Monday, Oct. 11, 2021

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 8

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

Not officially associated with the University of Florida

UF homecoming traditions return after one-year hiatus GUNNA AND NEON TREES HEADLINED THE ANNUAL STUDENT-LED PEP RALLY

By Elena Barrera Alligator Staff Writer

Kiara Cline // Alligator Staff

Gavin Hughes (left), Haddie Hughes (middle), and twins Emanuel and Elijah Harmon (right) watch the UF Homecoming Parade approach on University Avenue on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021.

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT Two in a million

Story finishMarco with comma, pg# a Floridadescription long snapper Ortiz took long journey to his new scholarship — but with twin Antonio, he didn’t take it alone.

Read more on pg. 11

Gnomes?

UF’s shortest influencer documents college experience, pg. 7

Registration waitlist

UF rolls out new waitlist feature for Spring registration, pg. 5

More than 7,000 people packed into the O’Connell Center as Gator chomps rippled through the crowd followed by the classic “It’s great to be a Florida Gator” chant. These were both demonstrations of what homecoming week is all about: tradition.

This was UF’s 98th ‘welcome home’ event, and after a gap year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gators young and old were excited to unite in school spirit and Gators pride.

Hordes of people showed up to UF’s first Gator Growl in two years.

Gator Growl is a long-standing tradition rooted in the celebration of UF’s past and present students and their unwavering support for the orange and blue. Each year, musical and comedic entertainers take the stage to bring the Gator Nation back together for the country’s largest student-run pep rally.

“Since I’ve graduated, I’ve only missed one Gator Growl,” said Jay Sandhouse, a 1980 UF alumnus.

“What else would you be doing?”

Last year’s homecoming events were either entirely virtual or modified, and Gator Growl’s usual lineup of big-name artists was canceled.

Sandhouse looked forward to attending the first Gator Growl in the O’Connell Center. In past years, the event took place outside at Flavet Field.

“It may motivate more people to go

SEE GATOR GROWL, PAGE 6

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2 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021

Proposed Today’s apartment building to bring Weather affordable housing closer to UF campus THE APARTMENT COMPLEX PLANS TO DESIGNATE 10% OF ITS UNITS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING

By Meghan McGlone and Jiselle Lee Alligator Staff Writers

Low-income Gainesville residents may soon be living alongside UF students as a mixeduse development proposal is set to be built next to campus.

The City Commission will make the final decision this month on the construction of an affordable housing and student living apartment building, located at 1227 W. University Ave. where Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria once stood. The plans include a 10-story apartment building with 151 housing units, 10% of which will be for affordable housing, according to a Friday city press release.

This follows the city’s goals set forth in itstheir master plan, which aims to provide affordable rental housing for Gainesville residents.

Specific rates are unclear as of Oct. 10.

The rent price for the 15 affordable units will be lower than surrounding apartments like The Standard or The Hub, Commissioner David Arreola said.

Gainesville Housing Authority CEO Pamela Davis said tThe affordable housing units will be available to people who make 60% or below of the median income in the city, Gainesville Housing Authority CEO Pamela Davis said. The Gainesville Housing Authority may also refer people who make 80% or below the median income to live there,

Davis said. The 2020 median family income in Gainesville was $69,800.

Davis said the GHA Gainesville Housing Authority provides housing for low-income families in the cityGainesville, and people can apply for affordable housing through GHA. It will refer people who qualify for affordable housing to Lincoln Ventures, the real estate firm that owns the property, to ensure low-income families are using the units.

“Housing is expensive, and it’s a basic necessity for families for stability and security,” Davis said. “We want to make sure that all of our families have an opportunity to be successful in our community.”

The apartment will have mixedincome housing with students and low-income families. The building’s proximity to UF allows people to walk to classes or oncampus jobs, City Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos said. This helps people save money on car expenses and save time on long bus rides.

However, there’s still a massive need for housing in Gainesville, Hayes-Santos said.

He said he hopes the commission will hear an inclusionary zoning act later this year to mandate affordable housing in new housing developments.

Fred Sowder, a 51-year-old UF alumnus born and raised in Gainesville, said the building could improve the interaction between Gainesville residents and UF students.

“Students need to start immersing themselves in other cultures and being around other people's socioeconomic backgrounds,” he said.

Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff

The building that housed Felipe's Mexican Taqueria is seen on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. The lot will be used for a new student apartment building that will have affordable housing units.

VOLUME 116 ISSUE 8

ISSN 0889-2423

Not officially associated with the University of Florida Published by Campus Communications Inc., of Gainesville, Florida

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Sowder said he feels having only 10% of the housing units being available to low- income families is too low.

“It's a good start, but I think that the city can hopefully either do more projects like that in the future or bump up that percentage a little bit,” he said.

Kim Tanzer, a former UF architecture professor and licensed architect, said she remains unconvinced that the apartment will be marketed toward low-income families.

“The affordable housing that's being provided by the Gainesville Housing Authority will be not for those desperately low-income families, but rather for people in their 30s or 40s who want to live near where they work at the university,” she said.

She said she doesn’t believe a family with children would want to live in that area with hundreds of other students.

“I don't think a family with children would benefit from living in a building with 600 students,.” she said.

Tanzer also raises the question of whether the Gainesville Housing Authority should be involved with a development company. Typically developers are allowed to build extra units with the promise that some of them are affordable, so this situation will actually benefit the developer, she said.

“The fact that the Gainesville Housing Authority is contributing money to a developer is something that I think deserves close scrutiny,” she said.

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4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021

Porters Quarters residents meet with local officials to express parking concerns Residents expressed concerns about trespassing and parking

By Jiselle Lee Alligator Staff Writer

The Florida Vintage Market attracts hundreds of visitors to explore local vendors, food trucks and music every two weeks.

But on Oct. 10, shoppers were met with limited parking availability confined to the handful of spots at the 4th Ave Food Park, a rented parking lot on Sixth Street and Fourth Avenue, and city parking a few blocks away.

“Please no parking in the Porters community. You will be towed!” and “Be respectful of our neighborhood: No trash dumping, no loud music, no parking on private property,” read signs located on every block.

During the last market two weeks ago, residents of Porters Quarters, a historically Black neighborhood established in 1884, came home from church Sunday and found dozens of cars parked on their lawns and in front of their driveways with no explanation.

After calling the police at the event, Porters Quarters residents held a meeting with 4th Ave Food Park to discuss concerns about parking. GPD spokesperson Graham Glover said police were present at the community meeting and that the issue was resolved.

