Harry: 40 Greatest Women Athletes in UF History
Friday, June 22, 2012 | Chris Harry
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As a freshman, led the Gators to their first women's NCAA team championship of any kind, capturing the national title in 1982 -- destroying powerhouse Stanford 505-383 -- and setting the stage for the greatest individual athletic career in UF history. In three years, Caulkins won 16 NCAA titles, including 12 in individual races, and was named All-American 21 times. She bypassed her senior season after winning three gold medals -- all in the same day -- at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 2 Lisa Raymond tennis, 1992-93 
From the moment she set foot on the UF campus, she became the most dominant athlete in her sport -- and it wasn't even close. Raymond not only led the Gators to their first national championship as a freshman in 1992, but won the NCAA singles title in '92 and '93 by combining for an 84-4, including a perfect 34-0 mark as a sophomore in '93. Raymond turned pro after her second season and 19 years later remains one of the best doubles player in the world. In April, at 38, she became the oldest player in WTA history ever to hold a No. 1 ranking in singles or doubles. 3 Danielle Fotopoulos soccer, 1996-98 
Transferred to UF from Southern Methodist in 1996, one year after the program debuted, and after missing the entire season '97 season with a torn ACL, she returned in '98 to score a school-record and nation-leading 34 goals -- breaking her previous mark of 32 -- and set a Gators mark with 81 points. That '98 Florida team went 26-1, including a stunning upset of perennial NCAA power North Carolina, which had won 14 of the previous 16 national championships. The final score of that game was Gators 1, Tar Heels 0. Guess who scored the goal. 4 Nicole Haislett swimming, 1991-94 
She owned the 200 freestyle at the NCAA meet for four consecutive years, and captured individual titles in the 200 individual medley and 500 free to go with championship-winning legs in two relay teams. Haislett left UF with 28 All-America honors -- the most possible -- and was named the SEC's Female Athlete of the Year (for all sports) in 1993 and '94. 5 Abby Wambach soccer, 1998-2001 
Three-time first-team All-America forward who left UF as the program's career leader in goals (96), hat tricks (10), game-winning goals (24), assists (50), points (1998-2001) and shots (468). As a freshman, starred on UF's national championship-winning squad in '98 and won the SEC all four years of her of career. As a member of the US Olympic team in 2002, Wambach's header in extra time against Brazil gave the Americans a 2-1 victory over Brazil in the gold-medal game. Member of UF's 2012 Athletic Hall of Fame class. 6 Page Dunlap golf, 1984-87 
Two-time All-American who starred on UF's back-to-back NCAA championship squads of 1985 and '86 and the only player in the program's history to win the NCAA individual national championship. Was named winner of golf's Broderick Award in 1986, an honor given annually to the top female collegian student-athlete in each sport. 7 Aury Cruz volleyball, 2000-03 
Two-time SEC Player of the Year ('01, '02), Cruz set school records for career kills (1,815), career attacks (4,095), career points (2,188.5) and left ranked No. 2 in UF history in service aces (220). She was named MVP of the NCAA East Region and led the Gators to their only appearance in the national championship match, a four-set loss to Southern California. Her 31-kill, 21-dig performance in an marathon five-match loss to Nebraska in the regional final may be the greatest individual effort in school history. 8 DeLisha Milton basketball, 1993-97 
A four-year starter and No. 4 scorer in school history with 1,858 points, Milton was arguably the No. 1 building block in Florida's greatest women's basketball run. The Gators had reached their first NCAA tournament in 1993. Milton arrived the following fall and was an anchor in the post over four seasons. In that time, UF reached the NCAA each year, twice reached the Sweet 16, once the Elite Eight and defeated Tennessee for the first time. Milton was voted first-team All-America in 1997, MVP of the NCAA Midwest Region and became the first UF player given with the Wade Trophy, which honors the nation's best senior. Milton was a first-round WNBA draft pick and won a gold medal with the USA's 2000 Olympic Team in Athens, Greece. 9 Jill Craybas tennis, 1993-96 
Four years after Raymond became the first Gator to turn the grueling double of winning both an NCAA team championship and singles championship the same year, Craybas did, too. Craybas played No. 2 singles for Florida when it defeated Stanford in the '96 finals at Tallahassee, then won six matches over the next six days to become just the singles champ in UF history (and the last to win it). 10 Megan Neyer diving, 1982-86 
As a freshman, captured the 1- and 3-meter titles at the NCAA meet, marking the first of an unprecedented eight individual championships in the two events of her four-year career and nearly 30 years later remains the winningest diver -- male or female -- in NCAA history.
