Florida looks to make an enormous improvement in the 2019-20
season. The team is coming off the 2018-19 with an 8-23 overall record and a
second-round finish in the 2019 Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Florida lost four of its players following last season
including Funda Nakkasoglu and Delicia Washington. The Gators are expected to
have seven returners and five newcomers on the roster to start 2019-20. Four of
the new players on the team are freshmen. All of them earned four-star ratings
on ESPN’s class of 2019 list.
With college basketball right around the corner, Florida
looks forward to having a tremendous 2019-20 season.
Returners
Kiara Smith, G, 5-10, R-Jr., District Heights, Md.
Last Season: 7.1 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 3.4
assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, 0.1 blocks per game
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| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Kiara Smith will play a pivotal role for the Gators this
season. The 2018-19 season was her first season at UF and she became a spark
for the team. During that time, Smith scored double digits in 11 games throughout
the season. Smith was also outstanding from behind the arc hitting 25 out of
104 three-pointers. Not only is she a terrific shooter, she is also dominant in
the assists and steals category. Smith led the Gators in both of those
categories last season. She recorded one or more assists in all of Florida’s 31
games and finished with a total of 105 by the end of the season. Smith also tallied
two or more steals in 16 games including a season-high four steals against Ole
Miss. Her best game in a Florida jersey came against Arkansas when she notched
her first double-double of her playing career. During that game, Smith had 16
points and 10 rebounds.
Danielle Rainey, G, 5-10, R-Jr., Washington D.C.
Last Season: 8.2 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, 1.2
assists per game, 0.5 steals per game, 0.1 blocks per game
 |
| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Shots are going to be raining in the O’Connell Center in the
2019-20 season. Many of those shots will come from none other than Danielle
Rainey. The redshirt junior guard from DC returns after an impressive first
season with Florida. Rainey scored in double-figures in seven out of the 22
games she played in. She recorded her first season high of her career after
scoring 20 points against Kentucky. Rainey garnered her first double-double in
her playing career with a 17 point and 11 rebound performance against Arkansas.
What makes her standout from the team is that she is an outstanding three-point
shooter. Rainey finished the 2018-19 season with 28 made triples which was
ranked third on the team. She has contributed one or more made treys in 13
games. Rainey had a game-high five three pointers in the Gators’ upset over
Missouri.
Emanuely de Oliveira, G, 5-10,
So., Criciuma, Brazil
Last Season: 3.8 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, 0.5
assists per game, 0.4 steals per game
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| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Emanuely de Oliveira looks to improve her numbers during the
2019-20 season. The guard from Brazil played in all 31 games making 40 out of
132 field goals with 21 out of 74 of them from behind the arc. De Oliveira
racked up 117 points to close out her freshman campaign. Her best two games
came at Texas Tech and Georgia when she registered 10 and 11 points,
respectively. De Oliveira also provides tremendous versatility on the defensive
end and shows the ability to guard multiple positions. One of her best games on
the defensive end came against Florida A&M when she notched a season-high
four steals.
Zada Williams, F, 6-2, R-Sr., Babson Park, Fla.
Last Season: 8.0 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 0.6
assists per game, 0.8 steals per game, 0.3 blocks per game
 |
| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
With her final season at the collegiate level approaching,
Zada Williams looks to shine on the court for the Gators. The redshirt senior
from Babson Park, Florida played in her first season with the team in 2018-19
after transferring from Miami. Williams put on a show on both the offensive and
defensive end. She tallied 247 points ranking her as the third-best scorer on
the team. Williams racked up double-digits in the scoring column in 11 of the
games. She is also dominant in rebounding and finished last season with a total
of 150. Williams grabbed one or more rebounds in all 31 games. She set her best
record against Gardner-Webb and Texas Tech after recording 10 and 12
respectively. With the departure of the team’s top two players from last
season, Williams is expected to take on an increased role for Florida in
2019-20.
Kristina Moore, F, 6-1, So., Sydney, Australia
Last Season: 4.9 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, 0.6
assists per game, 0.3 steals per game, 0.3 blocks per game
 |
| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
With the departure of Funda Nakkasoglu, Florida will have to
look to another Australian to fill in the gaps. Kristina Moore saw action in 20
games in her first season with the Gators. The Aussie native drained two or
more field goals in 10 games. She registered 10-plus points in three of them and
registered her highest scoring game against Utah (12). Moore continued to show
her presence on the court as a freshman until she suffered an injury to the
arm. With freshman year behind, she will be looking forward to making a
comeback on the court this season.
Ariel Johnson, G, 5-9, So., Tracy, Calif.