“There are no more issues,” Glover said. “The Porters community and business owners on 4th Ave Food Park met., t They’ve talked., t They figured out a way to get traffic where it needs to be and parking where it needs to be.”

Faye Williams, a 66-year-old Porters resident, said she was horrified by what she saw at the market a few weeks ago.

“We could not even park in our driveways,” Williams said. “They had to sit in the car, or go somewhere else and come back two or three hours to get in their own house.”

She said if this were to have happened in any predominantly white neighborhood, cars would have been towed and ticketed immediately.

And this isn’t the first time Porters Quarters residents have seen this happen.

Williams recalled a similar event that

happened two years ago at a Depot Park concert.

“The guy who lives over here couldn’t even get into his yard,” she said. “One of his friends went and slashed seven tires, and the guys had to come out and hold him back because he just lost it … This man that worked all night and you can’t come back and park in your own yards. And then they [the drivers] come back at 2 a.m. — most of them drunk and shouldn’t be driving.”

More than anything, Williams is afraid Porters Quarters is slowly losing its history, its culture and its people at the hands of incidents similar to what happened with the market as well as new residential and commercial developments.

“When the young people come in, mostly young students, they have no idea what they’re living on,” Williams said. “They’re just happy to find an apartment on Sixth Street … But they have no idea of the history of Porters.”

Nkwanda Jah, a 67-year-old East Gainesville resident, said she isn’t surprised by what happened at 4th Ave Food Park.

“It’s alright to have businesses created, such as those in the food park on Fourth, but my problem is that it’s not inclusive of the neighborhood that it’s located in,” Jah said.

“I don’t think anyone from that community has any business in that area.”

Jah said she’s more concerned about developers putting up student housing on Sixth Street than commercial businesses.

“Those apartments are going to be way out of the reach of the people who were displaced,” she said. “Now that’s just gentrification. When they move a group of people out and they can’t afford to live in the neighborhood that they previously lived in.”

Mia Crisostomo, 4th Ave Food Park’s digital coordinator and event coordinator, said she hasn’t had much interaction with the Porters Quarters community and parking has not been an issue in the past.

She knew the founders of The Florida Vintage Market because of her own experience as a vendor, and she invited them to host their market at 4th Ave Food Park.

“We also have a lot of food vendors that are local businesses here that would be able to benefit from the traffic that the market would bring,” Crisostomo said.

She said she thinks the local market scene has grown a lot during the last three years she has been involved and the turnout for the previous The Florida Vintage Market was one of the largest since COVID-19 started.

“We haven’t really had any complaints to the extent that we did at The Florida Vintage Market,” she said. “We really were shocked by the turnout. And we didn’t intend for people to park in the community. We didn’t know that people were parking in the Porters community until cops literally came

and talked to me about it.”

Crisostomo said the Food Park attempted to divert people to the Southwest Parking Garage and city street parking that are free on the weekends.

The Florida Vintage Market posted a map on Instagram to show shoppers where they need to park.

“DO NOT PARK IN THE PORTERS COMMUNITY OR OTHER SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU WILL BE TOWED!” market organizers wrote on Instagram.

But, as Williams and Jah said, the conflict is far from over as students continue to infiltrate the area surrounding their communities. @jiselle_lee jlee@alligator.org

Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff

A sign is seen on the corner of Southwest Fourth Avenue and Southwest Third Street discouraging Florida Vintage Market shoppers from parking in the Porters Quarters neighborhood on Oct. 10, 2021.

Alachua County Public Schools to accept mask exemption forms for high schoolers PARENTS CAN SUBMIT THE FORMS STARTING OCT. 19

By Bryce Brown Alligator Staff Writer

In the ongoing masking battle between the Florida Department of Education, the Alachua County School Board and public school parents, the school board signaled the beginning of the end.

Despite some parents’ opposition to the county’s public school mask mandate until Oct. 19, the Alachua County School Board decided on Oct. 5 to extend it for at least another four weeks.

But now, parents can exempt their high school students from masking requirements beginning Oct. 19 by submitting opt-out forms to exempt their children from wearing masks.

However, no mask opt-out forms will be accepted for kindergarten through eighth grade students. Only medical exemptions in rare cases where students have a develop-

mental or physical disability will be accepted as a reason to unmask at school.

Although the School Board considered allowing exemptions for students at least 12 years old instead of just high school students, it ultimately decided it would be too complicated to navigate in middle schools.

Leanetta McNealy, School Board chair, said masking is the reason behind the declining COVID-19 cases in the Alachua County school system.

Despite being pro-mask, she said the board has to juggle the interests of two types of parents: those who believe parents have the right to decide if their child wears a mask and those who believe everyone should wear a mask to ensure their child is protected.

This decision comes after Jeff Childers, the attorney who successfully stalled Gainesville’s city employee vaccine mandate, filed a lawsuit against the county’s mask mandate. Childers will represent 22 petitioners from Alachua and Duval counties. The school district had until Oct. 8 to respond to the lawsuit.

It’s unclear as of Oct. 10 whether the county has responded.

Pro-masking and anti-masking parents alike came to the Alachua County School District building in downtown Gainesville to voice their opinion on the mandate at the school board meeting on Oct. 5.

Sarah Rockwell, a mother of two homeschooled children, said she attended the rally to advocate for the continued masking in the school district, especially while children under 12 years old are still unable to get vaccinated Her children have been enrolled in Florida Virtual School at home because her daughter’s health is at-risk should she contract COVID-19.

“That’s why I’m wearing an N-95 mask outside in the Florida heat,” she said. “My daughter has sacrificed almost all of her social interactions and my son, too, for 18 months. That’s an actual sacrifice.

Having to wear a mask is a mild inconvenience.”

Rockwell said under Florida’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, masks do not qualify as medical devices or treat-

ments. The bill established a parent’s right to direct his or her child’s upbringing, education and health.

“Requiring a child to wear a cloth face covering is just like requiring them to wear close-toed shoes,” Rockwell said. “It might not be the most comfortable thing, but we do it because it keeps everyone safe just like wearing close-toed shoes keeps us from having trip-and-fall accidents and foot injuries.”

She said Childers’ lawsuit is laughable, and she questions his qualifications to be influencing medical policy in the school district.

Other parents believe it’s time to repeal masking requirements.

Teresa Steele, a mother of a first -grade student and a fourth -grade student at High Springs Community School, said she supports Childers’ lawsuit.

“I hope he is successful in doing that because the School Board, like I said, is just dragging their feet, and I think they’re politically motivated at this point,” she said.

