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VOLUME 118 - ISSUE 35 Not officially associated with the University of Florida

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‘There will never be justice’: UF progressives, professors react to Trump’s conviction Trump said the true verdict will come Nov. 5

By Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp & Garrett Shanley Alligator Staff Writers

Armand Raichandani // Alligator Staff

People attend the opening of the Alachua County Remembrance Project Juneteenth exhibit on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Read more on pg. 4

UF strips staff, faculty of free access to RecSports facilities

Faculty memberships now cost up to $50 a month

By Kamala Rossi & Avery Parker Alligator Staff Writers

As summer approaches and the UF community flocks to campus pools to cool off, UF RecSports announced staff and faculty will have to pay to use Lake Wauburg, campus pools and gyms starting July 1.

The new membership options apply to “non-student users” and will allow access to all campus

recreational facilities and programs. The reasoning behind the rule change is to ensure financial equity for UF recreational facilities because students pay tuition and staff and faculty don’t, according to its website.

“This change will allow us to create an environment where everyone contributes and engages in lifelong wellbeing,” UF RecSports wrote.

One month of membership access will cost $50, four months

will cost $150 and 12 months will cost $350. For a single day of access, a pass will cost $15. Students who are currently enrolled in classes are allowed access to pools through student fees. Students who aren’t in classes join faculty and staff in having to pay fees to access campus recreational facilities.

Jorg Peters, a UF computer and information science profes-

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

The Avenue: Science up close

Three transfers could have impact.

Read more on pg. 11.

El Caimán: Local DIY

Men's Basketball roster Story description finish with comma, pg#

SEE POOLS, PAGE 3

Exhibit lets visitors learn about bugs, gut, pg. 6 Roadhouse cierra su ubicación física, pg. 7

UF College Democrats President Connor Effrain was in Washington, D.C., roughly 20 minutes walking distance from the U.S. Capitol building when the news broke. The slack face of former President Donald Trump flashed across his phone screen beside the word “guilty.”

“It’s great that finally he’s getting what’s coming to him,” Effrain said.

Trump is now the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony. He made history May 30 when he was found guilty on 34 felony charges for an attempt to influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels who alleged the two had sex.

“Mother Teresa could not beat these charges,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom. “These charges are rigged. The whole thing is rigged.”

Effrain said the guilty verdict was long overdue. However, he said the court’s decision wouldn’t erase the social and political division that followed Trump’s 2016 presidency, which he described as a “disaster.”

“Most importantly, the way he undermined democracy I think will hurt America for generations to come,” he said.

If Trump evades prison, Effrain said enacting another form of pun-

ishment along with the suspension of his 2024 presidential candidacy is essential to preserving the rule of law.

“Nobody who tried to overturn the 2020 election, who tried to destroy democracy in the United States should ever be allowed to run for president,” he said.

UF College Republicans posted the news of Trump’s conviction on its Instagram account minutes after the jury made its decision.

The organization lamented that the sole juror who received their news from Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, did not vote to acquit the former president.

“Our guy who only got his news from Truth Social let us down,” the post read. “It’s over.”

UF College Republicans did not respond to The Alligator for comment. Turning Point UF and UF Young Americans for Freedom, two other prominent campus conservative student organizations, also did not respond for comment.

Multiple UF community members who said they supported Trump also declined to comment.

Judge Juan M. Merchan set Trump’s sentencing for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where GOP leaders are expected to formally make him their presidential nominee. Florida Republicans have vouched for Trump through social media, echoing his position that the “real verdict” would be

SEE TRUMP, PAGE 4

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2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2024

Today’s Weather UF student body president elected president of the Florida Student Association

John Brinkman will join FSA’s leadership team for the 2024-2025 term

By Timothy Wang Alligator Staff Writer

UF Student Body President John Brinkman was elected as chairman and president of the Florida Student Association (FSA) for the 2024-2025 term, according to a May 29 FSA news release.

The FSA, composed of student body presidents from Florida’s 12 public universities, advocates for students within the State University System of Florida by lobbying state lawmakers and through Rally in Tally, an annual event where students from the 12 universities travel to Tallahassee to bring up student issues with state politicians.

Brinkman, as chairman and president of the FSA, will sit on the Florida Board of Governors, a 17-member board that presides over the State University System.

He will be joined by three other student leaders from Florida A&M and New College of Florida to form FSA’s leadership.

“The newly selected leadership team is committed to representing the diverse interests

and needs of Florida's student population,” the news release said.

Brinkman helped create Vision Party last Fall, which has held the Senate Majority for the past two semesters. In January, Brinkman was elected as Senate president under Vision Party. In February, he was elected student body president and serves as an ex-officio member on UF’s Board of Trustees.

He began his tenure as a Gator Party sophomore senator in February 2021. He would become the majority party leader in October 2021.

In July 2021, Brinkman became an undergraduate representative on the University Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Senate.

He was elected as a senator representing the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in February 2022. As a senator, Brinkman chaired the Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Oscar Santiago Perez filed a censure investigation against Brinkman July 2022 that charged him with abuse of power, malfeasance and

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nonfeasance after the Judiciary Committee blocked Perez’s bill the same day from reaching the Senate floor. He was exonerated from all charges by the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee.

Brinkman joined the leadership honor society Florida Blue Key during the 2022 Spring semester. He has held the position of Vice President of External Affairs and Centennial Vice-Chairman.

In May 2022, he was elected junior class president and became an undergraduate representative on the ONE.UF Steering Committee. In July 2022, he also became a member of the Land Use and Facilities Planning Committee.

During the 2023 Summer semester, Brinkman was a District B Replacement senator and was the Budget & Appropriations Committee Vice-Chairman. @timothyw_g twang@alligator.org

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Pool fees

POOLS, from pg. 1

sor, said the update posted on the RecSports website is divisive and believes the rule change comes from the university’s budgeting and not from the lack of compensation from staff and faculty.

“What galls me about the banner is the clumsy attempt at gaslighting,” Peters said. “‘Ensuring students will no longer bear the burden of subsidizing non-student access,’ is a classic way to pit members of the Gator community against each other to deflect from the true causes and inefficiencies.”

Peters also questioned how the new policy will financially benefit UF students and said free faculty access to facilities like

Lake Wauburg is an inequity against students.

“Lake Wauburg or Florida Pool may just be one less place where the UF community meets,” Peters said.

Caitlin Douglas, 26, is a UF library assistant and said the news was disappointing to hear. She had only recently started working at UF and didn’t have a chance to use the facilities frequently before the rule change, she said.

“I understand students pay tuition,” Douglas said. “A lot of these facilities are included under tuition, but I also feel like staff and faculty are a part of the UF community and are doing their own forms of service toward the school that should qualify them as well for those amenities.”

Staff and faculty already pay for other UF amenities, such as parking, she said.

The current pricing could prove cost-re-

strictive for some UF employees, including herself.

“There is such a difference between our lowest paid staff member to our highest paid staff member that our lowest paid staff member can probably not afford $50 a month,” Douglas said. “I could not pay it.

I could not at all pay it.”

As the supposed benefactors of the policy change, UF students had mixed opinions about the decision.

Danitsa Gonzalez, a 20-year-old UF animal science junior, sympathized with staff and faculty.

