UF sophomore center Micah Handlogten, flanked by his parents (Danielle and Benjamin) at his hotel in Nashville.
Micah: "This is not a setback. This is an opportunity."
Monday, March 18, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – He hasn't seen a replay, nor does he care to.
Micah Handlogten, however, has seen highlights of Florida's 86-67 loss Sunday to Auburn in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game. He watched them from his room at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after undergoing surgery to repair his fractured left leg, an injury the 7-foot-1, 236-pounder suffered barely two minutes into the game, ending his sophomore season one game shy of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
For Handlogten, the TV images of Coach Todd Golden's somber, glassy-eyed expression and teammate Riley Kugel crying on the UF bench aligned with what he recalled in real time.
"I remember vividly everything that happened," Handlogten said Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after undergoing a two-hour procedure to repair the injury. "I didn't feel pain, honestly, while laying on the floor. Maybe it was the adrenaline of the game. Then my dad came over and tried to comfort me. I had not cried at that point, but when I saw my mom – saw her reaction – I just started bawling. And then right after that, Coach Golden came up, hugged me and told me everything was going to be OK."
Then came his teammates, one by one. Thomas Haugh ("His eyes were so bloodshot from crying") to Walter Clayton Jr. ("He gave me a hug and kiss and said, 'It's gonna be all right. We got you!'") to every coach, manager and warm body on the UF sidelines.
"They gave me a sense of comfort among the chaos," Handlogten said. "It shows there's a lot with this team."
A lot of substance. A lot of connection. A lot of love.
All those elements will be there for the March Madness-watching nation – not just Gator Nation – to see Friday afternoon because Handlogten will be reunited with his teammates when No. 7-seed Florida (24-11) takes on either Colorado (24-10) or Boise State (22-10) in the first round of the NCAA South Region at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Yes, instead of flying back to Gainesville and convalescing at his apartment, Handlogten and his parents, Benjamin and Danielle, will make the four-hour drive from Nashville to Indy to be part of the Gators' first tournament in three years. An opportunity to taste the NCAA – and a faith in the energetic and upstart Golden to get the Gators there – was why Handlogten chose Florida out of the transfer portal after his 2023 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year campaign at Marshall.
UF trainer Dave Werner praised the on-site emergency team the SEC had in place at Bridgestone Arena, as well as the outstanding physicians at Vanderbilt for their care of the Florida big man.
"It's fortunate we were playing Nashville," Werner said. "They might have one of the best trauma hospitals in America."
The doctors there got Handlogten ready for a road trip.
"It's going to be awesome," Handlogten said. "I love the boys to death. They're my brothers. I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys to spend my sophomore year with, and I'm looking forward to spending my junior and senior year with them, too. People who know me know I'm a firm believer in God, and I can only trust in Him that everything is part of a plan. This is not a setback. This is an opportunity."
Handlogten, who averaged 5.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in starting 32 of 33 games this season, is not unrealistic about the long road ahead after an injury comparable to the graphically infamous ones suffered by NBA stars Paul George and Gordon Hayward. The physical and mental challenges of the next 8-10 months will be daunting, but Handlogten understands.
"It's a long recovery, but I'm looking forward to it," he said.
The external encouragement began almost instantly Sunday afternoon, as Handlogten was bombarded with social media replies of prayers and well-wishes, including dozens from backers at both Marshall and Auburn.
Note: As of late Monday afternoon, tweets by Handlogten following his injury had more than 900 comments, nearly 1,100 reposts and well over 5,000 likes.
Now imagine how his UF support system will circle the wagons when Handlogten's rehab commences.
"Those guys love him. He's an incredible teammate," Golden said after Sunday's game. "Even when he's not playing his best, he has great energy on the bench [and] is always supporting all the guys on the floor."
By week's end, the guys will be together again. It should make for quite an on-site story (the kind made for March), not to mention an emotional dive into the greatest college basketball time of the year.
Maybe even a springboard to something greater down the line.
"God will guide me, and I'll be a better player for it," Handlogten said. "I'm going to come back better and stronger for it. I have something to work for. I have a goal in mind, and I'm going to strive to reach it."
