The designated hitter, who has spent most of his time out of the bullpen, delivered the best performance of his young career, going 3-for-4 with a center-field home run. It was both his first multi-hit game and his first collegiate homer.

For a redshirt sophomore who arrived at Florida (29-14, 11-8 SEC) as a two-way player, it is easy to see the appeal of keeping McDonald in the lineup. The Gators, for all their flaws, need consistent production at the plate. McDonald came to UF with 20 home runs at Sickles High School in Citrus Park, Florida, and showed a glimpse of that potential Friday night.

“Caden McDonald, what a great story that is,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “He continues to work hard. We tried to do some different things today, and obviously it worked out. I’m pleased with him. So he’ll be in the lineup again tomorrow.”

That does not mean it is time for over-the-top comparisons or nicknames. Even McDonald admitted he was surprised to see his name in the lineup when it was posted in the locker room earlier in the day.

“It was pretty surreal,” McDonald said with a smile. “I blacked out around second base. But just a lot of hard work put into that and leading up to that moment. It’s not going to be the last one. But just to be backed by my teammates like that, it was an unreal experience.”

Still, as Florida pushes toward the postseason, McDonald is making a case to stick at designated hitter. The Gators improved to 13-8 against Quad I opponents (most wins in country) and 12-3 against ranked teams, the most top-25 wins in the nation, despite inconsistent production at DH this season.

Florida showed offensive life throughout the night at Condron Ballpark against Texas A&M (31-8, 12-6). The Gators hit .351 as a team, their highest single-game average in nearly two weeks, and delivered multiple two-out RBIs. All but Ashton Wilson and Hayden Yost, who split time in the nine hole, recorded a hit. With runners in scoring position, Florida improved to .313.

The Gators knocked out starter Shane Sdao (3-3) after 3.2 innings, tagging him for three earned runs on eight hits. Texas A&M cycled through six pitchers, unable to slow Florida’s offense (13 hits, five doubles).

Friday’s result could also impact the Aggies’ plans for the rest of the weekend, as A&M coach Michael Earley had left Sunday’s starter undecided. Saturday’s game, set for 5 p.m., will likely shape those decisions.

On the mound, Aidan King (7-2) delivered another standout performance for Florida. The right-hander, a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation’s National Pitcher of the Year award, worked eight innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits. He threw 83 strikes on a career-high 121 pitches and earned a standing ovation as he exited. King retired the final 13 batters he faced and did not allow a hit after the third inning.

“It’s a really good lineup, so for him to do what he did,” O’Sullivan said, pausing. “I can’t say too many great things about him. It was an awesome performance.”

Florida has now won the last four games King has started, three of which included outings of at least six innings.

The Gators were not flawless. Fielding remains a concern, as Brendan Lawson committed a throwing error on what should have been a routine play. He entered the game tied for third in the SEC with nine errors. Texas A&M, however, could not capitalize.

Despite some late-game chirping between the teams, Florida maintained control. Billy Barlow closed things out, while the offense added four more runs in the eighth to put the game away.

“I’m pleased about tonight, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves,” O’Sullivan said. “You look at the standings, they’re all bunched up. I don’t remember this much parity in our league. Happy about tonight, but tomorrow we’ve got to show some professionalism, put this one behind us and be ready to go.”

Game 2 is set for a 5 p.m. start on the SEC Network (98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF at 4:55 p.m.). Right-hander Liam Peterson (1-3, 3.42 ERA) gets the start for Florida against righty Aiden Sims (7-0, 3.44) of Texas A&M.

Here’s a look at the latest Gators to enter the NFL:

NFL Draft Day 2: Austin Barber Goes to Cleveland in Third Round

Florida Gators offensive lineman Austin Barber is heading to Cleveland after being selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-7 offensive tackle ran a 5.12 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and capped his final season in Gainesville with Third-Team All-SEC honors.

In 2025, Barber allowed three sacks and 17 quarterback pressures in pass protection, according to Pro Football Focus. He also posted a 90.0 run-blocking grade, the highest of his career.

Barber earned a 5.98 prospect grade from NFL.com, projecting him as an average backup or special teamer at the next level.

