‘Deliberate attack’: Sociology’s removal from Florida general education draws criticism
THE STATE VOTED TO REMOVE SOCIOLOGY FROM GENERAL EDUCATION AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES MARCH 26
By Alexa Ryan Alligator Staff Writer
Zach Levenson didn't plan to study sociology. He entered college as a math major but took an Introduction to Sociology class to fulfill a general education requirement — and it changed his academic path.
He switched majors, eventually earning three degrees in the field, and he now teaches as an associate professor of sociology at Florida International University. There, he has taught the same course that drew him in as an undergraduate.
Levenson’s experience isn’t uncommon. For many students, introductory sociology courses have long served as an entry point into the discipline. However, that pathway may soon disappear.
The State University System’s Board of Governors voted March 26 to remove Introduction to Sociology from general education across Florida’s 12 public universities. The change will go into effect for the 202627 school year. Students will still be able to take the course as an elective or as part of their individual degrees.
“This is part of a really shocking and kind of terrifying trend,” Levenson said. “Students across Florida should be really concerned.”
Almost 1,500 students were enrolled in the class during the 2025-26 academic year, according to public records obtained by The Alligator.
In 2024, the board removed sociology from a list of six “state core” classes students could use to fulfill their social science requirement. Earlier this year, Florida began requiring the use of a new state-approved text-
SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT
TheAvenue:Music
book in sociology courses. The new version omits topics on race, gender and sexuality present in an earlier, much longer version of the text.
“What we have are nonacademics trying to control a curriculum and impose it on academics, which just feels bizarre and even surreal,” Levenson said about the series of decisions.
The motion to remove sociology from general education wasn’t listed on the meeting agenda and wasn’t open for public comment. Rather, it was a surprise vote initiated by Ray Rodrigues, the State University System chancellor.
Before the vote, Rodrigues read feedback from sociology faculty submitted through unions and media outlets, saying it informed his recommendation to make the course an elective rather than a requirement.
All of the faculty feedback opposed the board’s decisions regarding sociology.
“They couldn’t even find a single faculty member to be neutral on this issue, let alone support their position,” Levenson said.
During the March 26 meeting, Rodrigues said sociology as a discipline has become a form of social and political advocacy in recent years, adding he learned about concepts like racism and the gender pay gap without indoctrination when he took sociology courses in college.
These issues have not been seen in other disciplines like history and political science, he said.
“The path to preserve academic freedom and preserve compliance with Florida statutes is clear,” Rodrigues said. “Leave these courses as electives, free to compete in the marketplace of ideas, and leave them as the
Gainesville homeless shelter to close after 46 years
St. Francis House will close April 16 due to business model, funding concerns
By Kaitlyn McCormack Alligator Staff Writer
Since 1980, St. Francis House has served Gainesville’s homeless community with shelter and hot meals. Prioritizing women and families, it has served over 5,000 guests since 2016 alone.
But in under a month, the shelter will permanently close its downtown facility due to funding and staffing challenges. Some fear the closure will result in a resource gap for one of Gainesville’s most vulnerable populations.
“I think that we all grieve,” said Lauri Schiffbauer, the organization’s executive director of five years. “It's been a challenge when you've been working really hard to make something successful, and then it doesn't come to
fruition.”
The shelter’s planned April 16 closure is largely due to an unsustainable business model, Schiffbauer said.
Providing three meals a day to shelter residents, she said, became costly and unproductive for staff. In the future, she hopes to pursue a model with multiple kitchen spaces and an in-facility pantry to allow residents to prepare their own meals.
“I think that's a great model, because it really works towards teaching people the skills they need to be able to sustain themselves,” Schiffbauer said.
Rising operating costs also contributed to the closure, she added.
After selling the downtown location, the organization will use the funds to buy another building
and resume services, she said. The new location will ideally provide more space to serve more guests.
“We'd like to be able to accommodate, because we feel like there's a much larger program, much larger need for family shelter than what our community sees,” she said.
The shelter’s current residents won’t be abruptly cut off from resources, she added.
St. Francis House is working with the TaskForce for Ending Homelessness to provide alternative placement for those currently residing in the shelter. The task force's North Central Florida Chapter, Keys to Home, approved $35,000 in rapid rehousing dollars to Family Promise, a local organi-
Story description finish with comma, pg#
Read The Alligator’s coverage from the four-day Okeechobee Music Festival. Read more on pg. 6.
Not
with the University of Florida
Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida
Michael Angee // Alligator Staff
Gary Neal, assistant pastor at New Beginning Christian Worship Center, embraces two attendees of a “No Kings” protest, Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Cora P. Roberson Park in Gainesville, Fla. Read more on pg. 3.
Today’s Weather
UF College Republicans retaliates after disbandment for alleged antisemitic gestures
UFCR FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST UF CLAIMING FIRST AMENDMENT VIOLATIONS
By Alabama Weninegar Alligator Staff Writer
UF’s chapter of College Republicans is moving forward with a lawsuit against UF after allegations of antisemitic gestures made by club members led to its dissolution.
A photo circulated online depicted a presumed member of UFCR performing a Nazi salute. After seeing the photo, the Florida Federation of College Republicans reached out to UF and asked the university to disband the chapter, according to a March 14 post from UF on X.
“The University of Florida has emphatically supported its Jewish community and remains committed to preventing and addressing antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and harassment that are threatening and disruptive to our students,” UF’s post read.
The lawsuit was filed March 16 by UFCR’s attorney, Anthony Sabatini, a Lake County commissioner and civil rights attorney.
UFCR argued the grounds of its disbandment were unjustified, because the campus group isn’t affiliated with FFCR. Rather, UFCR is a member of another organization, College Republicans of America, according to a post from UFCR on X.
The chapter also claimed the disbandment was a reaction from UF in relation to UFCR’s event on March 11, which featured far-right investor and Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback.
UFCR held a meeting March 24, which it referred to as “The Return” in an Instagram post. UFCR was obligated to pay a fee of $175 to rent the meeting room at the Reitz Union, because it has not been reinstated as a campus organization.
“University of Florida targeted this chapter because they’re [UFCR] conservative Republicans, and they don't like them,” Sabatini told The Alligator.
Sabatini said the chapter was illegally stripped of its status as a registered student organization for exercising its First Amendment rights. He also called the reason for disbanding UFCR “fake.”
Because UFCR is not a member of FFCR, Sabatini said, there is no evidence of policy or copies of written communication that gave UF the right to disband the club.
The lawsuit is filed against UF’s interim president, Donald Landry, and Sabatini said the lawsuit argues the alleged antisemitic viewpoint expressed in the photo was not a “true threat” and therefore did not constitute unprotected speech.
“UFCR has suffered and continues to suffer irreparable harm to its First Amendment rights,” the lawsuit read.
An injunction hearing will be held in two weeks, Sabatini said. UFCR said it hopes to receive an
apology from UF along with immediate reinstatement on campus, according to Sabatini.
UF declined to comment. UFCR responded to The Alligator with its X post in a direct message via Instagram when asked to comment.
Though not directly involved in the lawsuit, Robert Rush, a 73-yearold civil rights attorney based in Gainesville, said the lawsuit's outcome depends on if the photo can be interpreted as hate speech.
“You can’t curtail student speech without meeting certain very strict guidelines,” Rush said.
“What they’re [UF] saying is that this meets those strict guidelines and crosses them. … The countervailing opinion is that it doesn't come close to that.”
Rush believes there is middle ground for a compromise, he said, and it seems the situation could have been resolved with discussion and mediation.
UF Jewish community perspectives
About one in five UF undergraduates are Jewish, according to Hillel International. The school has a larger undergraduate Jewish population than any other public university in the country at 6,500.
Rabbi Aaron Notik, the program director at the Chabad UF Jewish Student Center, said he received concerned messages from families and students after the photo surfaced and the chapter was disbanded.
With Passover — a Jewish holiday celebrating freedom — approaching in April, Notik said the situation has given him a deeper perspective on how to respond to Jewish hate.
“The Jewish students at the University of Florida specifically are standing proud and celebrating the holiday of freedom,” Notik said. “Freedom from all this type of hate and oppression.”
Notick said Nazi salutes are antisemitic in nature, and hate should not have a place anywhere.
As the lawsuit proceeds, Notik said, he trusts the university to properly and fairly resolve the situation.
“They [UF] seem to be quite on
top of it,” Notik said. “Even proactive in ensuring that every student feels safe and in a comfortable learning environment, free of any form of hate.”
Rabbi Jonah Zinn, UF Hillel’s executive director, said any kind of hatred, specifically antisemitism, has “no room” at UF, in an email statement to The Alligator.
