As of Monday, all 14 of Florida’s eligible players will return for the 2027 season. Four Gators graduated, including starters Jocelyn Erickson, Kendall Grover and Kenleigh Cahalan. The Gators’ 2026 recruiting class sits at No. 4, according to On3. 

Florida also gains right-handed pitcher Caroline Stanton, who sat atop Softball America’s 2026 recruit rankings before reclassifying and redshirting her freshman year Jan. 4. Stanton won three state championships with Buford High School and took home the 2026 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year award on June 9. 

The NCAA softball transfer portal officially opened June 8 and closes June 22. 

Gains in the portal:

June 14: Kairi Rodriguez (Catcher), Duke University

Nearly a week after the portal opened, Florida made its first move, snagging Duke catcher Kairi Rodriguez. The redshirt senior spent four years with the Blue Devils and played 56 games for the team in 2026, posting a .238 batting average with 31 hits, 17 runs and 26 RBIs. 

Behind the plate, Rodriguez maintained a .991 fielding percentage across 212 chances in 2026. The catcher ranked second in putouts (194) and limited herself to two errors. 

With the grab, Florida adds a second catcher to the roster after starting catcher Erickson graduated and Ella Wesolowski returns for her senior season.

Despite marking the triple crown in conference championships in 2025-2026, the women have not won a title since 2022, and the men lost a three-year title streak last season. The University of Florida is now without a national championship for the first time since 2009.

While the men did not have the numbers to produce team success, the women’s team came close with 43 points to finish second — seven behind the 2026 indoor and back-to-back outdoor champion Georgia Bulldogs.

It came down to the final event of the day: the 4×400-meter relay. After a hot start for the Gators, they dropped to sixth, while Georgia finished second for eight points and the team title. A disqualification in the 5,000 meters had given coach Mike Holloway’s Gators two additional points earlier in the day.

Senior thrower Alida Van Daalen led Florida with 16 points on her own. She opened with six on day one — a season-best 18.12-meter throw and a third-place finish in the shot put Thursday — before winning an individual national championship in discus Saturday with a meet-record 65.98-meter throw on her third attempt.
Senior Hilda Olemomoi competed in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. She finished ninth in the 10,000, five seconds back from the minimum point placement of eighth. A disqualification of former winner Doris Lemngole (Alabama) in her first 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Championships pushed freshman Judy Chepkoech to third and Olemomoi to sixth.

Sprinter Gabrielle Matthews ran the 100 and 200 meters, finishing sixth and fourth in the respective events for a combined eight points.

In the triple jump, sophomore Asia Phillips jumped 13.57 meters Thursday for a fourth-place finish.

Senior Tia Wilson made a move too early in the 1500 meters, losing gas at the end and finishing seventh for two points. Wilson had qualified as the fourth-fastest time in prelims; her teammate, freshman Claire Stegall, placed 13th and just missed the qualification line.

Junior Layla Haynes ran a 2:01.67 in the 800 meters to finish 16th and miss qualifying.

Also missing out on points was heptathlete Pauline Bikembo, who sat seventh heading into her final event, the 800-meter run. She ran 2:17.47 to fall to ninth, ten points behind Northern Iowa’s Joey Perry.

Thrower Imani Washington competed in the hammer throw Thursday, placing 21st — just under 13 meters off the leader, Elisabet Rut Rúnarsdóttir of Texas State.

On the men’s side, the Gators finished 15th with 18 points.

The meet was highlighted by a win from sophomore Vance Nilsson in the 400-meter hurdles out of lane 9. The seventh-fastest qualifier in prelims, Nilsson improved his time by over a second to become the first Gator to win the event title since 2017. His 48.06 is the ninth-fastest time in collegiate history.

Coming off the East Preliminary in Lexington, Justin Braun sat third in the world in the 400 meters. He finished sixth in 44.79 seconds for three points.

The remaining points came courtesy of junior Leikel Cabrera Gay in javelin and Kelvin Cheruiyot in the 10,000-meter run Wednesday, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.

Arkansas took the men’s outdoor title for the first time since 2003, with Georgia finishing seven points back in second.

Stricklin, speaking on “Sportscene” with Steve Russell on WRUF Friday, said The Swamp currently does not meet building or Americans with Disabilities Act codes, making a major overhaul unavoidable regardless of cost. Full details on the project are available at SwampRenovations.com.

“Any objective observer who walks into a game day at The Swamp would admit that it’s probably time to give the place some attention,” Stricklin said. “The Swamp, candidly, does not meet code, and whenever you do any kind of significant renovation, you have to get up to code.”