“I think [the changes] suck, partially because [staff and faculty] are a part of UF,” she said. “Their reasoning is a little harsh.”

She did, however, believe the pricing was reasonable. “$50 to use a pool is ridiculous, but if it’s $50 and the gym, then it’s more fea-

sible,” she said.

Rachel Nuyten, a 21-year-old UF linguistics junior, found the policy change “hypocritical” in light of the recent controversy with UF proposing to reduce funding for the RTS bus system.

Student fees take part in funding the RTS bus system.

“I see UF not wanting to maintain other student programs, like the money for RTS. So it kind of seems inconsistent with their actions,” Nuyten said. “I feel like if they really cared about student interests, they would be making different decisions.” @kamalarossi krossi@alligator.org @AveryParke98398 aparker@alligator.org

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Remembrance Project Exhibit opening acknowledges history of Alachua County lynchings Juneteenth celebrations will continue throughout June

By Morgan Vanderlaan Alligator Staff Writer

Editor’s note: this article contains graphic descriptions of racial violence, including lynching.

The Alachua County Remembrance Project was created by the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners in 2018.

The project is dedicated to historical education to recall the history of racial injustice in Alachua County and make repairs within the community in honor of Juneteenth.

June 19 is nationally recognized as Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the end of slavery.

The exhibit was introduced

by Vivian Filer, the designated Queen Mother of North Central Florida who is also known by the traditional name Mangnye Naa AmiAmi Osuowa Okropong I, with a libation from Ayoka SowaLa and Nii Sowa-La. Alachua County Commissioner Charles “Chuck” Chestnut IV gave a brief history of lynching in the county, where soil samples were collected for the Remembrance Project Exhibit.

“Between 1882 and 1930, Florida had the highest per capita lynching rate in the United States, and Alachua County ranked at the top of the list,” he said. “There are approximately 50 documented lynchings of Black men, women and children in this county.”

Chestnut described lynching

as “acts of terrorism” for simply being Black.

White mobs lynched Black Alachua County residents for various reasons ranging from exercising their voting rights to taking control of their property, and when there was no reason, it was to instill fear, he said.

The exhibit collection began in 2020 with the theme Truth and Reconciliation, which Chestnut said is meant to recall Alachua County’s history of racial injustice with aims to make amends.

Patricia Hilliard-Nunn was one of the first people to work on the project, but she died in 2020 before the exhibition's completion. Her husband, Kenneth Nunn, spoke at the ceremony in her honor.

Nunn, a former UF law professor, said his wife started researching Alachua County’s historical racial injustice in 2001 and would visit the community with a camera to record oral history. However, she rarely got responses.

“Whether they were in the white community, the Black community, folks didn’t talk,” he said. “They didn’t want to mention it. They didn’t want to say anything about it.”

In 2002, Hilliard-Nunn received enough community support to hold a public memorial for the Newberry lynchings.

Over 20 years later, the Remembrance Project Exhibit consists of remembrance quilts and 50 jars of dirt excavated from the sites of lynchings in Alachua County. The exhibit will remain

permanently displayed in the Alachua County Commission The jars represent more than just soil, Nunn said.

“Each jar represents a community, each jar holds sacred soil, soil that soaked the blood of those who were murdered. Soil that retains the footprints of the mob that killed them, soil that absorbs the tears of the families that reclaim the bodies of their loved ones. Soil that nurtured new growth of plants and trees that mark the spot of these vicious crimes,” he said. “How could the soil not remember?”

The soil is a memorial of how once-accepted violence is now condemned, a reminder that teaching Black history is essential to ensuring history doesn’t repeat itself, Nunn said.

“These jars will remind us what happens if we don’t teach our history,” Nunn said.

Dayo Nunn, Nunn’s daughter, was born and raised in Alachua County. She said educators like her father feel they can’t teach uncensored Black history following recent Florida legislation enacting education reforms.

“This is my home ultimately, and we still need that work. We still need people doing these things,” she said.

The exhibit boards held infographics explaining the historical significance behind each jar and quilt.

“There’s been silence, but there hasn’t been healing,” read a quote from Hilliard-Nunn on one of the boards.

The United Church of

Trump conviction TRUMP, from pg. 1

cast by voters in the November general election.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ran against Trump in the presidential primary before suspending his campaign in January, derided the conviction as the politically motivated ploy of a “kangaroo court.”

“Today’s verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America — all in an effort to ‘get’ Donald Trump,” DeSantis wrote in an X post.

UF President Ben Sasse, a former Nebraska Republican senator, was a vocal critic of Trump’s political attitude and was one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to impeach Trump on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection. During a 2020 phone call with his constituents, Sasse said Trump “flirts with white supremacists” and “kisses dictators’ butts.”

Sasse, who has said his criticism of Trump shaped his legacy as a senator, has kept to his pledge of “political celibacy” as a university president and hasn’t publicly commented on the conviction. University presidents across Florida and the country have also held off on publicly commenting on Trump’s conviction.

It is unclear whether Trump will be able to vote for himself in the general election.

He was convicted in New York but lives in Florida, a Republican-led state that has made it harder for convicted felons to vote. However, DeSantis said in an X post he would guarantee Trump’s right to vote in the November general election.

“Given the absurd nature of the New York prosecution of Trump, this would be an easy case to qualify for restoration of rights per the Florida Clemency Board, which I chair,” DeSantis wrote.

Some voting rights groups have agreed with DeSantis’ position that Florida honors other state’s rules related to out-of-state convictions. However, the Florida Justice

Gainesville sold shirts at the event in collaboration with the Alachua County Remembrance Project and NAACP. Jessica Elkins, a member of the congregation, said she’s worked on the project since its creation in 2020.

Despite the positive history of Alachua County, she said the lynchings were a tragic failure.

“These people need to be remembered,” Elkins said.

There are duplicates housed at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, for each jar displayed in the commission lobby.

Veloria Kelly, Alachua County Community Project High Springs Subcommittee chair, said it’s important for the county to acknowledge lynchings as a part of the community’s past.

As a judge of the Santa Fe High School essay contest, she said the most impactful piece she read was written by a ninth grader who asked, “How did these things happen in my county?”

The exhibit is a proud addition to the community, said Ronald Nutter, an Alachua County resident.

“My stepfather was from Arkansas, and he never told me the name of the town he was from because it was too painful, but what he did tell me is about the lynching he saw as a child,” Nutter said. “The lynchers lynched a pregnant woman and then cut her belly open, took the baby out and stomped on it.”

Nutter said he read every name and couldn’t help but imagine their misery and terror.

The Alachua County Library partnered with the Remembrance Project. Kerry Dowd, the Waldo

Project, a nonprofit group that represents felons seeking to restore their voting rights, said Florida statutes and state constitutional provisions do not make “any such statement or distinction regarding out-of-state convictions.”

Stephen Craig, a UF political science professor specializing in public opinion and voting behavior, wasn’t so sure. He said it’s too soon for anybody to gauge how Trump’s conviction will affect his eligibility to vote and run for office or his performance in the November election.

“Damned if I know,” Craig wrote in an email correspondence.

While Valentina Galvan felt the verdict was a step in the right direction, she said the trial left Trump’s rap sheet of wrongdoings largely unaddressed, causing her to view the decision as symbolic more than anything else.

