A-May-Zing Gators: A Look Back at Florida's Seven National Titles
Sam Stolte
5/6/2020
The month of May usually means postseason tennis, and the Florida Gators are no stranger to deep NCAA Tournament runs. One of the most storied and tradition-rich programs in the nation, the UF women’s tennis team has won seven national championships, the second-most all time. A perennial power and Southeastern Conference stalwart, Florida’s history runs deep with 56 All-Americans, 29 conference titles, 20 SEC Tournament crowns and 11 individual national champions. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of each of the team's title seasons, including insights from coaches Roland Thornqvist and Andy Brandi.
1992
This team, they were all fierce competitors. They just came after you, and would not quit until they got it done.Head Coach Andy Brandi
Making their third title match appearance in a five-year span, the Gators broke through for the first-ever NCAA Championship in 1992. Florida completed its third undefeated regular season in five years, but this time carried its winning ways into the postseason where it defeated USC in the round of 16, UCLA in the quarterfinals, Duke in the semifinals and, finally, Texas, 5-3, in the national championship.
“They just handled the pressure better," former Gators head coach Andy Brandi said. "We had gone into the NCAAs undefeated before and lost in the finals. This group just handled it really well and that’s why we ended up with our first title."
Florida, which held the nation’s No. 1 ranking from the preseason through the final poll for the first time in program history, hoisted the championship trophy on the campus of Stanford, which had won the last six titles. The Cardinal fell to Texas in the round prior.
Playing at the same facility in which they came up just a few points short in the championship round the year before, sophomores Kristin Osmond and Erika Kuttler clinched the Florida’s momentous win from the No. 3 doubles position.
“We knew Texas had very good doubles play. So we felt like if it went three-all then it’s a 50-50 chance but if we can get up 4-2, we have a really good chance of finishing it off. And that’s how it really turned out to be," Brandi said. "Kristin Osmond clinching that singles match after being down and then coming back to win the deciding doubles match, she was the obvious MVP of that match.”
The 1992 Gators, the first of Brandi’s three title teams, were paced by a dynamic duo of freshman Lisa Raymond and senior Holly Lloyd.
“Lisa Raymond is probably the greatest collegiate tennis player that ever went through. When you think about her success in college and professionally, you don’t find many that can really match those achievements to that extent. She brought talent and basically the young players always looked up to her. The fact that she dominated at No. 1 gave everybody confidence that we had one point on the board when she walked on the court.”
Lloyd, who had over 90 wins to her name before her senior year started, was an established collegian while Raymond lived up to her billing as the top recruit in the country.
“Holly was a great competitor. A fierce competitor, and that’s what she brought to the table," Brandi said.
The two combined for 96 wins during their lone year on the same roster and both brought home 1992 All-America honors. Raymond, the ITCA Rookie of the Year and the Tennis Magazine’s Collegiate Player of the Year, became the first player in NCAA history to win three collegiate Grand Slam championships in a season, winning the singles titles at the ITCA National Clay Championships, the ROLEX National Indoor and NCAA Championship.
"They got along incredibly well as a team and everybody took their role and took care of business where they were at," added Brandi.
Raymond notched a program-record 50 singles wins, while Lloyd and fellow senior Kay Louthian paired up for a team-best 18 doubles victories and finished ranked No. 14 in the nation. As a team, Florida was dominant, defeating 22 ranked squads and only having two matches decided by a single point (5-4 win over Georgia in SEC Tournament Final, and 5-4 win over UCLA in National Indoor Championships in Madison, Wis.).
| Record | 30-0 |
| SEC Record | 14-0 |
| Coach | Andy Brandi |
| Singles wins leader | Lisa Raymond (50-4) |
| Doubles wins leader | Lloyd/Louthian (18-4) |
| Roster | 1992 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 2/12/1992 | FLORIDA STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | FORFEIT | |
| 2/15/1992 | No. 2 Georgia | Athens, GA | A | W | 5 | 3 |
| 2/21/1992 | SOUTH FLORIDA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 2/23/1992 | NO. 20 LSU | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 8 | 0 |
| 2/27/1992 | No. 8 California | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 2/28/1992 | No. 10 Miami | Madison, WI | N | W | 6 | 0 |
| 2/29/1992 | No. 3 UCLA | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 4 |
| 3/1/1992 | No. 5 Stanford | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 3 |
| 3/7/1992 | NO. 16 OLE MISS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 2 |
| 3/10/1992 | No. 22 BYU | Provo, UT | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 3/11/1992 | Utah | Provo, UT | N | W | 7 | 2 |
| 3/12/1992 | Oklahoma State | Provo, UT | N | W | 8 | 0 |
| 3/18/1992 | MISSISSIPPI STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 0 |
| 3/19/1992 | NO. 3 TEXAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 2 |
| 3/20/1992 | ARKANSAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/27/1992 | No. 25 South Carolina | Columbia, SC | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 3/28/1992 | No. 3 Duke | Columbia, SC | N | W | 5 | 2 |
| 3/29/1992 | No. 25 Clemson | Columbia, SC | N | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/5/1992 | No. 23 Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/6/1992 | Auburn | Auburn, AL | A | W | 9 | 0 |
| 4/10/1992 | No. 18 Kentucky | Lexington, KY | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/11/1992 | No. 11 Tennessee | Knoxville, TN | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/12/1992 | Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN | A | W | 9 | 0 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/24/1992 | No. 20 LSU | Tuscaloosa, AL | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 4/25/1992 | No. 21 Ole Miss | Tuscaloosa, AL | N | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/26/1992 | No. 5 Georgia | Tuscaloosa, AL | N | W | 5 | 4 |
| NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP | ||||||
| 5/14/1992 | No. 13 USC | Stanford, CA | N | W | 5 | 0 |
| 5/15/1992 | No. 7 UCLA | Stanford, CA | N | W | 5 | 0 |
| 5/16/1992 | No. 4 Duke | Stanford, CA | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 5/17/1992 | No. 3 Texas | Stanford, CA | N | W | 5 | 3 |
1996
It’s not easy winning an NCAA title, and when you can do it in the fashion that that team did, it was fantastic to see it. Everything fell into place. I remember that morning reading my horoscope and it said champion. So you know it was just meant to be.Head Coach Andy Brandi
Collecting their second NCAA Championships in five seasons, the Gators completed their second undefeated season, as they registered a 31-0 record in 1996.