Upgrading the 1930s-era stadium to modern life safety and accessibility standards will cost “several hundred million dollars” on its own. A major driver is the need to widen aisles and add handrails.

“The aisles are just too narrow right now,” Stricklin said. “Just widening the aisles enough to put handrails in means you’re lopping off a couple seats at the end of every single row. I think you’re losing about 8,000 seats in the bowl.”

He emphasized the reduction is a legal requirement, not a discretionary choice.

To offset that loss, Florida plans a new premium structure at the top of the bowl, along with standing-room platforms, to keep attendance above 88,000. Those premium areas will also generate the revenue needed to finance the entire project.

“The premium seating and the structure at the top of the bowl is also what’s going to drive the revenue that allows us to pay for the whole thing,” Stricklin said. 

Unlike many enclosed suite levels, he said the new premium seats will remain outdoors to preserve The Swamp’s famed noise and atmosphere.

Stricklin addressed fan concerns about ticket prices, saying no decisions have been made but that students will not bear the cost.

“There’s no plan to use any tuition dollars or any student fee dollars toward this project,” he said.

Student season tickets are informally capped at about half the price of a regular ticket and come without the donation requirements attached to most seats, Stricklin said. Florida plans to continue playing home games at The Swamp throughout construction, with the usual exception of the annual Florida-Georgia game at a neutral site.

The athletic department plans to finance the project through long-term debt rather than private equity, with strong interest from traditional lenders. The $1.45 billion cost will be spread over three decades, and Stricklin said the upgraded stadium is projected to generate more than that in new revenue over the same period.

Florida relied heavily on fan feedback through two recent surveys, including one that drew more than 10,000 respondents, to gauge demand for different seating products. Because the project rolls out in phases, Stricklin said the school can adjust the final mix of seating based on actual sales interest.

For Stricklin, the stakes could not be clearer.

“The name of the game in college athletics these days is whoever has the most resources gives themselves the best chance to be successful,” he said. “We’re not doing this to lose money. We’re not doing this to tread water financially.”

Episode 5 of The 35 — WRUF 98.1’s summer countdown of the greatest athletes in University of Florida history — aired Wednesday and delivered five names that define what Florida looks like at its absolute best. Grant Holloway, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist who won eight NCAA titles and broke a 40-year-old record at Florida, joined the show alongside Lauren Haeger, the two-time national champion who shares a statistical club with only one other person in the history of baseball — Babe Ruth. Danny Wuerffel, the only Florida player to win the Heisman Trophy outright and the quarterback who delivered the program’s first national championship, also joined the conversation.

Here’s who made the cut at No. 15 through No. 11:

Episode 5 — The Program Pillars June 11, 2026

15

Al Horford

Basketball · Center/Power Forward · 2004–07 • Two-time NCAA champion • 5× NBA All-Star • 2024 NBA champion

14

Grant Holloway

Track & Field · 110M Hurdles · 2017–19 • 8 NCAA titles • Broke 40-year NCAA record (12.98) • 2024 Olympic gold

13

Danny Wuerffel

Football · Quarterback · 1993–96 • 1996 Heisman Trophy • 114 career TDs (Florida record) • 1996 National Champion • CFB Hall of Fame

12

Lauren Haeger

Softball · Pitcher/First Base · 2012–15 • 2× National Champion • 71 HR & 73 wins — only Babe Ruth has done both • 2015 National POY

11

Billy Donovan

Basketball · Head Coach · 1996–2015 • 2× NCAA champion (2006, 2007) • 467 wins (Florida record) • Only coach to repeat with same starting five in modern era

Next Thursday — June 19 at 2 PM

Episode 6 — The Mount Rushmore Conversation

No. 10 through No. 6 revealed live on WRUF 98.1

Listen Live

The Greatest Gators Moments Bracket has reached the Sweet 8. All four matchups are live — 2008 Football Championship vs. 1996 Football Championship, 2006 Football Championship vs. 2017 College World Series, 2006 Men’s Basketball Title vs. Tebow’s Promise Speech, and the Gymnastics Three-Peat vs. the 2007 Men’s Basketball Title (Repeat). Vote before Thursday, June 19 at 1:59 pm. Results announced live on WRUF 98.1.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Listen live every Thursday 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1

Watch and submit questions live on YouTube

Vote in the bracket each week

Text your takes to 352-325-3777 — best ones go on air live

The 35: Greatest Gators of All Time. Thursdays 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1. May 14 through July 2.

