 p.m. on S<strong>at</strong>urday, Feb. 14.<br />
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: The G<strong>at</strong>ors enter the week sporting a modest five-game win streak,<br />
which is tied for the second-longest win streak in SEC play in program history, one shy of the school<br />
mark. Florida also is 6-1 in conference action, tied for the best seven-game SEC record in G<strong>at</strong>or history.<br />
Last week, the G<strong>at</strong>ors recorded their 20th win of the season, the 10th time UF has reached the<br />
10-win pl<strong>at</strong>eau and the first time since 2005-06. Florida enters Sunday’s game against Tennessee riding<br />
a 13-game home winning streak, the fourth-longest in program history.<br />
GYMNASTICS: Melanie Sinclair knew it was going to be a good day when she woke up this morning.<br />
Th<strong>at</strong> feeling turned out to be prophetic as the All-American’s 10.0 on the uneven bars led the No.<br />
5 University of Florida gymnastics team to a 195.925-193.85 win Friday over Kentucky in front of a<br />
crowd of 8,019 for the Third Annual G<strong>at</strong>ors Link to Pink meet. Florida travels to No. 10 LSU Friday<br />
to face its fourth top-10 opponent of the 2009 season.<br />
TRACK AND FIELD: The University of Florida track and field teams captured seven events, notching<br />
10 NCAA provisional-qualifying marks and one autom<strong>at</strong>ic-qualifying mark to highlight the G<strong>at</strong>ors’<br />
particip<strong>at</strong>ion in the SEC/Big 12 Showdown last weekend <strong>at</strong> the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium on<br />
TAKE YOUR GATOR NATION PRIDE<br />
EVERYWHERE YOU GO!<br />
the campus of Texas A&M University.<br />
Gray Horn and Mariam<br />
Kevkhishvili each earned weekly<br />
honors from the Southeastern<br />
Conference, the league offices<br />
in Birmingham, Ala., announced<br />
Tuesday afternoon. Horn was<br />
named the Male Freshman of<br />
the Week, while Kevkhishvili<br />
was named the Female Field<br />
Athlete of the Week for the second<br />
consecutive week.<br />
SATURDAY, FEBRUAR Y 7<br />
Softball vs. Baylor • 1 p.m.,<br />
(GVO/WRUF)<br />
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8<br />
SB vs. Baylor • 12 p.m. (GVO)<br />
W Tennis <strong>at</strong> UNC • 1 p.m.<br />
WBball vs. Tennessee • 5 p.m.<br />
(ESPN2/GRN)<br />
Last Week’s Results...<br />
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30<br />
Gym def .Kentucky, 195.925-<br />
193.85<br />
M Tennis def. Arizona, 5-2<br />
M S&D def. Tennessee, 159.5-<br />
140.5<br />
W S&D def. Tennessee, 174-125<br />
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31<br />
M Tennis def. TAMU, 6-1<br />
W Tennis def. Okla. St<strong>at</strong>e, 4-0<br />
M Bball lost to Tennessee, 63-79<br />
M S&D def. IRCC, 128-83<br />
W S&D def. IRCC/FGCU, 87-20,<br />
84-28<br />
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1<br />
W Tennis def. W. Michigan, 7-0<br />
W Bball def. Arkansas, 94-78<br />
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3<br />
M Bball def. So. Carolina, 97-93<br />
http://www.ufalumni.ufl.edu/chase<br />
5
GATOR • VOL. IV ISS. 21 • FEBRUARY 5, 2009<br />
Football Signees Bios ...<br />
Nick Alajajian<br />
A true freshman who enrolled <strong>at</strong> UF in January of 2009...<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Participant in the U.S. Army<br />
All-American Bowl...Ranked as the fourth-best offensive<br />
tackle in the 2009 class by Rivals.com and ranked as a<br />
five-star recruit by Scout.com...Helped lead Naples High<br />
School to a 16-0 record and 2007 Class 3A St<strong>at</strong>e Championship...Gave<br />
up only one sack in the entire 2007<br />
season...Three-year starter for Naples...Missed six games<br />
in his senior season due to an ankle injury... Received<br />
Marco Island YMCAâ€s Male High School Athlete of<br />
the Year in 2008...Selected to MaxPreps 1st All-American<br />
Team...Claims biggest strengths are his footwork and<br />
agility...Chose Florida over FSU, Miami and Georgia...<br />
Coached by Bill Kramer.<br />
Jon Bostic<br />
A true freshman who enrolled <strong>at</strong> UF in January of 2009...<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Selected to the U.S. Army All-<br />
American Bowl...Ranked as the fifth-best Inside Linebacker<br />
prospect according to Rivals.com...Had over 100<br />
tackles in his junior season...His f<strong>at</strong>her, Jon Bostic Sr.,<br />
played three seasons for the Detroit Lions in the NFL...<br />
Selected UF over Miami, LSU, FSU and Clemson...<br />
