Graphic: Scott MacCord/UAA Communications
O&B Notebook: Alexander's Proposal Paid Off, Lochte, Keyontae, More Gators Tidbits
Monday, April 26, 2021 | General, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- In a year partly defined by heightened awareness of social-justice initiatives and equality measures in college athletics, the passing of Dr. Ruth Alexander on April 17 brought to light the important role she played in the evolution of women's athletics not only at the University of Florida, but in the Southeastern Conference.
Alexander was a pioneer in the industry, instrumental in the creation of the UF women's athletic program and a member of the Gators Athletic Hall of Fame.
Alexander had been in failing health in recent years, out of the spotlight and detached from the latest developments in college athletics. Still, her legacy has been secure since the early 1970s. In an interview with H.G. Young for the University of Florida Oral History Archives in March 1992, Alexander discussed her life and career in-depth.
She said the growth of women's athletics and opportunities compared to her youth in Virginia was night-and-day different. She said her high school in Radford, Va., dropped the girls basketball team after her freshman year. The only option for Alexander to continue to play was intramural sports.
"We never really knew why it was discontinued,'' Alexander said. "Girls today have no idea how [far things have come]."
Years later, during her career at Florida and in the months leading up to Title IX, Alexander drew up a proposal to start the Southeastern Conference's first women's athletic program at UF. She didn't know how it would be received by the university's administration, but in the end, the proposal defined Alexander's career.
"I always think about [then-UF President] Stephen C. O'Connell. It was just very questionable for us to make such a proposal. We never had it,'' Alexander told Young 29 years ago. "The possibility of being turned down was so possible. We never really had it; why should they do it now? You walk over there to Tigert Hall and you are nervous and scared, but you want it. You kind of keep your fingers crossed. He just listened and said, 'We will have it' -- kind of like God talking. 'We will have this.' That total acceptance from him stands out, and I will always remember it."
And the Gators will always remember her.
LIFE OF LOCHTE
The story does not appear to be online yet, but in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, former Gators All-American swimmer Ryan Lochte is featured in a multi-page spread. Nothing unusual there in that for the past 20 years, the 36-year-old Lochte has been in the public eye, first as a prep standout in Daytona Beach, then as a Gators star and Olympic champion.
Of course, at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics Lochte made international headlines for more than what he did in the pool. Instead, a drunken night out with teammates and a fabricated story about being robbed at gunpoint caused a stir. That episode and more is covered in the SI story, which starts with Lochte heading to his Gainesville-area home after a grueling practice session.
Lochte is now married with two young children and portrayed in a more grown-up way than the party boy we're accustomed to. The 12-time Olympic medalist is training for this summer's Tokyo Olympics and if he makes the U.S. team, he would become the U.S.'s oldest-ever male Olympic swimmer.
JOHNSON MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT
Gators forward Keyontae Johnson, whose collapse at Florida State in December was one of the biggest stories of the college basketball season, continues to map out his future.
He delivered a glimpse into what it might look like with an announcement that drew headlines last week.
The Southeastern Conference Preseason Player of the Year, Johnson's future on the court remains uncertain. Still, his decision to remain at UF and prepare for the 2021-22 season provided Gators fans with insight into Johnson's mindset. What a story it would be if Johnson can return to the court and be the kind of player he was before his medical scare.
GYM GIRLS
The UF gymnastics team received a dose of good news on Friday when senior Megan Skaggs announced she intends to return for a fifth year of eligibility next season. Skaggs is one of Florida's top all-around performers and at the NCAA Athens Regional on April 2, she finished third in the all-around with a career-best 39.650.
Meanwhile, fellow senior Jazmyn Foberg announced she is retiring from the sport and All-American Alyssa Baumann, who earlier this month became the first three-time beam champion at the history of the SEC Championships, has not yet announced whether she is retiring or will use the additional year of eligibility.
SEC, SEC, SEC
The schools of the Southeastern Conference are used to winning national championships. Still, this one was different. It checked the SEC's final box.
When the Kentucky volleyball team defeated Texas on Saturday night for the NCAA title, the Wildcats became the first SEC school to win a volleyball championship. The SEC sponsors 21 sports in the NCAA Championships and the league had captured titles in 20.
Most figured Florida would be the first school to claim a volleyball championship in the conference. The Gators have dominated the SEC over the years under head coach Mary Wise, who led the Gators to the Elite 8 in her 30th season. Instead, the Wildcats have blossomed under head coach Craig Skinner and matched the Gators in recent years.
Wise, who has a talented team returning in 2022 and the opportunity to become the first female head coach to win a volleyball national championship, paid her respects on social media to the job Skinner did during difficult season impacted by the coronavirus pandemic:
TYSON TIME
Former Gators golfer Tyson Alexander finished his UF career in 2009. He turned pro and for the past 12 years has tried to make a living on various tours. He did more than that on Sunday, capturing his first career win on the Korn Ferry Tour. Alexander shot a final-round 64 to storm back from a five-shot deficit to win the Veritex Bank Championship in Arlington, Texas.
