‘We can’t forget’: Alachua County residents memorialize lynching victims through quilts
COMMUNITY-MADE QUILTS HONOR 47 VICTIMS OF RACIAL VIOLENCE
By Julianna Bendeck Alligator Staff Writer
Inside the Matheson History Museum, eight quilts hang on the walls, their patterns subtle but deliberate. The quilts tell the stories of the 47 people lynched across Alachua County, their legacies memorialized by community members reckoning with the county’s history of racial violence.
The exhibition, which opened Jan. 21, allows visitors to connect with victims through local art.
The quilts are part of the Alachua County Community Remembrance Project, an ongoing lynching remembrance effort rooted in the county’s dedication to truth and reconciliation efforts.
The project, which formally began in 2020, grew out of discussions by the Alachua County Commission following the discovery of previously unknown lynching victims.
The quilting initiative itself began five years ago under the leadership of Dawn Beachy. A quilter for more than 50 years, she said there is a long history of memorial and political quilts, as well as similar projects across the country. What began as a single quilt eventually expanded to eight, a decision meant to ensure each victim was individually represented.
“We have to tell the truth about what happened,” Beachy said.
Jackie Davis, a liaison between the Equal Justice Initiative and the ACCRP, said the 2015 mass shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, prompted her involvement in anti-racism work. The attack, perpetrated by a white supremacist, resulted in the deaths of nine Black churchgoers.
She said the legacy of Jim Crow continues to shape life in Alachua County, where racial and economic disparities persist.
For this “In Case You Missed It” special, Alligator staff rounded up our favorite Spring stories that didn’t make it into print. Read more about the edition in our editorial on page 2.
Gainesville apartment growth still raising concerns as The Standard nears 10 years
hurting locals.
By Lily Hartzema Alligator Staff Writer
The Standard will celebrate its 10-year anniversary next year, marking a decade of luxury high-rise living in Gainesville.
As the popularity of luxury apartments continues to grow in Gainesville, local residents and students question affordability and the need for high-rise living in a college town.
Born and raised in Gainesville, 54-yearold Betsy Peterson has watched the city change dramatically over the years. She said she feels the rapid development is
Construction began Summer 2015, and the development celebrated its grand opening Fall 2017. It was among the first luxury high-rise student living projects in Gainesville, setting a model for later developments. Others, like Hub On Campus, Sweetwater and Nine 31, were built in the following years — 2020, 2023 and 2024.
“I’ve seen Gainesville be small, and I’ve seen it grow big,” Peterson said. “I think they’re almost doing it an injustice. Every time you turn around, they’re building, building, building.”
Peterson takes Southwest 20th Avenue to work daily and said traffic congestion is worsening between it and Archer Road, especially during rush hour. It makes daily commutes more difficult, she added.
“It’s just getting to be ridiculous,” Peter-
Opinions
Story description finish with comma, pg#
What do piercings mean to Gainesville residents? Read more on pg. 6.
Henry A. Moore // Alligator Staff
Today’s Weather
The Alligator only prints once per week. Still, our staff never stops working. New stories, columns and photos go up on our website daily as we become increasingly digital-first. Only some of those stories make it into our 12-page printed paper each Monday.
Published one week after the end of the Spring semester, this “in case you missed it” edition contains stories posted on our website over the last four months that never made it into print.
After all, while UF researchers rescuing a 400-pound manatee from a storm drain might not have made the front page when it was first published, we think “Melby” deserves his name in ink.
The Alligator Editorial Board (Zoey Thomas, Megan Howard, Sara-James Ranta and Pristine Thai)
Albert and Alberta: Best friends or dating?
DESPITE THE UF MASCOTS’ STRICT FRIENDSHIP, LOVE STORIES LIVE BEHIND THE COSTUMES
By Alabama Weninegar Alligator Staff Writer
Alberta and Albert, UF’s two alligator mascots, can be spotted at most Gator sporting events dancing around in large fluffy suits, creating school spirit and representing their school together.
People often think the pair are together romantically. However, a worrisome age gap between the furry friends makes a romance complicated: Albert appeared first in 1957, and Alberta didn’t hatch until 1986.
This age gap is why Sabrina Saucier, who played Alberta from 1997 to 2000, said Albert and Alberta are just the “best of friends.” Joy and playfulness fill the mascots’ friendly relationship, she said.
“It was almost like a brother-sister type relationship,” Saucier said.
Reflecting on her memories of being Alberta, Saucier said she had experiences she wouldn’t have normally had as a college student. Ironically, a special experience she had at UF, while behind the Alberta suit, was meeting her husband.
In a class they shared in Little Hall, Saucier said she caught her husband's eye while wearing spirit squad merch she received during her time as Alberta.
“I think he thought I was probably a cheerleader,” she said. “But lo and behold, I was actually Alberta.”
The pair started dating shortly after they met in 2000. Two years later, Saucier’s husband proposed to her in front of Little Hall.
The couple continued their love story on campus by getting married at UF’s Baughman Center. Now, they’re going on 23 years of marriage.
“It was probably the best thing that I ever did,” Saucier said. “I'm glad that I had the opportunity to do
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it, and I hope that maybe one day my daughter will do the same.”
The Albert and Alberta who got married
Other Albertas, like Kourtney LaPlant, have love stories in the Swamp, too.
Kourtney LaPlant portrayed Alberta from 2001 to 2005 and worked alongside her now-husband Brian LaPlant, who was Albert in 2002.
Brian, who entered UF a year after Kourtney, spent a lot of time with other Alberts and Albertas while helping Kourtney with her duties as Alberta. He was encouraged to join shortly after his arrival at UF.
Although the couple started dating in high school, working and performing together as Albert and Alberta is one of their favorite memories.
“Getting to do it with my best friend, my husband now,” Kourtney said, “was probably the best part.”
Because of their chemistry, Kourtney said it was easy to read each other's signals while dressed up. Holding hands and hugging were their way of communicating in the suit.
Brian said because they were in “giant fursuits,” it was easy to play
the part of best friends.
“There are certain things you can express and things you can't express,” Brain said. “They're goofy, so interacting and playing around is really easy.”
Brian proposed to Kourtney at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and the couple got married in 2007, he said.
Just teammates
Emma Ostovar, who was on the mascot team representing Albert in 2023, said the LaPlants’ story is one of the reasons people assume Albert and Alberta are a couple.
Even though Albert and Alberta occasionally flirt with each other, Ostovar said she was taught the mascots’ relationship status is defined as just friends.
Albert and Alberta have also posted clarifications on their relationship, Ostovar said.
She said she saw the duo as teammates who worked alongside each other to bring people of all ages together.
“They’re supposed to represent UF and bring Gator Nation together,” Ostovar said. “They’re meant to be a team in that way.”
Bayden Armstrong // Alligator Staff UF mascots Albert and Alberta ride down 13th Street the 102nd University of Florida Homecoming Parade. The Parade took place on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 in Gainesville, Fla.
County event honors lynching victims
“I have a debt to use my privilege to fight inequality,” Davis said. “This felt like an opportunity to recognize, and make amends on some small level, for what my white ancestors have done.”