Coached by Rodney Harris...In 2008, he rushed the ball<br />
75 times for 458 yards and six touchdowns...Member<br />
of the ESPNU Top 150...Claims gre<strong>at</strong>est strengths are<br />
his speed and aggressiveness... Helped lead Palm Beach<br />
Central to the eighth-best defense in Palm Beach County.<br />
Gary Brown<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: A menacing defender who<br />
committed to Florida as a junior... Amassed over 40<br />
sacks over his final two seasons... Selected as an Under<br />
Armour All-American in 2008... Was an FSWA All-St<strong>at</strong>e<br />
First-Team 1A selection as a junior and senior... Ranked<br />
as the second-best defensive tackle in the country by<br />
ESPN.com and Scout.com... Had 26 sacks and 114<br />
tackles (84 solo) with 20 for a loss as a junior... Was a<br />
member of the track & field team while also playing<br />
pitcher and first base for the West Gadsden baseball<br />
team... Coached by Antonio Bradwell... Chose Florida<br />
over Florida St<strong>at</strong>e, Miami, Arkansas and Notre Dame.<br />
Andre Debose<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Led Sanford to the Class 6A title<br />
over Miami-Northwestern by c<strong>at</strong>ching the game-winning<br />
touchdown in the final seconds....Accumul<strong>at</strong>ed more<br />
than 2,000 yards <strong>at</strong> wide receiver, running back and<br />
quarterback...Rushed for 1,332 yards on 117 carries and<br />
scored 12 touchdowns...As a part-time quarterback, he<br />
completed 25 of 44 pass <strong>at</strong>tempts for 353 yards and four<br />
touchdowns...Returned 10 punts for 236 yards and 14<br />
kicks for 497 yards...Caught 27 passes for 664 yards and<br />
six touchdowns...Ranked No. 30 n<strong>at</strong>ionally in the ESPN<br />
150....Played in ESPN/Under Armour All-Star Game,<br />
c<strong>at</strong>ching a 90-yard TD pass... Named First-Team 2008<br />
EA Sports All-America Team...Named to the Orlando<br />
Sentinel’s All-Southern Team...Ranked sixth out of 120<br />
top recruits by Mobile’s Press Register Super Southeast...<br />
Ranked second as a five-star wide receiver and the<br />
top receiver after a c<strong>at</strong>ch by Rivals.com...Finished his<br />
junior season with 712 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing;<br />
204 yards and one touchdown passing; and had 18<br />
c<strong>at</strong>ches for 270 yards receiving... St<strong>at</strong>e track champion<br />
as a member of Sanford Seminole Track & Field team.<br />
Josh Evans<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Rushed for 1,403 yards and 14<br />
touchdowns and completed 123 of 190 pass <strong>at</strong>tempts<br />
for 1,856 yards and 18 touchdowns in his career <strong>at</strong><br />
Irvington... Also recorded 78 tackles and seven interceptions<br />
on defense during his senior year... Named the<br />
Star-Ledger Essex County Player of the Year and a was<br />
a first-team all-st<strong>at</strong>e selection as a senior... Led his high<br />
school track team to the Group 3 Track co-st<strong>at</strong>e championship<br />
title competing in hurdles, relay and high jump...<br />
Chose Florida over Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Purdue...<br />
Coached by Darnell Grant.<br />
6<br />
Dee Finley<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Attended Prep School <strong>at</strong> the Milford<br />
Academy for a year in 2008...Coached by Bill Chaplick <strong>at</strong> Milford...<br />
Participant in the Under Armour High School All-American<br />
Game in 2008... USA Today second-team All-American...<br />
Class 6A all-st<strong>at</strong>e selection in Alabama... Amassed 70 tackles<br />
and seven interceptions as a senior for Auburn... Registered<br />
50 tackles, picked off eight passes and returned three back for<br />
touchdowns as junior... Credited with seven pass breakups in<br />
his junior season... Also brought back a punt return for a score...<br />
Reeled in nine passes for 98 yards and touchdown as a receiver...<br />
Hauled in three touchdowns as sophomore on just seven receptions<br />
for 70 yards... Racked up 50 tackles and interception as a<br />
sophomore... Four-star recruit by Rivals.com and r<strong>at</strong>ed as the<br />
fifth-best safety prospect. No. 10 in the ESPN 150 and the top<br />
safety prospect... Coached in high school by Tim Carter.<br />
Mike Gillislee<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Rushed for 1,149 yards on 227 carries<br />
for a 5.1-yard average...Ran for over 900 yards as a sophomore<br />