Episode 4 of The 35 — WRUF 98.1’s summer countdown of the greatest athletes in University of Florida history — aired Thursday and delivered five names that belong in any serious conversation about what this program has produced.

Lomas Brown, the first Florida offensive lineman inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and a seven-time Pro Bowler, joined Jeremy St. Louis, Kevin Winter, and Shemar Woods in studio. ESPN host Laura Rutledge — a University of Florida College of Journalism alumna — called in with her takes on the list, the program, and what Florida means to her.

Here’s who made the cut at No. 20 through No. 16:

Episode 4 — The Difference Makers June 5, 2026

20

Lomas Brown

Football · Offensive Tackle · 1981–84 • Consensus All-American • Jacobs Blocking Trophy • College Football Hall of Fame • 7× Pro Bowl

19

Jevon Kearse

Football · Defensive End/Linebacker · 1995–98 • “The Freak” • 1998 SEC Defensive POY • 1999 NFL Defensive ROY (14.5 sacks)

18

Pete Alonso

Baseball · First Base · 2014–16 • MLB rookie HR record (53) • 2019 NL Rookie of the Year • 5× All-Star • Mets all-time HR leader

17

Brad Wilkerson

Baseball · Outfield/Pitcher · 1996–98 • 1998 National POY (Rotary Smith Award) • First in NCAA history: 20 HR, 10 wins, 20 SB in same season

16

Wilber Marshall

Football · Linebacker · 1980–83 • Two-time consensus All-American • Florida career records: 343 tackles, 58 TFL, 23 sacks — all still stand • CFB Hall of Fame

Next Wednesday — June 11 at 2 PM

Episode 5 — The Program Pillars

No. 15 through No. 11 revealed live on WRUF 98.1

Listen Live

The Greatest Gators Moments Bracket is also live. Week 4 voting is open — the Gymnastics Three-Peat (2013–15) vs. Caeleb Dressel’s NCAA Career, and the 2007 Men’s Basketball Title (Repeat) vs. Women’s Tennis Back-to-Back (2011–12). Vote before Thursday, June 11 at 1:59 p.m. Results will be announced live on air.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Listen live every Thursday 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1

Watch and submit questions live on YouTube

Vote in the bracket each week

Text your takes to 352-325-3777 — best ones go on air live

The 35: Greatest Gators of All Time. Thursdays 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1. May 14 through July 2.

The 19-year-old from Hong Kong will make her professional debut after closing out an 11th-place team finish and a T14 individual result at the NCAA National Championships in Carlsbad, California.

Teeing off Thursday at 11:13 a.m.,  Wu earned her spot in the U.S. Women’s Open through a three-way playoff in April, outlasting Texas All-American Farah O’Keefe and professional golfer Polly Mack. 

After winning several titles at the amateur level and holding two years of collegiate experience  under her belt, Wu will make her professional debut.

“When playing in college, we’re a team, and now I’m just playing for myself,” said Wu. “I’m really excited, but really nervous too.” Despite the nerves, Wu’s mental coach tells her, “at the end of the day, it’s just golf,” a mantra she plans to stand by during the tournament. 

As an amateur and collegiate player, Wu is no stranger to showing up and showing out. She was the runner-up at the Gators Invitational this past season on DATE and boasts the title of three-time American Junior Golf Association champion. Wu has logged several SEC awards and was named an WGCA All-America honorable mention on Tuesday. 

A member of the Hong Kong National Golf Team, Siuue moved to Florida to continue showcasing her talents on the course, along with her twin sister Isa Wu.

Wu’s development as a golfer has shown strides since coming to Gainesville and attributes her progress to head coach Emily Glaser.  

“She [Glaser] is a great coach and taught me so much, not just on the course but off the course as well,” Wu said. “I think the biggest lesson she taught me is really just staying patient and believing in myself.” 

This year’s U.S. Women’s Open features a 156-player field, including international No. 1 Nelly Korda. Wu is accompanied by 26 other amateur golfers, including current Florida teammate Paula Francisca. 

Now facing off against the world’s best, Wu hopes to use her time in California as a learning experience. 

“I’m excited to see them [the top LPGA competitors], see how they play the course and really just learn off of them,” said Wu. “Because it’s my first pro event I’m not gonna think too much about the result. I’m just going to go out there and have fun and enjoy it as much as I can – no expectations.”

Episode 3 of The 35 — WRUF 98.1’s summer countdown of the greatest athletes in University of Florida history — aired Thursday and delivered five names that are already generating debate. Carlos Alvarez, “The Cuban Comet,” joined the show in studio. A College Football Hall of Famer who set SEC sophomore receiving records in 1969 that still stand more than 55 years later, Alvarez made the case for why the pre-Spurrier era deserves more respect in the Florida football conversation.