The former Gator will now look to compete for a spot along Cleveland’s offensive line heading into the fall.

NFL Draft Day 2: Jake Slaughter Lands in L.A.

Florida Gators center Jake Slaughter will make the trip to Los Angeles to live out his NFL dreams.

Slaughter was selected 63rd overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Starr, Florida native is the second Gator off the draft board after defensive tackle Caleb Banks was chosen by the Minnesota Vikings at No. 18.

Slaughter was ranked as a top-10 center in the country, according to PFF. He allowed only one sack in over 800 snaps at Florida, becoming one of the best pass-protecting centers in the country and the NFL draft.

He was a 2024 First-Team All-American, a two-time All-SEC selection (2024, 2025), and a 2025 Rimington Trophy Finalist during his time as a Gator. 

The 6-foot-5, 303-pound offensive lineman will look to make an immediate impact out in California.

NFL Draft Day 1: Gators’ Caleb Banks Goes 18th Overall to Vikings

Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks has found his new home. Banks was drafted 18th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday.

A towering 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Banks was ranked in the top 5 of his position group going into the draft. The Vikings defense finished 3rd best in the NFL, allowing 32 touchdowns while giving up an average of 282.6 yards per game.

Read more here. 

Notes: Former Florida wide receiver Caleb Douglas (Texas Tech) was drafted by Miami in Round 3 with the No. 75 overall pick.

Gators expected to be selected in Rounds 4-7 today (Noon start on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN) are cornerback Devin Moore (a projected third- or fourth-round pick), defensive end George Gumbs Jr. (a projected fourth- or fifth-round pick), defensive end Tyreak Sapp (a projected fourth- or fifth-round pick), kicker Trey Smack (a projected sixth-round pick) and wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant (a projected seventh-round pick).

Behind a five-run fifth inning, the Gators shut out No. 22 UCF 7-0 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium, improving to 12-1 against in-state rivals.

Keagan Rothrock (24-5) made her second straight start in the circle, marking her first back-to-back starts since the 2025 NCAA Regionals.

The junior didn’t let the workload slow her down. Rothrock tossed six scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out three.

“She’s really putting more time into the opponent and what she needs to do with her pitches to be really good,” Florida coach Tim Walton said.

Both teams came out strong defensively, keeping the game scoreless through the first few innings.

Florida’s infield, which has been a strength all season, delivered again. In the third inning, Gabi Comia turned an unassisted double play, snagging a line drive and diving back to second base to double off Zoe Calvez.

“It’s pretty impressive to watch her play defense. I mean, really our whole infield has had a fantastic year,” Walton said.

Florida (44-7) broke through in the third. Jocelyn Erickson lined a single up the middle before Kendall Grover gave the Gators the lead with a two-run homer to left that ricocheted off the scoreboard.

Grover became the fifth Gator to reach double-digit home runs this season, joining Erickson, Kenleigh Cahalan, Taylor Shumaker and Cassidy McLellan.

“Not at all. This is more than I could have asked for in my decision to transfer here, so I’m very grateful,” Grover said when asked what she envisioned when transferring to Florida.

Holding a 2-0 lead entering the fifth against a tough UCF (36-12-1) squad, Florida delivered the knockout inning.

Shumaker led off with her 16th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field that pushed the lead to 3-0. After Grover was hit by a pitch, UCF turned to freshman Ava Stuewe in relief of Isabella Vega, but the Gators kept the pressure on.

Townsen Thomas followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Cahalan then dropped down a bunt that resulted in a throwing error, allowing Grover to score. A wild pitch brought Thomas home, and Ava Brown capped the inning with a two-run homer to right-center, extending the lead to 7-0.

Florida was unable to push across one more run for the run-rule, leading Walton to turn to Katelynn Oxley to close it out.

After issuing a leadoff walk, Oxley settled in and retired the next three batters in order with help from her infield to secure the win.