Davis created a quilt square honoring Alfred Daniels, a Black man lynched in November 1896 after a deputy sheriff allowed a white mob to hang him and shoot his body. She used African fabrics and decorated the square with a Ghanaian symbol representing God’s omnipotence.
Jiana Williams, the first Black woman to serve as Micanopy’s mayor, also contributed to the quilts. She said it wasn’t until working with the ACCRP that she learned there had been lynchings less than a mile away from her home.
Williams said making the quilts was initially nerve-wracking because of their significance, but connecting with her neighbors and seeing the finished work made her feel more confident.
Speaking at the exhibition’s opening, Williams said the process brought a “myriad of emotions.” While she felt anger and sadness over the lynchings, she also found beauty in the community’s efforts to memorialize the victims.
“It’s like the seven stages of grief,” Williams said. “How can you forget about this history when it's right here in your face — people who are related to these gentlemen are still alive.”
The history Williams spoke of was close to home for others: One contributor, a grandniece of Lee Walker, a man lynched in 1893, donated antique stars sewn onto one of the quilts. The squares honoring Walker were created by her great-aunt decades earlier.
For many visitors, the exhibition serves as both a memorial and a reminder that racial violence is not confined to the past.
Theresa Adams, a retiree and mother of two, said seeing all of the quilts together was heartwarming. The exhibition reminded her of her childhood, particularly learning about Emmett Till, a 14-yearold boy lynched in Mississippi. She
Gainesville apartments boom in last decade
son said.
Southwest 20th Avenue supported an average of 19,000 commuters daily in 2024 — up about 3,000 from 2020, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Despite many housing developments catering primarily to students, Peterson said rising rent prices make it difficult for working residents and students to afford housing. She works two jobs to afford the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment she shares with her brother.
“Regular, hardworking people can’t afford to live anymore,” she said. “I know people who have to work two jobs trying to go to school and struggle because they’ve got to keep the rent paid.”
The median rent for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Gainesville was $1,443 in 2024, a $360 increase since 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Iaroslav Kasianov, a 22-year-old UF ac-
counting junior, said rent prices were a big factor when looking for housing in Gainesville. He said apartments further from campus seem to be within his budget. Kasianov lives at Gainesville Place Apartments a few miles from the center of campus. He pays $689 a month without utilities for a private room and bathroom in a 4-x-4 unit.
“I think it’s very affordable,” Kasianov said. “They [developers] understand that there’s a lot of college students here.”
Gainesville Place Apartments has 30 buildings. Each building has three floors and remains one of the more affordable off-campus housing options for students.
There’s always a luxury aspect when it comes to student housing, Kasianov added. While there’s a balance between luxurious and affordable options, he said, student housing developments should focus more on affordability than lavishness.
“Not a lot of people are going to choose the luxury,” he said. “There’s more demand for people who are in my situation who cannot pay $1,200 a month."
Developers constructing 50 or more units
in certain urban zoning districts in the city’s core are required to designate at least 10% of those units for residents earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income, the midpoint income of a certain geographic area, according to the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. The city passed the ordinance in 2024 to provide affordable housing.
The cost of these units cannot exceed 30% of the household’s income to remain affordable for eligible residents. This requirement must be met for a period of 30 years, according to the same ordinance.
With the increase in apartments, residents are experiencing cost burden, meaning 30% of their income goes toward housing. Inclusionary zoning requires developers to set aside a portion of new units at accessible prices. The policy aims to support sustainable and equitable growth while reducing economic displacement, according to the ordinance.
Anne Ray, the interim director of the UF Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, said there has been an expansion of student housing — on and off campus — in college towns
also reflected on her own family’s history — her cousin had narrowly escaped a lynching.
“There’s still [lynchings] going on. They may be called different names, but they’re still doing it,” Adams said. “We can’t forget. We can’t stop fighting, because we can’t let them win.”
jbendeck@alligator.org.
nationwide. When universities invest in oncampus housing, students don’t have to worry about the difficulties of finding housing off-campus, she said.
Among those difficulties are roommate problems, she said.
“If you’re having problems with your roommate group, if somebody moves out, then the other people in the apartment are stuck with the lease,” Ray said.
But college populations often increase without a corresponding increase in campus housing, she said.
That may not be the case in Gainesville, according to a UF housing data and analysis report, which shows the capacity of undergraduate residence halls has increased alongside student population.
A lack of housing options near campus can increase pressure on bus systems and parking at UF, Ray added. The community needs housing options available at all affordability levels.
“I am concerned about the extent to which student housing has become luxury housing, and that prices students out,” she said.
@lilyhartzema lhartzema@alligator.org
Matthew Quesada // Alligator Staff
Onlookers view lynch remembrance quilts at the Matheson History Museum, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
Matthew Quesada // Alligator Staff
Groups gather to view the lynch remembrance quilts at the Matheson History Museum, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
Golf simulator business tees up success for Gainesville brothers
TWO INDOOR HIGH-TECH LOCATIONS OFFER A NEW SPIN ON GOLFING
By Lily Hartzema Alligator Staff Writer
What began as a way to practice golf has quickly evolved into a two-location sold-out concept for two Gainesville brothers.
Trace Rucarean, the 31-year old co-owner of Future Country Club, said the idea came after he moved back to Gainesville and noticed a gap in local golf.
His 39-year-old brother, Tyler Rucarean, attended UF and played on the men’s golf team. He later went on to play at the Florida Open, a state open golf tournament.
The brothers decided to co-open a business blending golf and technology to offer a convenient practice spot in Gainesville.
“There was no simulator, and there was nowhere to really practice, because Gainesville golf isn’t all that great in terms of [watching several golf clubs close],” Trace said.
Each private “golf bay” has a simulator with three cameras that shoot 300 frames per second, Trace said. As soon as the golf club comes into contact with the ball, the cameras immediately record the shot.
Each room offers a spacious area with seating and TV displays. To play, players stand in front of a floor-to-ceiling projector on a patch of artificial turf and swing their club to hit the golf ball as the overhead camera captures when contact is made — translating the swing onto the virtual course and into data.
Many members have their own golf club set, but the shop can provide golf clubs if needed.
Future Country Club offers over 2,000 different golf courses from around the world, Trace said.
The early stages
The first location opened July 4, 2025, and was booked 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with first-day previews, Trace said. Memberships sold out in three weeks and had a waitlist of over 100 people. At the time, the first location allowed for 45 members.
The second location opened this past fall in the same northwest Gainesville shopping plaza as Resident Coffee and Kasai Sushi Bar and Kitchen. Currently, the club serves 130 members across both locations.
The brothers hosted a launch party on Black Friday and officially opened the new location in December 2025. Memberships were sold out by the end of January.
When first starting, the brothers were able to gain attention primarily through social media like Instagram and TikTok. One TikTok video received around 60,000 views, Trace said, which brought an influx of customers.
Though both locations are on shopping plazas, Trace said the new one has brought more foot traffic because of nearby businesses.
“People are coming in, [asking] ‘What is this place?’” he said.