Last Season: 5.3 points per game, 2.7 rebounds per game, 1.6
assists per game, 0.5 steals per game, 0.1 blocks per game
 |
| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Ariel Johnson returns to the team for the 2019-20 season
after an impressive first season. What makes California native standout from
the others is her ability to shoot the three. She was ranked second behind
Funda Nakkasoglu in that category last season after draining 38 of her 118
shots from behind the arc. Johnson also scored three to four triples in three
consecutive non-conference games (Texas Tech, Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M)
and an SEC matchup against Alabama. Now that Nakkasoglu has graduated, Johnson could
be one of the best three-point shooters in 2019-20.
Paige Robinson, F, 6-4, Sr., London, England
Last Season: 2.2 points per game, 3.2 rebounds per game, 0.3
assists per game, 0.3 steals per game, 0.3 blocks per game
 |
| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
The team’s block leader is coming back for her final season
with the Gators. She recorded a block in nine games that included a season-high
two blocks against Vanderbilt. Robinson also played an enormous role in the
team’s rebounding. She was ranked No. 4 on the team with a total of 97 boards.
Robinson grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against Northeastern. In addition to
her rebounds and blocks, Robinson also had her best scoring performance tallying
four to eight points in six games. The forward from England will look to
improve her numbers in the 2019-20 season.
New Gators
Emer Nichols, C, 6-5, R-So.,
Pearland, Texas
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| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Florida will be adding some size into the lineup this
season. Emer Nichols will make her debut with the Gators in the 2019-20 season.
The redshirt-sophomore center transferred to the Swamp after her freshman
season at Texas A&M. While playing for the Aggies, Nichols contributed four
points each in two of the 12 games she appeared in. Florida has not had any
centers on the team since Tyshara Fleming (2015-17). Now with the addition of
Nichols, the Gators will add post play depth to their backcourt this season.
Brylee Bartram, G,
Fr., Tampa, Fla.
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| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Florida will have a
talented freshmen class in the 2019-20 season. The Gators signed four players
to their roster. The team’s first commit came from Tampa native and three-point
specialist Brylee Bartram. She comes to Gainesville after concluding a
successful high school career at Seffner Christian Academy. While playing for
the school, Bartram broke the record for most made triples in high school boys
and girls basketball history. She had drained 533 three-pointers upon the
conclusion of her playing career at Seffner Christian. Bartram’s versatility from
behind the arc earned her the recipient of the Florida 4A Player of the Year
Award in 2018. She also was recognized as one of the top-80 (No. 79) players on
Prospects Nation’s class of 2019 rankings. Bartram may be a freshman, but she
will be shooting lights out in the 2019-20 season.
Lavender Briggs, G,
Fr., Provo, Utah
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| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Lavender Briggs is
another player Florida looks forward to having this season. The standout from
Provo High School brings an outstanding basketball resume to the Swamp. Briggs averaged
double figures in both points and rebounds during her junior and senior season.
It was during her final year that she led Provo to the 2019 Class 5A State
Tournament. Briggs collected numerous honors including 2018 All-Valley
Defensive Player of the Year and 2018-19 All-USA Utah First Team. The highlight
of her senior year was setting the record for most points in a game with 53
points. ESPN ranked Briggs as the 14th best guard and 48th
best overall player in the Class of 2019. Outside of high school ball, she
participated in the 2019 Jordan Brand Classic and 2018 U17 U.S. National Team
trials. Briggs will be a player to watch as she begins her first season with
the Gators.
Nina Rickards, G,
Fr., Queens, N.Y.
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| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Of all the freshmen
on the roster this season, Florida will have another standout in Nina Rickards.
She comes to Gainesville after a tremendous career at Christ the King Regional
High School. The five-foot-nine guard was also a part of two straight Catholic
School state titles and the 2019 New York AA Federation title. Her excellence
on the court earned her a top 20 spot (No. 22) on ESPN’s Class of 2019 guard
list. Rickards versatility on the court will play a pivotal role in the Gators’
success this season.
Faith Dut, G, Fr.,
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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| Photo Credit: Cam Kinzer |
Making the leap to
the Swamp from Canada, freshman Faith Dut will be another freshman to watch in
the 2019-20 season. The Vancouver native brings years of high school and Canadian
National team experience to the Gators. Dut was a star for the Semiamhoo
Secondary School where she helped the team win the 2019 AAA Senior Girls
Basketball Provincial Championship. She was also a part of the U17 and U19
teams for Canada and gained experience in multiple tournaments. Dut’s most
recent event with the squad was at the 2019 FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World
Cup. Canada finished in sixth place during the tournament. Dut will be the
third player overall from the Maple Leaf and the first since Trish Patterson
(2001-03) to play for Florida.