The teams meet again Saturday at UCF Softball Complex for the finale of the home-and-home series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Texas A&M (31-7, 12-5 SEC) will travel down to Gainesville this weekend for a crucial SEC matchup. The Aggies have been one of the hottest teams in the country lately, winning their last six games. Texas A&M also leads the all-time series record 18-14 and looks to extend the series lead this weekend. But with Aidan King as the Gators’ Friday starter, this certainly won’t be an easy task.

The Gators (28-14, 10-8) fell 7–5 to Jacksonville on Tuesday night after jumping out to an early 3–0 lead, but once again failed to get anything going offensively through the middle innings in suffering their third consecutive defeat. Although the offense struggled, fielding was yet again a big problem. Florida committed two costly errors, both of which led to runs for Jacksonville and shifted the momentum of the game.

“It’s just a matter of executing in key spots in the game and when the game comes calling, you’ve gotta be able to perform,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. 

Execution has been the Gators’, who have lost six of their last 10 games, problem all season, and they will need to be able to execute this weekend if they want any chance of winning this series. 

The formula for the Gators to win this weekend is pretty straight forward: play clean and consistent baseball — something they have struggled to do all year long. It starts with cleaning up the defense and cutting out the errors that have extended innings and shifted momentum in crucial games.

Florida can not afford to do that this weekend against one of the best offenses in the country, because Caden Sorrell (.365 batting average), Gavin Grahovac (.362), and Blake Binderup (.347) will make them pay for any mistakes. However, if the Gators can play clean baseball this will be an exciting series.  

Offensively, Florida has actually been one of the best teams in the country at starting games fast, scoring early in nearly half of its games this season and frequently jumping out to quick leads. The issue hasn’t been starting strong — it’s been sustaining that spark. 

Nearly two-thirds of Florida’s run production this season has come in the first three innings. If the Gators want any chance to win this series, they will need to find a way to sustain that early spark and carry it deeper into the game so they don’t let the momentum slip away.  

In a lot of ways, this series feels like a crucial turning point for the Gators. If Florida can find a way to clean up its mistakes and stay consistent on the mound and at the plate against a tough opponent, this team might be poised for a long postseason run.  

Regardless of the recent woes, Florida is projected as a team which will host a NCAA Regional. The Gators own the nation’s best record against ranked opponents at 11-3 and tied for the most Quad 1 wins in the country (12).

They have a No. 11 RPI, No. 3 strength of schedule and have gone 7-1 vs. top-10 foes featuring a 6-1 mark against the top five. The Gators have also handled business against lesser foes, going a combined 13-3 against Quads 3 and 4.

The Gators close the eight-game homestand this weekend against Texas A&M. The series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+ and 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF, while Game 2 airs on SEC Network on Saturday at 5 p.m. Sunday’s series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. on SEC Network+.

Florida will stay with right-hander Aidan King (6-2, 1.71 ERA) as the Friday starter, with righty Liam Peterson (1-3, 3.42) starting Saturday and righty Russell Sandefer (2-1, 3.86) going Sunday. The Aggies will go with lefty Shane Sdao (3-2, 5.60) on Friday and RHP Aiden Sims (7-0, 3.44) on Saturday. They have yet to announce a Sunday starter.

A towering 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Banks was ranked in the top 5 of his position group going into the draft. The Vikings defense finished 3rd best in the NFL, allowing 32 touchdowns while giving up an average of 282.6 yards per game. 

“Really excited about adding a player of Caleb’s talent,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday. “We really felt like we were able to identify a player with a ceiling of what we believe to be a top ten caliber talent and difference maker potentially. … We get to add a guy with a ton of upside.

“Can’t wait to coach this player. He loves football, wants to be coached hard and ultimately believes the Minnesota Vikings are a great place for him to come and try to maximize who he is as a player. Not only now, but where we think he can take this thing throughout his career with the type of talent and ability that he has.”

Banks started his career at Louisville before transferring to Florida before the 2023 season, finishing his time as Gator with 48 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, but it wasn’t always easy. 

Late into the 2024 season, Banks showed his physicality and dominance against the Ole Miss Rebels. He finished with four total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Banks entered his senior season as the anchor for the Gators defensive line. 

However, injuries derailed his final season at Florida, which added questions around his draft position. His talent was never in doubt, but the injuries stacked up. 