and over 1,200 yards as a junior...Carried 28 times for 200 yards<br />
(7.1 average) and scored the game-winning two-point conversion<br />
in DeLand’s 29-28 win over Mandarin... Considered South<br />
Carolina, Auburn, Ole Miss, and Mississippi St<strong>at</strong>e, among others...<br />
Also played slot receiver <strong>at</strong> DeLand for head coach Kevin<br />
Pettis... Ranked the No. 7 running back by Rivals.com and was<br />
tabbed the No. 8 all-purpose back by the organiz<strong>at</strong>ion.<br />
Jon Halapio<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Played all five positions on the offensive<br />
line... Named First-Team All-Pinellas County as a senior as was<br />
referred to “an immovable object on the line” by the St. Petersburg<br />
Times... Also played on defensive line for St. Petersburg<br />
C<strong>at</strong>holic... Played in the Pinellas County All-Star Game... Aims<br />
to lower his 40-yard dash time from 5.1 to 4.9 before he arrives<br />
in Gainesville... Has a vertical jump of 26-1/2 inches... Bench<br />
presses 340 pounds and squ<strong>at</strong>s 515 pounds... Was named the Offensive<br />
Lineman Most Valuable Player <strong>at</strong> the Gainesville NIKE<br />
Camp... Has a 3.0 GPA... Chose to play for the G<strong>at</strong>ors over<br />
Colorado and Notre Dame...Coached by Tod Creneti.<br />
Jonotthan Harrison<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Particip<strong>at</strong>ed in offense/defense All-<br />
American Bowl... Before choosing Florida, he also considered<br />
Miami, FSU and Boston College... Particip<strong>at</strong>ed in the Offense-<br />
Defense All-American Bowl... High school teamm<strong>at</strong>e of current<br />
G<strong>at</strong>or Jeff Demps... Vers<strong>at</strong>ile <strong>at</strong>hlete th<strong>at</strong> can play any of the five<br />
offensive line positions... Selected as the Offense-Defense All-<br />
American Bowl Offensive Lineman of the Year... Selected to the<br />
Orlando Sentinelâ€s All-Central Florida First Team... R<strong>at</strong>ed as<br />
a Four-Star Offensive Guard Prospect by Rivals.com... Coached<br />
by Walter Banks.<br />
Edwin Herbert<br />
A junior college player who enrolled <strong>at</strong> UF in January of 2009...<br />
Can bench press 465 pounds... A four-star tackle and the No. 26<br />
overall JUCO prospect according to Rivals.com... PRIOR TO<br />
FLORIDA: Competed <strong>at</strong> the City College of San Francisco for<br />
two seasons... Recorded 36 tackles last fall for coach George<br />
Rush... Totaled 48 tackles, three tackles for loss and six sacks<br />
in the 2007 campaign... Chose the G<strong>at</strong>ors over North Carolina<br />
St<strong>at</strong>e, Arkansas and Tennessee... Was originally sl<strong>at</strong>ed to play<br />
for Army coming out of Armijo High School...Coached by Mike<br />
Singer in high school.<br />
Jelani Jenkins<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Earned first-team Washington-Post<br />
All-Met honors and was first-team all-st<strong>at</strong>e in Maryland...Played<br />
in the Under Armour All-America Game...Highest-r<strong>at</strong>ed outside<br />
linebacker by Rivals.com and the 10th-best player overall... Selected<br />
as a first-team 2008 EA Sports All-American...Named the<br />
Maryland G<strong>at</strong>orade Player of the Year in both 2007 and 2008...<br />
Rushed for 22 touchdowns on 87 carries during his senior season<br />
and made 70 tackles on defense...First player in the 71-year history<br />
of the District’s Pigskin Club to earn both Defensive Player<br />
of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors... Will travel<br />
to Los Angeles l<strong>at</strong>er in February as one of five n<strong>at</strong>ional finalists<br />
for the W<strong>at</strong>kins Award, the high school equivalent of the Heisman<br />
Trophy...Registered 60 tackles, four sacks, an interception,<br />
a forced fumble and recovered two fumbles as a junior on defense....Rushed<br />
for 791 yards and 16 touchdowns th<strong>at</strong> season....<br />
A standout sprinter in track, he has recorded a 4.4 40-yard dash...<br />
Chose Florida over Notre Dame, Penn St<strong>at</strong>e, Southern Cal<br />
and Stanford...Coached by Bob Milloy... His GPA is above<br />
perfect 4.0, owing to extra credit to Advanced Placement<br />
in the classroom... His parents devised a three-page m<strong>at</strong>rix<br />
of their son’s college choices, breaking down schools by<br />
such c<strong>at</strong>egories as world academic ranking, gradu<strong>at</strong>ion<br />
