Florida Gators Individual Moments to Remember -- Scott Carter's Top 10
Saturday, July 4, 2015 | Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Another Gators athletic season is in the books.
The 2014-15 season concluded with Florida's recent loss to eventual national champion Virginia in the College World Series.
The 2015-16 season cranks up next month when the UF soccer team hosts Florida Gulf Coast on Aug. 15.
The show must go on.
But before it does, let's take a moment to reflect on the top individual moments of the past year, a year when Gators softball player Lauren Haeger drew comparisons to Babe Ruth.
Say what? Yep, it's true. It was that kind of year.
These are my Top 10 individual moments for UF athletes over the past year. Your list might look different. You can let me know here on Facebook, where this story is posted.
For now, here are the ones that remain fresh in my memory:
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1) HAEGERBOMBS FOR EVERYONE
The Florida softball team won a second consecutive national championship and it was senior Lauren Haeger in the lead role.
Haeger pitched shutouts and hit homers and rose to the occasion time and time again.
And it was Haeger in the circle when she recorded the final out of the season against Michigan, clinching the national title in Game 3 of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The moment captured for posterity when catcher Aubree Munro leapt into Haeger's arms.
In the month since, Haeger has been discussed on "Pardon The Interruption," attended the ESPYs and tweeted at NBA superstar LeBron James, although King James has been rather silent on Twitter of late.
Still, unless he's been in a cave, James probably has seen a replay of Munro jumping into Haeger's arms to celebrate a moment Gator fans have watched over and over.
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2) DOUBLE TROUBLE DOOMS DAWGS
The major storyline leading up to the annual Florida-Georgia clash in Jacksonville last fall focused on the unstable job status of Gators head coach Will Muschamp.
Muschamp was oh-forever in the rivalry, losing four times to the Gators as a player at Georgia and three times to Georgia as coach at Florida.
He finally got a win thanks to an energized offensive line and running backs Kelvin Taylor and Matt Jones. Taylor rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns and Jones added 192 yards and a pair of scores in Florida's 38-20 upset of the No. 9-ranked Bulldogs in Jacksonville.
We all know how Muschamp's time at UF ended.
Still, on a beautiful fall afternoon on the banks of the St. Johns River, Taylor and Jones gave Florida fans the most meaningful moments of the 2014 season.
The orange-and-blue faithful could finally smile for a change.
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3) ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR
Freshman JJ. Schwarz was already having a stellar rookie season when the Gators hosted Stetson for a mid-week game in early April.
And then Schwarz did something no other player in UF baseball history had done: he hit four home runs in a single game.
In fact, Schwarz joined former Kentucky slugger Bill Sandry (1982 vs. Eastern Kentucky) as the only players in Southeastern Conference history to accomplish the feat.
Schwarz finished 5-for-6 with 10 RBIs and a school-record 18 total bases.
"This is by far the best night I have ever had,'' Schwarz said afterward.
JJ, it's one of the best nights anyone has ever had on a baseball field.
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4) HUNTER FLOORS COMPETITION
Senior gymnast Kytra Hunter capped her college career by helping the Gators claim a third consecutive national championship in April.
A dynamic performer since she arrived in 2012, Hunter shared the all-round title at the NCAA Championships, adding another honor to a career full of them.
However, Hunter wasn't done.
The next day at the NCAA individual finals, Hunter scored a 9.9625 on the floor exercise to become the first UF gymnast in 30 years to win the national title on floor.
Hunter joined former UF standout Maria Anz as the only Gators to win on floor.
The win was Hunter's fourth individual national title, a school record for one of Florida's most accomplished athletes in recent years.
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5) DOE-DOE DELIVERS
The O'Connell Center rocked on Feb. 28 in anticipation of a milestone victory in the career of then-Gators head coach Billy Donovan.
And the Rowdy Reptiles did not leave disappointed.
In Florida's 66-49 victory over Tennessee, Donovan earned the 500th win over his career, becoming the second-youngest coach in history to reach the milestone behind Bobby Knight.
The Gators played perhaps their most inspired game of the season, leading wire-to-wire. However, junior Dorian Finney-Smith played a crucial role.
Coming off a three-game suspension, Finney-Smith posted a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds) and hit four 3-pointers to spark Florida's impressive performance.
It was the kind of all-around effort the Gators needed from Finney-Smith during a difficult season.
In the wake of Donovan's departure to the NBA a few months later, Finney-Smith's terrific game is one that takes on a more meaningful place in UF's hoops history.
6) MARQUIS THE MAN
A note to readers: If Marquis Dendy ever challenges you to a jumping contest, just say no.
Dendy capped his UF career in spectacular fashion last month at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, sweeping the long and triple-jump titles.
Of course, that is nothing new.
He did the same in 2014. Dendy also swept the NCAA Indoor long and trip-jump titles as a senior. He also swept the SEC Championships. You got it?
The dude can jump.
Dendy departs UF as the indoor and outdoor National Field Athlete of the Year and one of the most accomplished track athletes in school history.
At next summer's Olympics in Brazil, Dendy will try to jump his way deeper into the sport's history.
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7) SLOAN SLAYS INJURY
Junior gymnast Bridget Sloan returned home to Indiana for a season-opening meet at Ball State and suffered an ankle injury so severe it put her season in jeopardy.
But if you know Sloan, she isn't one to walk away from a challenge.
She challenged her body and mind, working tirelessly to return to competition before the end of the season.
After several weeks as the team's most high-profile cheerleader, Sloan made her home debut in late February in an SEC meet against Kentucky.
She performed on the bars and nearly pulled off a perfect score, earning a 9.975 to electrify the O'Dome.
Sloan slowly worked her way back to full force and once again played a pivotal role for the Gators as they won their third consecutive national title.
Good news for new Florida gymnastics coach Jenny Rowland: Sloan has another year of eligibility.
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8) FOWLER SAYS GOODBYE
Gators defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr. entered his junior season as one of the nation's most talented players.
He was considered a potential first-round draft choice and the leader of Florida's bruising defense.
Fowler then saved his best for last.
In Florida's 28-20 victory against East Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl -- earning the Gators a winning season -- Fowler concluded his UF career with a career-high three sacks.
Fowler announced on Twitter shortly after Muschamp's departure that he would enter the NFL Draft.
His performance in Birmingham only helped his stock, as Fowler was taken third overall by Jacksonville.
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9) SHANNON THE SCORING MACHINE
Senior Shannon Gilroy introduced herself as a future star for the Gators lacrosse team when she scored seven goals in a postseason game against powerhouse Northwestern as a freshman.
Gilroy never stopped scoring.
On March 3 at home against Loyola (Md.), Gilroy scored the final goal in an 11-8 victory that not only sealed the win, but her place in Florida's record books.
The late second-half goal was the 204th of her career, eclipsing Kitty Cullen's school record of 203.
“Shannon is Shannon,'' Florida coach Amanda O'Leary said afterward. "We could go on and on forever about what an important part of this team she is. We wouldn't be where we are without her for sure.”
Gilroy wasn't done, finishing her career with 256 goals, eighth all-time in NCAA history.
The one on a Tuesday afternoon against Loyola stands out.
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10) HOLSTON IN CHARGE
The Gators volleyball team, seeking a spot in the Elite Eight for the first time in four years, needed someone to step up in a grueling five-setter against Illinois.
Hello, sophomore Alex Holston.
Holston slammed 18 kills to propel the Gators to a 3-2 victory and to extend their season. Florida won the final two sets after Illinois took a 2-1 lead.
Holston's clutch performance was one of many in her second season as she was named SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American.