“In my eyes, there will never be justice,” said the 18-year-old UF anthropology sophomore.

As a Mexican-American woman, Galvan recalled experiencing “devastation” after Trump’s 2016 inauguration. She expressed further disapproval of his current candidacy, criticizing his border policies, stance on reproductive rights and involvement in foreign

branch library manager, said the organizations will continue to organize Juneteenth displays for the remainder of June.

“This is a wonderful way for the library to be involved to help share information about Juneteenth as well as information on the Alachua County Remembrance Project,” Dowd said.

The organization showcased two performances for the crowd.

Elois Waters, founder and CEO of Ministries of Expressive Song and Dance, emphasized the importance of including dance in projects like the Alachua County Remembrance Exhibit.

“A lot of times some people won’t read right away, but they might remember the jingle of a song or the movement of the song and go back and try to get that,” she said. “It helps stay in the soul.”

Alachua County Deputy Manager Carl Smart said the event drew hundreds of people for an afternoon of truth and reconciliation.

“I think it's important for all the citizens to see that the county has an appreciation for its diversity of citizens, for its African American community as well as other communities here,” he said. “It’s important that we see the county shows the importance of justice and point out the injustice.”

The exhibit was a part of Alachua County’s Journey to Juneteenth celebration running from May 20 to June 19. @morgvande mvanderlaan@alligator.org

conflicts.

“That guy deserves years and years of jail time,” she said. “America couldn’t be more of a joke than allowing a literal convicted felon in our office, but whatever.”

The former president said the “real verdict” would come Nov. 5, alluding to the continuation of his presidential campaign.

However, he has yet to offer a formal confirmation.

“Pardon my French, but f-ck Trump,” Galvan said.

Tyler Cousis, a 19-year-old UF mechanical engineering sophomore, said he was never enthused by Trump, especially during his time in office.

“A lot of his popularity is from personal charisma and lying on stage,” he said.

While he felt the guilty conviction followed a clear-cut case, Cousis said he was nearly certain Trump would not be taken into custody.

“I feel like he’s pretty corrupt,” he said.

“He’s mainly running for election just to try to avoid jail at this point.” @rylan_digirapp rdigiacomo-rapp@alligator.org @garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/opinions

Column

Lavender, scared: The need for the Lavender LLC

I

came out my senior year of high school. When I was accepted into UF, I nervously selected the Lavender Living Learning Community, the LGBTQ-friendly dorms, on my housing portal.

At the Lavender LLC, I formed life-long friendships and found a welcoming community that helped me grow into myself. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer, polyamorous, monogamous, cisgender and straight students populated the dorms, bringing me in contact with a diverse spectrum of my peers.

Holding PowerPoint nights, going downtown together to the University Club, engaging in thoughtful (and not-so-thoughtful) discourse on the unofficial Lavender Discord server and navigating the usual drama of students living together, the Lavender LLC helped me transition from an awkward just-out-ofthe-closet queer young adult into who I am today.

For queer students, and especially transgender students, the Lavender LLC provides the only gender-neutral space free from identity-based harassment. Housing is already a stress-inducing process, but the possibility of living with roommates who aggressively despise your identity as queer or trans multiplies the anxiety of the undertaking.

The need to live in a space free from harassment, however, has been misrepresented in right-wing attacks on the community.

An article from Young Americans for Freedom described the Lavender LLC as “a segregated dormitory for LGBTQ+ students” and “breed[ing] a generation of leftist thinkers.” The accusation of “segregation” is hot air; one of my next-door neighbors and several Lavender residents were cisgender and straight. As for “leftist indoctrination,” I encountered students with a diversity of views and despite any disagreements, we respected each other in the community.

Nevertheless, the future of the Lavender LLC remains uncertain. Last month, the housing website briefly removed the Lavender LLC and Black Cultural LLC before reinstating them a few weeks later.

Students communicating with UF housing have struggled to get concrete answers.

The two-headed blows against the LGBTQ+ and Black community on the heels of Pride Month and Rey Arcenas Juneteenth celebrations opinions@alligator.org bear striking similarities to UF’s dark history during the Lavender Scare. The Johns Committee, operating from the mid-1950s until the mid-1960s, initially targeted the NAACP and then turned its ire towards LGBTQ+ students and faculty at Florida universities. Under the complicity of UF President J. Wayne Reitz, numerous faculty members and students left UF. Under our current president, Ben Sasse, the LGBTQ+ community has faced attack after attack amid his silence. Last year, UF complied with a state audit on patients receiving gender-affirming care. Another Florida law penalized using restrooms not aligned with one’s sex assigned at birth. While Sasse tweets about the importance of open inquiry and speech, queer and trans UF students experience the overbearing hand of the state interfering in our affairs.

As an upcoming senior, I dread leaving UF in a worse place than when I arrived. The uncertain future of the Lavender LLC, persistent state attacks on the queer community and the complicity of the administration have made UF more hostile toward LGBTQ+ students. Early in Pride Month, and with Gov. Ron DeSantis engaging in his usual culture war nonsense, it’s important to come together as a community even as our spaces come under fire.

Ultimately, our rights were won through struggle, not given to us by those in power.

Rey Arcenas is a UF history and women’s studies senior.

Column

Protecting choice: The impact of Florida’s ban on cultured meat

O

n May 1, Senate Bill 1084 was signed, banning and criminalizing the sale and manufacture of cultured meat in Florida. While other states, including Tennessee, Alabama and Arizona, have considered similar bans, Florida was the first to actually implement it.

This push for a ban stems from the science behind cultured meat being viewed as taboo and a strong pushback against having increased competition from the meat industry.

The meat industry does not work in our favor.

Advocates of cultivated meat argue it’s environmentally friendly and poses a lower risk of foodborne illness because it does not involve live animals. However, critics maintain that cultured meat is unnatural and potentially less healthful.

It’s important to remember that the FDA approved Upside Food’s lab-grown chicken meat for human consumption in 2022, affirming that it is safe to eat. As informed individuals, we should be free to choose what we consume; this bill only hinders that freedom.

Banning cultured meat not only impedes progress in science but also limits our society’s ability to diversify thought and opinion. Students across Florida are already fighting against restrictions on academic freedom, and this ban adds another hurdle. UF has one of the strongest programs in food science and agriculture in the United States, and this ban stifles our scientists and their advancements in cellular agriculture.

According to the Good Food Institute, cultivated meat could revolutionize our food system, Valeria Gomez opinions@alligator.org using land 60 to 300 percent more efficiently than poultry and an astonishing 2000 to 4000 percent more efficiently than beef. This dramatic increase in efficiency could have profound benefits for biodiversity and climate, making it a gamechanger for our planet’s future. With the global demand for meat on the rise, now is the time for Floridians to speak up.

As temperatures continue to rise and climate change affects us all, meat alternatives are a simple and innovative way to aid our world.

With many people reluctant to adopt a vegan or vegetarian diet, finding alternatives that reduce animal slaughter and promote sustainability becomes even more imperative. Cultivated meat offers a viable solution, reducing the need for animal farming and its associated ethical and environmental issues. It’s time to embrace progress and protect our planet.

