ATHLETIC YEAR IN REVIEW 2019–2020 GATOR BOOSTERS, INC. | UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2019-2020 YEAR IN REVIEW THE MISSION OF GATOR BOOSTERS, INC. IS TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA’S ATHLETIC PROGRAM BY ENCOURAGING PRIVATE GIVING AND VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP FROM GATORS EVERYWHERE. 2019–2020 | SPORTS RESULTS | University Athletic Association, Inc. P.O. Box 14485 Gainesville, FL 32604 Gator Boosters, Inc. P.O. Box 13796 Gainesville, FL 32604 1-800-344-2867 | (352) 275-4683 1 INSPIRED & MOTIVATED DEAR GATOR BOOSTERS, 2019-20 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Our mission—to strengthen the University of Florida’s athletic program by encouraging private > 12 Gator teams finished 2019-20 action giving and volunteer leadership from Gators ranked in the top 12—including 10 in everywhere—took on new meaning in an unusual the top 10 year for our Gators in competition and for fans > 62 Gators claimed a total of 123 everywhere. Though many of our student- athletes received the news their competition All-America honors. Not all sports schedules would be cut short or canceled named 2020 All-Americans altogether due to ramifications from COVID-19, > Florida claimed three Southeastern they remained committed to academic growth Conference titles—gymnastics, men’s as a record-high 3.19 overall grade point average swimming & diving and volleyball. Nine was earned by Gator student-athletes in 2019-20. Gator teams did not complete (or in The contributions you make provides the some cases, begin) 2020 league action. opportunity for more than 500 student-athletes on 21 men’s and women’s teams to pursue their > Two Gators picked up SEC Athlete of education at a Top 10 Public University. The the Year honors—Kieran Smith University Athletic Association dedicates over (men’s swimming) and Trinity Thomas $15 million per year for student-athlete (gymnastics) scholarship aid. These funds reinforce our commitment to our student-athletes’ overall > Gator standout Kendyl Lindaman development. We will maintain our commitment claimed the CoSIDA Softball Academic to our student-athletes even as our organization, All-American of the Year award. Senior and our nation, continue to navigate the middle blocker Rachael Kramer claimed consequences of COVID-19 in the months and volleyball’s SEC Scholar-Athlete of the years ahead. Your contributions are also visible in Year. She earned her master’s degree in two much needed capital projects: the Florida international business in August of 2020. Ballpark and Heavener Football Training Center. The Florida Ballpark is now finished and we look your support is making possible. We strive to be forward to the day the spotlight hits this premier the best in the country in both academics and facility constructed for Gators Baseball. Demolition athletics, adhering to the UAA vision of striving of McKethan Stadium and ground utility work is to “be the model collegiate athletics program, underway to make room for the Heavener Football combing excellence and integrity in academics, Training Center. Your generous financial support athletics and fan engagement to elevate the UF of this project is essential to the evolution and brand.” Your continued support brings us closer continued excellence of our Football program. to that goal every day. The University of Florida is one of the best in the Go Gators! land and we’re proud of all the wonderful things SINCERELY, SCOTT STRICKLIN KENT FUCHS PHIL PHARR | 2019–2020 | ATHLETIC YEAR IN REVIEW Athletic Director, President, Executive Director, Gator Boosters, Inc. 2 University of Florida University of Florida TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter to Gator Boosters . .2 Facilities Improvements . 18 Table of Contents . .3 Legacy Directors . 20 Top 10 Teams . .4 Distinguished Directors . 21 Overview . .5 Legacy and Distinguished Directors Academic Success . 6 In Memoriam . 24 2019–2020 Conference Standings . .7 Gator Bollard Project . .25 Gator Coaching Staff . 8 Ben Hill Griffin Award Winners . .26 Sports Results . 9 Facility Donors . .27 Baseball . 11 Gators Forever . 40 Men’s & Women’s Basketball . 12 Athletic Education Fund Donors . 45 Cross Country . 10 Deferred Athletic Education Football . .9 Fund Donors . 67 Men’s & Women’s Golf . 13 Bull Gators . 72 Scan the QR code to view a digital copy of the 2019–2020 Gymnastics . 14 Football Boosters . 82 Athletic Year in Review. Lacrosse . 14 Basketball Boosters . 107 Soccer . 10 Financial Facts . 110 Softball . 11 Gator Boosters, Inc. Team . 112 Men’s & Women’s Swimming & Diving . 15 Men’s & Women’s Tennis . 16 Men’s & Women’s Track & Field . 17 Volleyball . 