Notebook: Women's golf deals with adversity

They are Florida's women's golf team, a group that continues to overcome obstacles in what has been a pretty spectacular season for coach Jill Briles-Hinton's team.

The Gators' latest achievement came last weekend, when they went to Athens, Ga., for the NCAA East Regional without senior Whitney Myers. The Gators went on to post the top score, beating No. 1-ranked Duke by one stroke.

Golfweek Magazine, which was in Athens to cover the regional, reported on its Web site that Myers has been ruled academically ineligible. Florida's coaches, players and administrators will not comment on the situation.

"We've got some high expectations," Briles-Hinton told the magazine. "She didn't meet them so she's got to stay home and handle her business. Nothing else matters but the team we have here."

It's a team that has been decimated by losses since last summer, yet still presses on. First, junior Mallory Blackwelder transferred to Kentucky where her mother, Myra, was named the head coach. Then the team's top player, Sandra Gal, passed up her final year of eligibility to turn pro just before the start of Spring semester.

Then, Myers was left behind during the biggest event of the season.

Florida has pressed on. The Gators will next compete at the NCAA Championships May 20 in Albuquerque, N.M.

GATOR SOFTBALL GETS TOUGH DRAW

Is this how you reward a No. 1 overall seed? By pairing them with one of the hottest teams in the South along with two in-state teams who combined to go 90-36 this season?

While Florida's softball team got a nice reward with the No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament, the selection committee did the Gators no favors by sending three dangerous teams to Gainesville.

Florida opens by facing Georgia Tech on Friday night. The Jackets won't scare anybody with their 31-29 record. However, after overcoming some early injuries, Georgia Tech has won 14 of its last 17 dating back to a doubleheader sweep of No. 17 Georgia on April 9. In those games, the Jackets hit .294 and outscored opponents 84-46.

Central Florida is 46-18 and owns the nation's No. 33 RPI and beat the Gators in its last trip to Gainesville in 2005. South Florida lost to the Gators earlier this year in Tampa, but the Bulls have posted wins over nationally ranked foes Tennessee and Virginia Tech this season.

VOLLEYBALL NAMES NEW ASSISTANT

Florida's volleyball team named Ken Ko as its new assistant coach Tuesday.

Ko spent the last two years of his 13-year coaching career as the associate head coach at Washington State.

"It's a privilege to be a Gator," Ko said. "I want to thank (coach) Mary (Wise) for the incredible opportunity to be part of the legacy and tradition of this championship-caliber program."

Ko replaces Ryan Theis, who was named the head coach at Ohio University in March.

NICE HONOR

Florida freshman golfer Jessica Yadloczky has been selected to play for Team USA at the 2008 Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Championship.