As many as 20 of the location’s members come from the nearby area, Trace said.
Members from surrounding golf clubs, like Haile Plantation Golf & Country Club, Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club and Club Adena, also frequent the indoor golf locations. About 14 members from the two clubs in Ocala are members at Future Country Club, Trace said.
Memberships
The club is designed for both avid golfers and those getting into golf, Trace said, offering personal rooms allowing people to practice in private. Members can bring friends or family, but they don’t have to share space with strangers, meaning they can feel comfortable to make mistakes.
The club created an exclusive feel by operating on a membership basis rather than a traditional pay-to-visit system.
“It’s kind of small, private, intimate, and you can make the space your own,” Trace said. “It’s almost like a golf Airbnb.”
Members use the CourtReserve app to view schedules and book one- or two-hour sessions. Upon booking, they receive a unique pin code for private room access from the app, he said.
New customers get a free one-hour preview session, Trace said. If they purchase a membership, they receive a 30-minute onboarding session to learn how to use the space.
“We’ve had no issues, and every member’s awesome,” he said. “It’s been a joy to run.”
The brothers plan to open a third location by summer 2026 in the Alachua and High Springs areas, he added. The expansion would allow roughly 50 additional memberships.
The two current locations operate from 4 a.m. to 12 a.m. and are located at:
• 6500 SW Archer Road Suite G, Gainesville, FL 32608
• 4401 NW 25th Place STE M, Gainesville, FL 32606
‘This is a big step’
Ethan Mui, a 22-year-old UF finance senior, said the club offers an ideal environment for beginners because of its sense of privacy.
“I feel like if I was a first-time golfer, I would be a little embarrassed if other people were around,” he said. “It’s kind of a more intimate atmosphere.”
Mui, who also receives golf lessons from Tyler, said he is “probably the best coach” he’s had. But golf options are limited in Gainesville, he added.
He said the club is accessible in terms of affordability and location.
“For students, this is a great place,” Mui said. “I think as far as golf, culturally, this is a big step, especially for Gainesville.”
Mui enjoys the club so much he recently upgraded his membership, he said. He’s only found one downside to the high-tech
experience.
“Obviously you don’t get the thrill of seeing the ball go crazy far in the air,” he said.
Jimmy Overmeyers, a 28-year-old member of Future Country Club, said he’s been bringing friends along because he’s had such a positive experience.
Overmeyers said his favorite aspect of the club is the environment.
“Being able to have a couple TVs, throw some games on, and having access to this level of camera and being able to actually see and learn what I’m doing with my swing, too,” Overmeyers said.
The high technology has helped him improve, he said.
Though not a very technical person, having data such as spin rates and when he makes contact with the ball has helped him refine his golfing skills, Overmeyers said.
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lhartzema@alligator.org
An indoor golf simulator is set up inside Future Country Club, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
Alachua County Fire partners with Santa Fe College to address paramedic shortage
THE NEW PROGRAM LETS ACFR EMPLOYEES BE PAID AS FULL-TIME STUDENTS
By Raven Miranda Alligator Contributing Writer
For 12 months, Karem Scott-Kotb’s schedule felt like an endless routine he couldn’t escape.
He worked a 24-hour shift at the fire station. Went home for a few hours to sleep. Woke up and dragged himself to class. Returned home. Slept. Woke up. Went to a 12-hour clinical.
The cycle then repeated for the remaining 51 weeks of 2015.
“You just are a zombie,” said Scott-Kotb, an assistant chief for Alachua County Fire Rescue,. “You don’t have time to do anything else.”
That zombie schedule came as a result of simultaneously attending Santa Fe College’s paramedic program and working 48 hours a week for ACFR.
“But was I a good paramedic after Santa Fe?” Scott-Kotb said. “Absolutely.”
Now, ACFR is partnering with Santa Fe to launch a fasttrack paramedic certificate program. The program, the first of its kind in the state, will allow students to place their full focus on school instead of struggling to balance working at the department and studying.
The program aims to quickly get medics in service, addressing the personnel shortages within ACFR. Agencies statewide are struggling with a lack of qualified paramedics, ACFR Chief Harold Theus said.
“With the growth of fire rescue, it’s been harder and harder to find individuals who are fully trained to fill the vacancies that we have,” Theus said.
Although many firefighters are cross-trained as paramedics, the two roles differ in training intensity and focus. Firefighters mainly suppress fires and perform rescue operations, while paramedics provide advanced life support — stabilizing and transporting ill or injured patients.
The pressures of retiring service members and expanding medical units over the past few years pushed ACFR leadership to find a solution that could speed the process of adding new medics, Theus said.
The fire department will sponsor 12 employees to attend school full time and maintain their $48,426 base salary as an entry-level firefighter emergency medical technician. Salaries vary depending on pay raises and seniority.
If employees succeed in the program, their pay could be increased up to $67,000 — an $8,500 base paramedic incentive and another $10,000 if promoted to a lead paramedic.
“We’re doing all we can to invest in our employees,” Theus said, “ultimately so they can provide a better service to the public.”
In partnership with Santa Fe, the program will “prepare entry-level paramedics within a condensed academic timeframe,” said Thomas Ackerman, the director of Santa Fe’s Institute of Public Safety, via email.
Starting Aug. 17, students will complete a traditionally 12-month program in eight months. They will attend class and lab on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., then clinicals on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a 12-hour shift, according to Theus.
During class, students will gain medical science knowledge that will help them quickly assess and treat life-threatening conditions, according to an article from UCLA Prehospital Care and Ackerman’s description. In the lab, trainees will apply the information in a safe, stable environment where mistakes are OK, according to Ackerman.
However, in clinical, the students will be interacting with real patients, and the consequences of mistakes are dire.
Success will be defined by how many paramedics pass the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians paramedic examination — the final certification exam. If pass rates are high, Santa Fe may consider establishing a recurring program.
“Although I’m optimistic that it will become a recurring program, our experience with the first cohort will inform our decision,” Ackerman said. “We will listen, learn and adapt as
needed.”
The program is rigorous, but Santa Fe has implemented the necessary support systems to foster students’ success, retention and well-being, Ackerman said.
Faculty are good at hand-holding, he said. Instructors are either actively working in the field or are retired service members, giving students relevant EMS insight and practical mentorship.
One-on-one tutoring, provided through Santa Fe’s Learning Commons, will also be available to provide extra help, Ackerman said. Trainees will be in discussion with the college and ACFR about how they are managing the workload.
“The goal is not to eliminate people,” Scott-Kotb said. “The goal is to have 12 start and 12 pass.”
Scott-Kotb approached Michael Anderson, Santa Fe’s associate director of emergency medical services programs, in August 2025 and began discussing the nuts and bolts of the program in September. ACFR has been sending its employees to Santa Fe’s EMT and paramedic school for years.
ACFR Lt. Sarah Powell, who has worked as a paramedic for seven years, helps train paramedic students during their clinicals. She said there is a clear distinction when a paramedic is considered great.
“These students come in, and they learn to look at an entire big picture,” she said, “and then be that voice of reason and that calming presence for people when they’re really stressed out.”
