WRUF-AM (Gainesville, FL)

Florida pitcher Liam Peterson (12) takes the field as the Florida Gators face the Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at Condron Family Ballpark in Gainesville, Fla. (Matthew Lewis/WRUF) As the 2026 MLB Draft looms, a group of Florida Gators wait to see where they will be continuing  their baseball careers. At the top of the list, Florida right-hander Liam Peterson could become the program’s 21st first-round selection.

Former Gators quarterback DJ Lagway entered the 2025 season as a top-10 Heisman candidate but needed an escape from the program by December. During Wednesday’s 2026 Big 12 Football Media Days, Baylor coach Dave Aranda said  Lagway found freedom with his new program after surviving a “straitjacket” experience in Gainesville. “He’s very driven, there is a huge chip on his shoulder,” Aranda said. “I could see on the recruiting trip someone that just wanted to be free.

The Tampa Bay Rays gave fans a peek of how their new home might look. Rays CEO Ken Babby shared indoor renderings for a new ballpark Wednesday in the fifth inning of the 3-0 win over the Yankees. The proposed venue, meant to create the “most intimate in Major League Baseball,” will be built near the Westshore District and Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus and seat around 31,000 people.

Florida football fans received a long awaited explanation for how a team ranked No. 15 in AP Preseason Rankings ended the 2025 season 4-8. Former Gators coach Billy Napier recently opened up about his time in Gainesville during an interview with On3 and admitted he held onto too much responsibility across his four-year stint. Napier joined Florida in November 2021, posting a 22-23 all-time record before being ousted Oct.

A Gator is back in the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby for the first time since 2024. This time, a new name arises: Jac Caglianone. In his second year in the majors, Caglianone looks to become the youngest to win the derby since Juan Gonalez won at 23 years and 265 days old in 1993. The Kansas City Royals right fielder made his MLB debut on June 3, 2025, after going sixth overall in the 2024 draft. This season, Caglianone hit 14 home runs, including nine in June.

After a 4-8 season in 2025 and a coaching change, Florida’s rebuilding effort is gaining steam on the recruiting trail. Coach Jon Sumrall’s first full recruiting class ranks seventh nationally in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings with 26 commitments, including 17 blue-chip recruits, trailing only Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

After stepping down as the Chicago Bulls coach in April, Billy Donovan’s next coaching stop has been decided. The former Florida Gators men’s basketball coach is taking a break after 11 years as a league head coach by accepting the lead assistant coach role of the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN. Donovan was with the Bulls for six years, going 226-256, following a five-year stint in Oklahoma City, where his team made the playoffs every year.

Florida baseball pitchers are taking their talents from Condron Family Ballpark to the national stage. Right-handed pitchers Aidan King, Jackson Barberi and Joshua Whritenour secured spots on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team roster Sunday. With three representatives, Florida leads all schools, as the team heads to Taiwan to compete for the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship from July 11-15.

Coach Jon Sumrall’s first full recruiting class currently ranks third nationally in the 247Sports Composite Team Rankings with 22 commitments, including 15 blue-chip recruits, trailing only Texas A&M and Oklahoma. With more visits and commitment decisions to come, the Gators have the chance to keep rising in the rankings and create something special for Sumrall’s second year in Gainesville. Below is a running list of the players who have committed to Florida’s 2027 recruiting class.

After winning the inaugural Curry Cup at 13 years old and her second in 2025, Ashley Shaw set a higher bar for her fifth and final Underrated Golf Tour: stay undefeated. The 17-year-old got one step closer to her goal Thursday, winning the Girls Division in Gainesville at the tour’s first stop of the 2026 season.