“Nazi salutes send a simple and hateful message to Jewish students: ‘You don't belong here,’” Zinn said.
Student perspectives
Ana Capeci, a 19-year-old UF environmental science freshman, said it can be difficult for a university to navigate the boundaries of free speech. But she stands with UF’s decision to disband the chapter.
Capeci said she feels the lawsuit by UFCR is an extreme measure and could have been talked out.
“The university is a public space, and it’s for all types of students of all different backgrounds,” she said. “I don't think that hate of any kind should be tolerated.”
Evan Rawitt, a 19-year-old UF art freshman, thinks UF could have condemned the group without disbanding them, but he still said the photo is a bad reflection on its members.
“I think that obviously, they have a right to have a club,” Rawitt said. “Maybe get a little more jurisdiction and restriction behind stuff that they [UFCR] do.”
Chase Cruceana, a 19-year-old UF nuclear engineering sophomore, said he supports UF’s deactivation of UFCR and believes there isn’t grounds for a lawsuit due to the antisemitic allegations.
Allowing the group on campus could lead to the assumption that UF condones hateful behavior, Cruceana said.
“For a school with such a large Jewish population, it could cause them to feel unsafe on campus,” he said. “I think it was the right move by UF.”
The Alligator strives to be accurate and clear in its news reports and editorials. If you find an error, please call our newsroom at 352-376-4458 or email editor@alligator.org
Michael Mendoza
President of UF College Republicans Michael Andre speaks about recent events, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Gainesville, Fla.
Thousands attend the first ‘No Kings’ protest of the year
THE
PROTEST WAS PART OF A NATIONWIDE RALLY AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
By Vanessa Norris Alligator Staff Writer
About 2,000 people gathered at Gainesville’s Cora P. Roberson Park March 28 to protest the Trump administration. The protest was part of “No Kings” demonstrations planned across the country — the third since the series began June 14, 2025, and the first of this year.
The Washington Post reported over 3,300 rallies in all 50 states.
The protest began around 11 a.m. at Depot Park. Hundreds of people gathered in the heat with signs reading phrases like “Stop the war on Iran” and “Gators chomp ICE.” Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation led chants and passed out water and food to attendees.
“Trump, Trump, you can’t hide, you’re committing genocide,” the crowd chanted.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation, along with other organizations such as 50501 Gainesville and UF’s chapter of Students for Socialism, planned the event. It aimed to protest the Trump administration, its decisions to attack Iran and the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Mariah McGovern, a 34-year-old Gainesville resident and member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
“We are having to sit here and worry about the price of groceries or the price of gas while ultrarich corporations take all of our money,” McGovern said. “Then the government uses our taxes to do things like enact violence in the Middle East and let ICE in our streets.”
Nationwide, the price of gas is now $3.98 per gallon, a $1 increase from the average last month, according to the AAA Fuel Prices report. The climbing price is tied to the U.S.Israel strikes on Iran.
Fellow protestor Victoria Gomez De La Torre, a 65-year-old immigrant and Gainesville resident, has been an activist since the Reagan administration. She said Gainesville has its own unique subculture, where the issues affecting its residents reflect broader trends nationwide.
“People in this country do not realize how we’re sliding down into autocracy, into dictatorship, because this country has never lived through a dictatorship,” Torre said. “I come from South America. I know what it looks like, and we’re exactly going into that direction.”
Barbara Stein, a Panama City resident, and Lane Curington, a Tallahassee resident, graduated from UF around 50 years ago. They returned to Gainesville for their husbands’ 100th anniversary of their fraternity, Phi Kappa Tau, and decided to take part in the protest.
“I don’t like the way Trump runs America,” Curington, 72, said. “I don’t like the fact that he’s not diplomatic. I don’t like the way he talks
down to people. I don’t like a lot of his policies.”
Stein, 70, said she disagrees with almost everything Trump has done, and she disapproves of the country’s actions in the Middle East.
“I hate that we made the mistake bombing the school, and we killed children,” she said, referencing the Feb. 28 strike on the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school in Iran.
At 11:30 a.m., organizers in bright yellow vests guided the crowd onto Southwest Depot Avenue, starting a nearly one-mile march to Cora P. Roberson Park. Protesters crowded half of the road, chanting as they slowly made their way down the street.
The leaders of the march held up banners reading “U.S. out of the Middle East” and “Stop the war on Iran.”
Honks sounded as cars passed by, and almost a dozen police officers monitored the scene.
Gerald Herr, a 67-year-old Gainesville resident, stood in a small group on the side of the street, holding a sign and watching the scene unfold. This is his second No Kings protest, he said.
Herr said the progression of the U.S., and his perception of Americans, changed with Trump’s presidency. He said he describes Trump as “a dictatorial, macho president who doesn’t seem to care about the country or the history or the people.”
When the crowd arrived at Cora P. Roberson Park, they were greeted by hundreds of other protesters.
Organizations like the Sierra Club, Pride Community Center, Democratic Women’s Club and Alachua County Democratic Party set up tents and tables in a semicircle.
Several marchers lined both sides of Southwest Sixth Street, waving signs and cheering at cars passing by. Drummers hit their instruments as they walked up and down the road. Passengers filmed the protest as they passed.
Others entered the park and gathered around a stage to listen to speakers and a local folk-rock band, Weeds of Eden. Those who didn’t bring lawn chairs stood by, walked around or took a seat on the grass.
A slight breeze blew in clusters of pollen from nearby trees, and speakers warned attendees of the rash-inducing, furry caterpillars taking over the area.
Still, people stayed in the heat with their sunglasses and hats — chatting, cheering and dancing with other attendees.
Karen Mentz, a 47-year-old Gainesville resident, withstood the heat in a peach costume. She bought the costume online and ironed on letters spelling “Impeach, convict.” She said her main concerns with the Trump administration are the Epstein files, the war in the Middle East and affordability.
This was Mentz’s third No Kings protest. With an estimate of 1,500 to 2,000 people in attendance, Saturday’s event might have been Gainesville’s largest No Kings protest to date, according to previous
Alligator reporting.
“I am so pleased with how many more people there are,” she said. “People are really starting to wake up to what’s going on.”
Friends Adriana Koralewski, 18, Emma Barton, 18, and Aubree Suarez, 16, are first-time protesters. Koralewski has always wanted to come to a protest to take part in change, and this is the first time she’s been able to attend since becoming a legal adult, she said.
“We all have wanted to do it for a while, and we knew that we didn’t want to come alone,” Koralewski said. “So, now we’re a little protest group, and we’re going to keep coming to do this as much as we can.”
Kelly Cannon, a 57-year-old Gainesville resident, stood with her husband, Tim, holding an umbrella with a variety of phrases written on it, including “We are watching you Congress,” “Abolish ICE” and “Release the files.” The umbrella is transparent and has an opening to slip sheets of paper into it, allowing the phrases to be changed out as new issues arise between protests.
“I love our country, and I hate where it is right now,” Cannon said. “This administration has basically taken us into fascism, and we oppose that. We’re very worried about the future of our country and our world under this kind of leadership.”
@vanessajnorris vnorris@alligator.org
Florida cuts sociology from general education
SOCIOLOGY, from pg. 1
majors and the minors for the students who choose to study them.”
Sociology is the study of social life and its effects on how people behave. In Introduction to Sociology, students learn about basic sociological concepts — including the influences of race, ethnicity, class and gender — and vocabulary social scientists use to collect data and conduct research, according to UF’s course description.
At UF, assistant professor Evan Lauteria said the decision is part of a broader pattern affecting the discipline.
“I think this is the most recent step in a number of attempts to target sociology, and my concern is that we will not be the last discipline to be targeted,” he said. “This sets an unfortunate precedent for government overreach.”
He said departments may face long-term academic and structural consequences.
The sociology departments at Florida’s universities are now in the same boat as women’s studies and African American studies departments around the state, he said, and sociologists can look to them for what to expect going forward.
Last year, the board made all African American and women’s studies courses electives. The move was part of a state-initiated general education overhaul that removed hundreds of classes, most of them from disciplines in humanities and social sciences.
Lauteria said many students will miss out on valuable education, arguing the change undermines efforts to develop well-
rounded graduates.
“This is a deliberate attack on academic freedom and is a threat to students’ learning outcomes and is a detriment to the state of Florida,” he said. “It’s a huge disservice to students who deserve a quality education.”
Michael Beck, a UF graduate instructor currently teaching Introduction to Sociology, said the course plays a foundational role in higher education.