Micah Handlogten, however, has seen highlights of Florida's 86-67 loss Sunday to Auburn in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game. He watched them from his room at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after undergoing surgery to repair his fractured left leg, an injury the 7-foot-1, 236-pounder suffered barely two minutes into the game, ending his sophomore season one game shy of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
For Handlogten, the TV images of Coach Todd Golden's somber, glassy-eyed expression and teammate Riley Kugel crying on the UF bench aligned with what he recalled in real time.
"I remember vividly everything that happened," Handlogten said Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after undergoing a two-hour procedure to repair the injury. "I didn't feel pain, honestly, while laying on the floor. Maybe it was the adrenaline of the game. Then my dad came over and tried to comfort me. I had not cried at that point, but when I saw my mom – saw her reaction – I just started bawling. And then right after that, Coach Golden came up, hugged me and told me everything was going to be OK."
Then came his teammates, one by one. Thomas Haugh ("His eyes were so bloodshot from crying") to Walter Clayton Jr. ("He gave me a hug and kiss and said, 'It's gonna be all right. We got you!'") to every coach, manager and warm body on the UF sidelines.
"They gave me a sense of comfort among the chaos," Handlogten said. "It shows there's a lot with this team."
A lot of substance. A lot of connection. A lot of love.
All those elements will be there for the March Madness-watching nation – not just Gator Nation – to see Friday afternoon because Handlogten will be reunited with his teammates when No. 7-seed Florida (24-11) takes on either Colorado (24-10) or Boise State (22-10) in the first round of the NCAA South Region at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Yes, instead of flying back to Gainesville and convalescing at his apartment, Handlogten and his parents, Benjamin and Danielle, will make the four-hour drive from Nashville to Indy to be part of the Gators' first tournament in three years. An opportunity to taste the NCAA – and a faith in the energetic and upstart Golden to get the Gators there – was why Handlogten chose Florida out of the transfer portal after his 2023 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year campaign at Marshall.
For you #3.
— Florida Gators Men's Basketball (@GatorsMBK) March 17, 2024
Love you Micah 💙 pic.twitter.com/e8KnlvJHdf
UF trainer Dave Werner praised the on-site emergency team the SEC had in place at Bridgestone Arena, as well as the outstanding physicians at Vanderbilt for their care of the Florida big man.
"It's fortunate we were playing Nashville," Werner said. "They might have one of the best trauma hospitals in America."
The doctors there got Handlogten ready for a road trip.
"It's going to be awesome," Handlogten said. "I love the boys to death. They're my brothers. I couldn't have asked for a better group of guys to spend my sophomore year with, and I'm looking forward to spending my junior and senior year with them, too. People who know me know I'm a firm believer in God, and I can only trust in Him that everything is part of a plan. This is not a setback. This is an opportunity."
Handlogten, who averaged 5.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in starting 32 of 33 games this season, is not unrealistic about the long road ahead after an injury comparable to the graphically infamous ones suffered by NBA stars Paul George and Gordon Hayward. The physical and mental challenges of the next 8-10 months will be daunting, but Handlogten understands.
"It's a long recovery, but I'm looking forward to it," he said.
The external encouragement began almost instantly Sunday afternoon, as Handlogten was bombarded with social media replies of prayers and well-wishes, including dozens from backers at both Marshall and Auburn.
Note: As of late Monday afternoon, tweets by Handlogten following his injury had more than 900 comments, nearly 1,100 reposts and well over 5,000 likes.
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) March 18, 2024
Now imagine how his UF support system will circle the wagons when Handlogten's rehab commences.
"Those guys love him. He's an incredible teammate," Golden said after Sunday's game. "Even when he's not playing his best, he has great energy on the bench [and] is always supporting all the guys on the floor."
By week's end, the guys will be together again. It should make for quite an on-site story (the kind made for March), not to mention an emotional dive into the greatest college basketball time of the year.
Maybe even a springboard to something greater down the line.
"God will guide me, and I'll be a better player for it," Handlogten said. "I'm going to come back better and stronger for it. I have something to work for. I have a goal in mind, and I'm going to strive to reach it."
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