Gators wrap up national tennis championship
The Florida Gators are national champions once again, this time in women’s tennis, to extend the school’s streak to eight years with at least one title.
The Gators earned their seventh women’s tennis championship and fourth under coach
Tuesday night with a 4-1 win against defending champion Stanford. Gator freshman
rallied from a set down for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 win over in No. 3 singles for the deciding point.
“I didn't think it would come down to me, but I just kept on fighting,” Neel said. “I knew that Stanford could turn it around."
The Gators (28-3) jumped on the Cardinal and never let up.
UF opened the match by winning the doubles point and quickly staked one-set leads in three of the singles matches.
the team’s only senior, needed just one hour for a 6-0, 6-0 win against Emma Higuchi, giving the Gators’ a 2-0 lead.
No. 1 soon earned a 6-1, 6-3 decision over But Stanford’s
earned a 6-4, 7-5 win in the No. 2 match against
to give the Cardinal a chance.
With three other matches ongoing, Neel battled back to defeat Davidson.
“I think what you saw today was a combination of training and a lot of effort, and I am really proud of them,” Thornqvist said. “Stanford, the class that they are, they found a way to get in there and make it super interesting, and our freshman came through again. But, what a team effort.
“I think we played fantastic tennis, from start to finish as we arrived here.”
UF lost just five team points during its six NCAA Tournament matches, but did need to trail Vanderbilt during the semifinals en route to a 4-2 win. It was the Gators’ only win during three meetings this season with the Commodores.
Tuesday night’s victory marked UF’s first national championship in women's tennis since 2012. New athletics director
was in attendance as the Gators won their first national title during his tenure. UF won 27 during A.D.
25 years. sophomore
is sticking with his plan to play professional golf rather than return to the Gators.
Horsfield, a native of England who grew up in the Orlando area, announced on his Twitter account Monday he is skipping UF his junior and senior seasons in Gainesville.
Horsfield thanked head coach and assistant coach for preparing him for the next step of his career.
“The University of Florida changes my life on and off the golf course and that is something I will forever be thankful for,” Horsfield wrote.
Horsfield won four times during his two seasons at UF, including three during the spring of 2016 to earn SEC Freshman of the Year and All-American honors. Deacon announced last fall Horsfield, who was five when his family moved from Manchester, would be leaving after the spring season at UF.