“No matter what you do in the world, the sociological imagination is a superpower,” he said. “It really helps us not just see things from the microlevel in this really condensed, limited perspective, but it helps us see social structures itself.”
Beck said enrollment is likely to decline now that the course no longer fulfills a general education requirement, which could reduce departmental funding tied to student credit hours.
That shift could affect faculty hiring, graduate admissions and research output, he said.
“It’s going to change the way the whole department functions,” he said. “This decision affects people’s livelihoods, their careers, the research that they can do. It’s pretty devastating for those of us who are in the field of sociology.”
Student reactions
As a major, sociology enrolled 342 UF undergraduates as of Fall 2024. Introduction to Sociology is a required critical tracking class for the program. But most students who take the class come from other majors. Some of those students said the course has had a lasting impact on how they understand the world.
Ava Hall, an 18-year-old UF health sciences freshman who is currently taking Beck’s Introduction to Sociology class, described the board’s decision as “sad” in many ways.
“It’s a class that everyone should take, just because it gives you a different perspective on life,” she said. “It’s really important for everyone to have open, different perspectives.”
Hall said the lessons she is learning in this class and the different perspectives she has gained will help her future career in the medical field by informing the way she interacts with patients.
“I think sociology is a good ex-
ample of how you can understand them better,” she said.
Natalie Biggs, a 20-year-old UF health science sophomore, said she initially enrolled in the course to meet graduate school requirements but found it transformative.
“But I’m so glad I did, because it’s changed so much about my mindset,” she said. “I see sociology every day in the way people interact.”
Sociology ties into many different majors, which is why she was so shocked to hear it would no longer be considered a general education course, she said.
“It encapsulates so many different majors that I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be a gen ed requirement,” she said. “I don’t
understand why it should be removed.”
Claire Tibshrany, a 19-year-old UF psychology and criminology freshman who took the class last semester, said she enjoyed the class so much, she’s considering adding a sociology minor.
“Sociology is a really good thing to study just to understand the world around us,” she said. “It makes me a better student, a better classmate, and it makes me see the world a little bit better with more understanding of others.”
@AlexaRyan_ aryan@alligator.org
St. Francis House closes downtown shelter
Still, it takes nearly $1 million a year to operate the shelter, and Rosenbaum said the funding barely chips the surface.
zation working to support the stabilization of the families in the shelter.
To ensure residents still have access to regular meals, Schiffbauer said, the shelter’s director of housing is compiling a list of churches providing free meals.
Walter Rosenbaum, the vice president of St. Francis House’s board of directors, has served on the board for over 25 years. He said along with changing the shelter’s business model, it will be looking for a new director.
Despite challenges, he said, they will continue to work until they have the resources to rebuild their shelter.
“The bottom line is that as soon as we have the resources … we will be back doing what we have been doing for 40 or 50 years,” Rosenbaum said.
The city and county have provided some financial support, he said, specifically providing funds for Cold Night Shelters, which allow for St. Francis House to admit an additional 60 guests when temperatures drop below 45 degrees.
“The city and the county have provided some financial support — not a great deal, considering our budget needs,” he said.
Rosenbaum hopes the shelter can get back on its feet soon. Support from local organizations has helped it prioritize its current guests.
“We have been very, very appreciative of the support we have had from the community,” he said. “So it's with great reluctance that we have to cut back on our services.”
Surya Dodia, a 22-year-old UF political science and international studies senior, has volunteered at St. Francis House intermittently over the past two years. She also expressed her fears for families currently residing in the shelter and community members who rely on the shelter for meals.
“It’s just taking away a resource that was already very limited, and I'm definitely worried, because that area of Gainesville has been a safe haven for a lot of homeless people,” she said. “I'm worried about
where they're going to go.”
After a 2024 bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis banned counties and municipalities from allowing public encampment, the city of Gainesville created an option in the neighborhood myGNV app for residents to report public camping. According to records obtained by The Alligator, a majority of encampments are reported to occur along or near North Main Street downtown.
While Dodia wishes the shelter could stay open, she said, the closure doesn’t come as a surprise due to unorganized management and understaffing.
Dodia recalled multiple times when she would be the only person serving dinner for up to 30 shelter residents, with no staff to help her.
“There's no reason that I, as a college student, should have been the only person there in the middle of the night at a homeless shelter serving food,” she said.
She said there was no central communication between her and higher level management, and no one had informed her about the closure until The Alligator reached out for comment.
Schiffbauer said volunteers were informed via email and social media about the closure.
Regardless of her issues with staffing, Dodia said she’d continue to volunteer if St. Francis House opened a new location.
Rossana Passaniti, Gainesville’s public information officer, wrote a statement on behalf of the city to The Alligator. She said the city has valued its partnership with St. Francis House and is committed to aiding struggling residents after the closure.
“As they end shelter operations, the city remains committed to supporting our neighbors in need through the services offered by our Community Resource Paramedicine team, our police co-responder teams and by community partners such as GRACE,” Passaniti wrote.
Grace Marketplace, located at 3055 NE 28th Drive, is a low-barrier shelter that offers services including housing, warm meals, showers, clothing and laundry. St Francis’ Arbor House, a low-income housing facility for women and children, will remain open despite the downtown closure.
@kaitmccormack20 kmccormack@alligator.org
Caroline Walsh // Alligator Staff
The outside of Turlington Hall on UF’s campus, Friday, March 27, 2026.
Meet the 5 candidates running for Alachua County school board elections in August
The election will follow public scrutiny over rezoning
By Grace Larson Alligator Staff Writer
Three seats are open in August’s Alachua County School Board election. Five candidates are on the ballot, including two incumbents.
The election follows the board’s rezoning plans, in which members voted 3-2 to close three schools — Alachua, Foster and Williams elementary schools — across the next two years.
The decision sparked frustration with many community members. Some have called for current board members to be replaced.
“This just deepens distrust that the community has in every single board member and the superintendent,” said Melvina Wilson, a Williams Elementary School parent, at a board meeting March 3. “Do not be dismayed when the vote comes in August.”
Despite this, elected officials continue to develop their campaign goals, which range from teacher salary increases to improving the district’s budget.
The election will take place Aug. 18 across more than 60 voting locations spread throughout the county. Voters can check their polling location at the Supervisor of Elections website.
District 1
Janine Plavac, who currently holds the District 5 seat after being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April 2025, is running uncontested for District 1, which encompasses Newberry.
Board member Tina Certain, who currently holds the District 1 seat, is vacating her position to run for a spot on the Alachua County Commission.
Plavac, a 73-year-old teacher at Saint Francis Catholic Academy, said the application process strengthened her commitment to her role on the board.
“To apply for that, I had to go through a pretty rigorous process,” she said. “When I did that, I was committed to making sure that all parties and all stakeholders in this community have an equal serve and a voice in what goes on.”
Plavac describes her stance as conservative but open-minded. School board positions are nonpartisan, meaning candidates run without party affiliations listed on the ballot.
One of Plavac’s main goals is finding a permanent superintendent.
In November 2024, following the firing of previous superintendent Shane Andrew, Kamela Patton was named interim superintendent. A year later, the board extended Patton’s contract until 2027 and began searching for a permanent superintendent.
It is unclear if the board has made any advancements in the search.
Plavac also hopes to enhance student performance and literacy rates by promoting old-school teaching methods, like paper-based assessments and enforcing nophone policies put in place by the
governor in 2025.
According to standardized language arts test results for the 202425 school year, 55% of students in Alachua County passed with a three or higher. That’s just below the state’s 57% achievement rate.
In addition to enhancing literacy rates, Plavac also hopes to adjust disciplinary measures and student behavior to retain teachers.
“My goal is to be a support mechanism for them [teachers] but also let them be in charge of their classroom,” she said. “Let them decide what programs work for them and their teaching environment. They know better than any administrator.”
Plavac’s stance on administrative support comes from her experience working as a teacher in the district.
She taught at Gainesville High School for 17 years before moving to Saint Francis Catholic Academy, a private school in Gainesville.
“I was in public school education, and now I’m in private school education,” Plavac said. “So I see both sides of what’s going on.”
District 3
Sarah Rockwell, a 44-year-old who studied and taught special education throughout Florida, is currently running for reelection for her District 3 seat. Gregory Pelham is running to replace her. District 3 includes the city of Alachua, as well as some of northwest Gainesville.
If elected for a second term, Rockwell said she hopes to continue working toward improving academic achievement, strategic operations and fiscal responsibility.
Academic achievement factors into the Florida Department of Education’s grading of schools throughout the state. Schools are assigned a grade between A and F based on graduation and acceleration rates, and support offered to students in need.