In the field, knowledge is not the only thing that matters, she said.
“What really sets a good medic apart from a great medic is a great medic truly cares,” she said.
It’s about going the extra mile, Powell said, not just about doing everything by the book.
“They pour their heart and soul into it. They treat the patient as if it was their own family member,” she said. “They go above and beyond to be helpful and to care.”
Raven Miranda is a contributing writer for The Alligator.
Alyvia Logan // Alligator Staff
All hands on deck: Florida rescue teams save Melby the manatee from storm drain
UF VETERINARIANS AIDED THE 410-POUND MANATEE’S RESCUE IN MELBOURNE BEACH, FLORIDA
By Lilianne Fernandez Alligator Staff Writer
Melby, a 410-pound manatee, is on his way toward recovery after UF rescue teams, Melbourne Beach fire units and wildlife authorities came together to save him from a storm drain Feb. 9.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received word about Melby’s dilemma through a call to the wildlife hotline from a surveyor in Melbourne Beach, east of Orlando. He was found stuck in a “baffle box,” a concrete structure used to filter out pollutants from water prior to it entering the waterways. Luckily, UF rescue teams were nearby conducting large animal rescue training for the Brevard County Fire Rescue, and three rescue team members quickly arrived on the scene.
Brandi Phillips, a technical rescue branch director at UF Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service, was one of them. Working together with members of other wildlife agencies can be complicated, but that teamwork
ultimately yielded success, Phillips said.
“We had Melbourne Beach Public Works, who was responsible for removing the concrete and the asphalt from the roadway,” she said. “We had Brevard County Fire Rescue there. We had our team there; we had FWC there. Making sure that everybody was clearly communicating was a critical element of that.”
The baffle box was located on a road near a neighborhood, and Phillips recalled local families standing around to watch the rescue. Those families gave the team hope, keeping the rescuers invested in the overall welfare of the manatee, she said.
Although the FWC’s manatee rescue crew was equipped with resources to save Melby, the animal’s unusual location made some of the equipment difficult to use. Most of the animal rescue equipment from the fire department was also for livestock, Phillips noted.
Still, she said the team worked tirelessly to complete the rescue, which took about two hours once operations were underway.
Rescuers relocated Melby to SeaWorld Orlando, where he has already shown signs of improvement, said Blake Faucett, an assistant research scientist at the
Henry A. Moore // Alligator Staff
An animal rescue team aided by UF veterinarians rescued a 410-pound manatee from a storm drain Feb. 9, 2026, in Melbourne Beach, Fla.
FWC. Manatees in critical condition often take time before being able to eat on their own, but Melby has already begun doing so.
Faucett, who was present for Melby’s rescue, said the manatee’s lesions and thin body indicated he was stuck in the storm drain for an extended period of time.
Faucett and other rescue members monitored his breath rate to assess his activity and alertness
throughout the extraction, she said.
“We were just making sure that he was stable in the moment and that the operation was safe,” she said.
Michael Walsh, a clinical associate professor at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine and a former veterinarian at SeaWorld, said manatees swim toward warmer water because their thin blubber can’t withstand temperatures un -
der 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
That’s likely how Melby ended up in the drain, Walsh said.
“In the normal environment, they’re going to move towards those thermoclines that are warmer and try to find a place where they can rest,” Walsh said, “and hopefully it’s high enough in temperature that they can actually stay there and benefit from them.”
Manatees like Melby sometimes venture through pipes until they get stuck and can’t turn around — what Walsh described as a “one-way street.” Walsh compared a recent drop in water temperature to a weather episode from 2010, when Florida sea life, including manatees and sharks, had a mass die-off due to cold water temperatures that dipped 10 to 30 degrees below the usual temperature.
Walsh also noted the FWC has been fixing this issue with storm drains by working toward putting gates on the ends of them to prevent animals from getting trapped.
“The history on saving the manatee is amazing,” Walsh said.
@ltfernandez8 lfernandez@alligator.org
Study Edge becomes a second classroom for many UF students
Professors and students weigh in on third-party tutoring’s role in UF classrooms
By Mia Giannicchi Alligator Contributing Writer
For many UF students, succeeding in some of the university’s most demanding courses comes with a monthly subscription.
Thousands of students budget between $50 and $90 a month for Study Edge, a thirdparty tutoring service near UF’s campus that offers course-specific exam preparation.
According to Isabella Duarte, the assistant marketing coordinator at Study Edge, about 7,000 UF students currently subscribe to the service, which many see as an unofficial requirement to keep up in large-enrollment, high-difficulty science and business classes.
Duarte said Study Edge tailors its materials closely to how professors teach and test.
“We’ve had tutors, especially in chemistry, who have been with us 10 to 15 years,” Duarte said. “They’ve known how exams look for around 15 semesters.”
Study Edge also employs students, known as course contacts, who attend lectures and provide notes used to build course packets.
“They’re basically students that get paid to go to class,” Duarte said. “They’re our most valuable resource, since they’re the ones that are actually sitting in the class, and then they give us the notes, and then we can tailor the packets exactly to that.”
Abigail Michnowicz, a 20-year-old UF animal science sophomore, said she first used Study Edge while taking Chemistry 2 and now spends about four to five hours a week using the service’s materials.
“In the very beginning, I was so against
getting it, just because of the cost,” Michnowicz said.
In one of her classes, she said, an ineffective professor led her to use Study Edge despite the cost. Michnowicz added she doesn’t think she would have performed as well without it, although she does not believe the service is a necessity.
Other students said the service feels less optional. Daniela Suarez, an 18-year-old UF health science freshman, said she started using Study Edge during her first month at UF for extra reinforcement in physics.
Suarez said she would not feel confident passing some courses without it and described Study Edge as something she probably needed to succeed in certain classes.
She said the service’s cost was not a burden, and it tracks the professors’ lectures and exams relatively closely.
For some students, the cost is justified by how much they rely on the service.
Violet Collins, a 19-year-old UF exploratory freshman, pays $75 a month for the service, and she said she would have to “rework her ways” without Study Edge. She said her parents help cover the cost because they view it as an academic resource and worthwhile investment.
Collins said she could take a different approach to the class and succeed, but it’s easier to have the service organize notes for her.
“If it doesn’t reflect the class, you can always quit,” Collins said.
Collins said her reliance on Study Edge often depends on the professor. When instruction is less effective, she said, learning
the material becomes more difficult without outside support.
Professor Thomas Knight, who has taught at UF for 14 years, currently teaches Principles of Macroeconomics, a hybrid course with about 1,000 students across various majors.
Knight said faculty opinions on Study Edge are divided. Some professors view it as a helpful supplement, while others worry it encourages students to cut corners by replacing lectures and coursework.
Knight said he sits “somewhere in the middle” — Study Edge can be a valuable resource when used alongside strong study habits, but harmful if used as a substitute for class.
“If you are using it to skip lectures or because you’re not reading the textbook, then I think you are cutting corners,” he said. “You’re probably not going to learn that class’ material as well as you could.”