Steele said parents should be able to make decisions about their own

children’s health. She agrees with the state Department of Education for withholding funding.

“The whole school board needs to be fired for being insubordinate,” she said.

Steele said it’s unfair that only high school students can opt-out of the mask mandate and not all students. If Steele’s family had the option, they would not wear masks.

David Kaplan, who has a third -grade daughter at Carolyn Beatrice Parker Elementary School, said he viewed the rally as an opportunity to express support for the safety measures the school board has taken for students, such as the mask mandate and new air filtration.

“To move forward on improving our schools, we need all parents involved in putting their voice in supporting the initiatives that they think are going to help their kids,” Kaplan said. “Many hands make light work, and teachers and administrators can’t do it on their own.” @brycebrownnn bbrown@alligator.org

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021 ALLIGATOR 5

UF adds waitlist option for Spring 2022 registration THE NEW FEATURE ALLOWS STUDENTS TO AVOID CONSTANTLY MONITORING CLASSES FOR OPEN SEATS

By Max Taylor Alligator Staff Writer

The upcoming Spring semester registration will feature a new option to make it easier for students to register for their classes.

UF will add an “Add to Waitlist” button to its ONE.UF course registration page for next semester. Students will have the option to add themselves to a list that reserves spots for full classes. As students drop the class, those on the waitlist will have the option to enroll in the course.

The waitlist feature will start as soon as enrollment opens on Oct. 25 or Oct. 19 for Honors students. It will continue until the last day of the drop/add period on Jan. 11. Only certain departments will enable the waitlist option for their courses. It is unclear as of Oct. 10 which departments will offer it.

As soon as a spot opens up, students have a limited time to accept their seat,

otherwise they will be removed from the waitlist. From Oct. 25 to Dec. 27, students will have 24 hours to accept. From Dec. 28 to Jan. 4, students will have 12 hours to accept. During the drop/add period, Jan. 5 to Jan. 11, students will have just four hours to officially enroll in the course.

The new feature is a welcomed change for students like Adriana LaVopa, an 18-year-old materials science and engineering freshman, who had trouble finding open seats for her desired class in August.

She checked the openings during drop/ add week — once in the morning and once at night — but she never saw a seat open up for a Secrets of Alchemy course she was interested in.

“I feel like that’s a thing that should have been always in place,” LaVopa said.

She said if she can’t get the classes she wants for the Spring, she will use the new waitlist feature.

To successfully enroll in a waitlist and to register for classes, students have to clear any holds on their account and meet class prerequisites. After enrolling, students receive notifications about their waitlist status via phone or UF email.

“During drop/add period a lot of people drop the class and then there’s open spots in the class but you don’t really know about it,” said Andy Rodriguez, an 18-year-old biochemistry freshman. “The hardest part is finding the right period because they fill up pretty fast.”

After students accept their spot, they

will be dropped from any other waitlists for other sections in the same course.

However, waitlists can fill up and will show up as “Full” on the waitlist button.

Students can monitor their waitlist status on ONE.UF, in a new “Wait-Listed Classes” section under the “My Schedule” tab. @MTaylor_Journ mtaylor@alligator.org

Melanie Peña // Alligator Staff

Gators fan dies after receiving CPR at Florida football game HE WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE UF VS. VANDERBILT GAME SATURDAY

By Isabella Douglas Alligator Staff Writer

A man died after being transported from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to the hospital during the first quarter of the Florida vs.

Vanderbilt game Oct. 9.

Police have not confirmed his identity or cause of death as of Oct. 9, but witnesses said he choked on a concessions food item.

The man was about 60 years old and had underlying medical conditions that may have contributed to his death, University Police Department spokesperson Linda Stump said.

It is not unusual for the elderly to need medical assistance during game days, which is why the university has a robust medical staff available, Stump added.

The man was seated in section 321 with his family. He was choking on a pretzel or a hotdog, said Jorden Moats, a 22-year-old Tennessee resident and off-duty police officer.

Moats, who was seated near him in section 320, said he helped

lift the man up while a family member performed the Heimlich maneuver to help get the food out of his throat. He said an off-duty nurse also helped in unsuccessful attempts to revive him.

“I was kind of holding him up because I could tell he was choking,” Moats said. “Once people in the area knew what was going on a lot of people came over to try to help.”

When paramedics arrived, Moats said they brought a stair stretcher to remove him from the stadium quickly while still trying to revive him.

Isaac Freeman, a 36-year-old Gators fan, wrote in a message

that he was in the same section when the man was being given CPR. “It really took the crowd out of the game,” Freeman wrote. “We could tell pretty quickly that it was a serious situation.”

Freeman wrote the incident lasted about 15 minutes. “[The] gentleman was convulsing and foaming at the mouth,” Freeman wrote. “Once other EMT arrived they started CPR immediately.”

He wrote that CPR lasted for several minutes but it seemed he had already passed away.

Alexis Moats was also at the scene while her fiance, Jorden

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Moats, assisted the man. They traveled to Gainesville for the day as Vanderbilt fans.

Alexis, a 20-year-old Tennessee resident, ushered the children away from the man choking because she believed he was their grandfather. She said her main priority was to get the children away from the scene.

“They were scared,” Alexis said. “They were crying, they were upset, they were overwhelmed.

So I just took it as my job to make sure that they were comfortable and that they were not seeing it firsthand.” @Ad_Scribendum idouglas@alligator.org

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6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021

UF’s 98th ‘welcome home’ event GATOR GROWL, from pg. 1 because it’ll be more comfortable not sitting on the grass,” Sandhouse said. “I think there’ll be a better perspective in terms of seeing the entertainment.”

This year’s host was WWE star and former Florida football player Titus O’Neil.

He led the crowd of students and alumni in countless cheers — getting the audience ready for the comedic and music talents to come — and prepared the crowd for an eventual Gators win against Vanderbilt Oct. 9.

Daphnique Springs, a Florida native who’s toured with Katt Williams and Cedric the Entertainer, took the stage after O’Neil’s introduction. The audience welcomed the comedian’s jokes with warm laughter.

Gunna and Neon Trees were the music headliners for the event. Florida Blue Key

and Student Government Productions did not disclose how much each artist was paid to perform. SG also did not provide how much of the SG budget was spent on the production.

As each artist took the stage, the crowd went wild, and attendees with floor seating rushed to the front of the stage.

During both of their sets, Gunna and Tyler Glenn, Neon Trees’ lead singer, went into the crowd at the front of the stage amplifying the already electric energy of the night.

