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VOLUME 113 ISSUE 86
TUESDAY, MAY 14, 2019 Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Not officially associated with the University of Florida
Transfers and decommits not ideal for Mullen and Florida By River Wells Sports Writer
Things were looking up for the Florida Gators football team at the start of spring. Head coach Dan Mullen had just raked in what looked to be a very promising class. With 17 four-star recruits, it earned a No. 9 ranking from 247Sports and included the highest-rated UF recruit since 2016 in California native Chris Steele. “I’d think we did a poor job recruiting if guys were coming in and then immediately walking out the door because it was something different than what they thought it would be,” Mullen said in March. Two months later, his highlyranked class began to waver. The first hit came from Jalon Jones, a freshman quarterback who was battling with redshirt junior Kyle Trask for the third string spot. Jones mysteriously entered the transfer portal in late April, but the reason soon be-
Jalon Jones, seen here celebrating a touchdown in the spring game, is transferring after accusations of sexual assault by two UF students. Cornerback Chris Steele announced his intention to transfer just a few days later. Chirs King / Alligator Staff
SEE FOOTBALL, PAGE 11
UF students robbed at gunpoint on South Africa trip NO STUDENTS WERE HARMED IN THE ROBBERY By Kelly Hayes Staff Writer
A UF faculty member, staff member and 21 UF students in the Lombardi & Stamps Scholarship program, part of the UF Honors Program, were robbed at gunpoint
Monday morning local time (six hours ahead of Gainesville) near Pretoria, South Africa, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando wrote in an email. The students, faculty member and staff member were on a UF sanctioned trip. This is the first time an incident like this has happened on this biannual trip, Orlando said. UF will be evaluating this program and location. The students and staff were on
Gators to host 15th straight regional
The Florida softball earned the No. 5 seed for the NCAA Tournament. UF will host Boston University on Friday at 2:30 p.m., pg. 10
a bus headed from the University of Pretoria to visit a nearby township, Orlando said. A car with six armed gunmen followed the bus through a security gate. The gunmen stopped the bus, ordered everyone off and marched them at gunpoint to a nearby kindergarten classroom, Orlando said. Once in the classroom, with the schoolchildren also in the room, members of the UF group were or-
dered to hand over all their valuables, he said. The group cooperated, and the gunmen left. No UF students were physically harmed, and local residents came to protect the UF group, Orlando said. One local resident was grazed by a bullet and another was pistol-whipped, and the UF students provided them with first aid. “We’re just tremendously thankful that everyone is OK and
Rockeys to close by weekend
Rockeys Dueling Piano Bar located at 112 S. Main St. will close after it host a final celebration Saturday, pg 3.
grateful to the local residents who came to help our group,” Orlando said. The students are now back at the University of Pretoria, where they met with counselors and U.S. Embassy personnel, he said. Three students are in the process of returning to the U.S.
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UF family housing to remain open despite rumors Fifty-one units are closed for maintenance issues, pg 6.
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