Here’s who made the cut at No. 25 through No. 21:

The Greatest Gators Moments Bracket also revealed its third quadrant Thursday. Two new matchups are now live — the 2006 Football National Championship vs. Tim Tebow’s Heisman (2007), and the 2017 College World Series Title vs. Steve Spurrier’s Heisman (1966). Week 2 results — 2006 Men’s Basketball Title and Tebow’s Promise Speech both advanced — were announced live on air.

Sweet 8 voting is open — Greatest Gators Moments Bracket • Closes Thu. June 19 at 1:59 PM

2008 Football Championship vs. 1996 Football Championship

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2006 Football Championship vs. 2017 College World Series

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2006 Men’s Basketball Title vs. Tebow’s “Promise” Speech

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Gymnastics Three-Peat vs. 2007 MBB Title (Repeat)

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Part of The 35: Greatest Gators of All Time • Full bracket →

Vote before Thursday, June 5 at 1:59 PM.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Listen live every Thursday 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1

Watch and submit questions live on YouTube

Vote in the bracket each week

Text your takes to 352-325-3777 — best ones go on air live

The 35: Greatest Gators of All Time. Thursdays 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1. May 14 through July 2.

The Southeastern Conference announced the game times and television schedule for the Gators’ first three games of the 2026 season on Wednesday.

Florida kicks off the Jon Sumrall era in The Swamp against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 5 at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network.

Sumrall’s first game as Florida’s coach marks a potential turning point after the rollercoaster ending to Billy Napier’s tenure in Gainesville.

The Gators are 4-0 all-time against the Owls. Their most recent matchup came in 2021 under then-head coach Dan Mullen, when Florida earned a 35-14 victory in The Swamp.

In Week 2, Florida hosts Campbell on Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m. on SECN+. The matchup will mark the first meeting between the two programs. Campbell finished the 2025 season 2-10 overall and 2-6 in CAA play, with wins over Bryant and Hampton.

Florida then hits the road for the first time in 2026, traveling to Auburn for a 7 p.m. matchup on ESPN in Week 3 to begin its nine-game SEC schedule.

The Gators and Tigers have not faced each other in SEC play in seven years. The last meeting came in Gainesville, where Florida secured a 24-13 victory.

Florida’s 2025 season was filled with frustration, including the program’s worst start since 1986 at 1-3, a stunning upset loss to USF, Dallas Wilson’s foot injury, DJ Lagway’s five-interception performance against LSU and a seemingly endless stream of third-and-long screen passes.

Sumrall hopes to erase those memories and bring a fresh start to Gainesville.

The new Florida coach got to work immediately after taking the job, balancing responsibilities at both Tulane and Florida for three weeks while rebuilding his staff. Sumrall brought in Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, offensive line coach Phil Trautwein and Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White.

One of the biggest questions entering the season remains Florida’s starting quarterback battle.

After Lagway transferred to Baylor, the Gators were left searching for a new starter. Tramell Jones Jr. spent the 2025 season backing up Lagway and did not make a start under Napier or interim coach Billy Gonzales. Jones threw for 191 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in appearances against Long Island and Kentucky.

His main competition is Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo.

Philo arrived in Gainesville largely because of his familiarity with Faulkner after serving primarily as the backup to current Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Haynes King at Georgia Tech. In 2025, Philo threw for 373 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Jones and Philo split the majority of first-team reps during the Orange and Blue spring game in April, alongside true freshman Will Griffin and redshirt junior Aidan Warner.

As the 2026 season approaches, optimism is building among Florida fans eager to see the program’s new direction take shape on opening day.

Episode 2 of The 35 revealed No. 30 through No. 26 on WRUF 98.1’s countdown of the greatest athletes in University of Florida history — and the names came with instant arguments. Errict Rhett, one of the most productive running backs in Gators history, joined Jeremy St. Louis, Kevin Winter and Shemar Woods as the guest for Episode 2.

Episode 2 — The Championship Builders May 21, 2026

30

Errict Rhett

Football · Running Back · 1990–93

29

Brandon Spikes

Football · Linebacker · 2006–09

28

Cris Collinsworth

Football · Wide Receiver · 1978–81

27

Reggie Nelson

Football · Safety · 2004–06

26

Kyle Pitts

Football · Tight End · 2018–20

Next Thursday — May 28 at 2 PM

Episode 3 — The Standard Setters

No. 25 through No. 21 revealed live on WRUF 98.1

Listen Live

The vote is also live. Two new matchups are open in the Greatest Gators Moments Bracket — and these are not easy ones.