Neon Trees ended its set with their hit song “Everybody Talks,” and the crowd screamed the lyrics back to the band so loudly they stopped playing and let the audience take over.

This was UF’s second concert event of the semester, following BROCKHAMPTON and Deb Never’s appearance organized by

Eli Nino // Alligator Staff

Scooby Williams (left), Chief Borders (middle) and Nick Elksnis (right) wave at paradegoers during the UF Homecoming Parade on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021.

Alan Halaly // Alligator Staff

Gunna performs during Gator Growl at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. The annual homecoming event featured Neon Trees and comedian Daphnique Springs.

SGP Aug. 23, the first day of school.

Homecoming and Gator Growl collaborated with SGP to create a diverse lineup of genres and acts for the event, Brady Alexander, Gator Growl executive producer, wrote in an email.

The goal of inviting Gunna and Neon Trees to perform was to attract different audience demographics, Madeline Wells, the producer of public relations for Homecoming and Gator Growl wrote in an email.

As of the day before the event, over 7,000 tickets were sold out of 7,300 available, Alexander wrote.

Students were excited to add a piece of their college experience back into their lives.

Olivia Burgess, a 21-year-old UF graphic design junior, first attended Gator Growl her freshman year, which she said was exciting.

“It was really disappointing that we didn’t get to have one last year,” Burgess said. “I think it’s really cool that they brought in two headliners. I think they’re trying to make up for last year and make it really special for us.”

Another major component of homecoming week is the annual homecoming parade. The parade was canceled altogether last year, and people were encouraged to “parade from home” by decorating their properties for the occasion.

But on Oct. 8, traffic stopped, streets were closed, schools were out, and people lined the sidewalks to watch the hour-long parade honoring the Gator Nation once again.

Fire trucks, ambulances and police motorcycles lead the way with dozens of floats, cars and people following.

The event was full of dance performances, marching bands, public figure appearances and more. Each participant was equipped with a smile and wave ready for the parade spectators.

The parade set the bar for the energy sustained throughout the day and into the night at Gator Growl.

Allessandra Inzinna contributed to this report.

@elenabarreraaa ebarrera@alligator.org

‘Gainesville Plague’: Flu symptoms widespread on campus THE INCREASE IN CASES FOLLOWS A NEAR FLUFREE YEAR DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

By J.P. Oprison Alligator Staff Writer

Coughs, runny noses and sore throats are now common symptoms for many UF students.

After a decrease of flu cases in 2020, students are once again catching the “Gainesville Plague” three months into the semester.

Cold and flu season reaches UF every year and is often referred to as the “Gainesville Plague,” said Ronald Berry, director of the Student Health Care Center.

Students seem to use the label because the illness spreads quickly, leaving many sick in a short span of time, he said.

However, last year there were fewer flu cases worldwide because of precautions taken to protect against COVID-19. The number of cases last flu season

was so small Berry said the SHCC didn’t keep track of how many there were.

Flu cases are rising now partly because of a lack of mandated precautions at UF, such as mask wearing and social distancing, Berry said.

Jack Nelson, a 20-year-old UF graphic design junior, said he’s noticed students in his graphic design program falling ill. In the last three weeks, the attendance in Nelson’s class dropped to almost half, he said.

He said he has been sick for about a month, since the day of the first UF football game, with a sore throat and congestion.

“Since then I’ve had those same symptoms, they’ve gotten a little worse here and there,” Nelson said. “It feels like I’m basically just on cruise control.”

In September, 1,440 students with symptoms were seen at UF’s infection units, which were created when COVID-19 first hit, Berry said. The unit performed

545 COVID-19 tests: 5% came back positive. Of all strep tests, 16% were positive, and of all flu tests, just 1% were positive.

Most of the students probably have colds, Berry said.

UF set up several infection units across campus to reduce spread as flu season began, and the Student Health Care Center added appointment slots for flu shots. More students have been visiting the units this past month, Berry said.

To stay safe as illnesses spread, Berry said students should continue to wear masks and social distance. With a rapid flu test, students can receive flu medicine within the first couple of days of infection for a faster recovery. Berry also recommends students get their flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine.

“We recommend getting the flu shot early in the flu season, which is the fall,” Berry said.

“That covers you into the spring.”

It’s possible the flu could

get worse, he said. Flu cases in Gainesville usually peak in January when students return to campus from Winter break because it spreads more easily in cold weather.

In Fall 2019, there were 191 flu cases through December.

January 2020 also saw 191 cases, followed by another 100 total cases in February and March.

During that flu season, 60% of all cases were in the Spring semester, he said.

But right now, students like Jeremy Rutenberg, a 21-yearold UF mechanical engineering junior, said he has friends who’ve been sick for the past two weeks with cold symptoms, such as a runny nose, coughing and headaches. However, he isn’t worried about getting sick.

“I stay away from people who are sick; definitely wash my hands regularly,” Rutenberg said.

Kyle Giovanniello, a 19-yearold UF aerospace engineering sophomore, said he’s worried

about the “Gainesville Plague” continuing to spread, even though he first heard of it this semester.

Because his three roommates got sick with it quickly, he thinks it’s highly contagious.

“But it doesn’t seem like it’s that bad, so I’m not too worried about the severity of it,” Giovanniello said.

Jacob Hutchinson, a 21-year old UF instrumental performance senior, said he isn’t worried about the sickness either. He said some might think the spread is worse than it is because people are more aware of symptoms with the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, more people could be self-quarantining when they have symptoms.

“I don’t think that I would avoid going out or anything for the ‘Gainesville Plague’ alone,” Hutchinson said. @joprison joprison@alligator.org

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021 ALLIGATOR 7

UF students document college experience through handmade gnome The hand-sized clay gnome has garnered a following of almost 1,000 followers on its Instagram page

By Karene Hermon Alligator Contributing Writer

Wherever Cassie Dang goes, her small companion follows. The companion documents his routine on social media and sometimes makes multiple posts a day.

Students — and even professors — who follow him on Instagram flock to him for photos as he strolls around campus attached to his signature pointy orange hat and blue clothes. They cradle him and pose, hoping to be featured to his almost 1,000 followers.

But he’s no regular social media influencer. He’s the size of a hand, he can’t speak and his name is Gnomey.

The person who speaks for him is Dang, his self-proclaimed manager.

She created Gnomey’s online persona to document her time at UF as she studies with friends and attends classes.

“I think people are having fun with him,” Dang said. “I tried to show the genuine experience at UF, and I think people like to see that.”