If you would like to read more about the topic explore here: https:// gfi.org/cultivated/ Valeria Gomez is a UF firstyear graduate student in Human Nutrition.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator.

The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 600 words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257.

Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.

MONDAY, JUNE 3, 2024 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue

MUSIC

DIY venue The Roadhouse closes after four years ITS NAME WILL CONTINUE, BUT THE SPACE WILL CEASE TO EXIST

By Ben Nielsen Avenue Staff Writer

On a typical street lined with ordinary houses, one home offers more than meets the eye.

Inside, musical instruments, vibrant decorations and electric crowds can be found. This is The Roadhouse, a DIY music venue that has hosted regular live music performances for the past four years.

The venue, located in Grove Street, announced in an Instagram post it will host its final show this summer, July 27.

The decision to close arrived when its owners, event coordinator Bri Reed and their husband Justin Reed, decided to move away from Gainesville.

Bri Reed called the decision “bittersweet.”

“This place has been such a huge part of my life for over four years,” Bri Reed said. “I feel so honored to have had a space to bring weirdos together. I’m really going to miss being immersed in music and meeting new people all the time.”

Their announcement shortly followed the closure of High Dive, another popular music venue in Gainesville.

Despite the Gainesville location closing, Bri Reed assured its name would continue by promoting and booking other Gainesville venues like The Ox. “I’m still booking shows as Roadhouse,” they said. “But the space will be gone as we know it.”

Feedback from the community has been positive, Bri Reed said.

“A lot of people have said they’re happy for us for making a move that felt right,” they said.

“Some people said they will miss the special niche it fit as an intimate and welcoming place to experience live music.”

Bri Reed wanted Gainesville to be left with a specific memory of The Roadhouse.

“I want people to remember Roadhouse based on however it made them feel,” they said. “Memories mean a lot to me, which is why I take so many film pictures and have photo albums on photo albums [because] I’m nostalgic like that.”

As The Roadhouse’s event coordinator, Bri Reed saw a variety of performances from bands including Orange Doors, Pigeon Pit and Emperor X.

Madison McClelland // Alligator Staff

“The list of stories is too long,” they said. “When Orange Doors played a cover of ‘Time After Time’ and everyone lost their mind and sang along… when Pigeon Pit played and people traveled from all over Florida to see and a bunch of us cried… when Emperor X played an intimate unplugged set sitting on the floor.”

Other bands who performed at The Roadhouse include Confession Kids, The Nancys, Boat Stuff and Daydreaming.

Their work at The Roadhouse inspired others to take on similar

projects, Bri Reed said.

“I’ve talked with people who are currently doing infrequent shows in similar DIY settings,” they said. “People who are curious and eager to try something similar, which I’m so excited to see.”

While the transition is going to be difficult, Reed said the couple is excited for what’s to come in their future.

“It’s really hard to imagine life without the high energy and chaos that I love about hosting shows,” they said. “At the same time, my husband and I feel like changing it

up, spending more time with each other and with nature, so I’m excited for this new chapter.”

The Nancys band member Ella Norris said scenes like The Roadhouse are vital to the community.

“The venue was always super welcoming and kind,” Norris said.

“They supported a lot of the local bands, even the smaller ones like us who weren’t as popular.”

Confession Kids bass player Alex Roberts worked the door at The Roadhouse after visiting a show. He expressed gratitude for the venue’s contribution to Gainesville’s music scene and said he believes its legacy will outlive its location.

“The Roadhouse changed a lot of lives,” Roberts said. “While the space itself may be transitioning out of regular operation in the nottoo-distant future, the spirit of The Roadhouse will no doubt be carried on.”

Roberts’ bandmate, Quil Darling, said they credit The Roadhouse with giving Confession Kids a chance.

“I think it exemplifies something that makes DIY music so great,” Darling said. “Anyone has a shot to play there.” @benknielsen bnielsen@alligator.org

NATURE

Science Up Close: Insects and interactive research in the Florida Museum

Visitors can directly interact with researchers over latest gut microbiome research

By Carlos Alemany Avenue Staff Writer

Through engaging displays, colorful visuals and one-onone interactions with scientists, visitors of The Florida Museum of Natural History can dive into the realm of insects and discover their impact on human culture, the environment and health and wellness.

With over a dozen labs, Science Up Close: Incredible Insects offers visitors the opportunity to learn the intricacies of bugs — from our backyards to our guts — from May 25 to Sept. 2.

Unlike most exhibits, this one removes the physical barriers of glass walls and closed-door collections. While visitors roam the space, researchers sit directly behind displays of petri dishes and insect specimens for anyone curious to learn more. “[The exhibit] is a conversation and you can physically learn from [the scientists],” said Nikhil Srinivasan, the museum’s public relations spokesperson.

Keep up with the Avenue on Twitter.

Tweet us @TheFloridaAve.

In collaboration with UF’s Entomology and Nematology Department, the Wong Lab is the latest featured exhibit showcasing cutting-edge research into the human gut microbiome.

Chun Nin Wong is an assistant professor at UF’s Entomology and Nematology Department.

She’s excited about the department’s latest breakthrough: scientists can separate gut bacteria from the food that fruit flies eat and can now measure how the bacteria population changes over time.

The microbiomes of fruit flies can be physically isolated and studied to derive further insight into the role of gut bacteria in human health and behavior, according to the Berkeley Lab. “My excitement is being able to share with people how studying fruit flies can draw insights that we can learn about fundamental biology and human diseases,” Wong said.

Though fruit flies may not be what first comes to mind when thinking of a test subject, about 75% of genes that cause disease in humans are also in fruit flies. This similarity makes them a solid model for applying their

research to humans.

Allison Dehnel, a research assistant in the Entomology and Nematology Department at UF, is another researcher who interacted with guests curious to learn more about the unique exhibit.

“I think it is really exciting that we’re finding out more and more how important the bacteria that live in our bodies and particularly in our guts, are to our health and well-being,” Dehnel said.

Jackie Lebouitz is a Chemicals in the Environment Agent at UF/IFAS extension who attended Incredible Insects June 1.

As a researcher herself, Lebouitz emphasized the importance for scientists to bridge the gap between the public and scientific research.

“I think a lot of people are fascinated by insects,” Lebouitz said. “And I think now more than ever, there’s just been kind of a rise in popularity.” @clos_alemany alemany@alligator.org

Ciencias de Cerca

Exhibición deja a visitantes aprender de insectos. Read more on pg. 7.

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LUNES, 3 DE JUNIO DE 2024 www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman

Ciencia de cerca: Insectos e investigación interactiva en el Museo de Florida Los visitantes pueden interactuar directamente con los investigadores sobre la investigación más reciente del microbioma intestinal Por Carlos Alemany Escritor de El Caimán

Traducido por Eneida Escobar Escritora de El Caimán

A través de exhibiciones atractivas, visuales coloridos e interacciones uno a uno con los científicos, los visitantes del Museo de Historia Natural de Florida pueden sumergirse en el mundo de los insectos y descubrir su impacto en la cultura humana, el medio ambiente y la salud y el bienestar.

Con más de una docena de laboratorios, Ciencia de Cerca: Insectos Increíbles ofrece a los visitantes la oportunidad de aprender las complejidades de los insectos, desde nuestros jardines hasta nuestros intestinos, del 25 de mayo al 2 de septiembre.