When Rockwell started on the school board in 2022, the district had seven D and F schools. In 2025, the amount decreased to four D schools and no F schools. Her goal is to continue to work toward having zero schools rated D or F.
She also hopes to improve the district’s rating from a B to an A.
Her other goals include improving transportation and better managing the district’s budget.
The district’s budget fell from $612 million in 2024-25 to $604 million during the 2025-26 school year, according to previous Alligator reporting. A decrease in federal and state funding, as well as declining enrollment, drove the budget changes.
“We need people on the board who are willing to ask … ‘Where is the money for this coming from?’” she said. “I understand the desire to implement all the good ideas in the world, but we have to be able to pay for those. … That is a huge reason that I’m running again.”
Rockwell’s first term didn’t come without its challenges.
In August 2025, Rockwell faced backlash from parents and state officials for her comments on the
initiatives, school closures
death of Hulk Hogan, a professional wrestler known for expressing conservative views.
In September 2025, board member Tina Certain faced similar pushback on her comments surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist.
“What occurred with myself, with Mrs. Certain and with some board members in other districts is intimidation, fear tactics, bullying — and it’s entirely performative,” Rockwell said. “My focus is, has always been and will continue to be doing my job to the best of my ability, and I will not let anything distract me from that.”
Rockwell and other board members have also faced criticism following the district’s recent rezoning decisions.
Despite community frustrations, she said she will continue to do what she feels is best for the district.
“I have always made decisions with the best interests of our students and our staff and our district as a whole in mind — not my political career, my popularity or my reelection,” Rockwell said. “I will continue to do that. … This rezoning is very unpopular, but it is incredibly necessary.”
Rockwell will face Gregory Pelham at the polls this year. Pelham, a 69-year-old Teen Court case manager, currently works for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
His experience working in the school system for roughly 40 years, he said, makes him more aware of community opinions. Teen Court, a national program used in Alachua County, offers nonviolent first-time teen offenders a second chance.
“That, for me, greatly opens up lines of communications at many different levels,” Pelham said. “Whether it be with the parents, whether it be with the students or whether it be with their staff and administrators at the schools, or even … in the faith-based community.”
Decisions and community concerns should be met with unity and compassion, he added. If elected, he said he hopes to bring these qualities to the board.
“There needs to be a little bit
more unity on the board,” Pelham said, “with a clear-set vision for our children and our communities and our schools.”
In February, the board tried to schedule a “Way of Work” training meant to improve communication issues among board members. The plans, however, fell through after two members refused to attend the training.
In addition to improving unity, Pelham said he hopes to work on improving teacher salaries.
Teachers deserve support given their working environment, he said.
For the 2024-25 school year, the median teacher salary in Alachua County was a little under $50,400, which is nearly $4,000 less than the state’s average median salary, according to the Florida Department of Education.
In 2024, Florida ranked the second-lowest state in the country for teacher pay. Mississippi was the only state in the country with a lower average teacher salary in 2024, according to the World Population Review.
“That’s big for me, paying teachers what they’re worth,” Pelham said. “I know what they’re dealing with in the schools.”
Overall, he said the importance of the election stems from building a strong future. The school board is responsible for the children that shape our future, he added.
The outcome of the election has the power to create change throughout the county, Pelham said.
“Voting for me and helping me to become the next board member will effect change,” he said. “It will effect unity, and it will bring a fresh look [at] what our students and what our teachers … and what our parents are experiencing.”
District 5
Two candidates — Annie Muscato and Jancie Vinson — are running for District 5, which is located in the southwest portion of the county.
The District 5 seat was left open by Plavac, who is running for District 1. Plavac originally served District 5 after being appointed by DeSantis in April 2025. She is running for District 1 because it aligns with her address.
Muscato, a 35-year-old director of development for the UF Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment, is a fourthgeneration Floridian who said her love for education comes from her grandma, who was an elementary school teacher.
“I care deeply about the state of Florida,” she said. “I want it to be the best it can be. I know that a strong public education system is the foundation for a strong community — for a strong state.”
Muscato said she believes her postsecondary education will prepare her for a potential position on the school board.
Muscato received her master’s degree and doctorate in agricultural education and communication from UF. Throughout her studies, she said, she specialized in leadership.
“There is a need for a level of common-sense leadership,” Muscato said. “That’s balancing the needs of the community with whatever the current lived reality is.”
Muscato has two elementaryaged children in Alachua County Public Schools and believes her personal investment in the district will help her in her school board endeavors.
Her candidacy, as she describes it, is “rooted in a genuine want to make things better.”
Muscato is running against Jancie Vinson, a 67-year-old retired correctional probation specialist at the Florida Department of Corrections.
Vinson hopes to improve student behavior, increase staff employment and benefits, reduce the district’s debt and add more magnet programs to schools in East Gainesville, which is home to several historically Black neighborhoods.
“I will fight as a candidate to undo the wrongness, unfairness, disparity,” Vinson said. “This is not the west versus the east.”
During the rezoning process, the board proposed the closure of three East Gainesville schools: Duval Early Learning Academy and Williams and Rawlings elementary schools. A fourth school proposed for closure, Foster Elementary School, is located on Northwest Sixth Street, which is often considered greater East Gainesville.
The school board voted on March 12 to close Williams and Foster elementary schools, sparking debate over disproportionate closures on the east side of the city.
Vinson’s concerns reflect her participation in organizations like local branches of the NAACP and the American Association of University Women, which promote equality in Gainesville.
It’s important for board members to be involved in their community, she said.
“You should be visible … and see what’s really going on out there,” Vinson said.
This is Vinson’s third time running for a school board position. She previously ran in 2010 and 2014 but lost both times.
@graceellarson glarson@alligator.org
Dylan Speicher // Alligator Staff
Alachua County Public Schools prepares for the upcoming 2026 school board elections.
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2026
www.alligator.org/section/the-avenue
OKEECHOBEE
& ARTS FESTIVAL
From March 19-22, the Avenue’s editor, Corey Fiske, and music reporter, Isabel Kraby, traveled to Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, alongside Alligator photographer Chloe Martin. For four days, they slept in tents, clamored for electrical outlets in the press area and, of course, spent hot days and late nights watching a slate of live performances ranging in genres from electronic to folk. These three stories are a result of their trek to OMF.
Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival cultivates home-state pride for Florida musicians
AN INDIE-PSYCH BAND, A SIBLING DUO AND A DJ REFLECT ON THEIR OMF PERFORMANCES
By Isabel Kraby Avenue Staff Writer
From Flava D, a UK-based garage and grime bass DJ, to Dirty Heads, a reggae rock group from Huntington Beach, California, the 2026 Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival drew musicians from all over the country and the world.
But out of the over 130 artists on the bill this year, many hail from Florida — and say they’re proud to be represented at one of their state’s biggest festivals.
FOOD & DRINK
It’s in the name
Miami-based indie psychedelic band The Floridians got its start performing at backyard shows.
The community in the group’s hometown — and across Florida, as its members would come to realize — was welcoming to all musicians.
“Everybody likes to support each other, especially in Miami,” lead singer and guitarist Ian Renaud said. “Even though it’s dominated by electronic music and DJs in that scene, the band scene is actually very strong.”
Originally just known as the singular “Floridian,” Renaud roughed it as a solo artist, not confident in his singing or guitar-playing abilities. He soon realized he wanted his best friends around him, most of whom already had a decade of band expe-
rience under their belts.
The five-piece is currently wrapping up recording its debut album, set to release this summer. Keyboardist David Gonzalez produced, mixed and mastered the whole project.
The Floridians opened up the “Here” stage at 3 p.m. on March 20 to a crowd of dancing and bubble-blowing festivalgoers. The band said the set was its most significant festival appearance yet.
Half the songs from its OMF set will be on the record, including “Another Day,” which will be the album’s single. The Floridians’ performance also included tracks like its single “How Are You So Certain” and a cover of “Time to Pretend” by MGMT.
The OMF crew’s friendly, ac-
commodating attitude toward the lesser-known group surprised The Floridians, they said. The band is walking away from its first OMF appearance most grateful for the chance to build community and connect with fellow Florida natives.
“We get to have an opportunity to play and be part of something that represents the South Florida scene,” bassist Tristan Cata said.
Leo Cattani — the band’s auxiliary keyboardist and guitarist for the day — had played at the festival before. At the first OMF in 2016, then-17-year-old Cattani strode around the festival grounds and backstage areas, playing the trumpet in a marching band.
Among the first to The Floridians’ set were friends Delany Helfrich and Cat Legault. They woke
up around 4 a.m. on Thursday and commuted to the festival from Tampa. Legault arrived only second in line to their camping section.