Dang, a 19-year-old UF public relations freshman, sculpted

Courtesy to The Alligator

Graffiti of the UF gnome painted in August is seen inside the tunnel near Norman Hall.

Gnomey out of clay before she arrived at UF for the Summer B term. She also manages Gnomey’s Instagram page, which has more than 250 photos of him exploring UF, Gainesville and Alachua County.

Gnomey’s backstory originates in a pottery studio near West Palm Beach called Craft House, where Dang previously worked. Employees could claim pottery if a customer didn’t pick them up within two months. That’s how Dang began to collect more than 90 gnomes.

Since then, her bearded buddies have multiplied. They’re even scattered around her dorm room like extra school supplies.

“I literally brought so many gnomes to college,” Dang said. “And I didn’t even bring them all. My friend counted them all. I brought 91 to college, and I’m gonna bring more when I go home.”

And of those 91 tiny bearded men she packed for college, Gnomey tagged along — kickstarting his influencer lifestyle on July 7.

While Dang has to carefully wrap him in a blanket to move around, he has met dozens of people. He has even popped up at Ichetucknee Springs and the Brockhampton concert at UF Aug. 23.

Gnomey regularly crashes student photoshoots before their night out.

Camila Celaya held him in her palms while dressed in dark clothing for an Emo-themed party. The 18-year-old UF media production freshman was the page’s first follower, which she boasts on

Courtesy to The Alligator

Gnomey attends the BROCKHAMPTON concert hosted by Student Government Productions on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. her Instagram.

“As long as the gnome is there, we will take pictures with the gnome, and then Cassie always comes up with the best captions,” Celaya said.

Lucy de Greling, also finds Gnomey’s online personality humorous. He shares photos and stories with raunchy captions.

He’s quite bold. He knows exactly what he wants — and how to get it. Under a photo posted July 27, he wrote “hide your boyfriends… why? it’s because i’m hollow… hot and sexy… and i’m up real late tonight.”

The 18-year-old UF graphic design freshman met Dang during an art history lecture class, and the pair parted ways to their discussion class until Dang remembered she needed a photo. She grabbed Gnomey from her bag, and de Greling was first visite alligator.org/section/spanish/

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spotlighted on the page Aug. 26.

Running the account has not only been a way for Dang to document her time at UF; it also helps her gain experience in public relations and meet people like de Greling.

“PR is basically building relationships and making connections with others, so I think the gnome helps me out with that a lot,” Dang said. “I’ve gotten to meet new people and then become friends with them because of the gnome.”

Dang has done just that. She has swayed almost 1,000 people to follow — and care for — Gnomey’s journeys, which will coexist with her own.

Karene Hermon is a contributing writer for The Alligator.

o escanee el código QR

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/the_avenue

MUSIC

Local band The Hails returns to Gainesville AS PART OF ITS BLOOD RUNS COLD TOUR, THE BAND PERFORMED AT THE PLACE ITS JOURNEY ALL BEGAN

By Luigi Bencosme Alligator Staff Writer

Alongside flashing multicolored lights, fog and heavy instrumentals at High Dive added to the crowd’s euphoria Oct. 8. Packed like a can of sardines and unable to contain their excitement, the fervent fan response for The Hails’ headlining return to Gainesville was huge.

As one of Gainesville’s premier live music venues, many local acts call High Dive home.

The Hails, which formed just a few years ago, is no exception.

The band returned to its Gainesville roots as part of its first tour since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This Blood Runs Cold tour, which features Miami band The Polar Boys, spans five different cities across Florida and ends Oct. 14.

“It’s always great to come back to where we started at the high dive,” The Hails wrote in an Instagram post.

However, returning to Gainesville feels quite unusual for the band. Robbie Kingsley, the lead vocalist, said their friends were their fans when they started performing in 2017. Now, as these friends graduated and moved away, there’s a different fan base to perform for.

“It’s funny how we go from, ‘The fans of Gainesville are our friends,’ and now it’s a younger generation where … most likely, they’re someone that we have no idea who they

are,” Kingsley said.

Although the city has changed since they were last here, Kingsley said High Dive remains the same as when they first performed there four years ago.

When it started off, The Hails were singing covers at High Dive and performing at different fraternities and house shows. But since graduating, things have significantly changed as the band members have relocated to different cities.

“It’s been weird because we’re actually not together all the time. And obviously, the pandemic has made that completely worse, but we kind of figured out how to use technology to our benefit,” Kingsley said. “We get on Zoom, and we’re able to produce together in the weirdest way, but it works.”

The band, which has amassed more than 215,000 monthly Spotify listeners, has released three singles in anticipation of its upcoming EP. While it hasn’t yet confirmed a release date, the band said this project embodies an overarching theme that’s detailed in the singles’ artwork.

“I think with the project there are themes of love and hope and glamour, but it all becoming twisted and broken,” Kingsley said.

Franco Solari, a guitarist and vocalist for the band, said even the creation of this EP has been consistent with the theme of the project, which he said revolves around the breakdown expectations for them as a band.

One of these unanticipated choices was the first single from the upcoming EP, a double release of the songs “Fake a Frown” and “Till I See You Again” –– the latter written in 1975 by guitarist Dylan McCue’s uncle.

“Till I See You Again,” which was sent over to The Hails’ producer before it was presented to Kingsley, was potentially going to be given to another band.

“I had very low expectations,” Kingsley said.

“Then he sent me the song, and I was blown away. I was like, ‘This is amazing.’”

After initially hearing the song, which Kingsley described as a merge of different musical styles, he said he knew he had to jump on the song and sing it.

“I did the weirdest bootleg recording of vocals,” Kingsley said about the band adding their own flair to “Till I See You Again.”

The recording involved hanging up various

towels throughout the room and singing within them. Kingsley said the band decided to release the song as a double single alongside “Fake A Frown.”

The band released the third single “In the Strangest Way,” Aug. 5. Now, they’re back on the road.

When the Blood Runs Cold tour concludes, The Hails are headed to the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival March 3 through 6, 2022 to perform alongside industry giants like Megan Thee Stallion and Tame Impala.

“That’s another theme of our year is that our plans have completely changed,” Kingsley said.

“We’re running on fumes but also switching lanes at the same time.” lbencosme@alligator.org

The Hails performs at High Dive on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021.