Coaching Staff
Cam Newbauer, Third
Season
 |
| Photo Credit: Piper Hansen |
Cam Newbauer is
entering his third year as head coach for the Gators. He was hired to take over
the Gators in 2017.
Before coming to the
Swamp, Newbauer began his head coaching tenure at Belmont in Nashville, Tenn.
During his four years with the team, he guided the Bruins to a 79-50 record which
included two Ohio Valley Conference titles (2016, 2017), two NCAA tournament
appearances (2016, 2017) and one WNIT tournament appearance (2014). Several of
the Belmont players went on to receive OVC honors.
Newbauer spent time
on the bench as an assistant coach for both the women’s and men’s basketball at
three different schools.
He was hired by the
coaching staff at Louisville in 2012. During the 2012-13 season, the Cardinals
were the Cinderella team in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Louisville made history
by beating top-seeded Baylor in the Sweet 16 and making it to the National
Championship game.
Newbauer was on staff
with Georgia from 2007 to 2012. He played a role in the recruiting process in 2008
and 2009, when the Bulldogs landed top 10 classes. It was during those years
that both recruiting classes were rank out of the 10 best in women’s
basketball.
Before switching to
women’s basketball, Newbauer spent time on the men’s side as an assistant coach
at Siena durin the 2004-05 season.
Newbauer spent his
early years of his career serving as director of operations at both Siena and
Georgia.
Newbauer began his
collegiate career at Madonna College in 1997. He later returned home to play at
Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. While studying for his masters
at Georgia, he served as a grad assistant for the men’s team.
Newbauer lives in
Gainesville with his wife Sarah and three daughters.
Kelly Rae Finley,
Third Season
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| Photo Credit: Piper Hansen |
Kelly Rae Finley begins
her third season on the Florida coaching staff and her first season in a new
role. On May 29, 2019, she was named associate head coach for the 2019-20
season.
Since joining the
Gators, Finley played a key role in the team’s recruitment. Florida’s most
recent recruiting class was ranked in the top 30 (No. 26).
Before Florida,
Finley spent time as an assistant coach at Arizona (2016-17), Colorado
(2012-16) and Harvard (2009-12). It was during those years that she was a part
of the team’s success in recruiting. Arizona was ranked in the top 40 (No. 34) in
2016 while Colorado was a part of the 2015 top 25 list.
While on the
coaching staff at Harvard and Colorado, Finley was a part of five post season
tournament appearances. The Crimson participated in the WNIT in three
consecutive seasons (2010-12). The Buffs also participated in the WNIT in 2012 and
finished the season in the quarterfinals. Colorado earned a bid to the NCAA
tournament in 2013.
Finley graduated
from Harvard with a master’s in organizational leadership and Non-Profit
Management. During that time, she served as a volunteer coach for the Crimson
during the 2008-09 season.
Finley was a
standout player at Colorado State (2006-08). She graduated with a bachelor’s in
Human Development & Family Studies in 2008.
Finley is a native
of Edina, Minnesota and currently resides in Gainesville.
John McCray, Third
Season
 |
| Photo Credit: Piper Hansen |
John McCray enters
his third year with Florida in the 2019-20 season. He was hired by Newbauer to
join the coaching staff in 2017.
McCray has been a
help recruitment since joining the staff. He was also a part of signing
four-star players from the class of 2019.
Before arriving in
the Swamp, McCray spent four years as an assistant coach with Jim Foster at
Chattanooga. While he was there, the Mocs won the Southern Conference
tournament and made the NCAA Tournament four years in a row (2014-17).
McCray earned his master’s
degree in Organization, Development, and Leadership at Saint Joseph’s in 2016.
He also joined the women’s basketball staff as a graduate assistant. McCray
also had the opportunity to serve as interim assistant coach for a short period
of time. During the 2012-13 season, Saint Joseph’s won the Atlantic 10
Tournament.
McCray graduated in
2011 from Ohio State with his bachelor’s in Sports and Leisure Studies. While
attending the university, he served one year as the women’s basketball team’s
video assistant. It was during the 2010-11 season that the Buckeyes won the Big
Ten Tournament.
Outside of college
basketball, McCray spent time as Athletics Director at Veritas Academy in
Columbus Ohio for two years (2009-11). He also spent a year each on the boys
(2008-09) and girls (2009-10) basketball coaching staff.
McCray hails from
Cleveland and is currently living in Gainesville.