Alexander is a Gainesville Buchholz High graduate whose father, Buddy Alexander, served as the UF men's golf coach for 27 seasons.
"Golf's kind of been kicking my butt over the last couple of weeks, but I've kept fighting and somehow that worked out this week,'' Alexander told PGATour.com. "I'm just thrilled that it's my week."
Alexander entered the week 88th in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings and jumped to 31st after Sunday's victory.
EXTRA, EXTRA
The recent departures of Gators men's basketball assistant coaches Jordan Mincy and Darius Nichols reminded me of a story I wrote on the day nearly six years ago when both arrived at UF as up-and-coming assistant coaches who knew each other from preseason scrimmages when both were in college -- Mincy at Kent State and Nichols at West Virginia. Now, Mincy is head coach at Jacksonville University and Nichols was named head coach at Radford University last week. Curious to see if the schools had faced each other, I scanned both media guides to find out. They have played one time, a 73-70 Jacksonville win on Dec. 30, 1998, at the Capital City Classic in Tallahassee. The Jacksonville coach at the time was former FSU and Georgia coach Hugh Durham. Considering the history between the current coaches, seems about time to schedule the second Radford-Jacksonville matchup ... Was sad to read that former Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes -- a player Gators fans probably most recall for his ill-advised comments about "taking down Tebow" prior to the annual rivalry game in 2007 -- is in hospice care. The 33-year-old Hayes, who played in the NFL with both the Bucs and Jaguars, reportedly has been in failing health for months ... Former Gators guard Ques Glover, who came to UF from Bearden High in Knoxville, announced he will transfer to Samford University in Birmingham; Glover was the last of four players to transfer after last season to announce his destination for the 2021-22 season ... Former Gators offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert, a second-round pick of the Steelers in 2011, announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday:
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Alexander was a pioneer in the industry, instrumental in the creation of the UF women's athletic program and a member of the Gators Athletic Hall of Fame.
The plaque honoring Dr. Ruth Alexander in #Gators F Club... pic.twitter.com/dGk4jZeGgo
— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) April 21, 2021
Alexander had been in failing health in recent years, out of the spotlight and detached from the latest developments in college athletics. Still, her legacy has been secure since the early 1970s. In an interview with H.G. Young for the University of Florida Oral History Archives in March 1992, Alexander discussed her life and career in-depth.
She said the growth of women's athletics and opportunities compared to her youth in Virginia was night-and-day different. She said her high school in Radford, Va., dropped the girls basketball team after her freshman year. The only option for Alexander to continue to play was intramural sports.
"We never really knew why it was discontinued,'' Alexander said. "Girls today have no idea how [far things have come]."
Years later, during her career at Florida and in the months leading up to Title IX, Alexander drew up a proposal to start the Southeastern Conference's first women's athletic program at UF. She didn't know how it would be received by the university's administration, but in the end, the proposal defined Alexander's career.
"I always think about [then-UF President] Stephen C. O'Connell. It was just very questionable for us to make such a proposal. We never had it,'' Alexander told Young 29 years ago. "The possibility of being turned down was so possible. We never really had it; why should they do it now? You walk over there to Tigert Hall and you are nervous and scared, but you want it. You kind of keep your fingers crossed. He just listened and said, 'We will have it' -- kind of like God talking. 'We will have this.' That total acceptance from him stands out, and I will always remember it."
And the Gators will always remember her.
LIFE OF LOCHTE
The story does not appear to be online yet, but in the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, former Gators All-American swimmer Ryan Lochte is featured in a multi-page spread. Nothing unusual there in that for the past 20 years, the 36-year-old Lochte has been in the public eye, first as a prep standout in Daytona Beach, then as a Gators star and Olympic champion.
Of course, at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics Lochte made international headlines for more than what he did in the pool. Instead, a drunken night out with teammates and a fabricated story about being robbed at gunpoint caused a stir. That episode and more is covered in the SI story, which starts with Lochte heading to his Gainesville-area home after a grueling practice session.
Lochte is now married with two young children and portrayed in a more grown-up way than the party boy we're accustomed to. The 12-time Olympic medalist is training for this summer's Tokyo Olympics and if he makes the U.S. team, he would become the U.S.'s oldest-ever male Olympic swimmer.
Next one looks pretty damn sharp in the magazine. Online soon... pic.twitter.com/d2G8zPE7XZ
— Brian Burnsed (@brianburnsed) April 25, 2021
JOHNSON MAKES ANNOUNCEMENT
Gators forward Keyontae Johnson, whose collapse at Florida State in December was one of the biggest stories of the college basketball season, continues to map out his future.