Knight said students often turn to Study Edge when they feel instructors do not provide enough resources to succeed, a response he understands. However, he expressed concern that the platform may encourage shortterm memorization rather than deep learning by breaking material into simplified study snippets.
Another issue Knight raised is affordability and access. While he does not discourage students from using Study Edge if they find it helpful and can afford it, he emphasized his course is designed so paid services are not necessary.
“I have built my class such that you should not need it,” Knight said.
John Banko, a UF professor since 2007,
teaches a 1,400-student online business finance course — the most popular Study Edge subscription at UF. Banko said he is largely indifferent to how students choose to succeed in his class.
Managing such a large, virtual class presents unique challenges, Banko noted. He said it is impossible to meet with each of the 1,400 students individually, which he considers an unfortunate but unavoidable reality of highenrollment online education. He added that only about 10% of students watched his online lecture videos from recent data.
Despite this, Banko said he does not take offense when students rely on third-party resources like Study Edge, because the material covered is the same. Outside tutoring services often offer more flexibility than the structured lecture format he must follow, he said.
Banko acknowledged the wide range of student experiences with the service.
“I’ve heard every version of it,” he said. “I’ve had students come in here and say, ‘Study Edge is garbage. You didn’t need that.’ Someone else would say, ‘Oh my gosh. Without Study Edge, I would have had no hope.’” Ultimately, Banko said he supports the use of outside tutoring, acknowledging different perspectives are often necessary for learning.
“Sometimes you just kind of need a different angle or perspective to help make something make sense. And I think that’s great,” Banko said. “I’m never going to have a problem with someone offering a tip or trick.”
Mia Giannicchi is a contributing writer for The Alligator.
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026
www.alligator.org/section/the-avenue
SOCIAL MEDIA
Gators gone viral: A day in the life of 3 UF influencers
GAINESVILLE CONTENT CREATORS
HIGHLIGHT DAILY COLLEGE LIFE, FROM WORKOUTS TO STUDY SESSIONS
By Teia Williams & Christopher Rodriguez Avenue Staff Writers
A late-night TikTok scroll could lead to UF students encountering familiar faces and places.
Not all social media content creators and “it” girls live in Los Angeles or New York City; some of them do workouts at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and make coffee runs at Daydreamer Cafe. UF’s very own student influencers share the ups and downs of classes, game days and roommate troubles with audiences of thousands.
Day-in-my-life, or DIML, videos follow a creator as they document their entire day from start to finish. When posted by student influencers, these videos offer a peek into the varied lifestyles on UF’s campus.
Here’s a day in the life of three UF content creators who have found followers by posting about their experiences in the Swamp.
FASHION
Rylee Siegel (@Siricallsmereally)
Rylee Siegel, a 22-year-old UF acting senior, is spending her last year as an undergraduate going through a bucket list of everything she wants to do before she moves the tassel in the O’Dome. She documents her adventures in a series on her TikTok.
In the first video of the series, she asked for people to drop recommendations in the comments on where she should go before she graduates. One comment said she should go to the Hippodrome Theatre. So for part six, she brought the audience along to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Every video follows her day as she goes to markets, coffee shops and bars. She edits in voice-overs explaining where she is going, what she’s doing there and how she feels about it.
However, this is not Siegel’s first taste of internet fame.
She first went viral on TikTok at 16 years old because of a prank video on her family for April Fools’ Day. It received millions of views and encouraged her to continue generating content.
When she got to college, she shifted her focus. She still makes prank videos on special occasions, like pranking her roommates by filling their living room with close to 300 balloons, but she also creates
videos based on her daily life as a college student.
Siegel said she loves being in front of the camera, which goes along with her love for acting. She makes content, in part, as a stepping stone for the entertainment industry.
“A lot of people that have a social media platform can walk into anything that they want in regards to acting,” she said.
Siegel tries to post content three to 10 times a day. She films throughout the day, either adding to her
‘Swag is forever’: How piercings foster identity
RINGS, STUDS AND BARBELLS HELP STUDENTS AND LOCALS ALIKE SHOWCASE THEIR INDIVIDUALITY
By Christopher Rodriguez Avenue Staff Writer
Some Gainesvillagers feel a little more whole with a couple of holes. Piercings have long served as a physical indicator of culture and identity, both inherited and adopted. Whether it’s something more tame like an earlobe piercing, or something gnarlier like a nose bridge piercing, piercings help residents express their identity and feel more confident.
Kimberly Bussey, co-owner of Pizzazz Piercing and Tattoo, has been in the piercing industry for over
Sports
17 years and has seen customers of every type, from preschoolers to punks.
“You have people who come in for rebellion. You have people who come in for culture,” Bussey said.
“Piercing has been a thing since the dawn of man. It’s been used for rituals. It’s been used for religious purposes. It’s been used just to pizzazz somebody and make them feel better.”
Part of running a piercing shop involves making sure everyone who walks in feels comfortable and safe, Bussey said.
She puts out bowls of candy for customers to put them at ease. Calming ambient music drones in the background. Bussey emphasized the importance of cleanliness within her shop, likening the health standards to that of a dentist’s office. She displays
the shop’s credentials proudly on the wall.
Across the myriad of clientele Pizzazz sees, one demographic stands as the bravest, according to Bussey — 8-year-old girls.
The most frightened? Middle-aged men.
Bussey said piercings can serve as a kind of “ticket” into a community. Certain groups favor certain aesthetics, piercings and tattoos, which can serve as a way to identify oneself. For Bussey, that’s what started her tattoo journey.
“The reason I started getting tattoos was because I wanted to hook up with men with tattoos,” she said.
Her husband is covered in tattoos.
Bussey said piercings are a less intimidating way to try out a new look. Unlike tattoos, which require a lengthy removal process, piercings
DIML video or making smaller videos on the spot, such as relatable content that feels like a personal FaceTime video.
Sometimes for DIML content, she’ll film 60 to 80 clips. On those occasions, she has to use the third-party video editor CapCut, because TikTok has a 35-video limit.
“It’s not easy,” Siegel said. “I think if it’s easy, everyone would do it.”
She said she makes sure to have boundaries between her social me-
dia life and her personal one. Siegel takes time every morning to journal and sets aside phone-free time. But she still enjoys the process of filming, editing and posting.
“If I didn’t find enjoyment from it, there would be no way I would be able to do it, as much of it as I’m doing,” she said.
Melissa Castellano (@melcastellanoo)
Melissa Castellano, a 22-year-old UF health education senior, primarily posts content pertaining to her major and experience navigating college life.
She makes videos about premed tips and how to study for the MCAT. She also has a “things I didn’t know before coming to UF” series, in which she highlights what she wasn’t aware of before attending the school. She made the series so incoming freshmen will be clued in to what UF has to offer.
After she gained popularity, people began commenting questions about UF or health education, which she takes into consideration when deciding her upcoming posts.
Read the rest online at alligator. org/section/the-avenue.
“If you decide that that group wasn’t for you, you take that piercing out,” she said.
Deanna Sanchez, a 26-year-old paramedic, calls piercings her “weird little addiction.”