Erika Lang-Montgomery,
First Season
 |
| Photo Credit: Sam Stolte |
Former Gator
standout Erika Lang-Montgomery enters her first season with the team. She
replaces Laura Harper who is now the Head Coach at Montverde Academy.
Lang-Montgomery
spent 10 seasons as the head coach at Division II Flagler College in St.
Augustine, Florida. She was named Coach of the Year by the Peach Belt
Conference in 2019 and coached several players to conference honors. The
highlight of Lang-Montgomery’s tenure was being a part of Flagler’s move to
NCAA Division II.
Lang-Montgomery has
been a part of numerous coaching staffs at the Division I level. Stops included
North Texas (2008-09), Wichita State (2003-08), Wisconsin (2000-03), Southern
California (1997-00) Florida State (1996-97) and Purdue (1995-96). While with
the Trojans, Lang-Montgomery helped land top ranked recruiting classes for two
straight seasons. During her stint at Purdue, the Boilmakers made a trip to the
1996 NCAA Tournament where they finished in the second round.
Lang-Montgomery
played college ball at Florida from 1988 to 1992. By the time her career ended,
she had 962 points and 647 rebounds. Lang-Montgomery had a phenomenal freshman
year as she led the team in blocks and was named to the 1989 SEC All-Freshman
team. She remained on the team as a student assistant for the 1992-93 season
following the conclusion of her playing career. Lang-Montgomery holds a
bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science with Specialization in Sport
Administration.
Lang-Montgomery is a
native of Jacksonville, Florida. She is married to her husband Larry and they
reside in Gainesville with their two sons.
Non-Conference
Florida will be playing a tough non-conference schedule this
season. The positive is that eight of those games will be played at the
O’Connell Center.
The Gators will begin the season at Grambling State on Nov.
5. The Tigers finished the 2018-19 season with an overall record of 16-16. The
team also lost their top two leading scorers Shakyla Hill (18.9 points per
game) and Jazmin Boyd (12.8 per game) to graduation. This will be the first
time the two teams will play against each other.
Florida will open at the O’Connell Center on Nov. 10 against
Longwood. Lancers Head Coach Rebecca Tillett enters her second year as head
coach. Last season, Longwood finished the season with a 3-27 record. The team’s
leading scorer Dayna Rouse returns for her final season with the Lancers. She
averaged 14.4 points per game while recording a total of 41 blocks. Florida
last played Longwood in Gainesville in 2014 and came out with a 91-46 victory.
There will be some familiar faces when the Gators host
Samford especially for the head coaches. First year head coach Carley Kuhns served
on Newbauer’s staff at Belmont. This will be the first time they will be
coaching on opposite sides. Kuhns was hired to lead the program after Mike
Morris announced his retirement. In the 2018-19 season, Samford finished with a
10-20 overall record. The Bulldogs return 11 players from last year including
leading scorer and rebounder Natalie Armstrong (10.3 points per game, 6.0
rebounds per game). This will be the second meeting between the two teams.
Florida last hosted Samford on their home court in 2011. The Gators would go on
to beat the Bulldogs 81-56.
Presbyterian will be the second team from the Big South on
Florida’s 2019-20 schedule. The Blue Hose concluded last season with a 7-24
record. The team’s leading scorer Kacie Hall returns for her final year of
college basketball. Last season, the five-foot-seven guard averaged 12.7 points
and 2.7 rebounds per game. This game will be the first meeting for the two
teams.
Indiana will be another tough opponent for the Gators this
season. It will also be a familiar foe for Newbauer since he grew up in the
Hoosiers State. His sister Andrea Newbauer was a part of that squad from 2010
to 2014. The Hoosiers made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in
2019. Leading scorer Ali Patburg (15.8 per game) and leading rebounder Brenna
Wise (6.8 per game) are set to return to the team this season. Florida and
Indiana have faced each other in four meetings. The Hoosiers have won three
games in the series including the last matchup in 2018, Indiana claimed an 83-64
victory in Gainesville.
It will be the battle of Florida on Nov. 26 when Florida
State comes to the Swamp. The Gators lead the series 42-33 but have not won a
game against the Seminoles since 2015. Florida State is coming off a
second-round finish in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles’ all-around
player Kiah Gillespie is back after an impressive first season with the team. Florida
State hosted Florida last season in Tallahassee and won the game 63-56.
Florida will meet Florida A&M for the 15
th
time in the series. The Gators currently lead the Rattlers 9-5 and won last
season’s meeting 62-38. Florida A&M ended the 2018-19 season with a 4-25
overall record.