Courtesy to The Alligator

EL CAIMÁN

UF agrega la opción de lista de espera para el registro de primavera de 2022 LA NUEVA FUNCIÓN PERMITE QUE LOS ESTUDIANTES EVITEN MONITOREAR CONSTANTEMENTE LAS CLASES EN BUSCA DE ASIENTOS ABIERTOS

Escrito por Max Taylor Escritora de El Caimán

Traducido por Saira Gonzalez Escritora de El Caimán

El próximo registro del semestre de primavera contará con una nueva opción para facilitar a los estudiantes que se registren en sus clases.

UF agregará un botón “Agregar a la lista de espera” a su página de registro de cursos ONE.UF para el próximo semestre. Los

estudiantes tendrán la opción de agregarse a sí mismos a una lista que reserva lugares para clases llenas. A medida que los estudiantes abandonen la clase, aquellos en la lista de espera tendrán la opción de inscribirse en el curso.

La función de lista de espera comenzará tan pronto como se abran las inscripciones para el próximo semestre, el 25 de octubre o el 19 de octubre para los estudiantes de Honores, y continuará hasta el último día del período de soltar/añadir el 11 de enero. Solo ciertos departamentos habilitarán la opción de lista de espera para sus cursos. No está claro qué departamentos ofrecerán la opción a partir del 10 de octubre.

Tan pronto como se abre un lugar, los estudiantes tienen un tiempo limitado para aceptar su

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Tweet us @TheFloridaAve.

asiento; de lo contrario, serán eliminados de la lista de espera. Del 25 de octubre al 27 de diciembre, los estudiantes tendrán 24 horas para aceptar. Del 28 de diciembre al 4 de enero, los estudiantes tendrán 12 horas para aceptar. Durante el período de eliminación / adición, del 5 de enero al 11 de enero, los estudiantes tendrán solo cuatro horas para inscribirse oficialmente en el curso.

La nueva característica es un cambio bienvenido para estudiantes como Adriana LaVopa, una estudiante de primer año de ingeniería y ciencia de materiales de 18 años, que tuvo problemas para encontrar asientos disponibles para sus clases en agosto.

Revisó las vacantes durante la semana de drop / add, una vez por la mañana y una vez por la noche, pero nunca vio un asiento

abierto para un curso de Secrets of Alchemy que le interesaba.

“Siento que eso es algo que debería haber estado siempre”, dijo LaVopa.

Dijo que si no puede obtener las clases que quiere para la primavera, usará la nueva función de lista de espera.

Para inscribirse con éxito en una lista de espera y para inscribirse en las clases, los estudiantes deben eliminar las retenciones en su cuenta y cumplir con los requisitos previos de la clase. Después de inscribirse, los estudiantes reciben notificaciones sobre el estado de su lista de espera a través de su número de teléfono o correo electrónico de UF. “Durante el período de eliminación / adición, mucha gente abandona la clase y luego hay espacios abiertos en la clase, pero

realmente no se sabe”, dijo Andy Rodríguez, estudiante de primer año de bioquímica de 18 años.

“La parte más difícil es encontrar el período adecuado porque se llenan bastante rápido”.

Después de que los estudiantes acepten su lugar, serán eliminados de cualquier otra lista de espera para otras secciones del mismo curso.

Sin embargo, las listas de espera pueden llenarse y aparecerán como “Completo” en el botón de lista de espera.

Los estudiantes pueden monitorear el estado de su lista de espera en ONE.UF, en una nueva sección “Clases en lista de espera” en la pestaña “Mi horario”. @MTaylor_Journ mtaylor@alligator.org sgonzalez@alligator.org

Shelton’s singles success

Florida sophomore Ben Shelton’s storybook college career continued with a victory in the ITA All-American singles, pg. 11

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By Fax: (352) 376-4556 Sorry, no cash by mail.

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BUY IT. SELL IT. FIND IT. 373-FIND MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021

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Release Date: Monday, October 11, 2021 Release Date: Tuesday, October 5, 2021

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By Craig Stowe ©2021 By FredTribune Piscop Content Agency, LLC ©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

10/05/21 10/11/21

Through it all, you've been there done that seen it and even read about it in

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19

Connections

To The Girl With The Beautiful Blue Eyes It has been 41 years since our first Homecoming at UF. We cannot celebrate on campus, but we will be celebrating with Little Blue Eyes and her husband at their delayed wedding reception! Our story and our family has grown over the years. Although tempered with loss, we have been so fortunate with our journey. My love for you and Little Blue Eyes only grows stronger each day and each year.

ILY, Liarface

20 Events/Notices NOTICE OF ON-SITE/VIRTUAL HYBRID PUBLIC MEETING The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area announces a hybrid -on-site and virtual public meeting via communications media technology to which all interested persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: October 25, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.

ON-SITE John R. “Jack” Durrance Auditorium, County Administration Building, Gainesville, Florida VIRTUAL: Audio/Video - Cox Channel 12, Facebook and the Alachua County Video on Demand Website [link below] www.alachuacounty.us/video Live Broadcast Public Comment Call-In Call 1-800-876-7516 PURPOSE: Regular Business Meeting of the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area A copy of the agenda may be obtained by visiting our website at www.ncfrpc.org (click Metropolitan Transportation Planning) or may be seen posted at 2009 NW 67th Place, Gainesville, Florida one week prior to the meeting.

Due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area will conduct a hybrid on-site and virtual meeting via communications media technology.

Public participation for this meeting on-site for this meeting is accommodated, but is limited due to social distancing requirements. On-site public participants are encouraged to wear a face-covering mask at all times. For on-site public comment, participants will be prompted and should follow the direction of the Chair to participate. The public is encouraged to participate in the virtual public meeting. The public may submit comments to the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area through email (escalante@ncfrpc.org) or by calling into the public comment message line when prompted to call during the meeting. Public comment will be taken by telephone for all non-ministerial items on which the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area votes. Once public comment is opened for an item under discussion, please call the public comment telephone number.

In addition, the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization will open telephone lines for a public comment session for the public to discuss items not on the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area agenda. Virtual Citizens Comment agenda item calls should be limited to transportation planning issues within the Gainesville Metropolitan Area. Duration of the Citizens Comment agenda item may extend as long as calls are received. For all CallIn Comments, Callers will be put in a queue, and prompted when it is their turn to speak.

TO AVOID FEEDBACK, CALLERS TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT MESSAGE LINE MUST TURN DOWN THEIR MEETING SOUND WHEN ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION. Both call-in and on-site participants should state their names and limit comments to three minutes. The public is encouraged to submit any written or photographic documents prior to the meeting to escalante@ncfrpc.org. Any questions regarding participation should be directed to the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area Office at 352.955.2200, extension 114.