She had her ears pierced as a baby, before she could even remember the experience, but she had to fight for her second earlobe piercing.
“I begged and begged my mom to have them done, because she has hers, and I thought they were really pretty,” Sanchez said.
Today, Sanchez has 11 piercings. To her, piercings are just another kind of accessory, similar to a necklace or bracelet. While piercings used to make her extremely anxious, she said the staff at Pizzazz have made her feel comfortable to the point where it’s no longer a concern.
For 18-year-old Faith Vargas, her 12 piercings, including eight facial ones, help express her alignment with alternative cultures. She draws
inspiration from various online sources, as well as people she meets at metal and underground shows. There, piercings act as a kind of social signifier.
“A lot of people think the bigger your septum is, the more bada-- you are,” Vargas said.
Vargas said when she got her first facial piercing, her mother, although eventually supportive, was unsure at first, citing loss of job opportunities. She also mentioned that it can attract comments when she goes to work as an employee at Ulta Beauty.
“A lot of people, usually the older generation, they’re a little off-put by my big septum. They’re like, ‘Can you take that out? Is that forever?’” Vargas said.
Vargas shrugs it off, along with any pain that comes with a piercing.
“Swag is forever,” she said. “Pain is temporary.”
@chrisrodri29386 crodriguez@alligator.org
How did Gator Nation fare in the 2026 NFL Draft? Read more on page 8.
Matthew Quesada // Alligator Staff
Instagram influencer Rylee Siegal records a video on the Plaza of the Americas, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
‘The Match Point’: Your favorite Gator athletes are taking creatine.
Editor’s note: This story was originally published Feb. 20. It was updated before printing to reflect current statistics for the Gator athletes mentioned.
Before they even step onto the practice court, Gators men’s basketball players are already taking shots. But not free throws or 3-pointers. This is a different kind of shot — one that comes in a plastic scoop and has a single, staple ingredient: creatine.
Creatine is everywhere. It’s all the rage. Spend five minutes at Southwest Recreation Center and you’ll hear a gym bro
mention it between sets.
But is it actually worth the hype?
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements for high-intensity performance. It helps your body replenish ATP — the fast, emergency energy source your muscles use for short, explosive efforts. Think grinding out that last squat when your legs are shaking, Tommy Haugh swatting away a shot at the rim or a tennis player ripping a forehand winner.
It’s also linked to recovery and mental performance. Research suggests it may reduce muscle damage and inflammation after intense training. It also supports brain energy metabolism, which can translate to
better clarity and less fatigue. This is useful whether you’re in the fourth quarter or fourth hour studying at Library West. Looking for an extra rep in your bench press? A sharper brain during midterms week? Creatine might be your answer.
UF redshirt senior Pablo Perez Ramos, who has a 22-6 record in singles play this season, is a key member of the Gators men’s tennis lineup. Come to the Alfred A. Ring Tennis Complex and you’ll hear him before you see him: loud, confident and blowing his opponents off the court with his shots.
His rocket of a forehand rarely misses. And neither does Ramos’ daily creatine.
www.alligator.org/section/opinions
Since arriving in The Swamp this past Fall, it’s been a consistent part of his routine.
“If I’m not taking creatine, I’m not lifting the same,” Ramos said.
Read the rest online at alligator.org/ section/opinions.
@indiahoughton16 ihoughton@alligator.org
India Houghton opinions@alligator.org
MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026
www.alligator.org/section/sports
FOOTBALL
Gators in the NFL: 7 Florida players selected in 2026 NFL Draft
FLORIDA WAS ONE OF TWO PROGRAMS WITH A PICK IN ALL SEVEN ROUNDS
By Max Bernstein Sports Writer
Three days. Seven rounds. Two hundred and fifty-seven picks. Seven Gators.
At the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, hundreds of collegiate players’ lifelong dreams came true as they were selected by one of 32 organizations.
A trail of Orange and Blue bled all over the festivities.
Florida saw seven players selected throughout the draft, one in each round. Overall, the Gators were one of only two programs to have a player selected in all seven rounds, the other being defending national champion Indiana.
It also marked the first time in Florida program history UF had a player drafted in each round of the draft.
Here’s a breakdown of where the former Gators are heading.
Caleb Banks — Minnesota Vikings Round 1, Pick 18
The first Florida player off the board of this year's NFL Draft wasn’t any surprise. Defensive lineman Caleb Banks was selected in the first round as the No. 18 pick by the Minnesota Vikings. He was the first defensive lineman selected in the draft.
Banks spent three seasons with the Gators after transferring from Louisville following the 2022 season. In 2023, he started 11 games, recording 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. However, Banks truly emerged in 2024.
TENNIS
In 10 starts that season, Banks racked up seven TFLs, 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Heading into the 2025 season, Banks was a projected first-round pick by multiple experts. But injuries plagued his final season in Gainesville. In only three games, he recorded six tackles, a TFL and a fumble recovery.
After a strong Senior Bowl showing in January, Banks reaggravated the foot injury that kept him out of most of the season at the NFL Draft Combine in February. However, on Wednesday, Banks sent a letter to NFL teams, stating he is "on pace to be fully cleared for full football activities in early June," per ESPN. Banks had surgery on his left foot on March 9.
With assumed health heading into his rookie season, the 6-foot-6, 327-pounder will look to make an immediate impact on the Vikings' defense as a projected starter, per ESPN.
Jake Slaughter — Los Angeles Chargers Round 2, Pick 63
One of the most highly decorated offensive linemen over the past two seasons, center Jake Slaughter was the penultimate pick of the draft’s second round by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Slaughter first emerged as a starter in 2023 but truly broke out in 2024. He led the UF offensive line with 800 snaps in 13 games and led the team in Pro Football Focus offensive, pass blocking and run blocking grades. He was named to the AP All-American First Team and the AP All-SEC First Team that same year.
Then, in his redshirt senior 2025 season, he made 12 more starts and earned an 87.1 PFF pass blocking grade. He was again named to the AP All-SEC First Team and was also named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, an award given to the most outstanding center in the country.
Slaughter was the second center taken in this year’s draft, only behind the winner of the Rimington Trophy, Iowa’s Logan Jones (Round 2, Pick 57 to the Chicago Bears). In Los Angeles, Slaughter is expected to shift to right guard, where he is the projected starter, per ESPN.
Austin Barber — Cleveland Browns Round 3, Pick 86
Offensive tackle Austin Barber, another longtime member of the Gator offensive line, was chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the 86th pick of the 2026 Draft.
Barber saw significant playing time in each of the past four seasons, making 38 starts. This past season, he was named to the AllSEC Third Team after playing 750 snaps and recording an 82.2 PFF run blocking grade. The Jacksonville native also participated in the 2026 Senior Bowl.
He was the ninth offensive tackle selected in this year’s draft and was the second one taken by the Browns after the organization snagged Utah’s Spencer Fano with the No. 9 overall selection.
Barber is likely to serve as a reserve tackle in 2026, sitting behind Fano and veteran Tytus Howard on the depth chart, per ESPN.