On the Hardwood and Heroes side: the 2006 Men’s Basketball National Championship — Florida’s first-ever basketball title — goes up against the Softball Back-to-Back of 2014 and 2015. And Tebow’s “Promise” Speech, the most iconic non-game moment in Gators history, faces the 2025 Men’s Basketball National Championship.

You decide which moments advance. Voting closes Thursday, May 28 at 1:59 PM.

Tune in next Thursday at 2 PM on WRUF 98.1 for No. 25 through No. 21. The Standard Setters.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Listen live every Thursday 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1

Watch and submit questions live on YouTube

Vote in the bracket each week

Text your takes to 352-325-3777 — best ones go on air live

The 35: Greatest Gators of All Time. Thursdays 2–3 p.m. on WRUF 98.1. May 14 through July 2.

The Gators continued their trend of scoring early, touching home in the first inning in four of  their last five games behind Brendan Lawson’s RBI double. Florida’s first three hitters in the lineup finished a combined 8-for-13 with two walks, two home runs and three doubles powering the early offensive production.

“I feel like our team may have, in a weird way, flown under the radar, so to speak, which is not normal here at Florida,” UF coach Kevin O’Sullivan said. “I think some of the losses early in the year were made more than they possibly were.”

In the second inning, Yost stepped to the plate with no runners on base and drove an 0-2 pitch down the right-field line. As the ball traveled toward the foul pole, Yost watched from the batter’s box as it hugged the line, mouthing words of encouragement while tracking it the entire way. With the help of a strong breeze blowing toward left field, Yost hit his fourth home run in his last two games to lift the Gators to a 3-0 lead, finishing the game 3-for-4. 

“And what can you say about Hayden Yost,” O”Sullivan said. “I mean what a great story … I don’t know how many home runs he’s hit in the last 20 games, but it’s quite a bit.

Earlier this week, sophomore Aidan King was named SEC Pitcher of the Year, and through four innings he showed why. But with two outs in the fifth, King’s fastball began to tail off and his off-speed pitches started settling into the glove of Karson Bowen just above the dirt. The Commodores chased King from the game after he allowed two doubles, a triple, three earned runs and a walk. Jackson Barberi entered to stop the damage and get Florida out of the inning tied at 3-3.

After moving throughout the batting order this season due to an oblique injury, Cade Kurland has found his stride in the eight hole. Now batting .269 on the season, Kurland went 1-for-4, but his lone hit proved to be Florida’s biggest. His single pushed the Gators ahead 7-3 in the seventh and put the game out of reach.

It became a bullpen game for Vanderbilt after starter Tyler Baird exited following two innings. The Commodores used six pitchers in an attempt to slow Florida’s offense, and many of them succeeded against designated hitter Caden McDonald. After a scorching April helped him earn a spot in the starting lineup, McDonald has become one of the few Gators to cool off late in the season, striking out nine times over his last four games, including three times against Vandy.

The SEC is testing the automated ball-strike challenge system (ABS) during the SEC Tournament. Each team receives three challenges and keeps successful ones. In the second inning, Bowen took advantage after a 1-0 pitch was ruled a strike, helping King finish the at-bat with his third strikeout of the game. King finished with five strikeouts, while Bowen went 3-for-3 on challenges behind the plate.

Commodores catcher Korbin Reynolds also found success with the ABS system in the sixth inning with runners on first and second. With Cyr at the plate, Reynolds challenged a 1-2 pitch that home plate umpire Eddie Newsom ruled a ball. Reynolds won the challenge, ending the inning for Florida.

But the ABS system did not always favor Vanderbilt. In the eighth inning, with the game slipping away, Reynolds challenged a 3-1 pitch to Lawson, saying he “might as well” use the challenge. Reynolds won it, bringing Lawson back to the plate with a full count. On the next pitch, Lawson sent a ball over the right-field wall as Reynolds and the rest of Vanderbilt’s defense watched.

The Gators return to the diamond Thursday at 8 p.m. against No. 4 seed Alabama. Florida will face a Crimson Tide team playing its first game of the tournament just 50 miles from its home field. The Gators have found success on the road this season, going 14-5, though three of those losses came against Alabama during a series sweep earlier in SEC play.

“Just looking forward to playing tomorrow.,” O’Sullivan said. “We know we have our hands full. You don’t have to tell me who is going to be pitching against us. We’re fully aware of [Tyler] Fay.