Montrell Johnson scores last season against Florida State. (Photo: Molly Kaiser/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Montrell on Cover, Big Night for Hall, Robertson's Move, More Gators Tidbits
Tuesday, June 25, 2024 | General, Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 2023-24 college athletics season officially closed Monday night when Tennessee defeated Texas A&M in an all-Southeastern Conference national championship game in Omaha.
The Vols joined Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Georgia as SEC programs to win national titles. That list doesn't include Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma, current members of the SEC with baseball national titles won prior to joining the league.
How good has the SEC become in baseball? Starting with Florida's national championship in 2017, the conference has won six of seven national titles — and all by different schools.
Meanwhile, some Gators-related items of interest:
Stopped into a bookstore over the weekend after returning from Omaha and continued a personal tradition: buying a couple of the college football preseason magazines that are out this time of year for handy desk reference throughout the season.
Can you believe, as I write this, it's only 67 days until the Gators host Miami in the season opener at The Swamp? I don't have to tell close Gators observers what the mood around the upcoming season is.
The 2024 season is an important one for a program that continues to strive to make its debut in the College Football Playoff, which expands to 12 teams this year.
The preseason prognosticators don't like Florida's chances. Athlon Sports has the Gators finishing 11th in the SEC, Lindy's picks them to finish 12th. Fortunately for the Gators, they have the final say by what they do on the field.
Lindy's publishes an SEC edition with a variety of regional covers. UF running back Montrell Johnson is the cover boy for the Florida version. Johnson is also a member of Lindy's All-SEC First Team, the only UF player to make the cut. You can check out the magazine's complete All-SEC selections below:
Former Gators All-American heptathlete Anna Hall fulfilled a long-time-coming goal of qualifying for the Olympics on Monday night at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
"I've wanted this for so long," Hall told reporters. "My Olympic dreams have been really, really hard. In 2021, the fall, that was absolutely devastating. … It's just been a lot of adversity and a lot of doubt. So it's just relief. Like, 'OK. I am meant to do this. I finally made it.' I was just really thankful."
For more on Hall's accomplishment, you can read this story by Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Gators center fielder Michael Robertson, the game-winning hero of Florida's Game 2 win in the Clemson Super Regional that punched Florida's ticket to Omaha, has entered the transfer portal.
Robertson earned a UF undergraduate degree this spring and is draft eligible. For more, you can read this story from Jacob Rudner of 247Sports.com.
Gators pitcher Liam Peterson is playing for the USA Collegiate National team this summer.
Where are other Gators playing in summer leagues?
You can check out the latest from Nick de la Torre of On3.com.
Gators fans are so accustomed to phenom long-distance runner Parker Valby winning that it's startling when she doesn't.
That was the case for Valby in the 5,000 meters on Monday at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Scott Douglas of RunnersWorld.com offers insight into the race and Valby's finish:
The Vols joined Florida, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Georgia as SEC programs to win national titles. That list doesn't include Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma, current members of the SEC with baseball national titles won prior to joining the league.
How good has the SEC become in baseball? Starting with Florida's national championship in 2017, the conference has won six of seven national titles — and all by different schools.
Meanwhile, some Gators-related items of interest:
Stopped into a bookstore over the weekend after returning from Omaha and continued a personal tradition: buying a couple of the college football preseason magazines that are out this time of year for handy desk reference throughout the season.
Can you believe, as I write this, it's only 67 days until the Gators host Miami in the season opener at The Swamp? I don't have to tell close Gators observers what the mood around the upcoming season is.
The 2024 season is an important one for a program that continues to strive to make its debut in the College Football Playoff, which expands to 12 teams this year.
The preseason prognosticators don't like Florida's chances. Athlon Sports has the Gators finishing 11th in the SEC, Lindy's picks them to finish 12th. Fortunately for the Gators, they have the final say by what they do on the field.
Lindy's publishes an SEC edition with a variety of regional covers. UF running back Montrell Johnson is the cover boy for the Florida version. Johnson is also a member of Lindy's All-SEC First Team, the only UF player to make the cut. You can check out the magazine's complete All-SEC selections below:
Former Gators All-American heptathlete Anna Hall fulfilled a long-time-coming goal of qualifying for the Olympics on Monday night at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
"I've wanted this for so long," Hall told reporters. "My Olympic dreams have been really, really hard. In 2021, the fall, that was absolutely devastating. … It's just been a lot of adversity and a lot of doubt. So it's just relief. Like, 'OK. I am meant to do this. I finally made it.' I was just really thankful."
For more on Hall's accomplishment, you can read this story by Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Just look at what qualifying for the Olympics meant to Anna Hall and her family 🥹 #TrackFieldTrials24 @annaahalll pic.twitter.com/8arzD2ZZCT
— On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) June 25, 2024
Gators center fielder Michael Robertson, the game-winning hero of Florida's Game 2 win in the Clemson Super Regional that punched Florida's ticket to Omaha, has entered the transfer portal.
Robertson earned a UF undergraduate degree this spring and is draft eligible. For more, you can read this story from Jacob Rudner of 247Sports.com.
Florida outfielder Michael Robertson has officially entered the NCAA transfer portal. He is also eligible for this year's MLB Draft.
— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) June 25, 2024
Story: https://t.co/e1w8PU7ccz pic.twitter.com/BRIR53Hy0I
Gators pitcher Liam Peterson is playing for the USA Collegiate National team this summer.
Where are other Gators playing in summer leagues?
You can check out the latest from Nick de la Torre of On3.com.
Florida freshman pitcher Liam Peterson will play with the USA Collegiate National team this summer.
— Nick de la Torre (@delatorre) June 25, 2024
Intel on where the rest of the Gators will play in the Cape Cod League this summer.
🔗: https://t.co/WJ6pfUGkfO pic.twitter.com/1vrqKvB7JY
Gators fans are so accustomed to phenom long-distance runner Parker Valby winning that it's startling when she doesn't.
That was the case for Valby in the 5,000 meters on Monday at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Scott Douglas of RunnersWorld.com offers insight into the race and Valby's finish:
Elle St. Pierre Wins the Olympic Trials 5,000 Meters—with Her Son Watching from the Stands https://t.co/CpX0UG3Xht
— Runner's World (@runnersworld) June 25, 2024
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