Devin Moore — Dallas Cowboys Round 4, Pick 114
Last year, the Dallas Cowboys snagged former Gator Shemar James in the fifth round and picked up Trikweze Bridges before the season began.
In 2026, another Florida standout is headed to the Lone Star State: Devin Moore. Dallas se-
lected the 6-foot-3 cornerback with the No. 114 overall selection in this year’s draft.
Moore, who was limited to seven or fewer games in the first three seasons of his UF career, was healthy in 2025. Over 11 starts, Moore recorded 35 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions and four pass breakups. He also earned an 84.2 PFF defensive grade.
The Cowboys made Moore the 13th corner selected in this year’s class. He immediately slots in a rotational role in the Dallas secondary, which features first-round selection Caleb Downs and veteran DaRon Bland.
George Gumbs Jr. — Indianapolis Colts Round 5, Pick 156
In 2021, George Gumbs Jr. walked on at Northern Illinois as a reserve wide receiver. Before the 2024 season, he transferred to Florida. Two years later, he is an NFL draft selection. The Indianapolis Colts chose the edge rusher with the No. 156 pick in the 2026 Draft. Gumbs has been one of the more productive Florida defenders during his two-year stint in Gainesville. In 2024, he finished second on the team in tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (five). He then added 6.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks in 2025.
The 20th EDGE taken in this year’s draft, Gumbs joins sixth-round selection Caden Curry as rotational pieces in the Colts' pass-rush room. Laiatu Latu paced the Indianapolis team with 8.5 sacks in 2025.
Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/sports.
@maxbernstein23 mbernstein@alligator.org
‘Did you see what I did?’: Tennis freshman turns pressure into success
WITH A 21-9 RECORD, LUCIE PAWLAK
EMBRACES THE MOMENTS MOST PLAYERS AVOID
By Sofia Alamo Sports Writer
After taking the first set and dropping the second, Lucie Pawlak stands at 4-4 in the third. With her teammates cheering from the sidelines and the crowd intensely watching on Feb. 28, the freshman Florida tennis player carries the weight of the team’s result on her shoulders. Most athletes would find the pressure overwhelming. But Pawlak craves intense competition.
“I love drama too much,” Pawlak
said. “It makes me feel alive.”
She delivered the clutch performance against then-No. 11 Oklahoma, where the Florida freshman defeated the Sooners’ Salakthip Ounmuang in a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 contest to secure the overall victory for the Gators. The win earned Pawlak her first SEC co-freshman of the week honor of the season.
In her rookie year, Pawlak leads the team with a 21-9 record this season. The freshman said her favorite performances have been high-stakes matches.
“Why would I win an easy match with just two sets, when I can win with three?” Pawlak said.
Carrying an 8-1 record in threeset matches, Pawlak has done just that.
But Pawlak’s success as a Gator was once unimaginable, as she
wasn't supposed to come to Florida.
A native of Montpellier, France, Pawlak was trained by her father since she was a child and planned to continue her career with him. But the line between coach and parent was often blurred.
Over time, Pawlak said the dynamic began to strain their relationship.
“Having my dad every day on the court and at home was a struggle,” she said.
To preserve the bond, Pawlak moved 4,673 miles to Gainesville.
Settling in as a Gator wasn't easy. Pawlak recalls facing various challenges when she first arrived.
“I remember the first week, I was sick,” Pawlak said. “I couldn't talk, and I couldn't hear anything.”
Sick and scared, the Gator freshman recalls struggling after going
from her “bubble in France” to living on her own. That feeling quickly faded when Pawlak met her Florida teammates.
There were two in particular who stood out from the start.
“The first girls that I met were Gabia Paskauskas and Valery Gynina,” Pawlak said. “I loved them at first sight.”
Behind every match, win or loss, Pawlak said she has always felt her teammates' support. The freshman has especially fostered a friendship with her doubles partner, India Houghton.
With a 9-5 record on the season, the pair of Pawlak and Houghton has found success throughout. However, their partnership was shortlived, as Houghton is set to graduate this year and leave Florida.
“I'm so sad that she's going to
leave,” Pawlak said. “How am I supposed to live after that?”
Pawlak’s friendships have eased the change to playing for a team, as she is motivated to clinch victories for her fellow Gators. Still, the coaching switch was difficult for Pawlak at first.
“It was weird because Per [Nilsson] wasn't my dad,” Pawlak said. However, Pawlak overcame this feeling by seeing just how efficient the training was. By the middle of the season, the Gators had improved their overall record to more wins than the team had across last season.
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us for updates
updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.
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Trivia Test
1. MOVIES: What is Indiana Jones' real first name in "Raiders of the Lost Ark"?
2. LITERATURE: What is Charlie's last name in the children's book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"?
3. GEOGRAPHY: What isthmus connects the Asian and African continents?
4. MATH: What is the first prime number to follow 19?
5. GEOLOGY: What type of rock is formed by cooled lava?
6. TELEVISION: What is the title character's famous line in the TV detective show "Columbo"?
7. BUSINESS: What company's stock ticker symbol is LUV?
8. ASTRONOMY: Which four planets in our solar system have rings?
9. HISTORY: About how many people worldwide were infected by the Spanish flu in the early part of the 20th century?
10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: If an animal eats only plants, what is it called?
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use of what material in the manufacture of official baseballs?
2. How many times did Vic Toweel knock down Danny O'Sullivan in their 1950 world bantamweight title boxing match before O'Sullivan retired in the 10th round?
3. Pauley Pavilion is the home arena of what men's and women's college basketball teams?
4. Mikhail Shaidorov, gold medalist in men's figure skating at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, competed for what country?
5. The Harley J. Earl Trophy, first awarded in 1959, is presented to the winner of what auto race?
6. In January 2016, the Detroit Pistons' Andre Drummond set a new NBA record for missed free throws in a single game with how many?
7. What tennis player defeated Pete Sampras to seal the upset win for France over the U.S. at the 1991 Davis Cup, and later served as director of the French Open from 2016 to 2021? (Hint: His name is not memorable.)
2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
1. In 1974, the Major League Baseball Rules Committee permitted the
SOFTBALL
Have the Gators found their No. 2 arm in Olivia Miller?
MILLER THREW A COMPLETE GAME IN HER FIRST START OF THE SEASON
By Zach Moore Sports Writer
Just three weeks ago, head coach Tim Walton made his message clear.
“We need another pitcher to step up if we’re going to make a run in the postseason,” Walton said. “We can’t do it with just one.”
That “one,” of course, is Keagan Rothrock. The right-hander has logged 162.1 innings, compiled a 24-5 record and contributed to eight shutouts, including her first career complete-game no-hitter on April 10 against South Carolina.
But with the SEC tournament just a week away, Florida has yet to find a clear, consistent No. 2 starter. After Ava Brown went down with an injury, the workload inevitably shifted to Rothrock. Now, the Gators may have found a solution to their lack of depth: Olivia Miller.
The southpaw had yet to make a start this season, and Walton admitted it had been a mental hurdle for her. But that changed April 25 against Central Florida.
Back in her hometown of Orlando, the junior was handed the start and took full advantage, delivering a gem in the circle. She tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just one hit with no walks.
