That was the year that was: A look back/forward on Gator sports

A third straight NCAA championship in men's outdoor track and field highlighted the UF athletic year (UAA Photo)

After finishing fourth in the Learfield Directors Cup standings, the 14th straight year Florida has finished top five and 40th straight year in the top 10, it’s time to take a look back on all UF sports. The Gators had 11 top five finishes in the NCAA including a national championship in men’s outdoor track and field, the 14th national title brought home by Mike Holloway.

Here is a sport-by-sport look at every UF sports program with a look toward the 2024-25 athletic year.

Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) is one big reason for optimism for 2024 (Photo by Chris Spears)

FOOTBALL

Folks in the national media say that this is Billy Napier’s make or break year. In most cases that would be true, but the Florida administration is committed to Napier, Florida’s sixth coach since Steve Spurrier retired in 2001. Napier is good through 2025. Count on it. Now, the question to end all questions is the 2024 season that comes complete with what everyone deems the most brutal schedule in the country. There is reason to believe Florida’s string of three consecutive losing seasons (two under Napier) comes to an end. The potential is there for a dynamic offense and the defense has been completely revamped. Graham Mertz has weapons like Eugene Wilson and the defense has the over the top help in Asa Turner, DJ Douglas and Trekwize Bridges that has been missing the last three years.

Status: Program on the rise

VOLLEYBALL

Before Alexis Stuckey went down with a torn ACL, the Gators had the look of a national championship team. With a healthy Stuckey and last year’s stud freshman All-American Kennedy Martin returning and the arrival of three outstanding freshmen: middle blocker Jaela Auguste, outside hitter Lauren Harden and outside hitter Alec Rothe, the Gators expect to rebound from a season that went south a year ago. Florida was 8-0 and on the verge of taking down No. 1 Wisconsin when Stuckey went down. The Gators were 11-10 the rest of the way, highly uncharacteristic of a Mary Wise-coached team. This will be Mary’s revenge tour although the SEC just got tougher than ever with the addition of Texas, which has won back-to-back NCAA titles.

Status: Back to normal, 30-win (or more) season

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

The Gators won the SEC championship last year with NCAA champion Parker Valby leading the way. Valby is eligible to return but it’s highly doubtful that she will. Also gone from last year’s team are seniors Flomenthal Asekol, Allison Wilson and Elise Thorner. If Mike Holloway and Will Palmer can somehow convince Valby to return, the Gators will be favored to win the SEC once again. If she doesn’t this will be considered a rebuilding year, but since 2012 the Florida women have won seven SEC championships so the Gators will always be in the hunt.

Status: Rebuilding year likely, but a strong SEC finish expected

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

The Gators had their moments last year, such as winning the FSU Invitational but they finished seventh at the SEC meet. There is hope for the future, however, because Parvej Khan and Ethan Geiger return, providing a strong foundation. The Gators are moving upward but in need of a dominant runner and depth.

Status: Moving upward but slowly

SOCCER

There was a time when the Gators were like death and taxes. You could pencil them in for a run at the SEC championship and the NCAA, but Becky Burleigh, who won the NCAA title in 1998 and 13 SEC titles let the program slide. Since then the program has been floundering. Former North Carolina All-American and member of the US Women’s National Team Samantha Bohon will be in her third season. She went 6-5-6 last year but finished 13th in the SEC. Bohon has eight newcomers for the 2024 season including midfielder Vera Blom from Sweden, four other freshmen and four transfers including midfielder Emma Duval from Tennessee.

Status: Moving upward but still trying to return to elite status

Walter Clayton Jr. could lead the SEC in scoring in 2024-25 (Photo by Chris Spears)

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Todd Golden recently said the Gators will be taller and faster this season than they were a year ago when they made it to the championship game of the SEC Tournament. This was a Florida team one Bert Smith swallow of the whistle away from the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The foundation is solid with the return of volume scorer Walter Clayton Jr., 3-point specialist Will Richard, bigs Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh and point Denzel Aberdeen. Golden added three transfers – 6-2 Alijah Martin from Florida Atlantic, 6-10 Rueben Chinyelu from Washington State and 6-9 Sam Alexis from Chattanooga – to go with freshmen 6-5 Isaiah Brown and 7-9 (yes, 7-9) Olivier Rioux. There could be two more additions to the freshman class before August 1. The Gators are the team nobody wants to play next season.

Status: A deep NCAA run is entirely possible

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Kelly Rae Finley is a proven recruiter who is piecing together a program that will be capable of competing with the best in the SEC. A year ago she brought in McDonald’s All-American Laila Reynolds. This year she’s bringing two more McDonald’s All-Americans, 6-4 Me’Arah O’Neal, daughter of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, and 5-9 5-star Liv McGill, who won gold with the US Women’s Under-19 National Team at the FIBA Women’s Americup. Leading scorer Aliyah Matharu (19 per game) returns along with 6-6 Ra’Shaya Kyle (12.4 points, 9.2 rebounds). The Gators went 16-16 last year when they went to the Women’s NIT. They will be much improved.

