The updated men's swimming and diving championship banner (now with 44 championships, including 11 straight) made its debut Tuesday in the Jeremy Foley Hall of Champions.
New Tradition Unfurls at Foley Hall of Champions
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 | General, Gymnastics, Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving, Volleyball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — "Mr. Two Bits" began executing his iconic chant during football games at Florida Field back in 1949. The "We Are the Boys" ritual made its debut between the third and fourth quarters in the 1970s. Urban Meyer introduced Gator Walk in 2005. Tom Petty and "Won't Back Down" came in 2017. Earlier this month, the University Athletic Association, for the second year in a row, asked the current UF student government president to perform the ceremonial "Mr. Two Bits" routine before the annual Orange & Blue Spring Game, thus starting a new tradition.
And Tuesday brought yet another.
Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin, microphone in hand, stood in the palatial atrium of the Heavener Football Training Center, an area — dubbed the Jeremy Foley Hall of Champions — that stretches across from the expansive front of the new $90 million building from the cafeteria at one end to the student lounge at the other. Above him hung banners representing all 21 UF sports, each marked by the years those Gators teams won Southeastern Conference and national championships. Stricklin was here to ceremoniously unveil four updated banners acknowledging league titles won during the 2022 fall sports season by volleyball and in winter 2023 by the men's and women's swimming and diving teams, as well as the gymnastics team.
"We're going to celebrate those four teams that have helped us put up new numbers," Stricklin said.
Members of the UAA staff, including Foley, now AD emeritus, as well as representatives from the four sports — and dozens of student-athletes on hand for lunch — cheered as drapes covering the respective banners were pulled away to reveal the "22" for volleyball and "23" for the others that made their public debut.
"It's always fun when you hang banners," swim coach Anthony Nesty said.
The volleyball flag now shows 25 conference championships, more than any other in the SEC. The gymnastics title was a fifth straight. For men's swimming, make it 44 all-time SEC crowns ("Gonna need a bigger banner," Stricklin said), including 11 in a row, while the women now show 18 all time, but with their first since 2009. It was the first time in 15 years a SEC team swept both the men's and women's titles at the conference meet.
Gymnastics coachJenny Rowlandadmires her updated championship banner.
Stricklin was quick to point out that men's golf, which Sunday captured its first SEC championship since 2011, will get the banner treatment in the fall, along with any other spring sport that claims a conference crown. And the cycle will repeat the same time next year. And the year after. Like all great traditions (even the newest ones).
Here's betting men's golf coach JC Deacon will be on hand come fall to pull the drapery cord, like gymnastics coach Jenny Rowland gladly did Tuesday.
"What a special moment," said Rowland, who was hired by Foley and has continued the sport's UF championship tradition for Stricklin. "To have two athletic directors here makes it all the better."
The current one seem particularly pleased.
"These are just numbers on a banner. The numbers don't really accurately depict what all went into winning one of these championships," Stricklin said. "Those numbers represent a lot of people. They represent a lot of hard work. They represent some really special victories and significant accomplishments. They represent All Americans, All-SEC performers, as well as walk-ons and trainers and assistant coaches, just a lot of people who work really hard for that number to go up there."
Down below the banners in the sparkling hall that bears his name, Foley smiled also.