After injuring his foot in fall camp, Banks missed the first two games of the season, before making his return against the LSU Tigers on Sept. 13, 2025. In his season debut, he reinjured his foot and only played three games on the year for Florida. In the offseason, Banks broke his foot during the Scouting Combine. 

Regarding Bank’s foot injury, teams received a letter Wednesday stating Banks is on pace to be fully cleared for football activities in early June, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. 

Florida continued its streak of having a pick in every NFL Draft since 1967. UF is one of three schools, along with USC and Michigan, and is the only SEC program to achieve the mark.

The draft’s rounds 2-3 start at 7 p.m. Friday on NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish). Rounds 4-7 start at noon Saturday on the same networks.

UF defensive back Devin Moore and center Jake Slaughter are expected to be selected tonight.

Other UF players expected to be drafted this weekend: Offensive lineman Austin Barber, edge George Gumbs Jr., edge Tyreak Sapp, wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, kicker Trey Smack and punter Tommy Doman.

Isa Torres and No. 10 FSU got the best of No. 5 Florida, 3-1, in a heated top-10 matchup at Joanne Graf Field.

Keagan Rothrock (23-5) made her first midweek start of the season on the road in Wednesday’s rivalry showdown. The junior didn’t have her sharpest outing, as FSU’s aggressive hitting pushed her to 3 1/3 innings on six hits and three runs.

With the crowd buzzing early, Taylor Shumaker briefly silenced it. The sophomore blasted the second pitch she saw to right-center field for her 15th homer of the season to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.

Torres answered immediately, bringing the crowd back to its feet. The junior, batting a nation-leading .589, launched a leadoff solo homer to tie the game in the home first. Still, Rothrock and the Gators settled in and retired the next three batters in order.

Florida (43-7) kept the pressure on in the third, loading the bases with one out. But with the stadium at its loudest, Ava Brown couldn’t capitalize, grounding into an inning-ending double play.

From there, it was all Florida State (40-7).

The Gators saw déjà vu in the bottom of the third as Torres went yard again for her second homer of the game, before Rothrock retired the next three hitters.

Shelby McKenzie extended the Seminoles’ lead in the fourth, driving in Kennedy Harp with an RBI single. McKenzie moved to second on the throw, and that marked the end of Rothrock’s day as Olivia Miller took over in the circle.

Ashtyn Danley, who started in left field, entered the circle in the fourth and shut down Florida the rest of the way. Danley (9-1) allowed just two hits, no runs and struck out two, effectively icing the Gators’ bats.

Florida got one last chance in the seventh with the top of the order due up, but the Seminoles had the final say. Behind Danley and a strong defensive effort, FSU retired the side in order to secure the win.

The teams will meet again Tuesday in Gainesville at 7 p.m. (SEC Network). Before that, the Gators return to Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium to face No. 21 UCF (36-12-1) on Friday at 6 p.m. ( SEC Network+). The Gators then visit Orlando for a 6 p.m. game Saturday vs. UCF.

The Gators close the SEC regular season with a three-game set at Georgia on April 30-May 2. The SEC Tournament is May 5-9 in Lexington, Ky.

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor reported that the Golden State Warriors will pursue, fittingly, Golden should current coach Steve Kerr not sign a new contract in the coming weeks. So on Wednesday morning, Golden threw on his best Gators polo and addressed the media at the UF Women’s Club to address the rumors. 

“That’s an interesting question,” he said sarcastically through a chuckle from the room. His verdict: “I’m definitely planning on coaching the Gators.” 

Golden’s buyout is only $2 million if he leaves for the NBA, compared to $11 million if he were to sign with another college program. His previous experience at San Francisco drew an immediate tie to the Warriors, along with former Gators Will Richard and Al Horford – one of which he coached – being on the Warriors’ roster. But those rumors came to a halt as the 40-year-old declared where his focus resides: Florida. 

With All-American forward Thomas Haugh announcing his decision to return to Florida on Tuesday, foregoing an NBA draft in which he would’ve been a potential lottery pick, Golden will get to coach one of the most seasoned teams in college basketball next season.