The 26-year-olds had never attended OMF. Only a day into the festival, Helfrich and Legault felt a strong sense of family and inclusivity.
“It’s just nice to have something collective to embody together and not be judgmental,” Legault said. “A group of like-minded individuals that love art and people and getting together to celebrate. It’s nice to see love and share love.”
Read the rest online at alligator. org/section/the-avenue. @isabelgkraby ikraby@alligator.org
Okee eats: Festivalgoers fuel late-night raves with ‘waffle pops’ and noodles
A REFLECTION ON THE QUICK BITES AND SWEET DRINKS THAT KEPT FESTIVALGOERS DANCING
By Corey Fiske Avenue Staff Writer
Eating your way through the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival was no easy feat, especially on your wallet. Across from every stage, a row of food vendors set up booths, further supplemented by food trucks and stands throughout the sprawling festival grounds.
While some festivalgoers clung to the barricades as headliners like Cage the Elephant and The Lumineers took “Be” stage, others drifted toward the outskirts of the crowd, where they could chomp down on Island Noodles or giant pizza slices from the safety of an inflatable
Sports
“Coochi Couch” or picnic blanket.
At Island Noodles, cooks fired up the heat in giant woks, mixing soba noodles with vegetables and teriyaki chicken ($18) for an explosive, flavorful meal served in classic fold-top-style takeout containers. The portion size was filling, almost enough to justify the festival-sized price tag.
Behind the bar
Not far from Island Noodles, Maggie Congdon, a 26-year-old Okeechobee local, tended one of the festival’s many bars. She worked the festival as a volunteer for Healthy Start, a nonprofit that raises money for first-time parents and provides essentials like car seats. Nonprofits operated most of the OMF bars, she said, with tips going directly to the organization, as well as a portion of each sale. With
Florida women’s basketball team prepares for the transfer portal after firing head coach. Read more on page 11.
singles costing $16 and doubles $28, festivalgoers could feel less guilty ordering a Gatorita or Aquachobee Cooler knowing it supported a good cause.
Congdon also took up volunteering for free entry into the festival.
“The people watching is half the fun,” she said, “so being at the bar is amazing.”
Other drink options included frozen daiquiris and margaritas ($16), served in large disposable aluminum cups, filled above the brim from a slushy machine and topped with a tiny, glowing, color-changing ball.
And of course, there were lemonades from Lost Pelican Lemonade, which travels to events and festivals across Florida and Michigan. The Summertime Strawberry ($10) included house-made strawberry puree topped with fresh chopped strawberries. The Mangochobee was devised as a special flavor for
OMF.
Andrew Gomes, a 34-year-old Orlando resident, has worked at Lost Pelican for about a year as a lemonade bartender. Lost Pelican had stands throughout the festival, but he was lucky to be near the “Now” stage, one of the main stages and where popular indie-rock band flipturn performed.
“We have a good spot looking at the stage, and we saw a lot of great artists and artists I’ve never seen before, and the vibes have been pretty good,” Gomes said. “Everyone’s been pretty friendly and positive.”
Read the rest online at alligator.org/ section/the-avenue.
@coreyfiske7 cfiske@alligator.org
MUSIC
Destination Okeechobee’s impact on winners of past and present
FLIPTURN AND A NEW WAVE OF COMPETITION WINNERS PERFORM AT THE 2026 OKEECHOBEE MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL
By Isabel Kraby Avenue Staff Writer
Prior to March 2, 2018, flipturn had never played a festival and had hardly performed to a crowd of over 200 people.
When the band hit its first festival stage at 1:30 p.m. on that spring day eight years ago, many festivalgoers were still asleep. Lead singer Dillon Basse didn’t care. He said it felt like he and his band were playing Madison Square Garden.
The festival wasn’t at that famous New York venue, but rather four hours south of Basse’s hometown of Fernandina Beach, at the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival.
Basse, 28, had known of Woodstock and other legendary festivals in documentaries. But actually playing one — at a time when Basse didn’t think fronting flipturn could be his career — was more than the then-sophomore at Jacksonville University could hope for.
Back when flipturn was playing house shows at UF, the band decided to enter Destination Okeechobee, a battle-of-the-bands contest where winners secure a spot on the festival’s lineup. Basse and his band asked their friends to vote, campaigned at their shows and received most of their support from the Gainesville community.
“This is only the beginning,” Basse told The Alligator after flipturn’s win in 2018. The band would go on to gain international recognition as renowned indie rockers, but they’d make sure to stop back at OMF in 2020 and 2023.
It was flipturn’s Destination Okeechobee set that made the difference, and the competition’s new wave of winners are already feeling its impact.
“It really just kept us wanting to keep pursuing music and pursuing the band,” Basse said. “Because the feeling of being up there on a stage, a festival stage specifically … you just felt like the dream was happening.”
Tattoos and tears of joy
Festivals like OMF expose performers to new crowds, Basse said. Of course, many festivalgoers this year have been following flipturn for a long time.
When Nicholas Schalk was in high school, his friends took him to St. Petersburg to catch a flipturn show. At the time, Schalk had never heard of the group.
The show was in the back of a brewery, and Schalk somehow got in for free. It was the “coolest thing ever,” he said.
Having now seen the Jacksonville-based band countless times, 25-year-old Schalk has a poppy flower and the words “six below” tattooed on his arm, both references to songs from early flipturn EPs.
“I’ve seen them since they were a baby band,” Schalk said. The 2026 festival marked Schalk and his friend Sophia Guelfi’s first time at OMF. They traveled from Naples and arrived late Thursday night but still woke up first thing Friday to run in the OMF 5K Run.
Thomas Rowland is more than just a flipturn fan. He and his band, Winyah, were asked to cover “Inner Wave” on flipturn’s most recent album “Burnout Days (Reimagined).” The call from his manager breaking the news left Rowland in tears of joy. Rowland, the 24-year-old frontman of his South Carolina
Miami-based music group The Floridians perform on stage at the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Okeechobee, Fla.
Hue Hinton performs on stage at the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Okeechobee, Fla.
indie southern rock band, took the “Now” stage nearly five hours before flipturn. To Winyah, being on flipturn’s album and on the same bill as the band at OMF felt surreal.
“It’s always special to get to play in the same place as them,” Rowland said. “They have been a huge inspiration for us.”
At 6:45 p.m. Sunday, flipturn opened its set with “Inner Wave” as the Winyah members watched from the crowd. The sun was setting, and silhouettes of birds and hang gliders floated past.
During its 75-minute set, the band played hits like “Glistening” and “Moon Rocks” to a crowd that filled the festival grounds to the east gate.
A few songs into flipturn’s fourth OMF appearance, frontman Basse said to the audience that the band wouldn’t be what it is without the festival.
Far away from Philly
Hugh Hinton imagines winning Destination Okeechobee will be a major catalyst in his musical career, too.
Hinton, whose artist name is spelled “Hue Hinton,” found out about Destination Okeechobee through a friend. He shrugged it off and figured entering the competition would be a shot in the dark. But Hinton sent in a video, and before he knew it, he won this year’s competition.
The 25-year-old Philadelphia-based songwriter said his persistence secured him the victory; he texted everyone he knew to vote for him.
Members of his backing band, Greydyent, have played together for around a decade and are masters at their instruments, according to their friends. They attended the School of Rock in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, and have all practiced instruments for years.
Among them was bassist Timothy Chiles, a UF alumnus. Now Hinton’s roommate, Chiles has never seen anyone work harder than his singer, who heads to the piano after long days working as a music teacher and in a restaurant.
“When people ask about Hue, that’s the first thing I say. That’s the difference that sets people apart,” he said, “the ability to keep doing what you’re doing every single day no matter what, and it’s what he loves.”
“It doesn’t feel like work,” Hinton replied.
Hinton’s love for music began at a piano bench when he was 3 years old. Soon, he was singing in church choirs and playing pop-up shows at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 2021, he began releasing his own music.
“Starfish,” his Jan. 30 EP, took a year to make. Its music embodied resilience and stemmed from the feeling of trying to catch up in a fast-paced world, he said. He played several tracks from the project at OMF on Saturday during what marked his first-ever festival appearance.
“A lot of emotion went into writing this project, but to think that I was able to play it on this big of a stage,” he said. “If you told me that a year ago, I wouldn’t believe you. But deep down, I always felt it should be heard by more people.”
Several of the band’s high school friends joined them on their almost 20-hour van ride south. They were among the first to arrive at its set at the “Aquachobee” stage.
Read the rest online at alligator.org/ section/the-avenue.