A diferencia de la mayoría de las exhibiciones, esta elimina las barreras físicas de las paredes de vidrio y las colecciones con puertas cerradas. Mientras los visitantes recor-

ren el espacio, los investigadores se sientan directamente detrás de exhibiciones de placas de petri y especímenes de insectos para cualquiera que quiera saber más. "[La exhibición] es una conversación y puedes aprender físicamente de [los científicos]", dijo Nikhil Srinivasan, portavoz de relaciones públicas del museo.

En colaboración con el Departamento de Entomología y Nematología de la UF, el Laboratorio Wong es la última exhibición destacada que muestra investigaciones de vanguardia sobre el microbioma intestinal humano.

Chun Nin Wong es profesor asistente en el Departamento de Entomología y Nematología de la UF. Está entusiasmada con el último avance del departamento: los científicos pueden separar las bacterias intestinales de los alimentos que comen las moscas de la fruta y ahora pueden medir cómo cambia la población de bacterias con el tiempo.

Los microbiomas de las moscas

de la fruta pueden aislarse físicamente y estudiarse para obtener más información sobre el papel de las bacterias intestinales en la salud y el comportamiento humano, según el Laboratorio de Berkeley.

"Mi entusiasmo es poder compartir con la gente cómo estudiar las moscas de la fruta puede proporcionar ideas que podemos aprender sobre biología fundamental y enfermedades humanas", dijo Wong.

Aunque las moscas de la fruta pueden no ser lo primero que viene a la mente al pensar en un sujeto de prueba, aproximadamente el 75% de los genes que causan enfermedades en los humanos también están en las moscas de la fruta. Esta similitud los convierte en un modelo sólido para aplicar su investigación a los humanos.

Allison Dehnel, asistente de investigación en el Departamento de Entomología y Nematología de la UF, es otra investigadora que interactuó con los visitantes curiosos por aprender más sobre la exhibición única.

Nathan Cooper // Personal de El Caimán

Un participante camina por la exhibición Insectos Increíbles en el Museo de Historia Natural de Florida el sábado, 2 de junio de 2024.

"Creo que es realmente emocionante que estemos descubriendo cada vez más lo importantes que son las bacterias que viven en nuestros cuerpos y, particularmente, en nuestros intestinos, para nuestra salud y bienestar", dijo Dehnel.

Jackie Lebouitz es una Agente de Químicos en el Medio Ambiente en la extensión UF/IFAS que asistió a Insectos Increíbles el 1ro de junio.

Como investigadora, Lebouitz

enfatizó la importancia de que los científicos cierren la brecha entre el público y la investigación científica.

"Creo que mucha gente está fascinada por los insectos", dijo Lebouitz. "Y creo que ahora más que nunca, ha habido un aumento en la popularidad". @clos_alemany calemany@alligator.org @EneidaMariaEsc eescobar@alligator.org

El local DIY The Roadhouse cierra después de cuatro años SU NOMBRE SEGUIRÁ, PERO EL ESPACIO DEJARÁ DE EXISTIR

Por Ben Nielsen Escritor de El Caimán

Traducido por Jose Carmona Escritor de El Caimán

En una calle típica llena de casas ordinarias, una vivienda ofrece más de lo que parece a simple vista.

En su interior, se pueden encontrar instrumentos musicales, decoraciones vibrantes y multitudes eléctricas. Este es The Roadhouse, un local de música DIY que ha albergado actuaciones de música en vivo regularmente durante los últimos cuatro años.

El local, ubicado en Grove Street, anunció en una publicación de Instagram que realizará su último show este verano, el 27 de julio.

La decisión de cerrar llegó cuando sus propietarios, la coordinadora de eventos Bri Reed y su esposo Justin Reed, decidieron mudarse de Gainesville. Bri Reed calificó la decisión como "agridulce".

"Este lugar ha sido una gran parte de mi vida durante más de cuatro años", dijo Bri Reed. "Me siento muy honrada de haber tenido

un espacio para reunir a los raros. Realmente voy a extrañar estar inmersa en la música y conocer gente nueva todo el tiempo".

Su anuncio siguió poco después del cierre de High Dive, otro local popular de música en Gainesville.

A pesar del cierre de la ubicación en Gainesville, Bri Reed aseguró que su nombre continuará promoviendo y reservando otros locales en Gainesville como The Ox. "Sigo reservando shows como Roadhouse", dijo. "Pero el espacio desaparecerá tal como lo conocemos".

Los comentarios de la comunidad han sido positivos, dijo Bri Reed.

"Mucha gente ha dicho que están felices por nosotros por tomar una decisión que sentimos correcta", dijo. "Algunas personas dijeron que extrañarán el nicho especial que ocupaba como un lugar íntimo y acogedor para disfrutar la música en vivo".

Bri Reed quería que Gainesville se quedara con un recuerdo específico de The Roadhouse.

"Quiero que la gente recuerde Roadhouse según cómo les hizo sentir", dijo. "Los recuerdos significan mucho para mí, por eso tomo tantas fotos en película y tengo álbumes de fotos sobre álbumes [porque] soy nostálgica así".

Como coordinadora de eventos de The Roadhouse, Bri Reed vio una variedad de actuaciones de bandas como Orange Doors, Pigeon

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Pit y Emperor X. "La lista de historias es demasiado larga", dijo. "Cuando Orange Doors tocó una versión de ‘Time After Time’ y todos se volvieron locos y cantaron... cuando Pigeon Pit tocó y la gente viajó desde toda Florida para verlos y muchos de nosotros lloramos... cuando Emperor X tocó un set íntimo desenchufado sentado en el suelo".

Otras bandas que actuaron en The Roadhouse incluyen Confession Kids, The Nancys, Boat Stuff y Daydreaming.

Su trabajo en The Roadhouse inspiró a otros a emprender proyectos similares, dijo Bri Reed.

"He hablado con personas que actualmente están haciendo shows infrecuentes en entornos DIY similares", dijo. "Personas que están curiosas y ansiosas por intentar algo similar, lo cual me emociona mucho ver".

Aunque la transición va a ser difícil, Reed dijo que la pareja está emocionada por lo que está por venir en su futuro.

"Es realmente difícil imaginar la vida sin la alta energía y el caos que amo de organizar shows", dijo. "Al mismo tiempo, mi esposo y yo sentimos que es momento de cambiar, pasar más tiempo juntos y con la naturaleza, así que estoy emocionada por este nuevo capítulo".

Ella Norris, miembro de la banda The Nancys, dijo que lugares como The Roadhouse son

Incoming offseason additions. Read more on pg. 11.

vitales para la comunidad.

"El local siempre fue muy acogedor y amable", dijo Norris. "Apoyaron a muchas de las bandas locales, incluso a las más pequeñas como nosotros que no éramos tan populares".

Alex Roberts, bajista de Confession Kids, trabajó en la puerta de The Roadhouse después de asistir a un show. Expresó su gratitud por la contribución del local a la escena musical de Gainesville y dijo que cree que su legado sobrevivirá a su ubicación.

"The Roadhouse cambió muchas vidas", dijo Roberts. "Aunque el espacio en sí mismo puede estar en transición para dejar de operar regularmente en un futuro no muy lejano, el espíritu de The Roadhouse sin duda perdurará".