Status: Should make the NCAA Tournament field

Leanne Wong is a big reason why UF will be favored to win the 2025 NCAA title (Photo by Chris Spears)

GYMNASTICS

Loaded. That’s the Gators for the season that begins in January. The Gators finished fourth last season, but with Leanne Wong and Anya Pilgrim returning along with Kayla DiCielo returning from an Olympic sabbatical, UCLA transfer Selena Harris and freshman Skye Blakely from the Olympic team, Jenny Rowland has the nation’s deepest and most talented roster. Also returning are Sloane Blakely, former US National Team member Riley McCusker (injury redshirt) and last year’s extraordinary freshmen Danie Ferris, Gabby Disidore and Skylar Draser. The Gators have won six consecutive SEC championships.

Status: Should win the national championship

MEN’S SWIMMING

Anthony Nesty has been the head coach six years and he’s won the SEC all six to extend Florida’s record to 12 consecutive SEC championships. He should make it a baker’s dozen 13 this year with Josh Liendo (Canadian Olympic team, NCAA champ in 50 and 100 free, 100 fly), Adam Chaney, Maguire McDuff, Jonny Marshall (UK Olympic team), Aleksas Savickas (Lithuanian Olympic team) and incoming freshman Luke Whitlock (US Olympic team). The incoming freshman class is the best in the nation. Nesty is the head coach for the US Olympic team that should rack up a slew of gold medals in Paris. The program has never been better. The Gators finished third in the NCAA last year. They should finish top three minimum this year.

Status: Should win the SEC and make a run at the NCAA title

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

Things have taken a serious upswing since Nesty took over the program. The Gators have won the last two SEC championships and with Emma Weyant (US Olympic team)  and Bella Sims (NCAA champ 200 and 500 free) returning, UF should make it three in a row. The Gators finished third at the NCAA last year with a team dominated by underclassmen. The kids have another year of experience under their belts so it’s possible the Gators will make a serious run at the NCAA championship. Nesty added talented depth to the roster with an exceptional recruiting class that includes 5-star recruit Julie Broussard from Canada and Gracie Weyant, the talented younger sister of Emma.

Status: Should win the SEC and make a run at the NCAA title

MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

The Gators finished third indoors for the second straight year. Mike Holloway has won 14 NCAA championships including five during the indoor season. The Gators will be strong in the sprints with Wanya McCoy, distance with Parvej Kahn, and the field events with jumpers Malcolm Clemmons and Sean Dixon-Bodie, shot putter/discus Kai Chang and Calvin Bostic.

Status: Could win it all next year

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

In the last three years, the Gators have finished second, third and first at the NCAA championships. This year, it’s likely they’ll have to do it without Parker Valby, who won the 3000 and 5000, and Grace Stark, who won the indoor hurdles in 2022. The Gators will should score a lot of points in the jumps with Anthaya Carlton and Kendall Brown, daughter of Gator football legend Vernell Brown. Sprinters Kayla Davis and Jayla Hollis along with shot putter Gracelyn Leiseth should be among the best in the country.

Status: If Valby is back, national champs 

Jac Caglianone will be one of the first four players taken in the MLB Draft in a couple of weeks (Photo by Chris Spears)

BASEBALL

The Gators were all but written off until they took two of three from Georgia in Athens the final week of the regular season. From that point on, they were formidable as they won the Stillwater Regional, the Clemson Super Regional and finished in a tie for third at the College World Series. Jac Caglianone will be one of the first four players taken when Major League Baseball drafts in a couple of weeks. Brandon Neely is almost certainly gone but he could come back. Colby Shelton has two years of eligibility so he has leverage to come back if the team or deal isn’t right and still have leverage for the 2025 draft. Ty Evans could come back which would give the Gators four returning hitters who had double figures home runs (Luke Heyman, Cade Kurland, Brody Donay are the others). Pitching next year should be improved with potential weekend rotation of Pierce Coppola, Liam Peterson and Jake Clemente. If Fisher Jameson comes back the Gators have their closer. Kevin O’Sullivan has brought in Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year Michael Ross (Samford, 13-0), gold glove center fielder Kyle Ross (Stetson), outfielder Blake Cyr (Miami, freshman All-American 2023), second baseman Justin Nadeau (Jacksonville) and shortstop/DH Landon Stripling (Texas Tech) from the portal.   

