Gators receive four ESPY nominations

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. –The University of Florida was well represented on Monday afternoon with nominations as its national champion football and men’s basketball teams each received two nominations. The award show will be held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles next month and air on ESPN on July 15 at 9 p.m. ET.

Both teams were nominated in the category of Best Team along with the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals, and the women’s basketball champion Tennessee Lady Vols.

For the second consecutive year men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan has been nominated for Best Coach/Manager, as he joins Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts, Greg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs, Jim Leyland of the Detroit Tigers and Pat Summitt of the University of Tennessee.

The Gator football team also received a nomination in the category of Best Upset, as their 41-14 victory over Ohio State in the BCS title game will go up against the Golden State Warriors’ six-game series win over top-seeded Dallas, the Detroit Tigers opening round win over the New York Yankees and the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team’s Sweet 16 defeat of No. 1-ranked Duke.

Winners are determined by a popular vote and polls are open from today, June 25, until July 8 at www.espys.tv

University of Florida ESPY Nominations:

Best Coach: Billy Donovan

Best Team: University of Florida Men’s Basketball, University of Florida Football

Best Upset: Florida beats Ohio State in BCS National Championship