El compañero de banda de Roberts, Quil Darling, dijo que le atribuye a The Roadhouse haberle dado una oportunidad a Confession Kids.

"Creo que ejemplifica algo que hace que la música DIY sea tan genial", dijo Darling. "Cualquiera tiene la oportunidad de tocar allí".

Síganos para actualizaciones

Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caimán, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/elcaiman.

@benknielsen bnielsen@alligator.org @JD_CarmonaS jcarmona@alligator.org

8 ALLIGATOR LUNES, 3 DE JUNIO DE 2024

La UF priva al personal y facultad de acceso gratuito a las instalaciones de RecSports

Las membresías para el profesorado cuestan ahora $50 al mes Por Kamala Rossi y Avery Parker Escritoras de El Caimán

Traducido por Isabela Reinoso Esritora de El Caimán

A medida que se acerca el verano y la comunidad de la UF se acumula en las piscinas del campus para refrescarse, UF RecSports anunció que el personal y la facultad tendrán que pagar para ingresar al lago Wauburg, las piscinas del campus y los gimnasios a partir del 1ro de julio.

La nueva opción de membresía aplica para los “usuarios no estudiantes” y permitirán el acceso a todas las instalaciones y programas recreativos del campus. El razonamiento detrás de este cambio es para garantizar equidad financiera de las facilidades recreacionales de la UF, ya que los estudiantes pagan matrícula y el personal y profesorado no, según su plataforma.

“Este cambio nos permitirá crear

un entorno donde todos contribuimos y nos comprometemos con el bienestar para toda la vida”, UF RecSports escribió.

Un mes de acceso costará $50, cuatro meses costará $150 y 12 meses costará $350. Para un solo día de acceso el pase costará $15. Los estudiantes que están matriculados en clases están permitidos acceso a las piscinas a través de sus cuotas de estudiante. Estudiantes que no están matriculados en clases se unen al personal y facultad en el pago de las cuotas de acceso a las instalaciones recreativas del campus.

Jorg Peters, un profesor de la UF de informática y ciencias de la información, dijo que la actualización publicada en la plataforma de RecSports es divisiva y cree que el cambio de regla proviene del presupuesto de la universidad y no de la falta de compensación del personal y la facultad.

“Lo que me fastidia sobre la pancarta es el torpe intento de manipulación”, dijo Peters. “‘Garantizar que los estudiantes ya no tengan que

soportar la carga de subvencionar el acceso de los no estudiantes,’ es una manera clásica de enfrentar a los miembros de la comunidad Gator entre sí para desviar la atención de las verdaderas causas e ineficiencias”.

Peters también cuestionó sobre cómo la nueva reglamentación beneficiará económicamente a los estudiantes de la UF y dijo que el acceso gratuito de los profesores a instalaciones como el lago Wauburg es una desigualdad contra los estudiantes.

“El lago Wauburg o la piscina de Florida pueden ser un lugar menos donde se reúna la comunidad de la UF”, dijo Peters.

Caitlin Douglas, de 26 años, es auxiliar de biblioteca en la UF y dijo que la noticia le había decepcionado.

Hacía poco que había empezado a trabajar en la UF y no había tenido la oportunidad de utilizar las instalaciones con frecuencia antes del cambio de norma, dijo.

“Yo entiendo que los estudiantes pagan la matrícula”, dijo Douglas.

“Muchas de estas facilidades están

incluidas en la matrícula, pero también siento que el personal y la facultad son parte de la comunidad de la UF y están haciendo sus propias formas de servicio hacia la escuela que deberían calificarlos también para esas amenidades”.

Según ella, el personal y los profesores ya pagan por otros servicios de la UF, como el estacionamiento.

El precio actual podría resultar restrictivo para algunos empleados de la UF, incluida ella misma.

“Hay tal diferencia entre nuestro personal peor pagado y el mejor pagado, que nuestro personal peor pagado probablemente no pueda pagar $50 al mes”, dijo Douglas. “Yo no podría pagarlo. No podría pagarlo en absoluto”.

Como supuestos beneficiarios del cambio de política, los estudiantes de la UF tenían opiniones mixtas sobre la decisión.

Danista Gonzalez, una estudiante de tercer año de 20 años de ciencias animales de la UF simpatizó con el personal y los profesores.

“Creo que [los cambios] apestan, en parte porque [el personal y la facultad] son parte de la UF”, dijo. “Su razonamiento es un poco duro”.

Ella, sin embargo, cree que los precios estaban razonables. “$50 por usar una piscina es ridículo, pero si son $50 y el gimnasio, entonces es más factible”, dijo.

Rachel Nuyten, estudiante de lingüística de la UF de 21 años, consideró “hipócrita” el cambio de política a la luz de la reciente controversia con la UF que propone reducir la financiación del servicio de autobuses RTS. Las cuotas de los estudiantes forman parte del financiamiento del sistema de bus público RTS. “Veo que la UF no quiere mantener otros programas estudiantiles, como el dinero para RTS. Así que parece un poco incoherente con sus acciones”, dijo Nuyten. “Siento que si realmente se preocuparan por los intereses de los estudiantes, tomarían decisiones diferentes”. @kamalarossi krossi@alligator.org @AveryParke98398 aparker@alligator.org @isareinosod ireinoso@alligator.org

‘Nunca habrá justicia’: Progresivos y profesores de la UF reaccionan a la condena de Trump TRUMP DIJO QUE EL VEREDICTO FINAL SERÁ EL 5 DE NOVIEMBRE Por Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp y Garrett Shanley Escritores de El Caimán

Traducido por Valentina Sandoval Esritora de El Caimán

El presidente del Colegio de Demócratas de la UF Connor Effrain estaba en Washington, D.C., aproximadamente a 20 minutos caminando del edificio del Capitolio de los Estados Unidos cuando se enteró de la noticia. La cara inexpresiva del expresidente Donald Trump apareció en la pantalla de su teléfono junto a la palabra “culpable”.

“Es genial que finalmente está enfrentando las consecuencias”, dijo Effrain.

Trump es ahora el primer expresidente de los E.E.U.U en ser condenado por un delito grave. Él hizo historia el 30 de mayo cuando fue declarado culpable por los 34 cargos de delito grave por tratar de influenciar las elecciones de 2016 a tráves de un pago de dinero secreto a la actríz de películas adultas Stormy Daniels, quien alegó que los dos tuvieron sexo.

“Ni la Madre Teresa podría vencer estos cargos”, le dijo Trump a los reporteros afuera del tribunal. “Estos cargos son manipulados.

Todo el juicio fue manipulado”.

Effrain dijo que el veredicto de culpable lleva tiempo pendiente. Sin embargo, él dijo que la decisión de la corte no borrará la división política y social que ha resultado de la presidencia de Trump en 2016, la cual él describió como un “desastre”.

“Mayormente, creo que la manera que él desvirtuó la democracia va a lastimar a Estados Unidos por muchas generaciones”, dijo él.

Si Trump evade ir a la prisión, Effrain dijo que enactar otra forma de castigo y la suspensión de su candidatura presidencial de 2024 es esencial para preservar el poder de la ley.

“Nadie que trató de revocar la elección de 2020, que trató de destruir la democracia en los Estados Unidos debería ser permitido

como candidato presidencial”, él dijo.

