Orange and Blue Notes: Shelton’s Surge Down Under, Gators On Top 25 Radar, Yost Back In Action, More Small Things

Gainesville, Fla. -Former Gators All-American Ben Shelton2022 NCAA Single Master and Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, continues to pronounce his case as one of the elite players in the world.

Shelton won a hard fighting 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4) victory over Italy Lorenzo Sonego Wednesday for the first time to move on to the semi -finals of the Australian Open. Shelton joined a unique fraternity of American tennis star with the victory.

Shelton, 22, reached the semi-finals at the US Open 2023 and became the eighth American man in Open Era (since 1968) to reach more Grand Slam Semifinals at the age of 22 or younger.

You’ve probably heard of the others: Jimmy ConnorsAt John McEnroeAt Jim CourierAt Other agassiAt Michael ChangAt Pete Sampras and Andy Roddick.

“I feel relieved right now,” Shelton said during an interview on the field. “Shout Lorenzo Sonego up because it was some ridiculous tennis. I’m just happy to go through to get my first win at Rod Laver Arena. It was one of my favorite matches in my career.”

 

The defending champion welcomes Ben Shelton about a place in the final #Ao2025 pic.twitter.com/qwhmyh5ysm

– Tennis Channel (@tennischannel) January 22, 2025

Sonego, ranked 55. In the world, constantly pressed Shelton by getting in the net 90 times and won 67 of these points. Still, Shelton retained his tranquility and limited his uncomfortable mistakes to 33, while Sonego committed 55.

Shelton advanced to meet the world’s # 1 Jannik Sinnerthat defeated Australian favorite Alex de Minaur In straight sets. At the end of his interview after the match made Shelton International headings by sharing his thoughts On his perceived treatment of the media of the players at the Australian Open – the problem appeared earlier in the tournament After a match won by Novak Djokovic.

Shelton, son of former UF Men’s tennis trainer Bryan SheltonParticipated in the Australian Open ranked No. 21 plays globally. Since becoming a professional in 2022, he has been as high as 13.

Shelton ended his UF career with a singles record of 65-10, helping Gators win the national championship in 2021 and ended his career by winning the NCAA single title in 2022.

 

Too early forecasts

Gators’ victory series of four games to end the season wasn’t enough to crack Final AP Top 25But UF got seven votes and ended up in a 33rd place out of 35 teams to register in the final vote. More importantly, Gators are on the radar on the way into the 2025 season and should be in the Preseasy AP Top 25 when the vote is released in late summer. If so, it will mark Florida’s first performance since it was No. 22 before a 33-14 loss in Kentucky at the end of September 2023.

Florida is already emerging in the premature top 25s that are released at this time of year. ESPN.COM hair Gators placed as No. 18At Si.com Ranks Florida as No. 16and USA Today is Even more bullish on Billy Napiers team, ranks Gators 12.

 

It’s never too early to think of next season

What do you think about @Rj_youngs too early top 25? pic.twitter.com/jnke2ke8t3

– Fox College Football (@cfbonfox) January 21, 2025

The biggest concern on the way into 2025 sounds familiar to the one expressed on the way into 2024.

“Florida will again play one of the hardest schedules in FBS,” ‘ ESPN.COM‘p Mark Schlabach wrote. “Gators have home matches against Texas, Georgia (Jacksonville) and Tennessee and Road Competitions in LSU, Miami, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.”

 

Roster check

The winter transfer portal closed on December 28, although players who filed on time could have showed up as late as December 30, because schools have a 48-hour NCAA allowance window to process transfers. Meanwhile, the spring transfer portal is scheduled for 16-25. April.

For those who keep score at home, Gators added five players via the winter portal: Umass Edge Rusher Kofi AsareMichigan plays Tommy DomanUCLA wide receiver Michael SturdivantLouisville Quarterback Harrison Bailey and Southern Miss Cornerback Michael Caraway Jr.

Here the 13 Legat Gators landed into the winter portal: Tea Arlis Boardingham (Bowling Green), Olympics Mike Williams (Towson), Olympics Christian Williams (Liberty), WR Andy Jean (Pittsburgh), Dl Kelby Collins (Alabama), dl Quincy Ivory (Jackson State), Lb Deuce Spurlock II (Liberty), dl Jack Pyburn (LSU), cb Yes’keem Jackson (LSU), dl TJ Searcy (Texas A&M), DL Justus Boone (Arkansas), tea Gavin Hill (Florida A&M) and WR Marcus Burke (UCF).

 

Post -season players

The Gators is well represented in a couple of upcoming post-season All-Star matches of players who started their careers in UF ended their careers in UF, or, less frequently during this time, started and done Their careers at UF.

Let’s first start with the uncommon player in today’s landscape, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.. Marshall signed with Florida from Palmetto High in Miami, and as the players came and went during his career, Marshall 39 out of 45 career matches started before a seasonal shoulder injury midway during his senior season. Marshall is a member of the West Team in East-West Shrine Bowl on January 30 in Arlington, Texas. One of his teammates is offensive line man Brandon Crenshaw-DicksonThere spent his last season in 2024 with Gators after starting his career in San Diego State.

Meanwhile, three players with UF-tape are members of the East Team. Runs back Montrell Johnson Jr. The game for Gators for the past three seasons after the transition from Louisiana, where Napier bought him in 2021. Johnson rushed more than 3,000 yards in his career. Johnson gets the company of his former UF teammates Jalen Kimber and Antwaun Powell-Ryland. Kimber switched to Florida from Georgia and then played his last season for Penn State in 2024. Powell-Ryland switched to Virginia Tech after the 2022 season and recorded 27.5 sacks with Hokies over the past two seasons.

Two days later, in mobile, ala., Four Gators have accepted invitations to play in Reese’s Senior Bowl. Roster for the national and US teams has not been announced in this post. Linebacker Shemar James and tips Jeremy Crawshaw are two of the UF players in the Senior Bowl. Like Marshall, James and Crawshaw spent their entire careers at UF.

Gators also have a defensive line Cam Jackson and receives Chimming Dike in Senior Bowl. Jackson played two seasons in Florida after the transition from Memphis, and Dike played for Gators in 2024 after four seasons in Wisconsin. In addition, Georgia runs back Trevor Etienne and Ole Miss Defense Line Man Principal Umanmielenwho started their careers in Florida, have accepted invitations to Senior Bowl.

 

Ballpark chatter

Gators’ baseball season starts on February 14 when Air Force visits Condron Ballpark in a three-game series. They return to the training on Friday with a strip open to the public.

Florida opens the season ranked as No. 10 of D1baseball.com As a head coach Kevin O’Sullivan Ready for its 18th season. Gators advanced to the College World Series in 2024 in an up-and-down season that turned upwards when the after-season began.

Florida won Stillwater (Okla.) Regional and then Clemson (SC) Super Regional to qualify for Omaha. In the off -season Gators added several new faces, including Transfers Bobby Boser (USF), Blake Cyr (Miami), Kyle Jones (Stetson), Justin Nadeau (Jacksonville) and Landon striping (Texas Tech).

O’SUllivan fell some good news recently on “Chalk Talk” webcast When he advertised other away player Hayden Yost had been approved to return. Yost got a torn ACL in May, forcing him to see Gators’ race to CWS.

Yost, who played at Sickles High in Tampa, before signing with Florida, struck .284 as a Freshman in 32 games. He added five doubles, four races and four stolen bases.

“He looks amazing,” said O’Sullivan. “He’s 100%. He swings the bat as well as anyone else right now and he ran down a ball under BP (recently) in the right middle field. There was no hesitation in his stride, so he’s definitely ready to go.”

 

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