Gator Country

Senior Nina Suvak / TIM CASEY

Lost in the weekend’s Orange and Blue game and baseball getting swept at Arkansas was another SEC title for the Florida athletic program. The Gator women’s tennis team became the sixth Gator squad to bring home a conference trophy when it defeated South Carolina by a 4-1 count to claim a share of the title. Florida tied Georgia for the top spot in the SEC despite losing to the Bulldogs 4-3 during the regular season.

Congrats go out to Coach Roland Thornqvist and his young Gators who have just one senior (Nina Suvak). The tennis team joins gymnastics, soccer and volleyball as Gator women’s teams to win conference crowns. On the men’s side the Gators claimed the big two, football and basketball. Six titles in one school year is a tremendous accomplishment in the ultra-competitive SEC and is a credit to everyone involved starting with Gator Athletic Director Jeremy Foley.

I’ve written this many times but it deserves repeating. SEC Championships should all be saluted and enjoyed. Whether it’s a seemingly annual event like it is for women’s tennis and soccer, or a truly special event like gymnastics winnings its first in 18 years, any time a Gator team tops the SEC it should be applauded.

Not Quite a Record

As impressive as it is to win six SEC titles in one school year, it’s hardly unprecedented at Florida. In fact, three other years saw Gator teams perform at an even higher level.

Florida set the SEC record back in 1991-92 winning eight SEC Championships. They came close to matching that mark in the mid-nineties; winning seven SEC Championships in consecutive school years (1995-96, 1996-97).

They Ain’t Done Yet

There’s no reason to think the Gators are finished with conference trophies for 2006-07. The baseball team is in contention at the midpoint of the SEC race, though the sweep at Arkansas makes it much tougher. Both golf teams are goof enough to win the SEC Championship as well. If six titles are good, seven or eight are even better… and necessary.

After all, you gotta win big if you’re going to keep up in Title Town USA.

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