Florida again was the season’s wire-to-wire No. 1 squad. After the Gators fell 5-4 in the 1995 NCAA tournament finale vs. Texas, Florida fought its way back the next season and earned a 5-2 victory over juggernaut Stanford, in a match played in nearby Tallahassee.
“It was an incredible atmosphere. It was fantastic because there were so many people that made the trip from Gainesville," said Brandi.
UF cruised to 5-0 wins over Oklahoma State and Wisconsin in the first two rounds, before it dispatched UCLA, 5-1, in the semifinals and eventually defeated Stanford. The veteran-laden Gators were a powerhouse all season long, never allowing a single opponent to score more than two points and outscoring its opponents by a margin of 216-19.
“They just showed up. They knew what they had to do each and every match," Brand said. "You knew you could count on every single person every match because they were going to come and compete their heart out.”
Seniors Jill Craybas, Lori Ann Freedman and Lisa Pugliese all went out on top as UF won its 14th SEC Championship. Six days following the team title, Craybas won the NCAA Singles title and the pair of Dawn Buth and Stephanie Nickitas won the NCAA Doubles crown. Florida became only the second team in history to sweep the three NCAA titles (team, singles & doubles) and sealed its place as one of the most dominant teams in collegiate history.
“They got along incredibly well. They competed hard and pushed each other," Brandi remarked. "It was a special year because it was a triple crown year. They came out and they dominated. Even in the finals, they were just too much.”
Along with registering his second NCAA Championship with Florida, 1996 was a memorable year for Brandi, who in that season posted his 300th career win and was named the Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year. Craybas, a University of Texas transfer, posted a remarkable 41-8 record and was tabbed the Tennis Magazine/Rolex Player of the Year and the Honda Award winner.
“Jill was somebody who showed up every day for practice and you knew when set foot on the court that she was going to compete her heart out and give it all her best," said Brandi.
Playing in front of a collection of their home fans in the Sunshine State, the seniors Craybas and Freedman provided the winning point to send the team into celebration mode at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. Injuries limited Freedman to only competition in doubles down the stretch, but it was her shot that was the deciding blow as the Gators finished the season with the second-most wins in program history.
“It hurts to lose in the finals, you’re almost there but you’re not over the top. You can taste it at times but it just slides away," Brandi said. "It was a great feeling in 1996 to pull it off.”
| Record | 31-0 |
| SEC Record | 14-0 |
| Coach | Andy Brandi |
| Singles wins leader | Lisa Pugliese (30-1) |
| Doubles wins leader | Buth/Nickitas (37-1) |
| Roster | 1996 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 2/2/1996 | No. 42 Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | A | W | 8 | 1 |
| 2/3/1996 | No. 18 BYU | Provo, UT | A | W | 8 | 1 |
| 2/14/1996 | NO. 36 SOUTH FLORIDA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 2/16/1996 | NO. 40 ARKANSAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 2/17/1996 | NO. 28 MIAMI | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 2/22/1996 | No. 16 Notre Dame | Madison, WI | N | W | 8 | 0 |
| 2/23/1996 | No. 7 UCLA | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 2 |
| 2/24/1996 | No. 5 Duke | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 2/25/1996 | No. 3 Stanford | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 2 |
| 3/2/1996 | No. 12 South Carolina | Columbia, SC | A | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/3/1996 | No. 29 Clemson | Clemson, SC | A | W | 7 | 2 |
| 3/8/1996 | NO. 24 AUBURN | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/12/1996 | NO. 21 OLE MISS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/14/1996 | MISSISSIPPI STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/17/1996 | NO. 3 TEXAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 2 |
| 3/23/1996 | No. 4 Duke | Durham, NC | A | W | 5 | 2 |
| 3/24/1996 | No. 9 Wake Forest | Winston-Salem, NC | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 3/28/1996 | NO. 15 ALABAMA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 0 |
| 3/30/1996 | No. 21 Kentucky | Lexington, KY | A | W | 9 | 0 |
| 4/2/1996 | NO. 38 LSU | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 4/4/1996 | NO. 31 FLORIDA STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 8 | 1 |
| 4/13/1996 | No. 20 Tennessee | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 8 | 1 |
| 4/14/1996 | No. 13 Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN | A | W | 9 | 0 |
| 4/21/1996 | No. 17 Georgia | Athens, GA | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/26/1996 | NO. 36 ARKANSAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/27/1996 | NO. 9 OLE MISS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 1 |
| 4/28/1996 | NO. 10 VANDERBILT | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 0 |
| NCAA TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 5/18/1996 | No. 38 Oklahoma State | Tallahassee, FL | N | W | 5 | 0 |
| 5/19/1996 | No 11 Wisconsin | Tallahassee, FL | N | W | 5 | 0 |
| 5/20/1996 | No. 6 UCLA | Tallahassee, FL | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 5/21/1996 | No. 2 Stanford | Tallahassee, FL | N | W | 5 | 2 |
1998
That match was a war. They just had a really big heart and didn’t give in. We hung in there, hung in there and then sure enough it fell our way.Head Coach Andy Brandi
Playing in their fourth straight NCAA Championship match, Florida was victorious yet again as it dispatched Duke 5-1 in May of 1998 on the campus of Notre Dame.
