Monthly Archives: March 2020

🏀 No Fans at March Madness 🏀

Alerts

In response to concerns over the spread of coronavirus, the NCAA announced Wednesday that fans will not be able to attend its championships including the 2020 men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments.

“I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance,” NCAA President Mark Emmert in a statement. “While I understand how disappointing this is for all fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States.”

All UF classes will be on-line.

Alerts

UF classes on-line only, starting Monday.

The State University System of Florida is asking all universities to switch to remote instruction as soon as possible and to encourage students who live on-campus to return home for at least two weeks.

Campuses will remain open, and operations will continue, but officials with the state university system said remote instruction will minimize the health and safety risks to students, faculty, and staff, officials said.

Schools at which student are current on spring break — Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida State University, New College of Florida, the University of North Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of South Florida, and the University of West Florida — should direct students not to return to campus for two weeks following the conclusion of spring break, officials said

⚾️ Hickey SEC Frosh of the week ⚾️

Gator Sports
Florida catcher Nathan Hickey broke out of a slump with a monster week, earning Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honors, as announced by the league office Monday.

Hickey entered last week’s games 7-for-29 (.241 average) on the season, but went 7-for-13 (.538) with four home runs, six RBIs, five runs, and three walks in four starts. His .538 batting average led all SEC freshmen and ranked ninth in the league last week. Hickey also led the SEC in home runs (four) and slugging percentage (1.462) last week.

Floridians: Self Isolate on return from international travel.

Alerts

ORLANDO, Fla. — Any Floridian who has traveled internationally should self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to the state, the Florida Department of Health says broadening its coronavirus travel advisory to all international travelers.

“The situation in Florida is swiftly changing,” Florida Health Department Spokesman Alberto Moscoso told the Associated Press.

The Health Department previously had urged self-isolation for residents who had recently returned from countries currently under a federal travel restriction because of outbreaks of COVID-19: China, South Korea, Italy, Iran, and Japan, as well as anyone who traveled on a river cruise on the Nile River in Egypt in February. Several passengers of that river cruise who returned to the U.S. tested positive for the novel coronavirus, including two in Florida.

It’s unclear how the new advisory would affect international airports in Florida, theme parks, cruise ports, and the state’s critical tourism industry in general.

⚾️ Gators now 16 – 0 ⚾️

Gator Sports
The Florida Gators remained perfect at 16-0 Sunday and Nathan Hickey’s week couldn’t have been any better. The Gators are the only undefeated team remaining🐊.
The freshman touched them all for a fourth consecutive game, giving Florida a 2-1 lead that proved to be the final score. Hickey finished the week hitting .538 (7-13) with four home runs and six RBI.
“I got chills running around the bases,” Hickey said after the game. “Ever since I was a freshman (in high school) coming here I’ve been picturing myself doing something like that. For it to actually happen was mind-blowing.”

🏀 Get Well Kerry 🏀

Gator Sports
The Florida Gators blew an 18-point second-half lead, losing to Kentucky 71-70 on Kerry Blackshear’s senior night, but Blackshear was limited to just 12 minutes before leaving the game with a left wrist injury.
Blackshear fell awkwardly on his left wrist while battling on the offensive end. He got up slowly and was clearly in pain, holding his wrist as he tried to get back to the other end of the floor to play defense. The graduate senior was subbed out and team doctor Duke Werner looked at the wrist on the bench before taking Blackshear to the locker room before halftime.
Blackshear came out in the second half with his left wrist and hand tapped and he tried to play. He started the half but only lasted a few minutes before being subbed out and wrapped in ice.
“KJ is one of the tougher guys on the team, one of the toughest guys I’ve coached,” Mike White said. “When he walked over a couple of minutes into the second half and said he couldn’t go, I knew.”
While he was in, Blackshear did a good job of defending junior forward Nick Richards.
“He was 1 for 7 at half time from one foot,” John Calipari said of Richards.
Without Blackshear down low Richards was 7-11 and scored 17 points.

🏀 Chris Richard – SEC Legend 🏀

Gator Sports
Courtesy of UF Athletic Association
Two-time NCAA champion Chris Richard will be honored as the Florida Gators’ SEC Men’s Basketball Legend at next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville. In addition to the 2006 and 2007 national championships, Richard helped Florida to three straight SEC Tournament titles from 2005-07 and the 2007 regular season title, picking up SEC Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2007, as well.
In addition to playing an integral part in the Gators’ historic back-to-back national championship teams, Richard ranks among Florida’s top 10 in all-time games played (141) and posted two of the three best field goal percentage seasons in program history, shooting .698 in 2005-06 and .690 in 2006-07.