9 2019–2020 | ATHLETIC YEAR IN REVIEW 3 | TOP 10 TEAMS Gator Teams in Top 10 (Completed Seasons) No. 6 Football No. T9 Volleyball Gator Teams in Top 10 (Suspended Seasons) No. 1 Baseball, (D1Baseball.com) No. 2 Gymnastics, (Road to Nationals) No. 6 Men’s Indoor Track & Field, (USTFCCCA) No. 7 Women’s Golf, (Golfweek/Sagarin) No. 7 Softball, (USA Today/NFCA) No. 7 Women’s Swimming & Diving, (CSCAA) No. 8 Lacrosse, (IWLCA) No. 9 Men’s Tennis, (Oracle/ITA) | 2019–2020 | SPORTSTOP 10 TEAMS RESULTS 4 IT LOOKED LIKE ANOTHER STRONG OVERALL SHOWING FOR THE GATOR PROGRAM. Florida finished the fall with a New Year’s Six bowl victory and volleyball claiming its 24th Southeastern Conference title. Both soccer and volleyball advanced to NCAA Tournament action. The Gators added two more SEC titles in February— gymnastics and men’s swimming and diving. All Florida teams competing in winter and spring sports looked likely to extend their seasons to post-season action. The coronavirus pandemic ended the seasons for all collegiate sports on March 12. Track teams returned from NCAA Indoor Championships without running a race. The SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament ended after the first round. It began to sink in. No more com- petition. The opportunity to contend to raise a trophy gone. Executing for the greater good was now the game plan. Only the five fall Gator teams completed their sea- sons. When the pandemic ended collegiate action, 12 Gator teams ranked in the top 12—including 10 in the top 10. Nine Gator teams did not complete (or in some cases, begin) league action. The starting gun GATORS! never sounded for the outdoor Track and Field season. After being at arm’s length for the spring and summer, Gators everywhere await when collegiate action can begin again. Collegiate sports will return. Everyone looks forward to when the Gator Nation chomps together once again. 2019–2020 | ATHLETIC YEAR OVERVIEW 5 | UF is the only SEC FOR THE WIN IN school to place 100 or more student-athletes on THE CLASSROOM the Academic Honor Roll each of the last 23 years. (fall: 80; winter 62; spring 113) 100 3.19 Gator standout Kendyl Bright Gators: The combined Lindaman claimed 339 grade-point average for all the CoSIDA Softball Gator student-athletes was a A program-record 255 University of Florida record-high 3.19 for 2019–20 Academic All-American student-athletes earned 2019–20 Southeastern academic year. 3.40 (all-time of the Year award. She Conference Academic Honor Roll recognition. record!) for the spring of 2020; The SEC annually selects an Academic Honor Roll 3.12 for fall 2019. is the 14th Academic for each team that honors student-athletes who All-American of the have posted cumulative 3.0 grade-point averages for the previous academic year. Add in Florida’s Year for the Gator SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll selections athletic program. and that number raises to 339—another record total for the Gators program. 88% Gators teams—recognized in Graduation Success Rate for UF, 5 2020 for outstanding NCAA as reported last fall in the 2019 Academic Progress Report (APR) NCAA Graduation Rate Data. scores released in May: >>Men’s basketball, women’s golf, gymnastics, Senior middle blocker lacrosse and volleyball Rachael Kramer is the All Gators teams are in good academic standing in the SEC Scholar-Athlete of latest APR. the Year for volleyball. She received her master’s degree in international business 89 College graduates combined for in August of 2020. fall 2019 and spring 2020 semesters 14 Master’s degrees | 2019–2020 | ACADEMIC SUCCESS 6 23 Graduated with honors SUCCESS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE FLORIDA’S 2019–20 CONFERENCE Two Gators picked up CHAMPION TEAMS 2020 conference athlete of the year honors: GYMNASTICS KIERAN SMITH Florida used a 7-0 record to claim its second con- SEC Swimmer of the Year secutive Southeastern Conference regular-season TRINITY THOMAS title. It was UF’s first undefeated league record since SEC Gymnast of the Year all teams began meeting in regular-season action in 1992. MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING Three Gator teams raised Eight is great! Gator men’s swimming & diving won Southeastern Conference its eighth straight Southeastern Conference title in trophies in 2019-20 2020. Florida’s 41 men’s swimming & diving titles is In this pandemic-shortened the second highest among all SEC sports. season, nine Gator teams did not have the opportunity to complete (or in some cases, VOLLEYBALL begin) league action. Gator volleyball won its 24th Southeastern Sustained SEC Success Conference title in 2019. All 24 titles have come Florida’s picked up at least one under Florida Head Coach Mary Wise. SEC team title for the 42nd consecutive season—the league’s longest current streak. SEC TEAM TITLES BY THE FLORIDA GATORS IS THE LEAGUE’S ALL-TIME LEADER 247 2019–2020 | CONFERENCE STANDINGS 7 | COACHING GATORS TO WIN ON AND OFF THE FIELD GATOR COACHING STAFF CONFERENCE COACHES OF THE YEAR Becky Burleigh Cameron Newbauer Roland Thornqvist