After playing at home for six games, Florida will head out
to Texas to take on Prairie View A&M. The Panthers ended last season in the
first round of the 2019 WNIT Tournament and a record of 17-14. Both teams last
played each other in Gainesville back in 2007. The Gators prevailed over the
Panthers by a narrow margin score of 69-63. This year will mark the second
meeting between the two teams.
Florida will play the Big 12/SEC matchup at Kansas on Dec.
8. The Jayhawks ended the season with a 13-18 record. Kansas also lost four of its
top scorers from last season. Kansas and Florida first met in 1994 at a
tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Gators won that matchup by two points,
58-56.
This is the second year in a row that Florida will face
Mercer. The Gators lost to the Bears in Macon, Georgia 92-82 in 2017. This
season, Florida will have the home advantage as it welcomes the two-time SoCon
Championships to the O’Connell Center. Mercer lost two of their top three
scorers from last season. Shannon Titus who averaged 12.0 points and 5.0
rebounds will take on the leadership role for the team in 2019-20.
Before the Christmas break, Florida will head to West Palm
Beach, Florida to participate in the West Palm Invitational. The Gators are set
to play Xavier and Wake Forest in the tournament. The Musketeers are in their
first year under head coach Melanie Moore. Xavier closed out the 2018-19 season
with an 11-19 record. Top scorers A’riana Gray (13.9) and Na’teshia Owens
(11.5) are set to be on the roster for 2019-20. Gray also led the Musketeers in
rebounds (11.5 per game) and steals (1.9 per game) last season. Florida has met
Xavier in two meetings with the last one being in 2007. The Gators hosted the
Musketeers at that time and won 82-71.
Wake Forest will be the second team Florida will face in the
West Palm Invitational. The Demon Deacons ended the 2018-19 season with a 10-20
record. Alex Sharp is one of the top scorers who will be making her return this
season. The senior guard finished last season with an average of 12.7 points
and 9.3 rebounds per game. The Demon Deacons will also have Gina Conti and Ona
Udoh. Conti led the team in assists (4.9) and steals (1.5) while Udoh was the
leader in blocks (1.5). Florida last played Wake Forest in 1983 and won the
matchup 68-61. This will be the first time in 36 years the two teams will face
each other.
Florida will conclude its non-conference schedule with a
home game against Davidson. The Wildcats concluded last season with a 17-15
record that included a trip to the 2019 Women’s Basketball Invitational. Katie Turner
who was the third leading scorer (12.2) and assist leader (4.3) will look to be
the eyes and ears for the team in 2019-20. This will be the first time Florida and
Davidson will square off.
SEC Play
Florida was tied for
12th place with Ole Miss in the SEC at the end of the 2018-19
season. The Gators won three out of the 16 games in conference play.
The majority of the
players from all the SEC teams have graduated after the conclusion of last
season. Te’a Cooper, Sophie Cunningham, Teaira McCowan and Evina Westbrook departed
the league after outstanding careers at their institutions.
Mississippi State
won the SEC Tournament in 2019 earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
South Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas A&M and Tennessee also went to
the big dance. Arkansas earned a trip to the 2019 WNIT Tournament after a
Cinderella run in the SEC tournament. Florida has not been back to the NCAA or
WNIT tournament since 2016.
Florida was ranked
No. 3 on the SEC’s list of teams with the most three-pointers. The Gators connected
on 235 with most of them made Funda Nakkasoglu (84). With the guard no longer
with the team, Florida will have to look to Ariel Johnson, Danielle Rainey, Kiara
Smith and Emanuely de Oliveira to fill in the gaps.
A few of the
statistical categories were led by Mississippi State. The Bulldogs were the top
team in points (86.2 per game), field goals (.493) and assists (16.4 per game).
They were also ranked in the top three for rebounds (38.4 per game), free
throws (.733) and blocks (5.5 per game). Arkansas (three-pointers), Auburn
(steals), Kentucky (free throws), South Carolina (blocks) and Tennessee
(rebounds) also led in a category.
Six of the teams in the
SEC are ranked in the top 20 for the Class of 2019 recruiting list. South
Carolina is in the lead with four five-star recruits. Mississippi State is No.
6 in the country with a total of four and tied with Arkansas and Florida in SEC
recruiting. Tennessee, Missouri and Georgia each have three incoming players
and rank No. 9, No. 12 and No. 14 in the top 20. Each team has two players who
are five-star recruits. LSU is the remaining team on the list and is tied with
Alabama, Kentucky and Ole Miss in the SEC recruitment rankings. Vanderbilt
currently leads the league with seven commits, but it did not make the top 20.
Texas A&M has only one commitment from a four star recruit in the class of
2019.
