Game Notes
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The seventh-ranked Florida lacrosse team is set for its season debut on Sunday when the team hosts the 17th-ranked Michigan Wolverines.
Opening draw is set for 12 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Fans that cannot be in attendance can watch the game on ESPN+ with Sean Salisbury and Shailey Klein on the call.
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 17 Michigan Live Stream
This is the fourth meeting between the Gators and Wolverines, with Florida holding the 3-0 series advantage. Florida has scored at least 12 goals in each showing against Michigan, including a series-high 21 on Feb. 14, 2015. The Gators have only allowed 15 goals in the three games, including a shutout of the Wolverines in 2015. That shutout was just the second in program history for Florida, with the other coming against Fresno State on March 28, 2012.
The Gators are coming off a strong 17-5 record during the 2022 season, finishing with an appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals. During the year, Florida went a perfect 5-0 in conference play, winning its 11th-straight conference title. The Gators also clinched the AAC Tournament Championship – their eighth-straight tournament championship.
Michigan kicked off its season on Friday, defeating the No. 19 Jacksonville Dolphins 14-10.
O'Leary's Insight
- "We're so excited to get started. It's been a great fall season and, leading up to it, our preseason has gone really well. We have a new crop of freshman and we're looking forward to see what they can do as well."
Promotions
- Join the Gators for Pet Adoption Day!
- Giveaway: 50 Gators Pet Collars
- The first 50 fans to bring a donation for the animal shelter will receive a voucher for a free hot dog
- The soccer collies will serve as the halftime entertainment
- Kid's Corner: Kids can make Valentine's Day cards with Albert and Alberta on the concourse
Five Things to Know About the 2023 Gators
- Offense on Fire. The Gators return 98.6% of their point production from the 2022 season where the young team made the NCAA Quarterfinal. The offensive unit is led by returners Danielle Pavinelli (73g, 26a), Emma LoPinto (63g, 34a), Maggi Hall (37g, 17a), Emily Heller (31g, 8a), Ashley Gonzalez (30g, 29a) and Paisley Eagan (25g, 14a)
- Transfer Portal Success. Florida brought in three stellar transfers for the 2023 season. The Gators welcome Tayler Warehime from North Carolina, a 2022 captain of the National Championship team. Madison Waters comes to Florida from USC, where she was the 2021 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Emily Diaz joins the Gators from Bryant, where she set the single-season record for draw controls during the 2022 campaign (138 DCs)
- Gators in the AAC. After claiming both the regular season American Athletic Conference championship and the tournament championship a season ago, the Gators were selected to finish first in the league for the 2023 season. The Gators won two of the major preseason awards: Danielle Pavinelli (Attacker of the Year) and Sarah Reznick (Goalkeeper of the Year). In addition to the major awards, six Gators earned All-Conference nods: Catherine Flaherty, Emily Heller, Emma LoPinto (unanimous), Danielle Pavinelli (unanimous), Sarah Reznick (unanimous) and Tayler Warehime
- Preseason Ranking. After finishing the 2022 campaign with a 17-5 record and the program's seventh NCAA Quarterfinal appearance, Florida earned the No. 7 ranking in the IWLCA/ILWomen poll
- Seasoned Vet Between the Pipes. Sarah Reznick returns to the cage for the Gators in her redshirt junior season. She collected her 400th career save against Maryland in the final game of the 2022 campaign. Reznick currently holds a career save percentage of .510 and has tallied an 8.51 GAA in her two+ seasons in goal.
Scouting the Wolverines
- Michigan enters the 2023 season after an 11-7 record in the 2022 campaign
- The Wolverines return three of their top five leading scorers for the 2023 season in Kaley Thompson (32g, 1a), Kaylee Dyer (15g, 12a) and Erin Garvey (22g, 3a)
- Michigan lost its main draw specialist in Kaitlyn Mead (71 DCs), but return both Josie Gooch (33 DCs) and Annabelle Burke (28 DCs) to the draw circle
- Defensively, the Wolverines welcome back their top two defenders in Morgan Whitaker and Maddie Burns, who recorded 19 and 18 caused turnovers last season, respectively
- Michigan graduated its veteran goalkeeper in Arielle Weissman, who saw a majority of time in the cage during the 2022 season (972:13). She recorded 149 saves with a .505 save percentage and a 9.01 GAA. The goalkeeper with the next highest number of minutes played is Erin O'Grady, who is entering her sophomore season. In 79 minutes played last season, she recorded eight saves with a 9.88 GAA
Quick Facts
- Gators head coach Amanda O'Leary is the 6th winningest active Division I coach with her .756 winning percentage in 27 seasons (365-118, .756). O'Leary has the 3rd most wins of active Division I coaches with 365 wins. O'Leary is 203-53 (.793) all-time at the University of Florida
- Florida owns an impressive 116-21 (.847) record in the confines of Donald R. Dizney Stadium
- When scoring at least 14 goals, the Gators are 166-2 in program history
- Emma LoPinto sits three points away from becoming Florida's 20th 100-point scorer and is on pace to be the fastest Florida player to achieve the feat
- Sarah Reznick recorded her 400th career save against Maryland on May 19, 2022. She is just seven saves away from tying Mikey Meagher (2010-13) for second place in the record books
- Streaking: Sarah Reznick recorded a save in 51-straight games, the second-longest streak in program history. She is just two games away from tying the program record set by Mikey Meagher (53 games, 2010-13)
- Streaking: Danielle Pavinelli has registered a point in 25-straight games and a goal in 23-straight games
- Streaking: Emma LoPinto has tallied a point in 19-straight games
- Streaking: Emily Heller had recorded a draw control in 23-straight games, the fourth-longest streak in program history
- Streaking: Liz Harrison has recorded a draw control in 19-straight games
No. 7 Florida vs. No. 17 Michigan Broadcast Information
Time & Date: Sunday, Feb. 12 | 12 p.m.
Live Stream: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series Information
Wolverines | 2022 season: 11-7, 2-4 BIG TEN
- This is the fourth meeting between the Gators and Wolverines
- Florida holds the 3-0 series advantage
- Home: 3-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0
- Last Meeting: Feb. 13, 2016 | Gainesville, Fla. | W, 12-11
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