“That final was a very tough match. The talent was very even. It just came down to who competed better and we just happened to come through," Brandi added.
Posting its third and final NCAA title of the decade, UF completed its third undefeated season, finishing 27-0.
The tournament’s No. 2 seed, Florida knocked off Pepperdine in the round of 16, Arizona State in the quarters, SEC rival Georgia in the semifinals and eventually the Blue Devils in the culminating match. Seniors and holdovers from the Gators’ 1996 championship squad, Dawn Buth and Bonnie Bleecker, concluded their four-year collegiate careers leading UF to two NCAA team championships, two National Team Indoor Titles and four SEC regular-season and tournament crowns. The pair helped UF compile a 116-4 dual match record during their tenure, and in her final tour in the collegiate game, Buth led the way with 32 singles victories.
“I have to say Bonnie was a great teammate. Her support and her ability to encourage those on the court was amazing. Dawn was another individual who left everything out there. She could compete and was so mentally strong at difficult times. That’s what made her such a successful player.”
Buth and junior Stephanie Nickitas, who also earned her second championship with Florida, finished as the country’s No. 1-ranked doubles tandem and reached the NCAA Doubles Championships for the third consecutive year. They were also both named All-Americans. The Tampa native, Nickitas, finished her Florida career with 128 doubles wins, the second-most in program history.
Earning his third and final title with the Gators, Brandi guided the team to its 16th SEC title in 1998. Freshman Whitney Laiho concluded the campaign with a 26-1 record (.962), registering the third-best single season winning percentage in program history. Up and down its lineup, Florida featured talent, as it saw seven players finish the season in the national rankings.
“They adapted very well whether it was warm, cold, moderate, they adapted to the conditions and the situation. They dealt with it and didn’t let anything bother them," said Brandi.
The Gators were certainly battled tested when it was all said and done as they took on 25 ranked opponents in a total of 27 matches.
“We always made our schedule extremely tough, we believed in playing as many top 20 schools in our schedule as we could, year in and year out,: said Brandi. "I think again, at the beginning when we first started in the SEC that it wasn’t at a level where we were competing with the Stanfords, the Dukes and UCLAs of the world. One thing we did after a few years to correct that was we started to beef up the schedule. We tried to be battle tested by the time we got to the NCAAs.”
Buth and freshman Stephanie Hazlett rallied to win singles matches within moments of each other to cap Florida’s 5-1 victory over the Blue Devils in what was a very competitive match, contrary to the final score.
“That was a tough match, an absolute war. You had, I don’t know how many three set matches, but I think Dawn Buth won in a very close three sets and Stephanie Hazlett won in three sets against someone she had lost to before. That match was a war. They just had a really big heart and didn’t give in. We hung in there, hung in there and then sure enough it fell our way," added Brandi.
| Record | 27-0 |
| SEC Record | 14-0 |
| Coach | Andy Brandi |
| Singles wins leader | Dawn Buth (32-11) |
| Doubles wins leader | Buth/Nickitas (28-4) |
| Roster | 1998 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 2/11/1998 | NO. 44 FLORIDA STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 8 | 1 |
| 2/12/1998 | NO. 20 ARKANSAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 8 | 1 |
| 2/14/1998 | No. 34 Kentucky | Lexington, KY | A | W | 7 | 1 |
| 2/18/1998 | NO. 39 SOUTH FLORIDA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 8 | 1 |
| 2/21/1998 | NO. 23 MIAMI | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 3 |
| 2/22/1998 | NO. 41 LSU | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 8 | 1 |
| 2/28/1998 | NO. 9 OLE MISS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/8/1998 | NO. 58 MISSISSIPPI STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/11/1998 | No. 18 Notre Dame | Las Vegas, NV | N | W | 7 | 2 |
| 3/12/1998 | No. 36 UNLV | Las Vegas, NV | A | W | 9 | 0 |
| 3/13/1998 | No. 8 William & Mary | Las Vegas, NV | N | W | 6 | 3 |
| 3/17/1998 | NO. 7 TEXAS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 1 |
| 3/21/1998 | No. 11 Wake Forest | Winston-Salem, NC | A | W | 8 | 0 |
| 3/22/1998 | No. 3 Duke | Durham, NC | A | W | 5 | 1 |
| 3/24/1998 | ALABAMA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/28/1998 | No. 34 South Carolina | Columbia, SC | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/4/1998 | No. 17 Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN | A | W | 7 | 1 |
| 4/5/1998 | No. 12 Tennessee | Knoxville, TN | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 4/9/1998 | No. 4 Georgia | Athens, GA | A | W | 6 | 3 |
| 4/12/1998 | AUBURN | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 9 | 0 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/17/1998 | No. 25 Kentucky | Lexington, KY | A | W | 5 | 0 |
| 4/18/1998 | No. 20 Arkansas | Lexington, KY | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 4/19/1998 | No. 4 Georgia | Lexington, KY | N | W | 5 | 2 |
| NCAA TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 5/21/1998 | No. 12 Pepperdine | Notre Dame, IN | N | W | 5 | 2 |
| 5/22/1998 | No. 5 Texas | Notre Dame, IN | N | W | 5 | 0 |
| 5/23/1998 | No. 4 Georgia | Notre Dame, IN | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 5/24/1998 | No. 4 Duke | Notre Dame, IN | N | W | 5 | 1 |
2003
What we had was an incredibly deep team. If you look at the talent we had at 4, 5 and 6, it was arguably the same skill level as 1, 2, 3 and that’s what really separated us from most teams.Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
For the first time, Florida hoisted the NCAA Championship trophy at its home facility as it earned a thrilling 4-3 victory over Stanford at the Ring Tennis Complex. Hosting the event for the fifth time, Florida and head coach Roland Thornqvist, who earned his first title with the Gators, won the game’s ultimate prize in front of 1,132 fans. The No. 2-seeded Gators upset the top-ranked and two-time defending national champion Stanford, earning the fourth title in program history.
