Florida's Noah Locke enters name in transfer portal

Junior guard Noah Locke, Florida's longest-tenured player at the conclusion of the season, has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal. 

Locke was a mainstay in UF’s starting line-up since arriving on campus three seasons ago out of Baltimore. He entered the starting line-up seven games into his freshman season and proceeded to set the Florida program record for 3-pointers as a freshman with 81. Locke also leaves the program holding the school record for most consecutive games with multiple made 3-pointers (15) and most games with five-plus made 3-pointers by a freshman (six).

Most impressive perhaps was what those outside the building weren’t privy to — Locke’s durability. He battled a nagging sports hernia injury for most of his sophomore season, which ultimately required surgery after the pandemic wiped away the postseason. Locke returned having regained much of his athleticism — his first collegiate dunk came late in SEC play this month — and he’d start all but one of UF’s 25 games in the 2020-21 campaign while averaging 10.6 points and 29 minutes per game.

Locke is the second Gator to enter the transfer portal after fellow backcourt member Ques Glover put his name earlier Thursday, leaving UF with just 10 scholarship players returning from last season’s team.