@isabelgkraby ikraby@alligator.org
Photos by Chloe Martin // Alligator Staff
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2026
www.alligator.org/section/opinions
What to know about HPV and why you should get protected against it
When my pediatrician offered me the HPV vaccine in middle school, I remember being annoyed at my mom. In my mind, that just meant two extra shots and arm soreness for a couple of days. Looking back, I’m so grateful my mom made that decision for me.
Your parents may have agreed to the vaccine like my mom did, or maybe they declined it. Maybe, you have no idea if you received it or not. Either way, it’s an important decision many parents make for their young children, and one young adults should make for themselves.
So, what even is HPV?
Human papillomavirus, as the name implies, is a virus. HPV isn’t transferred from person to person via airborne droplets or particles, like COVID-19 and the flu. Rather, it’s a sexually transmitted infection that’s transferred via intimate skin-to-skin sexual contact. So, don’t worry — you’re not going to catch HPV from your classmate coughing and sneezing up a storm. But add HPV to the list of reasons to use protective barrier methods like condoms. HPV isn’t just one virus. It’s actually a group of related viruses that can be split into two groups: low-risk and high-risk. High-risk strains can directly cause several types of cancers, including cervical, anal, oropharyngeal,
penile, vaginal and vulvar cancers. In fact, over 90% of cervical cancer is directly caused by HPV.
Low-risk strains rarely cause cancer, but they may cause warts around your mouth, genitals or throat. Infection with high-risk cancer-causing strains is often asymptomatic, meaning an affected person would have no reason to suspect they were infected.
But how many people actually have it?
It might surprise you just how common HPV is.
It’s estimated that more than 80% of men and women in the U.S. will be infected with HPV before they reach 45. But as I mentioned before, most people don’t have any symptoms, and their immune systems clear the infection before any lasting consequences. However, not everyone who gets HPV is that lucky. Every year, approximately 600,000 women and 70,000 men across the world are diagnosed with cancer caused by HPV. This direct link to cancer is what makes HPV such a significant global health concern, and it’s why prevention is so important. Thankfully, we have a vaccine.
What is the HPV vaccine?
In fact, the vaccine is why I wanted to write
this column in the first place.
The series vaccine used in the U.S. is Gardasil 9, which protects against seven high-risk strains and two low-risk strains. It’s typically two to three shots depending on your age at the time of getting the vaccine. Gardasil 9 vaccination can prevent 90% of cancers caused by HPV.
The minor inconvenience of the shot can quite literally save your life.
Unlike many immunizations, such as polio and MMR, the HPV vaccine is not required by most states for children to attend school. This gives parents the opportunity to decide for their children when offered by their pediatrician around 9 to 12 years old.
Why do some people decline the vaccine?
The vaccine is often passed up by parents who don’t deem it necessary because their child isn’t sexually active at the time. However, because HPV is so prevalent, it’s very important to give the vaccine prior to any sexual contact, which is why it’s offered starting at age 9.
As with many other vaccines, some parents cite safety concerns for declining the shot. A common misunderstanding of the HPV vaccine is that it will affect fertility. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Or-
ganization have not found any proof of the HPV vaccine causing reproductive problems.
In fact, treatments for cervical cancer, like removing the uterus, chemotherapy and radiation, can cause infertility. So, if anything, the prevention of cervical cancer through the HPV vaccine protects women’s fertility.
The risk isn’t in getting the HPV vaccine — it’s in skipping it.
If your parents passed up the vaccine when you were offered it as a preteen, you still have the chance to protect yourself — the vaccine is recommended up to age 26, and it’s approved until 45.
You might not have had the chance to decide for yourself when the HPV vaccine was offered to you, but it’s not too late. If you’re interested in learning more about the HPV vaccine, please reach out to your primary care provider.
Your health is now in your hands.
Lara Caglayan is a 21-year-old nutritional sciences senior.
‘Shaine in Spain’: A warning about safety abroad
It has been a little more than a week since James Gracey, a 20-year-old student at the University of Alabama, died in Barcelona.
He was in Europe on his spring break visiting some of his friends, who were studying abroad. After a night out at Shoko nightclub — a popular club among students studying abroad — he was separated from his friends and didn’t return to their rental the next morning.
After days of an extensive search, Gracey’s body was found washed up on the shore outside of Shoko.
His death has been a stark reminder of how important it is to be safe abroad, especially among Americans studying in Spain who could find themselves in a similar situation.
Over the past months of my own UF study abroad program, I have personally felt quite safe in Madrid. When I go out, I am always with at least one or two friends. But since the news of Gracey’s death, I have been extra cautious. Even though Madrid isn’t a coastal city like Barcelona, it’s definitely put me on edge.
The other night, when I was out with my friend, we saw a guy about our age walking alone on the street. We asked who he was with, and in between slurred words, he told us he was separated from them. We helped him find his friends and then went about our night.
If this had happened a few weeks prior, I honestly don’t think I would’ve said anything. He was walking fine, out of the road and in a nearly straight line.
But after Gracey’s death, I have realized how much small moments matter. It’s made me realize how a conversation, or even one question, can make a massive difference.
And I’m definitely not the only person abroad who feels this shift.
Friends of mine studying across Spain and Europe have told me they’re more on edge, too. Some are even questioning the details of the investigation, which has only unsettled people even more.
One of my good friends studying in Barcelona was even at
Shoko the night Gracey went missing. When I reached out to him, he told me it was very eerie, and his friends felt anxious.
Davison opinions@alligator.org
What makes this situation especially unsettling is how ordinary it was: going out with friends, traveling to new cities and enjoying nightlife. And that’s exactly why it resonates with so many.
Gracey’s death is a tragic reminder that staying safe abroad isn’t just about avoiding direct threats like pickpockets or tourist scams. It’s about looking out for each other and recognizing when something feels off.
A little awareness can go an extremely long way.
@shaine_in_spain sdavison@alligator.org
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator.
32604-2257.Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.
Shaine
Lara Caglayan opinions@alligator.org
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
How to Place a Classified Ad:
You need the money to do what you will Rich at Best Jewelry and Loan has the cash
● UF Surplus On-Line Auctions ● are underway...bikes, computers, furniture, vehicles & more. All individuals interested in bidding go to: SURPLUS.UFL.EDU 392-0370 4-20-26-14-10
Donate your vehicle to help find missing kids and keep kids safe. Fast free pickup, running or not, 24 hr. response. No emission test required, maximum tax deduction. Support Find the Children Call – Call 1-833-546-7050 3-30-45-12
WATCHES. Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Patek Philippe, Heuer, Daytona, GMT, Submariner and Speedmaster. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-0211 3-30-40-13
We Buy Vintage Guitar's! Looking for 19201980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D'Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-6789 3-30-40-13
heels three times and think of Best Jewelry and Loan. 523 NW 3rd Ave 352-371-4367 4-20-14-15
BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-833-754-2465 3-30-94-15
Wayne’s World of Paintball 4841 S. Pine (Hwy. 441) Ocala, FL 352-401-1801 www.waynes-world.com 4-20-26-14-21
GatorCNA.com
Alachua County Health Dept. Call 334-7960 for app’t (optional
District 2 – North Florida Al-Anon Family Groups Help for the family and friends of alcoholics Find a local Al-Anon Meeting at our website: alanonfla2.org 12-1-15-16
Attention:
VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-877-349-1243 3-30-23-16 STOP OVERPAYING FOR HEALTH INSURANCE! Reduce premiums and out-ofpocket costs while getting the coverage you need! Call now for a competitive free quote. 1-877-351-3442. Plus... Income based government subsidies are available for those that qualify! 3-30-23-16
Programs Include: TNR / Working Cat / Kitten Shelter Diversion Find More Information at http://ocgainesville.org/
1. TELEVISION: What is Ron Swanson's favorite food group in the sitcom "Parks and Recreation"?
2. GAMES: In Scrabble, how many tiles does each player get to start?
3. GEOGRAPHY: Dubai is in which Middle Eastern country?
4. MOVIES: What is Neo's real name in "The Matrix"?
5. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was born with the name Leslie Lynch King Jr.?
6. LITERATURE: Which 19th-century English novel introduces the character Mr. Rochester?
7. FOOD & DRINK: Cornelius Rooster is the mascot of which cereal brand?
8. SCIENCE: What is the process called when water evaporates from plants?
9. CHEMISTRY: What is the most abundant metal in Earth's crust?
10. ANATOMY: How many vertebrae are in the human spine?
Trivia Test Sports Quiz
2. At the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, which rower from the Soviet Union dropped his silver medal in Lake Wendouree? (It was later recovered by a local teenager.)