“It was packed and it was loud. It was a tremendous feeling to be able to do it at home," said Thornqvist.
Florida’s roster was youthful as it leaned on the contributions of six underclassmen, but it was one of the Gators’ two upperclassmen who would clinch the deciding match. Julie Rotondi provided the thrilling championship point with her 6-0, 7-5 upset victory over 16th-ranked Lauren Barnikow at the No. 2 singles position.
"We won fast at six and it came down to Julie Rotondi, who I had recruited at North Carolina. She transferred down here to play for the Gators and it came down to her. She played someone who she had played hundreds of times in juniors. She was extremely tough mentally, that was her greatest gift. She was fast, she was a great athlete, but mentally she was amazing. She put on a show," Thornqvist said.
After falling to Stanford in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments and three of the last four, including the season prior on the Cardinal’s home court, Florida was victorious in the eighth all-time NCAA Championship title match meeting between the programs.
“Obviously Stanford was the team you wanted to play in the finals right. It’s an historic program, it’s the sort of program that we measured ourselves by," remarked Thornqvist.
Claiming their first title since the event expanded to a field of 64, the Gators won convincingly over FAU, Tulane, Arizona State, Vanderbilt and Duke in succession before battling to a narrow win over perennial power Stanford.
"I think what really solidified as a National Championship contender was a loss at Vanderbilt (March 16) where after that loss we switched our doubles lineups around," said Thornqvist. "We became just a formidable doubles team after that with Jennifer Magley and Zerene Reyes playing No. 1 doubles. Magley was 6-foot-` and Reyes was 4-foot-11, it was a pretty funny sight to see but they were incredibly effective. They learned to play well together and communicated well and became a fantastic one doubles team for us. That Vanderbilt loss made us reevaluate some really key points on our team and made us make some adjustments that ultimately won us the tournament at the end.”
Magley, Reyes and Alexis Gordon all earned All-America honors; Gordon led the unit with 28 victories.
"Alexis was super quiet but she trained well and everybody was friends with her. She was always in a good mood," Thornqvist added. "The funny thing with Alexis was so she had mono that year and we didn’t really find out until it was gone. She had slipped in the lineup and ended up playing five for us in May. In retrospect we realized that it was because of the mono that she started being fatigued in training, so we dropped her a spot or two from the beginning of the season."
Julia Scaringe, the team’s lone senior, finished her Gators career with 96 wins, including 17 in her final season of collegiate competition. Tying the program record with 31 victories, Florida took on a staggering 31 ranked opponents that season and finished with an unblemished 18-0 mark at home. In just his second season at the helm, Thornqvist helped guide a talented group of Gators, ushering in new wave off success in Gainesville. It was just the second time a Florida team won a national championship in front of its home fans and the first time since 1982, when swimming and diving did so.