With the 40th anniversary of Title IX Saturday, GatorZone.com's Chris Harry unveils his list of the 40 greatest women athletes in University of Florida history based on their time in a Gator uniform. What do you think? Join in the conversation on Facebook and let us know your thoughts.
Top 10
1 Tracy Caulkins swimming, 1982-84 As a freshman, led the Gators to their first women's NCAA team championship of any kind, capturing the national title in 1982 -- destroying powerhouse Stanford 505-383 -- and setting the stage for the greatest individual athletic career in UF history. In three years, Caulkins won 16 NCAA titles, including 12 in individual races, and was named All-American 21 times. She bypassed her senior season after winning three gold medals -- all in the same day -- at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 2 Lisa Raymond tennis, 1992-93 From the moment she set foot on the UF campus, she became the most dominant athlete in her sport -- and it wasn't even close. Raymond not only led the Gators to their first national championship as a freshman in 1992, but won the NCAA singles title in '92 and '93 by combining for an 84-4, including a perfect 34-0 mark as a sophomore in '93. Raymond turned pro after her second season and 19 years later remains one of the best doubles player in the world. In April, at 38, she became the oldest player in WTA history ever to hold a No. 1 ranking in singles or doubles. 3 Danielle Fotopoulos soccer, 1996-98 Transferred to UF from Southern Methodist in 1996, one year after the program debuted, and after missing the entire season '97 season with a torn ACL, she returned in '98 to score a school-record and nation-leading 34 goals -- breaking her previous mark of 32 -- and set a Gators mark with 81 points. That '98 Florida team went 26-1, including a stunning upset of perennial NCAA power North Carolina, which had won 14 of the previous 16 national championships. The final score of that game was Gators 1, Tar Heels 0. Guess who scored the goal. 4 Nicole Haislett swimming, 1991-94 She owned the 200 freestyle at the NCAA meet for four consecutive years, and captured individual titles in the 200 individual medley and 500 free to go with championship-winning legs in two relay teams. Haislett left UF with 28 All-America honors -- the most possible -- and was named the SEC's Female Athlete of the Year (for all sports) in 1993 and '94. 5 Abby Wambach soccer, 1998-2001 Three-time first-team All-America forward who left UF as the program's career leader in goals (96), hat tricks (10), game-winning goals (24), assists (50), points (1998-2001) and shots (468). As a freshman, starred on UF's national championship-winning squad in '98 and won the SEC all four years of her of career. As a member of the US Olympic team in 2002, Wambach's header in extra time against Brazil gave the Americans a 2-1 victory over Brazil in the gold-medal game. Member of UF's 2012 Athletic Hall of Fame class. 6 Page Dunlap golf, 1984-87 Two-time All-American who starred on UF's back-to-back NCAA championship squads of 1985 and '86 and the only player in the program's history to win the NCAA individual national championship. Was named winner of golf's Broderick Award in 1986, an honor given annually to the top female collegian student-athlete in each sport. 7 Aury Cruz volleyball, 2000-03 Two-time SEC Player of the Year ('01, '02), Cruz set school records for career kills (1,815), career attacks (4,095), career points (2,188.5) and left ranked No. 2 in UF history in service aces (220). She was named MVP of the NCAA East Region and led the Gators to their only appearance in the national championship match, a four-set loss to Southern California. Her 31-kill, 21-dig performance in an marathon five-match loss to Nebraska in the regional final may be the greatest individual effort in school history. 8 DeLisha Milton basketball, 1993-97 A four-year starter and No. 4 scorer in school history with 1,858 points, Milton was arguably the No. 1 building block in Florida's greatest women's basketball run. The Gators had reached their first NCAA tournament in 1993. Milton arrived the following fall and was an anchor in the post over four seasons. In that time, UF reached the NCAA each year, twice reached the Sweet 16, once the Elite Eight and defeated Tennessee for the first time. Milton was voted first-team All-America in 1997, MVP of the NCAA Midwest Region and became the first UF player given with the Wade Trophy, which honors the nation's best senior. Milton was a first-round WNBA draft pick and won a gold medal with the USA's 2000 Olympic Team in Athens, Greece. 9 Jill Craybas tennis, 1993-96 Four years after Raymond became the first Gator to turn the grueling double of winning both an NCAA team championship and singles championship the same year, Craybas did, too. Craybas played No. 2 singles for Florida when it defeated Stanford in the '96 finals at Tallahassee, then won six matches over the next six days to become just the singles champ in UF history (and the last to win it). 10 Megan Neyer diving, 1982-86 As a freshman, captured the 1- and 3-meter titles at the NCAA meet, marking the first of an unprecedented eight individual championships in the two events of her four-year career and nearly 30 years later remains the winningest diver -- male or female -- in NCAA history. 
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