r<strong>at</strong>es, diversity and number of NFL draft picks in the past<br />
five years.<br />
Kedric Johnson<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Recorded 41 tackles, 24.5 sacks, 27<br />
quarterback hurries, four pass breakups and an interception<br />
for a touchdown during his senior season...Finished his<br />
junior season with 40 tackles and 19 sacks, giving him 43.5<br />
sacks his junior and senior seasons combined... Awarded<br />
the Bradenton Herald Co-Player of the Year... A first-team<br />
all-st<strong>at</strong>e selection as a junior...Owns a 4.69 40-yard dash,<br />
bench max is 255 pounds and has a 35-inch vertical...<br />
Coached by Bob Bowling.<br />
Kyle Koehne<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: A two-year starter <strong>at</strong> right tackle<br />
who shifted to left tackle his senior year <strong>at</strong> Indianapolis<br />
C<strong>at</strong>hedral... Received first-team all-st<strong>at</strong>e honors by the Associ<strong>at</strong>ed<br />
Press and Indiana high school coaches...Led Indianapolis<br />
C<strong>at</strong>hedral to the 2008 Class 4A st<strong>at</strong>e championship,<br />
its second championship in the last three seasons... Named<br />
the Indiana Player of the Year by the Indianapolis Star...<br />
Graded out <strong>at</strong> 82 percent his senior season... Benches 320<br />
pounds, squ<strong>at</strong>s 420 pounds, has a 24-inch vertical jump and<br />
runs the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds... Earned Scout.com<br />
All-Combine honors after a successful performance <strong>at</strong> the<br />
U.S. Army Combine... Named the 2008 Indianapolis Player<br />
of the Year... Garnered 2008 All-City and All-Marion<br />
County high school football honor teams... A Class 4A allst<strong>at</strong>e<br />
selection as a junior... Coached by Rick Streiff.<br />
Xavier Nixon<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: Named the High School Maxwell<br />
Award winner among offensive linemen... Named firstteam<br />
all-st<strong>at</strong>e on the offensive line... In addition to his time<br />
on offensive line, collected 50 tackles while playing on<br />
defense... Led Jack Britt to the Class 4-AA st<strong>at</strong>e championship<br />
game... Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl...<br />
Selected as a First- Team 2008 EA Sports All-American...<br />
Named a U.S. Army All-American Bowl Player of the<br />
Year finalist... Chosen as the Cape Fear Region Player of<br />
the Year... Named to Parade Magazineâ€s High School<br />
All-American team... The North Carolina ESPN Rise<br />
G<strong>at</strong>orade Football Player of the Year... A 2007 AP all-st<strong>at</strong>e<br />
selection... Both parents are in the U.S. Military and have<br />
served in the Middle East... F<strong>at</strong>her has been st<strong>at</strong>ioned in<br />
Afghanistan, but was approved for leave to see Nixon commit<br />
to the G<strong>at</strong>ors <strong>at</strong> the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in<br />
Orlando, Fla...Coached by Richard Bailey.<br />
Desmond Parks<br />
A true freshman who enrolled <strong>at</strong> UF in January of 2009...<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: 2008 second-team all-st<strong>at</strong>e selection...Had<br />
30 c<strong>at</strong>ches for 450 yards and seven touchdowns<br />
as a junior... Recorded 29 c<strong>at</strong>ches for 403 yards and five<br />
touchdowns as a senior... Particip<strong>at</strong>ed in the Offense-<br />
Defense All-American Bowl... Chose Florida over North<br />
Carolina, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Clemson, and Duke...<br />
Member of the ESPNU Top 150... Coached by Will Young.<br />
Jordan Reed<br />
PRIOR TO FLORIDA: As a junior, he completed 122-of-<br />
222 passes for 1,706 yards and 28 touchdowns... Threw<br />
only two interceptions... Also rushed for 370 yards and<br />
eight touchdowns... Three-year starter for the New London<br />
Whalers...Known for his gre<strong>at</strong> size and incredible arm<br />
strength...Led New London to an undefe<strong>at</strong>ed regular season<br />
in 2007...Chose Florida over Connecticut, Oregon, Boston<br />
College and Maryland...Coached by Jack Cochrane...<br />
Ranked by Rivals as the 10th-best dual-thre<strong>at</strong> quarterback<br />
and the second-best prospect from the st<strong>at</strong>e of Connecticut...Member<br />
of the ESPNU Top 150...Finalist for the 2008<br />
Joe Montana High School Quarterback of the Year.