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, familial status, religious status, marital status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Persons who require special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge) should contact Michael Escalante at 352.955.2200, extension 114, at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting.

10-11-1-20

20 Events/Notices When cash is low and the bills seem out of reach, Best Jewelry and Loan is the surfer's "PAWN BEACH".

523 NW 3rd Ave 352-371-4367 12-6-12-20 Notice of Plan of Dissolution for the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Foundation, Inc. and Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. A Plan of Dissolution was entered by the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County, Florida under case no. 2020 CA 00437. The plan may affect a creditor’s or party-in-interest’s rights.

The Plan may be obtained by emailing info@ moecker.com or calling 954-252-1560. Any objection to the Plan must be filed with the Court on or before December 30, 2021, or the objection is waived.

10-11-2-20 Notice To All Creditors of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) If you are a creditor of the Foundation, to assert a claim for payment, claim forms can be obtained by emailing info@moecker.com or calling 954252-1560. Completed claim forms must be mailed to Michael Moecker & Associates Attn: Mark Healy 841 Prudential Drive 12th Floor, Jacksonville, FL 32207 or emailed to mhealy@moecker.com. Questions related to potential claims can be directed to Mark Healy at 904-210-7023. All claim forms must be submitted by January 31, 2022, or any right to a potential distribution may be waived.

10-11-1-20 Notice To All Creditors of Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. (“FCADV”) If you are a creditor of FCADV, to assert a claim for payment, claim forms can be obtained by emailing info@moecker.com or calling 954-252-1560. Completed claim forms must be mailed to Michael Moecker & Associates Attn: Mark Healy 841 Prudential Drive 12th Floor, Jacksonville, FL 32207 or emailed to mhealy@moecker.com. Questions related to potential claims can be directed to Mark Healy at 904-210-7023. All claim forms must be submitted by January 31, 2022, or any right to a potential distribution may be waived.

10-11-2-20

21

Entertainment

WALDO FARMERS & FLEA MARKET Vintage & Unique - Like EBay in 3D

Sat & Sun 12-6-16-21

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523 NW 3rd Ave 352-371-4367 12-6-12-21

24

Pets

OPERATION CATNIP

Spaying/Neutering Free-Roaming Cats Borrow a Trap / Make a Clinic Reservation Make a Donation / Volunteer New Expanded Hours

Lots of NEW info at http://ocgainesville.org/

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021 www.alligator.org/section/sports

FEATURE

Seeing double: Marco and Antonio Ortiz share bond on and off the field THE TWINS TOOK A LONG AND TWISTING PATH TO DIVISION I FOOTBALL SIDE BY SIDE

By Michael Hull Sports Writer

Head coach Greg Lilly gathered his team in one of Benedictine College Preparatory School’s lecture halls. He turned to one of his players and asked a question.

Halfway through his answer, another player jumped in and completed his thought. Lilly still remembers linebacker Ellis Brooks’ reaction to the scene.

Yeah, that’s just creepy.

The team turned to face Marco and Antonio Ortiz. They were seeing double.

The identical twins shared more than just their appearance. They both played football for the BCPS Cadets, towered over most of their classmates at 6 feet, 4 inches tall and were National Honor Society members.

Years removed from high school, the duo still share many similarities, and both became starting Division I long snappers.

But now, they play for different teams — Marco for the Gators and Antonio for Texas Christian University.

The Ortiz twin robots, as Lilly dubbed them, were inseparable growing up. Mother Cindy Ortiz remembers how much her sons relied on their copy.

“They're always pushing each other,” Cindy said. “It was like a silent kind of support because they didn't always have to say anything.

It was just the way they acted and were around each other.”

The pair were driven, both in the classroom and on the field.

Once, Lilly said Marco had a 4.41 GPA. Marco quickly corrected him, countering that it stood at 4.43.

Each brother came with his own personal measuring stick, always competing with the other in any activity.

“We just both want to be good people,” Antonio said. “We want to be the best in everything that we do… There were times, I think it was middle school, we would play basketball like every day after school. Honestly, it led to a bunch of arguments and fights, just because we would go so hard.”

The relationship between the pair spilled over to the gridiron and the hardwood. They played many sports growing up, including Amateur Athletic Union travel basketball.

Like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, the twins seemed to have a sixth sense for where the other would be on the court at all times.

“It was so fun to watch them because they literally could feed off of each other,” Cindy said.

The brothers played football for as long as they could remember, even though they didn’t like it much at first. They started as offensive linemen in flag football until one question led them to a hiatus from the sport in seventh grade.

Man, when can we get the ball?

The duo didn’t pick the pigskin back up until their freshman year of high school. They used to split time between basketball and football until Marco didn’t see much playing time and Antonio broke his wrist their sophomore year, which ended both of their hoops careers.

They both started out as tight ends and defensive ends. The Cadets even won the Virginia high school state championship during the Ortizes freshman and sophomore years.

“We were younger on the team, but it was cool to watch the older guys set the standard of what we're supposed to do as student athletes,” Marco said. “I think that's part of the reason what's helped me be successful here at UF.” Despite the state championship rings, neither brother received many reps their first two seasons.

Disgruntled with their playing time, the twins jumped at an opportunity to see the field: The Cadets needed a long snapper.

Their father, Fred Ortiz, faced a similar situation when he was in high school. He played tight end and defensive end before picking up long snapping. Fred eventually went on to long snap at the University of Texas at Arlington.

So, he trained his sons. They were thrust into game action, switching off snaps late in their sophomore year and continuing as upperclassmen.

When recruitment season rolled around, neither twin received interest they wanted from schools to play tight end or defensive end.

Fred told them the story of Nate Boyer, a student-athlete who joined the military but later walked on to the University of Texas team as a long snapper.

“There’s other ways to get to the next level,” Fred told them.

The brothers delved into a research frenzy until they came across Rubio Long Snapping. The organization, founded by Chris Rubio, helps long snappers get noticed and play college football.

Fred remembers when the twins turned to him and said they yearned to see their names on the list of top long snappers. Cindy drove the boys to a long-snapping camp in Charlotte, North Carolina, the following weekend.

They both left the camp ranked

within the top 15. After camps in Las Vegas and Tampa, they climbed up to the top five — and schools began reaching out. The duo heard from Georgia, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State and Oregon.

The camps helped the pair get noticed despite their lack of high school tape. After all, they split the Cadets’ long-snapping duties between the two of them.

They had started switching off based on the situation: Antonio would work punts, and Marco would handle field goals. As they improved and aged, they switched off every game.