3. Which NFL team holds the single-game record for the most penalty yards with 212 in a 1999 game versus the Baltimore Ravens?
4. Hilary Knight, a five-time Olympian on the U.S. Women's Hockey Team, played for what college team from 2007-2012?
5. Which organization, established in 1976, promotes a version of baseball for blind and low-vision players?
6. What two legendary sportscasters were first paired in the CBS booth for an NFL game on Nov. 25, 1979?
7. In the 1946 "Looney Tunes" cartoon "Baseball Bugs," what team was losing to the Gas-House Gorillas 42-0 before Bugs Bunny entered the lineup?
The Boston Red Sox.
Viktor Ivanov.
The Tennessee Titans.
The University of Wisconsin Badgers.
The National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA).
Pat Summerall and John Madden.
The Tea Totallers.
United Arab Emirates.
Thomas Anderson.
"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte.
Kellogg's Corn Flakes.
1. Fred Lynn, the first player to win American League Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, accomplished the feat in 1975 as a member of what team?
MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2026
www.alligator.org/section/sports
FOOTBALL
Ready for the next step: Gators show out for recruiters at 2026 Florida Pro Day
68 SCOUTS FROM ALL 32 NFL TEAMS WERE IN ATTENDANCE
By Max Bernstein & Curan Ahern Sports Writers
Under the gaze of 68 scouts from all 32 NFL teams, 13 Gators gathered in Gainesville for Florida football’s 2026 Pro Day.
The daylong event gave players the chance to garner more looks from professional staffers and improve their draft stock following the NFL Combine. Players decided which drills to undertake as they navigated the showcase.
After size measurements, players had the option to participate in drills like the vertical jump, bench press, broad jump and 40-yard dash before moving into the shuttle and 3-cone. They then finished their day with onfield position workouts.
Most notably, Caleb Banks, George Gumbs Jr., Devin Moore, J. Michael Sturdivant and Jake Slaughter spoke to the media about their Pro Day experience and how their draft process has gone thus far.
Caleb Banks
While he couldn’t physically participate in Pro Day due to injury, defensive lineman Caleb Banks was
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
arguably the most active player in terms of energy exuded.
With his foot in a brace and his knee resting on his mobility scooter, Banks loudly cheered on all of his teammates as they went through the numerous drills.
“I know that if I was out there doing drills, I know they'd be supporting me,” Banks said. “I know that's exactly what they need.”
His injury, Banks said, was a reaggravation of the broken fourth metatarsal bone, a long bone located in the midfoot. The same injury kept him out for a majority of the 2025 season. Still, the 6-foot-6 lineman is a hot commodity for NFL teams.
Banks revealed he already has taken top 30 visits with the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. He also has visits scheduled with the Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and his hometown team, the Detroit Lions.
Currently, Banks is listed as the No. 32 player out of 450 on Pro Football Focus’ predictive draft board. But he’s not worried about his draft stock or his eventual slot. He just wants to get back on the field.
“I'm blessed to go wherever I go,” Banks said. “I don't care where it is — XFL, NFL, I don't care. I want to get off this damn scooter and go play football.”
Pro Day, Thursday, March 26, 2026,
Football Training Center in Gainesville, Fla.
George Gumbs Jr. Defensive lineman George Gumbs Jr. returned for Pro Day following his 31-tackle season in 2025 and measured in at just under 6 feet, 4 inches and 241 pounds.
The edge rusher started his day with the bench press and knocked out 22 consecutive reps of 225 pounds. It was an impressive mark, considering he claimed to have completed the same drill for just 11 reps in the past. That, on top of his near-
the
Combine record 41-inch vertical jump, has boosted the former walkon's draft stock.
When asked what he can bring to an NFL squad, Gumbs replied any team drafting him will get a “high effort, violent player.” He said teams want to see him bend around the edge with aggression and improve his secondary rush.
However, he’s adamant that his work ethic will make him an asset at the next level.
“I’m going to fit any block, any kind of way you need me,” Gumbs said. “No matter what the occasion is, I’m always going to be face-first at it.”
Gumbs is currently listed as the No. 211 player on Pro Football Focus’ predictive draft board and has made visits to several teams so far. He also has a visit scheduled with the New England Patriots in the near future.
Devin Moore
Defensive back Devin Moore, who has also dealt with an offseason injury, chose to work out in front of the scouts despite not being at 100% health.
While Moore said he is “way faster” than his unofficial 4.59 40-yard dash time, the No. 85 player on the Pro Football Focus’ predictive draft board thought he had a good showing during the vertical jump (34.5 inches) and in the on-field workouts. “[Teams] wanted to see me break [on routes],” Moore said. “So that was most important for me today, showing I could get in and out of my break.”
Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/sports.
@maxbernstein23 mbernstein@alligator.org
@CuranAhern cahern@alligator.org
Florida women’s basketball faces pivotal transfer portal window after coaching change
THE NEW 15-DAY DEADLINE INTENSIFIES UNCERTAINTY AS TAMMI REISS TAKES OVER THE GATORS PROGRAM
By Isis Snow Sports Writer
The NCAA transfer portal is about to open again, and for Florida women’s basketball, it comes at a pivotal time.
Beginning April 6 and closing April 20, Division I women’s basketball players will have a window to officially enter the transfer portal, a system that allows college athletes to explore opportunities at other schools.
Entering the portal doesn’t mean a player is immediately leaving. Instead, it signals their intent to explore their options to play at a different school. During that time, other programs can contact them, and the player can ultimately decide whether to stay or transfer.
This year’s window is significantly shorter than in the past. When the NCAA first intro-
duced transfer windows during the 2022-23 academic year, athletes had 60 days to make a decision. That timeline has been reduced multiple times and now lasts just 15 days, following a rule change approved March 25 by the NCAA Division I Cabinet.
The window now opens the day after the national championship games, shortening what was once a monthslong process into just over two weeks. The tighter timeline adds pressure across the sport, but especially for Florida, which is adjusting to a recent coaching change.
Former head coach Kelly Rae Finley was fired at the beginning of the month following her five-year tenure, leaving behind a roster of players she personally recruited and built close relationships with.
Finley’s tenure brought in high-level talent, including three McDonald’s All-Americans, over the past two years. Among them is sophomore guard Liv McGill, who led the team in scoring this season, and sophomore forward Me’Arah O’Neal. Her 2024 recruiting class was ranked in the top 10 nationally by ESPN.
But beyond talent, Finley built strong per-
sonal connections. In college athletics, those relationships often play a major role in a player’s decision to stay or leave.
The day after the introductory press conference welcoming new head coach Tammi Reiss, McGill, who led the team in scoring this season, posted a picture of herself and former head coach Finley on her Instagram story along with a message.
“Everyone says ‘it’s just business’ but what about the emotions that went into building the relationship?” she said. “You’ve always told me to trust my work, but I trusted you to not let me fail. Thank you.”
Her words highlight a key reality of the transfer portal. While it’s a system with rules and deadlines, the decisions behind it are deeply personal.
In the press conference, Reiss said her first priority is meeting with players and building relationships with the current roster following her hiring. Her approach comes at a crucial moment when players are having doubts in the program and the coach they initially committed to. And under current NCAA rules, athletes
Follow our newsletter Love alligatorSports? Stay up to date on our content by following our newsletter. Scan the QR Code to sign up.
now have more freedom than ever to transfer. Players can move between schools multiple times without sitting out a season, as long as they remain academically eligible. To be eligible to transfer, athletes need to enter the portal during the designated window by letting their school’s compliance office know. After that, they can choose a new school at any time. As the April 6 window approaches, Florida faces uncertainty, but also opportunity. Some players may choose to stay and build with a new coaching staff. Others may explore different paths.
While the window could mean losing athletes, it also gives Reiss an immediate opportunity to recruit from the transfer portal and begin shaping the roster in her first weeks on the job.
With only 15 days to decide, the clock is ticking. And for the Gators, what happens during that short stretch could shape the program’s future.
@isis_snoww isnow@alligator.org
Follow us for updates
For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.
Caroline Walsh // Alligator Staff
Florida defensive back Micheal Caraway Jr. participates in a drill during
at
Heavener
What’s next: Which Florida basketball players will take on larger roles next season?
An early look at Gators’ 2026-27 roster
By Jeffrey Serber Sports Writer
With the 2025-26 season at an end, Florida men’s basketball faces an offseason filled with uncertainty over who will return.
The team could see up to five players from its eight-man rotation leave the program. Seniors Xaivian Lee and Micah Handlogten have no years left of eligibility, and juniors Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu are expected to declare for the NBA Draft this summer.