| Record | 31-2 |
| SEC Record | 14-0 |
| Coach | Roland Thornqvist |
| Singles wins leader | Alexis Gordon (45-7) |
| Doubles wins leader | Reyes/Magley (36-10) |
| Roster | 2003 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 1/25/2003 | No. 74 SOUTH FLORIDA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 1/26/2003 | No. 27 SOUTH ALABAMA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/1/2003 | No. 42 FIU | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/6/2003 | No. 59 Tulsa | Madison, WI | N | W | 6 | 1 |
| 2/7/2003 | No. 9 UCLA | Madison, WI | N | W | 4 | 3 |
| 2/8/2003 | No. 7 So. California | Madison, WI | N | W | 5 | 1 |
| 2/9/2003 | No. 4 Duke | Madison, WI | N | L | 3 | 4 |
| 2/15/2003 | No. 14 MIAMI | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 2/19/2003 | No. 57 at Florida State | Tallahassee, FL | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/28/2003 | No. 39 MISSISSIPPI* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 0 |
| 3/2/2003 | MISSISSIPPI STATE* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/5/2003 | No. 17 at Texas | Austin, TX | A | W | 6 | 1 |
| 3/7/2003 | No. 69 at Arkansas* | Fayetteville, AR | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/9/2003 | No. 50 at LSU* | Baton Rouge, LA | A | W | 7 | 1 |
| 3/14/2003 | No. 13 at Kentucky* | Lexington, KY | A | W | 5 | 2 |
| 3/16/2003 | No. 10 at Vanderbilt* | Nashville, TN | A | L | 3 | 4 |
| 3/21/2003 | No. 21 CLEMSON | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 3/23/2003 | WAKE FOREST | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/26/2003 | No. 1 DUKE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 3 |
| 3/28/2003 | No. 20 ALABAMA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/30/2003 | No. 59 AUBURN* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/4/2003 | No. 11 at Tennessee* | Knoxville, TN | A | W | 4 | 3 |
| 4/6/2003 | No. 6 at Georgia* | Athens, GA | A | W | 5 | 2 |
| 4/12/2003 | No. 37 SOUTH CAROLINA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/18/2003 | No. 49 Mississippi | Knoxville, TN | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/19/2003 | No. 8 Tennessee | Knoxville, TN | N | W | 4 | 3 |
| 4/20/2003 | No. 7 Georgia | Knoxville, TN | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| NCAA TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 5/9/2003 | No. 64 FAU | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/10/2003 | No. 29 TULANE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 1 |
| 5/15/2003 | No. 18 ARIZONA ST. | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/16/2003 | No. 15 VANDERBILT | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/17/2003 | No. 3 DUKE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 1 |
| 5/18/2003 | No. 1 STANFORD | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 3 |
2011
The desire, the willingness to practice and to try things. They just wanted to find ways to get better to give themselves a chance to win the whole thing. I think that’s what really set them apart. We had some really close calls I remember, but the never-give-up, never-say-die attitude of this team was just really unique.Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
After falling to Stanford 4-3 in the 2010 national title match, the Gators avenged their loss and defeated the Cardinal by the same tally in 2011 to claim the program’s fifth national championship.
“The determination of this team was off the charts because they felt like we probably should have won it the year before at Georgia when we lost to Stanford. So that 2011 team was uniquely driven by a desire to make up for what happened the year before. Looking back it was about as a professional of a team as we have ever had," Thornqvist said.
Returning five from the 2010 squad and welcoming three talented new freshmen, the Gators put an end to Stanford’s staggering NCAA-record 184 consecutive home-match win streak and its 47-match overall win streak by earning a dramatic victory in California.
”We tried to stay away from it from a team standpoint, very much like we didn’t talk about our own streak when were in the amidst of it. Clearly everybody knew about it though, it had been such a long time since they had last lost at home. And for a good reason, they always put together a world-class team. It was such a tough place to play with such a great crowd. The odds were stacked up against us clearly but they found a way to get it done," said Thornqvist. "That’s really what describes this team in general, they just got it done.”
Posting their seventh 30-win season, the Gators concluded their season with a 21-match winning streak and notched their 25th SEC regular season championship. Claiming their second title in the current 64-team playoff format, the Gators began their run with victories over South Carolina and South Carolina State in Gainesville before knocking off Clemson, Miami, UCLA and eventually Stanford on the Cardinal’s home court.
"In that NCAA run for example, we are playing the round of 16 against a really tough Clemson team. We come out and win the doubles point but in singles we lose five opening sets in singles. To be honest with you, normally I would be sweating bullets but I remember oh we played a poor set there and a poor set there, but I never really felt any panic," Thornqvist added. "You could just see that it was just a machine, those six players on the court they were just a well-oiled machine."
In what was a thrilling title bout, Florida faced a 3-2 deficit but freshman Olivia Janowicz and sophomore Lauren Embree, whose victory clinched it, both recorded come-from-behind wins. The 2010 SEC Player of the Year, Embree, rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the third set, forced a tiebreaker, where she overcame a 2-0 hole and earned an epic 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win. For her efforts, Embree, a native Floridian, was named the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Performer.
“Obviously the final that year was in it of itself was just an epic match," remarked Thornqvist. "Playing at Stanford having the crowd there, you know there was a over 2,000 people there. Lauren’s incredible comeback is one for the ages, it was just a fairy tale year really."
With the influx of experience and newcomers, Florida’s depth was tremendous as it saw eight players earn a spot in the final national singles rankings. Sophomore Allie Will, who finished the season with an overall 35-5 record, was named the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP. Will and freshman Alex Cercone teamed up to form a dominant No. 1 doubles duo for UF, as they combined to go 12-0 in dual match play.
“They were the hardest working group I think we ever had. It was like that in practice every day and it was like that when we played matches," Thornqvist said. "There was no stone unturned, they just never quit. No matter what the odds, no matter what the situation was. That’s how your down 4-0 in the third on the last court on at Stanford against a player who ended up being in the top 100 in the world in Mallory Burdette. Lauren exemplified the attitude that the whole team possessed. They just refused to lay down."