“We just kind of let them do what they wanted to do,” Lilly said. “There was no detailed plan by me. It was just basically ‘Marco and Antonio, they can both do it. It doesn’t matter who’s doing it.’ Half the time, I wasn't even sure which one I was looking at.”

Lilly quipped that he and the

team’s kicking coach would glance at each other in mutual confusion.

Who snapped?

I don’t know.

I thought you knew?

Despite their common cases of mistaken identity, Marco and Antonio quickly branded themselves as top long snappers.

But the position came with its challenges: You only get one shot, one opportunity.

Miniscule mistakes, Lilly said, quickly compound into costly errors.

“You're doing the same thing all the time, so your muscle memory has to be so good,” Lilly said. “If you're off just a little bit, it can be catastrophic.”

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/sports. @Michael_Hull33 mhull@alligator.org

Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff

Florida’s Marco Ortiz stands on the sideline during the Gators’ 42-0 victory over Vanderbilt on Oct. 9.

MEN'S TENNIS

Shelton becomes first Gator to win ITA All-American singles title The sophomore clinched the trophy with a victory in the final Oct. 10

By Ryan Haley Sports Writer

Florida’s Ben Shelton made school history Oct. 10 when he defeated San Diego’s August Holmgren, 6-3, 6-4, to clinch the International Tennis Association (ITA) All-American Championships singles title. The sophomore became the first Gators men’s tennis player to ever claim the crown.

Shelton, the son of UF head coach Bryan

Shelton, defeated six ranked opponents in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on his way to the title without dropping a set.

The first round opened with Shelton scheduled to battle No. 29 Martim Prata of Tennessee. The young Florida star dispatched the Volunteer 6-4, 6-2.

South Carolina’s Daniel Rodrigues, the No. 3 seed and NCAA singles runner-up this past season, awaited Shelton in the next round.

After a first-set victory, Shelton advanced when Rodrigues retired due to injury.

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The Gainesville native’s run continued with another SEC victory over No. 24 Ronnie Hohmann of LSU, 6-3, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals. Ohio State’s JJ Tracy, the No. 99 seed, pushed Shelton to a tiebreaker in the first set, but the Gator prevailed 7-6 (7), 7-5.

The second-year star blew past No. 72 Clement Chidekh of Washington, 7-3, 7-0, to book his duel with Holmgren for the title match.

“Super proud of Ben for his play throughout this tournament,” his father and coach said

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in a release from the team. “He played with passion, poise and confidence against some of the best in college tennis.”

Shelton became the first debutant to claim the singles title since North Carolina’s William Blumberg in 2017. Since his first tournament representing Florida last October, Shelton contributed to a conference title, clinched the winning point of a national championship and now owns an ITA singles tournament triumph.

Follow us for updates

For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.

@ryan_dhaley rhaley@alligator.org

12 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2021

FOOTBALL

Gators take care of business, still have loose ends to tie up FLORIDA BEAT UP ON INFERIOR VANDERBILT SATURDAY BUT NOW LOOKS TO GEORGIA AND LSU

By Michael Hull Sports Writer

The Florida Gators tallied 479 total yards, and quarterback Emory Jones tossed a career-high 273 yards and four touchdowns to help UF blank the Vanderbilt Commodores 42-0 Oct. 9.

In other words, Florida accomplished what it was expected to do: cover a 39-point spread against the bottom-feeders of the SEC. As UF enters its toughest back-to-back set of games on the schedule, what does a beatdown of college football’s version of the Bad News Bears prove?

Florida showed one big positive it needs to take from Vandy into Death Valley and Jacksonville: Head coach Dan Mullen opened up the offense against the lowly Commodores, allowing Jones to throw the ball downfield. The quarterback averaged 12.4 yards per attempt, a vast improvement from the season average of 6.45 yards per attempt and completed five passes over 25 yards —

including a 61-yard touchdown — after not completing one such throw against Kentucky last week.

It was far from a perfect game for the Gators, though, as they looked like two different teams from the first half to the second. UF barely outgained the Commodores in yards at halftime (215-200), and good ol’ Vandy missed three field goals and had a drive stall at the 1-yard line. This game could have been much closer.

The first 30 minutes looked sloppy, as the Commodores reached Florida territory four times in a row, converted five of 11 thirddown attempts and held the ball for almost twice as long as Florida in the first half (19:50 to 10:10).

For comparison, in its 62-0 loss to the Bulldogs last month, Vanderbilt crossed Georgia’s side of the field three times, converted two third downs and gained 77 yards the entire game.

Florida’s offense didn’t look its best early. It scored quickly on its opening two possessions and added one more score before the half to lead 21-0 heading into the locker room. All good, right?

Not so fast, my friend. The Gators turned the ball over twice, and their 215 total offensive yards in the first half were the

least Vanderbilt allowed in a first half against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent this season.

The second least? Last week against Connecticut, when the Commodores allowed 222.

“There’s things that I can circle in the first half that were great, and there’s things that I can circle in the first half that were just not up to our standards,” Mullen said.

“Our job as coaches is to make sure we are at our standard on every snap.”

Florida rallied to score three touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the second half, effectively ending the game in the third quarter. The defense shored up, allowing 87 yards, and Vandy crossed midfield just twice and converted three of nine thirddown attempts in the closing two quarters.

The Gators can’t expect to start slowly and still find success the next few weeks against LSU and Georgia. The Bulldogs, specifically, boast the nation’s top defense, allowing just two offensive touchdowns all season and 5.5 points per game. Offensively, UGA outscored its last three opponents — Vanderbilt, No. 17 Arkansas and Auburn — 133-10.

While the 2021 edition of

Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff

Florida’s Emory Jones (5, center) and Michael Tarquin (70) prepare for a play during a game against Vanderbilt Oct. 9.

LSU might not play like the 2019 version, the Tigers still average 29.7 points and 379.5 yards per game on offense this year — much better than Vandy’s marks of 13.3 points and 310.7 yards per game.

Tiger Stadium also ranks as a notoriously hostile environment.

Florida committed 15 penalties for 115 yards in its first true road game of the year last week in Lexington, Kentucky. The Gators managed to cut that number in half against the Commodores, committing eight penalties for 80 yards, but neither

number will get the job done against upper-SEC talents.

“That’s going to be on me to make sure we’re disciplined and we’re not getting penalties called on us when we’re playing at a higher level,” Mullen said.

Credit to Florida for doing its job this week, but the team needs to prove results like this one are the rule over the next few games rather than the exception. @Michael_Hull33 mhull@alligator.org