Four key contributors from the 2024-25 championship team have announced their return to Florida for the 2026-27 season: Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown. Two more players could be added to that list, with Denzel Aberdeen transferring back to Florida from Kentucky, pending an NCAA eligibility case for a fifth year, and Rueben Chinyelu, who declared for the NBA draft on Monday while retaining his college eligibility. “It’s just awesome that we can provide an experience here at Florida where guys feel good about turning down first round guarantees to come back and play here,” Golden said. 

The decision has become much easier for college athletes in the NIL era. For teams like the 2004-05 Gators, where Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer all made impacts as freshmen, Golden explained that it was a much harder choice for them to return, which allowed them to eventually go on to win two national championships for Florida. The decision to stay and pursue a degree doesn’t come with the same financial consequence these days. 

“With rev share and NIL, these guys have more appealing options coming back to school,” Golden said. “These guys are unique, they really enjoy the student-athlete experience.”

Not only does the 2026-27 roster flash championship experience, but the chemistry between teammates makes the Gators a hard team to leave behind. Golden expressed that Condon and Haugh’s “tight relationship” that budded over the last three seasons, combined with the retention of the entire coaching staff, all made the Gators’ decisions easier. 

Such roster retention also means the Gators don’t have to “go portaling,” an option they’ve had to resort to over Golden’s entire tenure. Just last year, with the loss of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin to the NBA, Golden had to bring in Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee through the transfer portal for guard relief. This year, Golden finally gets a chance to take a backseat to the madness of the transfer portal. 

“Anytime you can build and maintain your roster internally, that’s the way to do it,” Golden said. “For this year’s team, we felt like if we could get continuity, then we’d be in really good shape — and we throw Denzel into that bucket.”

Golden’s confident that the NCAA will grant Aberdeen a fifth year of eligibility. It’s a “common-sense situation,” he contended, since Aberdeen only played 41 minutes across 11 games in his freshman year, with eight coming in a first round NIT Tournament loss to UCF. 

Golden also thinks Aberdeen’s academic situation should make the decision simple, since Aberdeen is planning on graduating in his last year at Florida, with his academic plan already mapped out by college advisors to have Aberdeen graduate in the spring of 2027. 

“This isn’t a 27-year-old trying to play his eighth year of college at his sixth different school,” he joked. “This is a 22-year-old within his fifth-year clock coming back to get his degree.”

Another player that’s planning to graduate in his final year is Haugh, who announced his return to Florida after a week of “lounging” in Hawaii, as Golden called it. Haugh didn’t provide Golden with a wealth of information about his decision over the past week, and was certainly taking his time, but a phone call from an NBA legend — also on the Warriors — aided. 

Draymond Green spoke with Haugh about life in the NBA compared to the joy of being a student-athlete. He expressed that the NBA will be there for Haugh, no matter if he chooses to forego this year’s draft. However, when it comes to college, this is the last chance Haugh has to dominate the college hardwood. Green knows the situation best, as he spent four years at Michigan State before departing as the 35th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. 

Another factor in that decision was Florida’s loss to Iowa in the Round of 32, which wouldn’t be a fitting ending to Haugh’s legendary career with the Gators. “If we would have made a deep run, we probably wouldn’t have as good of a chance of getting him back,” said Golden. 

The championship trio of Condon, Haugh and Aberdeen could also give Chinyelu a severe case of FOMO if he leaves for the NBA. Golden said it’d be a tough decision to head out when all of your “boys” are back on the court together next season. 

“I’d be lying if I didn’t think Tommy coming back and Condo coming back appealed to him,” he said. “They all want to be together.”

Chinyelu is another player that wants to complete his degree, but he’s still testing the NBA waters for the second year in a row. Golden says Florida is ready to pivot in the portal if Chinyelu leaves, but he believes Chinyelu could make another big jump for the Gators next season, potentially securing a better slot in the 2027 NBA Draft, which is expected to feature a weaker class. 

Freshman CJ Ingram, who announced his decision to return Wednesday morning, adds even more depth to Florida’s roster. Golden said it’ll be harder for Ingram to get on the floor with the return of Haugh, but Haugh’s close relationship with Ingram as a leader and “bigger brother” factored into Ingram’s decision. 