Though the Gators expect to bring in new talent through the transfer portal, which opens April 7, they will also see several key returning faces. Here’s a list of players on this year’s roster who are expected to take on a larger role next season.
Boogie Fland
On March 26, Boogie Fland, the Gators’ starting point guard, announced he would stay with Florida for another season.
A former McDonald’s AllAmerican, Fland transferred from Arkansas to Florida after briefly declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft.
As a Razorback, his success was limited after he sustained an ulnar collateral ligament injury in his right thumb while playing against Florida. The Bronx, New York, native initially tried to play through the injury. However, after a poor outing against Missouri, he opted for surgery.
Fland remained sidelined for about two months, making his return for the Razorbacks’ run in the NCAA Tournament. Though his team made it to the Sweet 16, Fland’s role was limited as he came off the bench.
On April 22, 2025, Fland entered the transfer portal, and about a month later, he announced he’d be joining the Gators. However, injuries continued to plague the sophomore guard.
He underwent a sports hernia surgery that kept him out of the second half of summer workouts with the team. He was cleared to participate in basketball-related activities in September 2025 as the Gators prepared for the 202526 season.
Fland’s time away from the court took its toll in Florida’s season opener against then-No. 13 Arizona on Nov. 3, 2025. He logged 9 points on 3-of-9 shooting and missed an uncontested corner 3 that would have tied the game. Instead, his miss led to a win for the Wildcats.
Shooting from beyond the arc remained a problem for Fland for much of the season, although that was one of his strengths during his time in Arkansas.
However, Fland consistently made an impact for Florida on defense.
Fland finished the season leading the Gators with 1.7 steals per game. Against Alabama on Feb. 1, he tied a single-game program
record with eight steals, matching Clifford Lett’s record set against Georgia in 1989.
“It gave us some juice,” Fland said after the Alabama game. “Coming out with that effort. It was definitely a team effort, and I could not have done it without these guys.”
Toward the end of conference action, Fland found his stroke on offense.
He recorded double-digit points in the last five games of Florida’s regular season, including a 22-point outing against Texas on Feb. 25, where he shot 7 of 10 from the field. During that span, he made at least one 3-pointer in each game.
In Florida’s dominant win over Prairie View A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Fland recorded a team-high 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting, including two 3-pointers.
Fland finished his sophomore year averaging 11.6 points and 3.5 assists per game. Expect him to be a leader in UF’s frontcourt throughout the 2026-27 season.
Urban Klavžar
After a first season filled with eligibility issues, inconsistent shooting and limited time on the court, Urban Klavžar turned things around in year two.
The junior guard was Florida’s first option off the bench, consistently providing a spark with his 3-point shooting.
Klavžar finished the season averaging 9.6 points per game on a rotation-best 40.6% shooting from beyond the arc. The Slovenian was named 2026 SEC SixthMan of the Year, becoming the first Gator to receive this honor since Canyon Barry in 2017.
“Last year, that was a big part of delaying his success, not knowing when he was going to be eligible, having to try to work him into the rotation after the season already started,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said.
“We thought he would make a big jump, and he certainly has. Hard to argue what guard has been better off the bench in SEC play.”
His best scoring effort of the season came in Florida’s 84-80 loss against Texas Christian in the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego. He logged 20 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, going 4 for 7 from beyond the arc.
In the monthlong period beginning Jan. 6, he recorded double-digit points in eight of the nine games he played. On Feb. 14 against Kentucky, he logged his highest-scoring effort of conference play with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including five 3-pointers.
“He’s really getting comfortable, becoming a really good player,” Golden said after Klavžar’s 18-point performance against Providence on Nov. 28, 2025. “He’s making really good plays. I think he’s just coming into his own, and he’s getting comfortable.”
Klavžar finished the year making at least one 3-pointer in 24 of the last 25 games of the season.
Following Klavžar’s success, he’s positioned to fill one of the starting roles in Florida’s backcourt next season, particularly as a shooting guard, using his offball movement to get open looks from beyond the arc.
Isaiah Brown
After being overshadowed in his first year at UF by the elite guard play of Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard, Isaiah Brown’s sophomore year provided the opportunity for more time on the court.
However, during training camp, his role in Golden’s eightman rotation was far from certain. Facing competition from CJ Ingram, Alex Lloyd and AJ Brown, the Orlando native had to fight for the last spot off the bench.
To start the season, Isaiah saw inconsistent time, but once conference play started, he turned things around.
Against Vanderbilt on Jan. 17, the sophomore guard dropped a career-high 14 points on 3-of-6 shooting, marking his first career double-digit scoring effort on his 20th birthday. He helped the Gators take down the then-No. 10 Commodores 98-94 in Nashville, Tennessee.
“An amazing birthday present,” Isaiah said postgame. “That was on my mind, how to bring that win home.”
He had three more games with double-digit points, including back-to-back 12-point outings against Texas A&M on Feb. 7 and Georgia just a few days later.
Isaiah finished the season with an average of 5.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, showcasing his ability to play on the perimeter and finish at the rim.
After showing flashes through -
out the season, expect Isaiah to take on a sixth-man role, depending on Florida’s activity in the transfer portal.
AJ Brown
Isaiah Brown’s older brother, AJ, transferred from Ohio University, where his 2024-25 season ended abruptly after he tore his labrum.
AJ was cleared days before fall camp started. Still, the Florida coaching staff decided to grant AJ a medical redshirt, preserving another year of eligibility for the Orlando native.
In his last season with Ohio, AJ averaged 13.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc. He had two 22-point performances to tie his season-high against Marshall and Toledo.
In his freshman campaign with Ohio, AJ played the Gators in Tampa, logging a team-high 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, despite the Bobcats falling 82-48.
Spending this past season on the sideline, AJ enters the 202627 campaign rejuvenated and a probable starter for Florida.
CJ Ingram
A Hawthorne native who grew up about 30 minutes from UF’s campus, CJ Ingram followed in his father’s footsteps when he committed to Florida. His father, Cornelius, played football for the Gators from 2006 to 2008 as a tight end.
Before college, Ingram played basketball and football at Hawthorne High School. However, after three years of high school basketball at Hawthorne, Ingram decided to play his senior year at Montverde Academy, a private college-preparatory school in Montverde, Florida, that has produced talents like Cooper Flagg, Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes.
His decision proved valuable, as he rose from a top-75 to a top25 ranking (No. 21) in ESPN’s 2025 Rankings.
At 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, Ingram’s background in football shows in his stature, but his offensive game lacked for Golden to include him in the rotation. However, he did play in Florida’s season opener against Arizona on Nov. 3, 2025, hitting a 3-pointer on his first attempt.
Ingram finished the season seeing the court primarily in the last few minutes of lopsided contests, but he was given his chance on Florida’s Senior Day against Mississippi State on March 3.
With Thomas Haugh ruled out ahead of that game, Ingram moved up to Florida’s third option off the bench, and in his 13 minutes of action, he showcased his potential. The forward recorded his career-high of 8 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers cutting UF’s deficit to one with 8:35 left in the first half, starting a 9-0 run.
“We’ve got one of the best starting eights in the country, well, the best,” Ingram said after the game. “So, when you’re playing against those guys every day, it’s going to get you ready. It’s going to make you better. Even when you don’t feel like you are getting better, you are.”
After learning from a distance, Ingram could be an important piece to Florida’s bench next season, taking on a similar role that Isaiah took on this season.
Alex Lloyd
The other member of Florida’s 2025 freshman class was Alex Lloyd.
A 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard, Lloyd was the 37th-ranked prospect in ESPN’s 2025 Rankings. The Miami native played high school basketball at Westminster Academy, where he averaged 21.9 points, four rebounds and two assists during his three years at the varsity level.
Lloyd spent the majority of his freshman season on the bench, seeing the court sparingly during garbage time.
“My mindset is just to come out and compete every time,” Lloyd said on Oct. 7, 2025. “Coming in as a freshman, you got high expectations, but at the same time you got to have a level of maturing.”
Lloyd finished the 2025-26 campaign averaging 1.2 points per game across his 17 appearances. He recorded a career-high 5 points twice against Dartmouth on Dec. 29, 2025, and South Carolina on Jan. 28.
While he had limited time off the bench, expect Lloyd to be a focal point in Florida’s player development this offseason, so he can be a member of the Gators’ rotation next season.
@JeffreySerber jserber@alligator.org
Bayden Armstrong // Alligator Staff
Florida guard Isaiah Brown dunks the ball during the second half of an NCAA Tournament second round game against Iowa, Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Tampa, Fla.