Status: The pieces are there for making the CWS again 

All-American Jocelyn Erickson was the SEC Player of the Year (Photo by Chris Spears)

SOFTBALL

The Gators won the SEC Tournament and were within a walkoff homer in extra innings of playing Texas for the national championship. As good as they were, they could be even better in 2025, which is saying something when you consider Skylar Wallace and Katie Kistler have run out of eligibility. Tim Walton returns All-Americans Kendra Falby, Korbe Otis, Reagan Walsh, freshman phenom Keagan Rothrock and Jocelyn Erickson, who was also the SEC Player of the Year. Freshman P/1B Ava Brown returns as does 3B Ariel Kowalewski. That alone could challenge for the national title, but Walton is bringing in the No.1 ranked recruiting class in the country and he’s brought in second team All-SEC shortstop Kenleigh Cahalan (Alabama), CAA Pitcher of the Year Kara Hammock (UNC-Wilmington) and infielder Rylee Holtorff (Washington) through the portal. It is rumored that Florida may also land USA Softball Player of the Year Ni’Jaree Canady who is transferring from Stanford. She was the most dominant pitcher in the country in 2024.

Status: A national championship is possible

LACROSSE

The Gators reached the Final Four behind the best senior class in school history. Maggi Hall, Danielle Pavinelli, Emily Heller, Madison Waters, Ashley Gonzalez, Georgia Hoey and Paisley Egan are all seniors, so Amanda O’Leary will be reloading next season. O’Leary has won 13 straight conference championships and has made the Gators a fixture in the NCAA brackets so there is no reason to doubt Florida will be back in the hunt next season when Kaitlyn Davies, Gianna Monaco and Ava Tighe will take over as the team leaders. O’Leary is already loading up in the transfer portal with Jenny Markey (Syracuse), Jordan Basso (Gettysburg) and Cali Bishop (Louisville) already committed.

Status: A slight step backward while replacing stud seniors

WOMEN’S TENNIS

The Gators were eliminated in the second round of NCAA play by Miami at the Ring Tennis Center. They haven’t made it past the round of 16 since 2017, when they won the NCAA title, and haven’t won an SEC championship since 2016. The last time the Gators finished with a top 10 national ranking was 2018. Clearly, the program is spinning its tires now, good but not championship level good. Florida’s 2024-25 recruiting class is ranked 20th. Roland Thornqvist will have to rely on internationals and the portal to keep up with Georgia, Texas A&M and Tennessee.

Status: Treading water.

MEN’S TENNIS

In head coach Adam Steinberg’s first year on the job, the Gators finished 13-12 overall, 6-6 in SEC play. They were ousted in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by UCF. It was a year of inconsistency by a freshman-dominated team that should be much improved in 2025. Jeremy Jin posted a 16-12 record as a freshman while junior Nate Bonetto went 16-14 and sophomore Tanapatt Nirundorn went 15-11.

Status: Still in a rebuild mode since the 2021 NCAA championship season.

WOMEN’S GOLF

The Gators didn’t make it out of the NCAA regionals and finished 13th at the SEC championships, so it was a disappointing year for head coach Emily Glaser. All-American Maisie Filler won’t be back, but All-SEC freshman Ines Archer returns and Glaser is bringing in an outstanding freshman class of Elaine Widjaja, Jessica Guiser and the Wu sisters, Isa and Siuue, from Windermere Prep via Hong Kong. The Gators will be young next year, but should improve at least to middle of the SEC pack.

Status: In need of a bounce back season.

MEN’S GOLF

A year after winning the NCAA title, the Gators made it to match play at the SEC championships and finished 11th at the NCAA. JC Deacon has an experienced roster returning led by All-Americans Ian Gilligan and Jack Turner, Matthew Kress, who played a vital role in the 2023 NCAA championship, and Parker Bell, who missed qualifying for the US Open by a mere two strokes. Deacon has added two outstanding freshmen, Parker Sands, who won the Western Open Junior, and New Zealander Zach Swanwick. The Gators should contend for the SEC title.

Status: The Gators could be very dangerous at tournament time

MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Mike Holloway. So he rebuilt and the Gators won their third straight NCAA outdoor championship despite a lack of scoring in the jumps and field events. The Gators clinched the championship with a third place finish in the 4X400 relay, the last event of the night to edge Auburn by one point. The Gators of 2025 have a rising superstar in sprinter Wanya McCoy and distance runner Pavej Khan but Holloway has to replace his entire 4X400 relay team, which will be a task. Nobody works the track portal better than Mouse, so the Gators will simply reload.

Status: A fourth straight NCAA title is entirely possible 

If Parker Valby returns the Gators could win the 2025 NCAA outdoor championship (UAA Photo)

WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

It took Arkansas scoring 29 points in the 400 and then nearly setting a world record in the 4X400 relay to edge out the Gators by four points to win the NCAA title. The Gators got 20 points from Parker Valby and 10 from Grace Stark in the hurdles. Stark is out of eligibility but if Valby were to return, the Gators would likely be favored to win the NCAA title next year, but her return is doubtful. Alida van Daalen (discus, shot put) is a future superstar. The Gators need to load up on sprinters in the offseason

Status: A top five finish is likely, but a championship isn’t out of the question