While she may not overpower hitters, Miller thrives on inducing
TENNIS
Noah Lantor // Alligator Staff
Florida left-handed pitcher Olivia Miller (13) throws during an NCAA softball game against Tennessee, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
weak contact and letting Florida’s strong defense do the rest.
“The only reason I’m able to excel is by having confidence in my team and my defense,” Miller said after the Tennessee series win. “I bet on them every single day.”
She’s no stranger to the bright lights. Out of the bullpen this season, Miller holds a 1.23 ERA and ranks second on the Gators in innings pitched with 51.1.
A catalyst for her success has been her offseason work in the
weight room. Walton promised Miller she would take on a primary relief role after logging just 31.1 innings in her sophomore campaign, and her dedication to her durability did not go unnoticed.
Perhaps her second-biggest moment this season came in Florida’s opening SEC series against Missouri. In Game 2, she turned in her longest outing of the year, tossing 7.1 shutout innings in the Gators’ 4-3 walk-off victory.
“It shows the epitome of hard
work and determination, setting your mind to something and then going out and doing it,” Walton said about Miller following the series.
With no timetable for Brown’s return to the circle, Miller is projected to take on the Saturday starter role going forward, a move that would help ease Rothrock's workload.
Rothrock’s durability has been especially significant for the Gators, who have been fortunate that she has remained healthy. Last season, the junior missed more than
a month, and even Walton admitted he wasn’t sure if “a clean bill of health was there.”
Now, Walton says Rothrock's growth has been evident.
“The good thing is she’s learning how to manage her body,” Walton said. “She understands how to back off when she needs to and when to turn it up a little more. That part, that’s maturity.”
That “maturity” has allowed the Whiteland, Indiana, native to make her case for SEC Pitcher of the Year consideration. As of April 26, Rothrock ranks first in the conference in wins and innings pitched.
However, Rothrock is no stranger to the workload. In her freshman season, she led the nation in games started, innings pitched, complete games, appearances and wins.
The Gators are currently projected between a No. 5 and No. 8 seed, which would guarantee them the opportunity to host both regionals and, if they advance, super regionals at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
That’s encouraging news for fans, as historically nearly 75% of teams that host super regionals go on to win the best-of-three series. Barring a sweep at Georgia, the Gators appear locked into that range.
The Gators host Florida State in their final regular-season home game on April 28. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
@zach_moore27 zmoore@alligator.org
How Florida’s Henry Jefferson is redefining tennis etiquette
THE JUNIOR IS BRINGING UNPRECEDENTED PASSION AND HYPE TO THE PROGRAM
By Ethan Feinberg Sports Writer
Tennis, a sport often called the “sport of kings” due to its origins among nobility, is known for its quiet, calm environment. Players often let the slams of their rackets and squeaks of their shoes do the talking.
At Florida courts, the norms of respectful tennis etiquette are being redefined by the very players who love the game. Leading the movement is junior Henry Jefferson, who can be heard between games, points and sets hyping up his fellow teammates, himself and the fans.
It all began in Jefferson’s youth, when he played sports like soccer, cricket, rugby and golf in London. Those early team sports shaped his persona, he said.
“My parents encouraged me to play a lot of different sports, and they always had a 'fun first' message,” Jefferson said.
He followed that message easily, as Jefferson felt camaraderie among his teammates, friends and coaches.
But at age 13, when he began focusing mainly on tennis, that spark began to fade. He still enjoyed having fun out on the court, but he missed the feeling of team building and high-energy celebrations.
“Coming back into college tennis, being in
a team again, it’s like my childhood has been revamped a little bit,” Jefferson said. “I can feel how I was when I was younger and how much I enjoyed that.”
The Englishman has more to celebrate, as he has helped No. 19 Florida climb the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Top 25 team rankings while spreading his name in both the top singles and doubles positions.
In the season opener, as the other courts fell, the weight of victory fell on his shoulders. Jefferson prevailed with a winning performance, securing the 4-3 victory against USF. He also shined during his four-game singles win streak, where he knocked down thenranked No. 6 Petar Jovanovic of Mississippi State.
But opponents don’t just deal with his physical presence; they also have to contend with his electric energy.
Imagine waiting to return a 90-110 mph serve. Seconds before, all you hear is a simultaneous “Come on Gators!” chanted by the whole UF team. That pressure is what opponents now face every match. Led by Jefferson, the team makes it seem like its opponents are playing more than just one person.
“It is something that coach [Adam] Steinberg has taught us. When we do that and play that kind of way, it can really suffocate our opponents,” Jefferson said. “If the opponent is looking over the net at a real strong competitor who’s firing up with his teammates, it definitely can beat them down.”
The Gator has used this tactic all season, but perhaps the most notable instance was
against top-ranked Texas.
Despite the daunting matchup, No. 69 Jefferson made quick work of his opponent in a straight-set victory.
“When someone can get a quick match done, it really sends a lot of encouragement to the other courts,” Jefferson said.
The Gator uses losses as fuel to aid his team. During the ITA Kickoff Weekend, Jefferson fell short in both of his singles matches. Instead of walking to the bench and trying to forget the tough loss, the Gator kept cheering on his brothers from the court.
During that weekend, the Gators ultimately won back-to-back Top 25 matches.
Jefferson is known for his hype-man persona, which he always finds a way to balance with his in-game performance, he said.
“I think just little things, like bouncing before the point and using the towel between the points and sticking to the same simple routines as much as possible, is really important in those moments,” Jefferson said. “In the 25 seconds in between, as long as you're giving 15 seconds of that to your teammates, then you can take your time before the point.”
Next year, Jefferson will fill the leadership roles left by Pablo Perez Ramos, Tanapatt Nirundorn and Lorenzo Claverie when they graduate this Spring. Making a positive impact on his teammates' performances is a priority for Jefferson.
Jefferson mans the center court in doubles, but he holds courts two and three in singles. The variety lets him encourage all of his teammates, echoing his energy through stadiums.
“It’s something I take pride in,” Jefferson said. “I want to be in that role. I want people to say, 'Wow, he’s a really good individual player but makes everyone around him better.’ I think that’s one of the best compliments.”
The Gators leaned on that team-first mentality to close the regular season with a dominant win against Arkansas.
As Florida looks to win its second men’s tennis NCAA Division I title, Jefferson said he hopes to inspire the next group of tennis fans and leave a lasting impact on the program.
“If you can come and watch us and get inspired, then that's the best thing, and then we’ve done our jobs,” Jefferson said.
Aside from chasing more accolades, Jefferson wants to leave Florida better than he found it.
Jefferson takes pride in the team’s chemistry and the role each player has in shaping Florida’s program, he said — measuring success not only by his own performance, but by the impact he has on others.
Jefferson said his personality and energy come naturally, shaped by his upbringing in London, where watching Fulham FC helped spark his love for sports. He said that background carries into Florida’s team culture, emphasizing humor and brotherhood off the court.
“How well did I play?” Jefferson said. “But also, how well did I help my teammates is just as important as any other shot.”