Cercone, Will and Embree all garnered All-America honors. Leading what he considered to be one of his hardest working teams, Thornqvist hoisted his second NCAA Championship trophy and was named the ITA National Coach of the Year.
| Record | 31-1 |
| SEC Record | 11-0 |
| Coach | Roland Thornqvist |
| Singles wins leader | Alex Cercone (37-11) |
| Doubles wins leader | Embree/Mather (16-4) / Oyen/Will (16-4) |
| Roster | 2011 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 1/26/2011 | UCF | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 1/29/2011 | No. 69 COL. OF CHARLESTON | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 0 |
| 1/30/2011 | No. 66 WINTHROP | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/5/2011 | No. BAYLOR | Gainesville, FL | H | PPD | ||
| 2/6/2011 | No. 54 FIU | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/8/2011 | No. 25 SOUTH FLORIDA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 2 |
| 2/12/2011 | No. 4 North Carolina | Chapel Hill, NC | A | W | 5 | 2 |
| 2/13/2011 | No. 6 Duke | Durham, NC | A | W | 4 | 2 |
| 2/18/2011 | No. 9 vs. Miami-FL | Charlottesville, VA | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| 2/19/2011 | No. 12 vs. Clemson | Charlottesville, VA | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 2/20/2011 | No. 6 vs. Duke | Charlottesville, VA | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| 2/21/2011 | No. 1 vs. Stanford | Charlottesville, VA | N | L | 2 | 4 |
| 3/1/2011 | No. 22 Florida State | Tallahassee, FL | A | W | 6 | 1 |
| 3/4/2011 | LSU* | Baton Rouge, LA | A | W | 6 | 0 |
| 3/6/2011 | No. 16 Arkansas* | Fayetteville, AR | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/11/2011 | No. 33 ALABAMA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 3/13/2011 | AUBURN* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 3/25/2011 | No. 29 Ole Miss* | Oxford, MS | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/27/2011 | MISSISSIPPI STATE* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/30/2011 | No. 9 BAYLOR | Gainesville, FL | H | canceled | 7 | 0 |
| 4/1/2011 | Kentucky* | Lexington, KY | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/3/2011 | No. 20 Vanderbilt* | Nashville, TN | A | W | 7 | 3 |
| 4/8/2011 | No. 6 GEORGIA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 4/10/2011 | No. 14 TENNESSEE* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/16/2011 | No. 38 SOUTH CAROLINA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/22/2011 | vs. No. 36 South Carolina | Knoxville, TN | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/23/2011 | vs. No. 19 Vanderbilt | Knoxville, TN | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/24/2011 | No. 14 Tennessee | Knoxville, TN | A | W | 4 | 0 |
| NCAA TOURNAMENT | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 5/14/2011 | SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/15/2011 | No. 35 SOUTH CAROLINA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/20/2011 | vs. No. 15 Clemson | Stanford, CA | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| 5/22/2011 | vs. No. 5 Miami | Stanford, CA | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| 5/23/2011 | vs. No. 6 UCLA | Stanford, CA | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/24/2011 | No. 2 Stanford | Stanford, CA | A | W | 4 | 3 |
2012
We thought going into that year that it was going to be difficult to win it again even though we had the same team and arguably a better team in 2012 if you compare them. But nobody can prepare you to the human side of trying to repeat because inherently the team the following year will measure itself with the previous year’s team.Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
Becoming just the second team in the history of NCAA women’s tennis to do so, the Gators claimed their second straight national championship with a 4-0 victory over top-seeded UCLA in 2012. Winning on the homecourt of the Georgia Bulldogs, Florida, which finished 27-1, claimed the game’s ultimate prize for the sixth time and third time in head coach Roland Thornqvist’s tenure.
“We thought going into that year that it was going to be difficult to win it again even though we had the same team and arguably a better team in 2012 if you compare them. But nobody can prepare you to the human side of trying to repeat because inherently the team the following year will measure itself with the previous year’s team," said Thornqvist.
In a similar fashion to the 2011 title clash, Lauren Embree provided the match-clinching heroics and was named the NCAA Championships Most Outstanding Player, but with a little less drama as she posted a 6-4, 6-0 win on Court One to seal it for the Gators.
“We have always played well up there. Partially I think it’s because that rivalry you know brings the best in this team and has in the 19 years I’ve been here," Thornqvist remarked. "We had a lot of Gator fans make their way up which made for a cool atmosphere.”
Florida’s championship journey began at the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex where as the tournament’s No. 2 overall seed, made quick work of South Carolina State and Washington State before heading to Athens for the round of 16. Florida shutout Michigan and Miami in succession before grinding out a hard-fought 4-3 win over No. 3-seeded Duke in the semifinals. Posting the deciding point, sophomore Alex Cercone notched a three-set win to push the Gators to their third-straight national title match appearance, where they would eventually blow past the Bruins.
"Alex (Cercone) at No. 5 was amazing. Against Duke she was down and out and came back from the dead really after cramping at the beginning of the third set to somehow winning the deciding match," Thornqvist added. "There were so many stories there much like the previous year where we were pushed to the brink and it was Alex’s turn whereas Lauren had done it the previous year.”
The Gators’ play at the Ring Tennis Complex epitomized the phrase home court advantage as they, for the 22nd time in program history went undefeated at home and extended their home match winning streak to 107 (the longest active streak by any NCAA Division I women’s team in any sport at that time). The veteran-driven Florida unit was again led by juniors Allie Will and Embree, who both saw time at the team’s top spot in singles. Will finished 17-2 in dual match play while Embree posted a 22-2 mark and was tabbed SEC Player of the Year for the second time.