He delivered a glimpse into what it might look like with an announcement that drew headlines last week.
God's timing 💙🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/WcFO7HF7UV
— Keyontae (@Keyontae) April 21, 2021
The Southeastern Conference Preseason Player of the Year, Johnson's future on the court remains uncertain. Still, his decision to remain at UF and prepare for the 2021-22 season provided Gators fans with insight into Johnson's mindset. What a story it would be if Johnson can return to the court and be the kind of player he was before his medical scare.
GYM GIRLS
The UF gymnastics team received a dose of good news on Friday when senior Megan Skaggs announced she intends to return for a fifth year of eligibility next season. Skaggs is one of Florida's top all-around performers and at the NCAA Athens Regional on April 2, she finished third in the all-around with a career-best 39.650.
— Megan Skaggs (@MeganSkaggs_) April 23, 2021
Meanwhile, fellow senior Jazmyn Foberg announced she is retiring from the sport and All-American Alyssa Baumann, who earlier this month became the first three-time beam champion at the history of the SEC Championships, has not yet announced whether she is retiring or will use the additional year of eligibility.
SEC, SEC, SEC
The schools of the Southeastern Conference are used to winning national championships. Still, this one was different. It checked the SEC's final box.
When the Kentucky volleyball team defeated Texas on Saturday night for the NCAA title, the Wildcats became the first SEC school to win a volleyball championship. The SEC sponsors 21 sports in the NCAA Championships and the league had captured titles in 20.
Most figured Florida would be the first school to claim a volleyball championship in the conference. The Gators have dominated the SEC over the years under head coach Mary Wise, who led the Gators to the Elite 8 in her 30th season. Instead, the Wildcats have blossomed under head coach Craig Skinner and matched the Gators in recent years.
Wise, who has a talented team returning in 2022 and the opportunity to become the first female head coach to win a volleyball national championship, paid her respects on social media to the job Skinner did during difficult season impacted by the coronavirus pandemic:
Congrats to @KentuckyVB on the NCAA National Championship. What an incredible job by @UKCoachSkinner in the toughest of all years. #SEC
— Mary Wise (@GatorMary) April 25, 2021
TYSON TIME
Former Gators golfer Tyson Alexander finished his UF career in 2009. He turned pro and for the past 12 years has tried to make a living on various tours. He did more than that on Sunday, capturing his first career win on the Korn Ferry Tour. Alexander shot a final-round 64 to storm back from a five-shot deficit to win the Veritex Bank Championship in Arlington, Texas.
Alexander is a Gainesville Buchholz High graduate whose father, Buddy Alexander, served as the UF men's golf coach for 27 seasons.
"Golf's kind of been kicking my butt over the last couple of weeks, but I've kept fighting and somehow that worked out this week,'' Alexander told PGATour.com. "I'm just thrilled that it's my week."
Alexander entered the week 88th in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings and jumped to 31st after Sunday's victory.
A testament to perseverance. 🏆
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) April 25, 2021
Congrats to 12th-year pro Tyson Alexander on his first #KornFerryTour title @VBChampionship!
The @GatorsGolf alum moves to 31st on The 25 as he chases his first @PGATOUR card. pic.twitter.com/2twfgUxsLC
EXTRA, EXTRA
The recent departures of Gators men's basketball assistant coaches Jordan Mincy and Darius Nichols reminded me of a story I wrote on the day nearly six years ago when both arrived at UF as up-and-coming assistant coaches who knew each other from preseason scrimmages when both were in college -- Mincy at Kent State and Nichols at West Virginia. Now, Mincy is head coach at Jacksonville University and Nichols was named head coach at Radford University last week. Curious to see if the schools had faced each other, I scanned both media guides to find out. They have played one time, a 73-70 Jacksonville win on Dec. 30, 1998, at the Capital City Classic in Tallahassee. The Jacksonville coach at the time was former FSU and Georgia coach Hugh Durham. Considering the history between the current coaches, seems about time to schedule the second Radford-Jacksonville matchup ... Was sad to read that former Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes -- a player Gators fans probably most recall for his ill-advised comments about "taking down Tebow" prior to the annual rivalry game in 2007 -- is in hospice care. The 33-year-old Hayes, who played in the NFL with both the Bucs and Jaguars, reportedly has been in failing health for months ... Former Gators guard Ques Glover, who came to UF from Bearden High in Knoxville, announced he will transfer to Samford University in Birmingham; Glover was the last of four players to transfer after last season to announce his destination for the 2021-22 season ... Former Gators offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert, a second-round pick of the Steelers in 2011, announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday:
Thank you for all of the support over the years. I can't wait to share my next chapter of life with you all. pic.twitter.com/JjCQ4xGwgE
— Marcus Gilbert (@MarcusGilbert88) April 26, 2021
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