Florida will likely have another tough out-of-conference schedule in 2026, with the Gators appearing in the Players Era Men’s Tournament in Las Vegas, along with a “couple more really tough opponents,” that Golden alluded to Wednesday morning. 

Lucky for the Gators, the same fiery coach will be on the sidelines leading a roster filled with chemistry and accolades.

Follow along for the latest updates and decisions:

CJ Ingram Returns to Florida For Next Season

Florida guard CJ Ingram officially announced that he’s returning for his sophomore year in an X post Wednesday. Ingram saw limited action last season, not starting a game but appearing in 21. He averaged 2.2 points per game on 45% efficiency, including the Prairie View A&M game, in which he scored 8 points, not missing a single shot while draining one 3-pointer. Read more here.

Florida’s Thomas Haugh Announces Return

Thomas Haugh will put his NBA dreams on hold, ending weeks of speculation by announcing his return to the Florida Gators men’s basketball team for his senior season.

The 2026 All-American turned down becoming a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft make another run at the national championship with Alex Condon, who will also return, and potentially Rueben Chinyelu, who declared for the draft Monday but maintained his eligibility to return. Read more here.

Rueben Chinyelu Declares for NBA Draft

Florida center Rueben Chinyelu announced that he is declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, leaving the door open for a return to Florida Gators men’s basketball next season.

Chinyelu shared the news via social media Monday, thanking his coaches, teammates and supporters in Gainesville. The SEC and National Defensive Player of the Year won a championship as Florida’s starting center in 2025, while ultimately coming up short in this year’s title defense. Read more here.

Alex Condon Returning to Florida for Senior Season

The three-year Gator who corralled the loose ball in the waning seconds of Florida’s 2025 national title game is staying in Gainesville for his senior campaign.

Alex Condon will run it back for his fourth year with Florida after immense speculation surrounding his departure to the 2026 NBA Draft. Read more here.

Report: Micah Handlogten Intends to Enter Transfer Portal

Florida senior Micah Handlogten intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, per On3‘s Joe Tipton. 

Handlogten, the 7-foot-1 center, spent the last three seasons in Gainesville after transferring from Marshall in 2023. He is seeking a waiver for a fifth-year of eligibility, just over two years removed from a season-ending leg injury sustained in the 2024 SEC Tournament.

Handlogten was expected to redshirt the 2024-25 season, but made his return last February, forgoing the possibility for an extra year on the back half of his career. He played a role in Florida’s third national title, notching 16 points and 25 boards in its postseason run. Now, he is in search of regaining the final season of eligibility. Read more here.

Boogie is Back: A Pair of Florida Basketball Guards Return

Boogie wonderland.

Florida basketball’s starting point guard, Boogie Fland, announced this afternoon that he will be returning next season, alongside sixth-man Urban Klavzar. Fland took to Instagram, saying that he will, in fact, be “running it back.”

His message was simple. “I love being a Gator. I really do love being a Gator,” Fland told Florida Victorious, reaffirming his commitment to Florida. Read more here.

Brown Brothers Are Back: Guards Return to Gators

The Brown brothers are officially returning to Gainesville to take the court during the 2026-27 season.

Sophomore Isaiah Brown and redshirt junior AJ Brown are a dynamic brother duo that have been playing together for as long as either can remember. The pair suited up in the same jersey at Orlando Christian Prep before they went their separate ways. Read more here.

Florida’s Olivier Rioux to Hit Transfer Portal

The Rowdy Reptiles at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center won’t be chanting “We want Ollie!” next season. Florida basketball center Olivier Rioux announced his decision to enter the transfer portal after two seasons with the team, first reported by Jeff Goodman and later confirmed by Rioux on social media Tuesday. Read more here.

This time it was a 7-5 loss after falling 4-3 on March 31. It marks the first time in the 176-game history of the series that Jacksonville has defeated Florida twice on the road in the same season. Jacksonville improves to 4-3 in its last seven meetings with Florida with its 19th all-time win in Gainesville. 

