Athletics
Intercollegiate Athletics
UF's intercollegiate athletic program pursues and achieves excellence across the whole spectrum of sports competition. A founding member of the Southeastern Conference, Florida finished first in the 2003 SEC All-Sports Trophy competition for the 12th consecutive season. For an unprecedented seventh time, Florida swept the SEC all-sport trophy titles (men's, women's and overall).
A national title by the women's tennis team highlighted the Gators' 11 top-10 team finishes in 2002-03. UF finished seventh in the 2002-03 NACDA Directors' Cup competition. Only Florida and UCLA have ranked among the nation's 10 best athletic programs in each of the last 20 years, according to national all-sports rankings (USA Today, Sears Directors' Cup and NACDA Directors' Cup).
In 2002-03, UF placed a record 193 student athletes on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. The 2002-03 season marked the sixth consecutive year UF placed 100 or more student athletes on the SEC Honor Roll.
Recreation
Students are encouraged to participate in all forms of recreational activities. More than 90 percent take advantage of the numerous outdoor courts and playing fields on campus, and in the O'Connell Center, the Student Recreation and Fitness Center, the Southwest Rec Center and the Florida Gymnasium for indoor sports. In all, Florida offers more than 60 intramural and club sports ranging from archery to weightlifting.
Near the campus are many recreational lakes and rivers, including university-owned Lake Wauburg. The beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean are just a short drive away.
One thousand people can participate simultaneously in eight different recreational activities in the O'Connell Center, which seats 12,000 for concerts and other events. Also on campus are open spaces, small ponds, picnic areas, shady nooks and an 81-acre wildlife sanctuary that provide opportunities to enjoy Florida's year-round outdoor life.