El Colegio de Republicanos de la UF publicó la noticia de la condena de Trump en su cuenta de Instagram minutos después de que el jurado tomó la decisión. La organización lamentó que el único miembro del jurado que dijo que lee las noticias a través de Truth Social, la plataforma de redes sociales de Trump, no votó para absolver al presidente.

“Nuestro chico que solo lee las noticias en Truth Social nos decepcionó”, decía la publicación. “Es el final”.

El Colegio de Republicanos de la UF no respondió a The Alligator con comentarios.

Turning Point UF y UF Young Americans for Freedom, dos organizaciones conservadoras prominentes en el campus, tampoco respondieron con comentarios.

Varios miembros de la comunidad de la UF que dijeron que apoyaban a Trump también negaron solicitudes por comentarios.

El juez Juan M. Merchan estableció la sentencia de Trump para el 11 de julio, solo unos días antes de la Convención Nacional Republicana en Milwaukee donde líderes del partido planean declararlo formalmente su candidato presidencial. Los republicanos de Florida han proclamado su apoyo por las redes sociales, compartiendo su posición de que el “veredicto real” va a ser declarado por los votantes en las elecciones generales en noviembre.

El Gobernador Ron DeSantis, quien compitió contra Trump en las primarias presidenciales antes de suspender su campaña en enero, ridiculizó la condena como una maniobra política de una “corte de canguros”.

“El veredicto de hoy representa la culminación de un proceso legal que ha sido manipulado a favor de la voluntad política de los individuos envueltos: un fiscal izquierdista, un juez partidista y un jurado reflectivo de unos de los enclaves más liberales en los Estados Unidos — todo en un esfuerzo para ‘atrapar’ a Donald Trump”, escribió DeSantis en una publicación de X. El presidente de la UF Ben Sasse, un exsenador republicano de Nebraska, fue un crítico vocal de la actitud política de Trump y fue uno de los siete republicanos del senado que votaron para impugnar a Trump por cargos relacionados a la insurrección en

el Capitolio de Estados Unidos el 6 de enero de 2021. Durante una llamada de télefono en 2020 con sus constituyentes, Sasse dijo que Trump “coquetea con supemacistas blancos” y “le besa el trasero a dictadores”.

Sasse, quien dijo que su crítica de Trump ha formado su legado como senador, ha mantenido su promesa de “castidad política” como presidente de una universidad y no ha comentado públicamente sobre la condena.

Los presidentes de universidades al rededor de Florida y el país también han evitado comentar públicamente sobre la condena de Trump.

No está claro si Trump va a poder votar por sí mismo en las elecciones generales. Él fue condenado en Nueva York pero vive en Florida, un estado liderado por republicanos que ha hecho más difícil votar como un delincuente condenado. Sin embargo, DeSantis dijo en una publicación de X que garantizaría el derecho de Trump para votar en las elecciones generales en noviembre.

“Dada la naturaleza absurda de la prosecución de Trump en Nueva York, esto sería un caso fácil de calificar para la restauración de derechos según la Junta de Clemencia de Florida, la cual yo dirijo”, escribió DeSantis.

Algunos grupos de derechos electorales estuvieron de acuerdo con la posición de DeSantis que Florida honora las reglas de otros estados cuando lidia con condenas fuera del estado. Sin embargo, Florida Justice Project, un grupo sin fines de lucro que representa a delincuentes que buscan restaurar sus derechos electorales, dijo que los estatutos de Florida y las provisiones constitucionales del estado no hacen “ninguna afirmación o distinción en relación a condenas fuera del estado”.

Stephen Craig, un profesor de ciencias políticas de la UF que se especializa en opinión pública y el comportamiento de votantes, no estaba seguro de las consecuencias. Él dijo que es muy pronto para que cualquiera pueda descifrar como la condena de Trump va a afectar su elegibilidad para votar y postularse a la presidencia o sus resultados en la elección de noviembre.

“Que voy a saber yo”, escribió Craig en una correspondencia de correo electrónico.

Aunque Valentina Galvan sintió que el

veredicto fue un paso en la dirección correcta, ella dijo que el juicio dejó sin mencionar la larga lista de infracciones de Trump, lo cual hace que sienta que la decisión fue más simbólica que nada.

“En mis ojos, nunca habrá justicia”, dijo la estudiante de 18 años de antropología de segundo año en la UF. Como una mujer mexicana y americana, Galvan recuerda sentir “devastación” después de la inauguración de Trump en 2016. Ella expresó aún más desapruebo de su candidatura actual, criticando sus políticias de borde, su posición sobre los derechos reproductivos y su participación en conflictos extranjeros.

“Ese tipo se merece años y años de tiempo de carcél”, dijo ella. “Los Estados Unidos no podrían ser más un chiste que dejando a un delincuente condenado en la silla presidencial, pero como sea”.

El expresidente dijo que el “veredicto real” será el 5 de noviembre, refiriendose a la continuación de su campaña presidencial.

Sin embargo, él todavía no ha ofrecido una confirmación formal.

“Perdón por el lenguaje, pero que se joda Trump”, dijo Galvan.

Tyler Cousis, un estudiante de 19 años de ingeniería mecánica de segundo año en la UF, dijo que nunca estuvo entusiasmado con Trump, especialmente durante su tiempo como presidente.

“Mucha de su popularidad viene de su carisma personal y mentir en el escenario”, dijo.

Aunque sintió que la condena de culpable vino de un caso conciso, Cousis dijo que estaba más que seguro que Trump no será puesto bajo custodia.

“Siento que él es bien corrupto”, dijo. “Él está corriendo para presidente más que todo para evitar ir a la cárcel a este punto”. @rylan_digirapp rdigiacomo-rapp@alligator.org @garrettshanley gshanley@alligator.org @valesrc vsandoval@alligator.org

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BASKETBALL

Newly signed rising junior and sophomore transfers in ChattaFlorida men’s basketball roster is revamped for 2024-25 season nooga forward Sam Alexis and Washington State center Rueben the team’s defense, rebounding and pressure around the rim.

THE GATORS HAVE SIX RETURNING PLAYERS AND ADDED THREE IMPACTFUL TRANSFERS FROM THE PORTAL

By Max Tucker Sports Writer

There isn’t much time to rest in the life of a high-level Division I college basketball coach. Whether their team is in the middle of its conference slate, or it just went home for summer break, the workload is plentiful.

Between players coming off their final year of eligibility, entering their names in the transfer portal or declaring for the NBA Draft, programs across the nation have little time to rest if they wish to construct a roster capable of competing at a winning pace.

However, these narratives might not be as daunting for a Florida coaching staff that returns six key players to its roster from last year’s team after having its season end in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament.

“In this day and age of college basketball to have the amount of guys we’ve got coming back, and the amount of key guys we have coming back is huge for our program,” said associate head coach Carlin Hartman. “It means a lot for Coach Golden and our staff to be able to have that kind of continuity.”

Florida almost lost its leading scorer and second-leading 3-point shooter from last season — rising seniors Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard. The teammates both entered this year’s NBA Draft process but made it clear they would play for UF if choosing to return to college.

