Gainesville WeatherSportscene with Steve Russell
Could This Be Florida's Best Athletic Year Ever?
If any of you follow such things, the University of Florida athletic program is annually one of the top ones in the country and many times historically it has been the best in the SEC.
But if things shake out right for the rest of the athletic year, this could be a record setting year for Gator athletics.
Already in the bank are two national titles; the women’s swim team won a national championship for the first time since 1982 and the Gator men’s track team won an NCAA Indoor national title as well. The University of Florida has never won more than two NCAA titles in a single athletic year but that could change this year.
Gymnastics already has an SEC title under its belt and it will qualify for the NCAA Championships to be hosted by the Gators later this month. Florida is a definite contender for the title and next year looks to be even better with a dynamite recruiting class coming in under coach Rhonda Faehn.
If gymnastics doesn’t do it, how about softball and/or baseball? Both teams are ranked in the top ten nationally and the softball team has already made two straight trips to the College World Series. Pitching may be the key to their return because right now Florida is crushing the ball offensively and they come off a sweep of LSU that had won 24 straight games.
The baseball team is young and its pitching too may be the key as to how far this group goes but there is definite talent on hand and if you can host regionals and super regionals anything can happen. The Gators narrowly missed going to Omaha last year.
Well, if those two sports can’t do it, how about tennis? The men are unbeaten in SEC play and ranked sixth nationally and the Gator women are also unbeaten in SEC play and ranked third in the country. Some believe the women have the better chance to win a national title but both teams should be factors in the hunt.
If not tennis, how about track and field? Coach Mike Holloway has done a remarkable job in coaching both the men’s and women’s teams and both are definite contenders for outdoor season national titles. The Gator men are currently ranked number one and the women are number four and there is talent galore on these teams to make a serious championship run.
We all know how good University of Florida athletics has been but this year could be its best ever with a little luck. It is NEVER easy to win a national title but right now the Gators have 15…FIFTEEN…teams that have either finished in the top ten or that are ranked in the top ten right now in one poll or another.
Can you say remarkable?
I believe Florida is going to win another national title this year to make this the best year for Gator athletics in that department. And that is saying a lot, considering the success this school has had in the past with its athletics.
Enjoy. Watch history being made. It will be fun to see where this ends up.
Posted: Tuesday, Apr 06, 2010, 10:25 AM