The game started strong for Florida (28-14) with a quick three-and-out and a homer from Kyle Jones in the first inning. Karson Bowen singled while Blake Cyr advanced to second and Brendan Lawson scored. 

Things continued to get worse for Jacksonville (22-18), a fumbled ball with the bases loaded led to Cyr to score for a 3-0 UF lead.

However, that command began to fade in the third inning when Jacksonville had runners on first and third bases. Blake Edmonds scored a run for Jacksonville after Roger Vergara flew out to center field. 

The struggles continued for Florida’s defense in the third when Derek Bermudez doubled down which led to a Sammy Mummau score. Jacksonville tied the game from a Bermudez score. After the third inning, the score was 3-3. 

Starting pitcher for Florida Cooper Walls had a short outing. He was relieved after the third inning and had allowed four hits and struck out three. Walls threw 50 pitches and 33 were strikes. 

Pitching for the Gators entering the fourth was Caden McDonald (L, 3-1). 

Jacksonville took a 5-3 lead in the seventh inning. Mummau had an RBI. Then,  with the Gators down 4-3, Eli Blair came in to pitch, but gave up another run for a 5-3 JU lead. 

Jacksonville’s Brodie Scott took over pitching duties in relieving starter Ben Baler-Livingston (W, 1-1). Baler-Livingston threw for 92 pitches and had 60 strikes. 

Florida also made another pitching change. Ricky Reeth came in from the bullpen, making it its fourth pitcher of the night.

This didn’t change anything as mistake after mistake was made in the eighth inning that allowed Jacksonville to take a 7-3 lead. 

“It was those innings that we didn’t score and we obviously made a couple of errors,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said.  

Florida cut into the deficit with two runs in the eighth. Cyr homered for the fourth-straight game to lead off the frame. Bowen followed with a double to left-center field and later scored on a sacrifice fly to right from Colton Schwarz to cut the JU lead to 7-5. 

It went down to the ninth inning. Florida down by two and a chance to tie or win the game. But the Gators couldn’t make that a possibility and failed to get the job done.  

“We know we are a lot better than this,” Bowen said.

Florida is 17-11 against unranked teams, as opposed to 11-3 vs. ranked foes.

The Gators close the eight-game homestand this weekend against No. 7 Texas A&M. The series begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network+, 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.

In his first season at UF, Sumrall switched up the format of the Orange and Blue Game. In past years, the teams were split evenly, but this year they played an offense-defense style game. The final score was Blue 45, Orange 42.

“It was competitive back and forth on both sides,” Sumrall told Winter. “I saw guys on both sides of the football making plays.”

The main focus of the game for both the crowd and the staff was the quarterback position. Sumrall explained that they never expected to officially name a starter after that game, rather that they wanted to see who was willing to step into a leadership position. 

“You can’t just be individually talented and have no effect on other people,” Sumrall said. 

He does not want to force a timeline for choosing a starting quarterback, instead they will continue to evaluate how the players perform alongside each other. He emphasized that ultimately it is not the coaches who decide the lineup, it’s the players.

Winter asked Sumrall about what he wanted to see from his offensive line, Sumrall commented on their strength and toughness, wanting them to play with an edge. 

“The only way I know to do that is to be physical and strong,” Sumrall said. “And mentally the type of group that wants to maul somebody.”

Sumrall spoke about the importance of developing each and every player, saying that he and the Director of Football Performance Coach Rusty Whitt held individual meetings with each of the 111 players on the roster following the Orange and Blue game.

“We give them honest feedback,” Sumrall said. “I think everybody’s so scared of maybe hurting feelings. I’m like, man, I don’t know how anybody gets better without you telling them the truth.”

The interview concluded with talks about recruiting. With the 2027 recruiting class, Sumrall hopes to continue crafting a roster that corresponds well with the current players and coaching staff.

“I tell the recruits– don’t take my word for what this looks like if you come here. Go ask the players.”

Florida’s 2027 recruiting class is ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 6 in the SEC by 247 Sports. With one five-star and three four-star recruits, Sumrall has already begun investing in the team’s future. 

The players will return to campus May 11 to start mandatory summer workouts shortly after.