"Allie and Lauren had really bought in. We alternated Lauren and Allie at the No. 1 and No. 2 spot every weekend and that was a discussion we had in January," Thornqvist said. "I sort of told them our plan was that we had two of the top four players in the country and I wanted them to play freely and not have a great rivalry there that could sour the whole thing."
UF’s lone senior, Joanna Mather, was a cornerstone performer from the No. 3 slot, registering a team-best 34-7 overall record.
"She was always a leader in the clubhouse because her character was pristine. She made good decisions, she was kind, she had empathy but on the flipside she was incredibly tough in competition," remarked Thornqvist. "On top of those character skills, she had really improved as a tennis player. Having her at No. 3, we actually felt like we had a three-headed monster. She had the Florida first mentality and I think of all our National Championship teams, that Florida first mentality has been crucial and this team certainly showed that in many respects.”
Florida set the tone in doubles play all season long, collectively finishing 68-15. Will and sophomore Sophie Oyen were the primary tandem and posted a 20-2 record, while Embree and Mather were a force from the second slot, registering a 21-1 record.
| Record | 27-1 |
| SEC Record | 14-0 |
| Coach | Roland Thornqvist |
| Singles wins leader | Joanna Mather (34-7) |
| Doubles wins leader | Mather/Embree (29-4) |
| Roster | 2012 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 1/25/2012 | TROY | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/1/2012 | UCF | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/4/2012 | No. 5 Baylor | Waco, TX | A | W | 5 | 2 |
| 2/7/2012 | No. 45 SOUTH FLORIDA | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/10/2012 | vs. No. 27 Pepperdine | Stanford, CA | N | W | 7 | 0 |
| 2/12/2012 | No. 2 Stanford | Stanford, CA | A | L | 2 | 5 |
| 2/26/2012 | No. 13 NORTH CAROLINA | Gainesville, FL | H | Cancelled | ||
| 2/29/2012 | FLORIDA STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/2/2012 | No. 5 Tennessee* | Knoxville, TN | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/4/2012 | No. 4 Georgia* | Athens, Ga. | A | W | 4 | 3 |
| 3/9/2012 | No. 22 VANDERBILT* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 3/12/2012 | KENTUCKY* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/14/2012 | No. 5 DUKE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 5 | 0 |
| 3/23/2012 | Mississippi State* | Starkville, MS | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/25/2012 | No. 19 OLE MISS* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 3/30/2012 | No. 62 Auburn* | Auburn, AL | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/1/2012 | No. 13 Alabama* | Tuscaloosa, AL | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/6/2012 | No. 40 ARKANSAS* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/8/2012 | No. 39 LSU* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/14/2012 | No. 27 South Carolina* | Columbia, SC | A | W | 4 | 1 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/20/2012 | No. 20 Tennessee | Oxford, MS | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/21/2012 | No. 16 Ole Miss | Oxford, MS | A | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/22/2012 | No. 7 vs. Georgia | Oxford, MS | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| NCAA TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 5/11/2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/12/2012 | No. 31 WASHINGTON ST. | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 0 |
| 5/17/2012 | No. 15 Michigan | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/19/2012 | No. 11 Miami | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/21/2012 | No. 3 Duke | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 3 |
| 5/22/2012 | No. 1 UCLA | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 0 |
2017
I remember losing to Georgia to snap our winning streak and telling people afterwards that of all teams to lose the streak, I was happy that this was the team. Because we had just won the National Indoor Championship and they were better equipped to handle the disappointment because of their early success. Our maturity I think really contributed to us being able to have a fantastic NCAA Tournament.Head Coach Roland Thornqvist
Familiar foes Florida and Stanford would clash for the 15th time in the NCAA tournament finale, but this time it was the Gators who came out on top to nab their seventh National Championship with a 4-1 win at Georgia’s Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Returning to Athens, a city where they celebrated just five years prior, the Gators stymied a Stanford team which had eliminated them the year before from postseason play.
"I think that this group felt like we had blown a couple of years and I’m not so sure I agree with that assessment, but I know the team was thinking that way. They were really on a mission," said Thornqvist.
The nation’s wire-to-wire No. 1 ranked team, Florida, which finished with a 29-3 record, was an experienced cohort with seven of the eight on its roster being upperclassmen.
“They worked so hard and had come so close previously, I was really happy for these kids," Thornqvist added.
It was the Gators’ lone freshman though who would clinch their title as rookie Ingrid Neel shrugged off the pressure and rallied for a three-set victory.
"Ingrid lost her first set at No. 3 to Taylor Davidson who we had previously been unable to beat. She was so mentally tough but I do remember at the end of that match after talking to Ingrid after the first set, we knew that Davidson was wounded physically. I think Ingrid knew it. I really didn’t say much to her because she was so dialed in during that second set and did such a fine job," said Thornqvist. "In the third set, I left her alone completely. She was up, I think, 4-1 and I left the court and stood in between courts three and four. I really let Ingrid just do it herself."
Hosting the NCAA Tournament’s first and second rounds for the 17th straight season, Florida kicked off its postseason surge with wins over Massachusetts and Miami before heading northeast to Athens for the round of 16. Florida got past Texas A&M and 2016 national runner-up Oklahoma State in its first two matchups before avenging a pair of regular season losses and knocking off Vanderbilt, 4-2 in the semifinals.