With graduate students Zyon Pullin and Tyrese Samuel departing after their final years of eligibility, Gator fans were forced to hold their breath as they were potentially set to see the three starting guards from 2023-24 walk out the door.

Nevertheless, UF head coach Todd Golden felt the program was still in a solid position.

“I think we’re in a really good spot right now,” Golden said.

“Now we can kind of take a step back and kind of see what’s out there. Like I said, with Walt and Will, that’s going to determine a lot of what happens. If they both come back, we’ll definitely get one more guy in the frontcourt, maybe a younger guy in the backcourt [via the portal].”

Within the same week, both NBA prospects announced they would be returning for one last season donning orange and blue.

Clayton Jr. had the highest scoring average in the last 20 years

by a Gator with 17.6 points per game last season while claiming second-team All-SEC honors. The 6-foot-4 sharpshooter Richard put together six 20-point scoring performances as a junior and knocked down a career-high 70 3-pointers for Florida.

“When you get players of that caliber [to come back] and for the positions that they play in the backcourt is huge,” Hartman said. “Huge for our team, for our program and for the prospects that are hoping we can take another step going into year three.”

Rounding out the likely starting backcourt for the Gators will be Florida Atlantic rising senior transfer Alijah Martin. The 1,000 point scorer was the second-leading scorer for the Owls’ 2023 squad that reached the Men’s Final Four in Houston.

Martin was selected to the 2023 NCAA All-Tournament Team and averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game at FAU last season. “[Martin is] someone who’s been there and gone through the wars,” Hartman said. “That’s going to help us out a lot, and he also slots really well with Will Richard and Walter Clayton.”

Despite the returning firepower in Florida’s backcourt, the depth of it shouldn’t be overlooked.

Rising junior guard Denzel Aberdeen has shown patience throughout his career as a Gator. Although he didn’t start a game for Florida last season, he delivered a career-high 20 points against Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament semifinal.

“He’s definitely capable of making a big jump,” said UF assistant coach John Andrzejek. “He’s had games where he’s played like one of the best guards in the league… We’ve seen what he’s capable of. I think for him, it’s just shaking off the jitters and just going forward and letting it all hang out there.”

Incoming freshman Isaiah Brown will enter the program as a four-star shooting guard and will have an immediate opportunity to impact the court for the Gators.

The 6-foot-5, 185-pound freshman out of Orlando is ranked the 110th player nationally and 13th in Florida, according to 247Sports. Brown averaged 15.4 points per game at Orlando Christian Prep during his senior season.

“He’s really exciting,” Andrzejek said. “Just a good, talented guy who has a really good heart, loves the Gators, super excited to be here, has talent and has already produced on both sides of the ball whether it’s AAU or high school.”

Florida’s coaching staff has rebuilt its frontcourt to possibly be even stronger in 2024-25 despite sophomore center Micah Handlogten’s likely upcoming redshirt season due to a leg injury in the SEC championship.

An aspect of UF’s offseason strategy has been to recruit players to both fill the void left by Handlogten’s absence and improve

Chinyelu will certainly be up for the task, said associate head coach Carlin Hartman.

“Sam’s gonna bring an element of athleticism [and] scoring power inside the post,” Hartman said. “Also an ability to make a perimeter shot, and he’s a very good defensive player…and a very good defensive rebounder as well.”

Alexis averaged just short of a double-double last year with 9.1 rebounds per game while recording 70 blocks.

Chinyelu played under 14 minutes per game for the Cougars in his freshman campaign but totaled 108 defensive rebounds and 45 blocked shots.

“He’s just a guy you can throw out there, and he’s gonna play his tail off at 6-foot-10 with a 7 [foot] 8 wingspan,” Hartman said of Chinyelu. “He’s very unique in a lot of ways…He’s a very elite defender, so I think we get better from a defensive standpoint, a little bit more stout.”

Alexis and Chinyelu will join the young core of forwards — rising sophomores Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh — who both contributed immensely throughout their freshman seasons en route to Florida’s best rebounding season in the history of the program grabbing 42.3 boards per game.

It was an unexpected surprise to the coaching staff. Hartman said it was a slow going for Condon and Haugh when first arriving on campus despite their play in 2023-24.

“Condon and Thomas, they came in last May as true freshmen that really didn’t know very much about what it was gonna take to get on the floor,” Hartman said. “They came in hungry to prove that they belong, and they did just that.”

As Florida continues to build its culture and brand as a college basketball program, it will assemble a roster of players committed to getting the Gators back on the national map.

Moreover, the near future looks bright for Florida fans who will be greeted with a variety of familiar faces from a team who put together the program’s winningest season since 2017.

But it won’t just be about the talent on the court contributing to UF’s success in the win-loss column. The continuity and togetherness of this year’s roster might just be what will stand out the most.

“I think we’re better and I think we’re better once again just because of the familiarity,” Hartman said. “We obviously lose some really good pieces in Zyon Pullin and Tyrese Samuel of course. And those guys are going to be tough to replace. However, I do think that because of our continuity we will be better.” @Max_Tuckr1 mtucker@alligator.org

SOCCER

Florida soccer ready to roll with incoming offseason additions

The Gators landed sophomore Delaney Tellex and junior Kaela Standish in the transfer portal last month

By Jack Meyer Sports Writer

UF soccer head coach Samantha Bohon made one thing clear this offseason: the Gators are no longer satisfied with treading water in the SEC. With a new transfer portal class inbound, Florida hopes to turn its output on the field into a force to be reckoned with in 2024.

“As a competitor, I’m tired of not being in that tournament,” Bohon said. “We need to be in the SEC Tournament, we want to be in the NCAA Tournament. We want to be competitive.”

As soon as the NCAA transfer portal opened last month, Bohon and her staff got to work. After weeks on end of film study

in the Florida soccer “war room” and reaching out to prospective transfers, the Gators landed a pair of athletes Bohon believes can take this team to the next level: forward/ midfielder Delaney Tellex and midfielder Kaela Standish.

Standish joins the Gators after spending her first two collegiate seasons at Utah, where she appeared in all but one game in the team’s 2023 campaign. The versatile midfielder played all 90 minutes in 11 of Utah’s 12 final matches, finishing the season with two goals and eight shot attempts.

Additionally, Standish primarily played out of position for the Utes in the back half of the season. While she normally lines up as a midfielder, Standish saw more reps as a center back due to the team’s lack of

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depth as the season went on. Bohon praised Standish’s multifaceted approach to the game, noting that it made her an appealing target as soon as she hit the transfer portal.

“That was appealing for us, to see some versatility in her,” Bohon said. “She was capable, not just from a physical standpoint, but from an IQ standpoint… As a coach, you have to have a lot of confidence in a player to move them out of position, especially in the center back.”

The respect between Standish and her new head coach appears to be mutual. She had nothing but praise for how Bohon handled her recruitment and has helped her assimilate into the Florida soccer culture. The midfielder is now ready to make an impact for the Gators this coming fall.

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“I think I can bring really good energy to the team,” Standish said. “For me, I’m a very calm player… I just really want this group to succeed.”

Just one day after Standish declared her intention to move to Gainesville, Tellex announced she too would be joining the Gators in 2024. Tellex originally played for the Memphis Tigers, where she appeared in 18 of the team’s 22 games as a freshman last season.

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