Brooke Austin, Anna Danilina, Kourtney Keegan, Belinda Woolcock and Neel all earned All-America status, as Florida finished with its most All-Americans in 10 years. The junior Danilina led the way with 37 overall wins while the senior Woolcock was a consistent contributor at the No. 1 spot in dual match play, notching 16 victories.
"Our NCAA draw was really tough we played Oklahoma State who was the previous year’s finalist in the quarters," remarked Thornqvist. "In the semifinals we had to play Vanderbilt inside because it rained and that’s where Belinda really flexed her muscles. She for the first time was able to beat a fellow Australian Astra Sharma in three sets and boy that was the catalyst. It was a big reason we won that match, it was her upset at No. 1 singles.”
Winning 28 of their 32 doubles points, the Gators often set the tone with strong play. The doubles team of Josie Kuhlman and Woolcock capped their pairing with a 23-3 dual match record at the No. 3 position, which was the most in a season by a Gators duo at the three spot in program history.
"To win a national championship, you have to have the ability to win at every spot and I think if you look at all four of my national championship teams, we certainly have had that each year," said Thornqvist.
The Gators overcame adversity at two major points in the season. On March 17, Florida saw its unfathomable home winning streak of 163 consecutive matches come to an end after a 4-1 loss to Georgia; it was the longest active streak of any NCAA Division I team in any sport of any gender in the country and began on January 22, 2005. Down the stretch Florida dropped two of its final four matches heading into the NCAA Tournament, falling to Vanderbilt twice in Nashville -- once in its regular season finale and a week later in the SEC Tournament finale.
"I remember losing to Georgia to snap our winning streak and telling people afterwards that of all teams to lose the streak, I was happy that this was the team. Because we had just won the National Indoor Championship and they were better equipped to handle the disappointment because of their early success," added Thornqvist. "Our maturity I think really contributed to us being able to have a fantastic NCAA Tournament.”
The veteran-laden Gators wouldn’t be denied as they put together a tremendous run in May, leaving Thornqvist with his fourth national championship.
| Record | 29-3 |
| SEC Record | 11-2 |
| Coach | Roland Thornqvist |
| Singles wins leader | Anna Danilina (37-10) |
| Doubles wins leader | Woolcock/Kuhlman (32-7) |
| Roster | 2017 |
| Date | Opponent | Location | H/A/N | W/L | Team Score | Opponent Score |
| 1/28/2017 | DePAUL | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 6 | 1 |
| 1/29/2017 | FIU | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 2/3/2017 | No. 18 USC | Los Angeles, CA | A | cancelled | ||
| 2/4/2017 | No. 3 Pepperdine | Malibu, CA | H | W | 5 | 2 |
| 2/10/2017 | vs. No. 13 Michigan | New Haven, CT | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| 2/11/2017 | vs. No. 12 Texas Tech | New Haven, CT | A | W | 4 | 1 |
| 2/12/2017 | vs. No. 6 Georgia | New Haven, CT | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 2/13/2017 | vs. No. 2 North Carolina | New Haven, CT | H | W | 4 | 2 |
| 2/17/2017 | No. 6 OKLAHOMA STATE | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 4 | 2 |
| 2/19/2017 | No. 5 STANFORD | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 4 | 1 |
| 3/3/2017 | No. 37 LSU* | Baton Rouge, LA | H | W | 7 | 0 |
| 3/6/2017 | No. 20 Texas A&M* | College Station, TX | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 3/11/2017 | No. 24 SOUTH CAROLINA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 3/14/2017 | vs. No. 2 Ohio State | Orlando, FL | A | W | 4 | 1 |
| 3/17/2017 | No. 6 GEORGIA* | Gainesville, FL | H | L | 1 | 4 |
| 3/19/2017 | No. 19 TENNESSEE* | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 4 | 0 |
| 3/24/2017 | No. 18 Arkansas* | Fayetteville, AR | A | W | 4 | 3 |
| 3/26/2017 | No. 44 Missouri* | Columbia, MO | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 3/31/2017 | No. 45 ALABAMA* | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/2/2017 | No. 11 AUBURN* | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/7/2017 | No. 26 OLE MISS* | Gainesville, FL | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/9/2017 | No. 16 MISSISSIPPI STATE* | Gainesville, FL | A | W | 7 | 0 |
| 4/14/2017 | No. 13 Kentucky* | Lexington, KY | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 4/16/2017 | No. 5 Vanderbilt* | Nashville, TN | H | L | 2 | 4 |
| SEC TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 4/21/2017 | vs. No. 20 Mississippi St. | Nashville, TN | N | W | 4 | 2 |
| 4/22/2017 | vs. No. 12 vs. Auburn | Nashville, TN | N | W | 4 | 2 |
| 4/23/2017 | at No. 2 Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN | A | L | 3 | 4 |
| NCAA TOURNAMENT | ||||||
| 5/13/2017 | MASSACHUSETTS | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/14/2017 | No. 28 MIAMI | Gainesville, FL | H | W | 4 | 1 |
| 5/19/2017 | No. 20 Texas A&M | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 0 |
| 5/21/2017 | No. 9 Oklahoma St. | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 1 |
| 5/22/2017 | No. 3 Vanderbilt | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 2 |
| 5/23/2017 | No. 6 Stanford | Athens, GA | N | W | 4 | 1 |
