Sports
Florida AD gets $250K raise, semi-retirement role
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin will make more than $2 million a year after signing a three-year extension that keeps him under contract through October 2030.
Stricklin’s new deal also includes a provision that would make him “special assistant to the athletic director” for five years beginning in 2030. It’s a role similar to the one former Florida AD Jeremy Foley assumed following his retirement in 2016.
Stricklin, 55, signed the extension in June, two months after the Gators won their third national championship in men’s basketball. Florida released details Wednesday in response to a public records request by The Associated Press and other media outlets.
Stricklin’s previous deal paid him $1.8 million annually and ran through 2027. He got a $250,000 raise and could make as much as $2.175 million a year with bonuses.
But the most interesting part of the new agreement was his semi-retirement role, which outgoing interim school president Kent Fuchs signed off on this summer. New Florida interim president Dr. Donald Landry was confirmed last month, and a search committee is expected to begin searching for a permanent leader early next year.
Stricklin’s duties as special assistant would be determined by the university president and shall not “interfere with or undermine” the new AD’s functions or authority.
Stricklin would get $100,000 annually for those five years plus basic benefits, as well as use of the athletic association’s aircraft for a value of up to $55,000, an office, administrative support and complimentary club seat tickets to football games, men’s basketball games and baseball games.
Hired to replace Foley in 2016, Stricklin has enjoyed 13 national titles and 44 conference crowns while leading one of the most recognizable brands in college sports. He has been instrumental in helping the Gators navigate the ever-changing landscape of college sports, including revenue sharing and name, image and likeness payouts, as well as catching up in the facilities chase.
Under Stricklin, Florida opened an $85 million football facility and a $65 million baseball stadium. The athletic program also has preliminary plans to embark on a $1 billion renovation to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, better known as “The Swamp.”
He hired current Florida football coach Billy Napier, who enjoyed a late-season surge to close out 2024 and is ranked 13th in the latest AP college football poll. He also hired men’s basketball coach Todd Golden, who won it all in his third season in Gainesville.
NEW YORK — Moments after losing in the Wimbledon final in July, and with tears streaming down her face, Amanda Anisimova was resolute as she spoke to the crowd.
She had just lost 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek in a devastatingly swift 57 minutes, and the fans at Centre Court seemed enamored by her words as she continued to speak and by her confidence that wouldn’t be diminished despite the lopsided outcome.
“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m going to keep putting in the work,” Anisimova said. “And I always believe in myself, so I hope to be back here one day.”
The 24-year-old American isn’t quite back to a major final — not yet, anyway — but she had her chance to avenge the loss to Swiatek on Wednesday in the quarterfinals at the US Open. Much like at the All England Club, she entered the match as the clear underdog, but this time, with the vocal support of the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Anisimova found a way to pull off the upset for a 6-4, 6-3 victory to advance to her first semifinal in New York.
When it was over, just 53 days after her disappointment at Wimbledon, Anisimova initially appeared almost expressionless. Or perhaps she was in shock after she won on her third match point. But after she had exchanged a hug with a stunned Swiatek, a large smile appeared on her face and she put her arms on her head and nodded, before gesturing to her team with her clenched fist over her heart.
“Playing here is so freaking special and I’ve been having the run of my life here,” Anisimova said on the court moments later. “I mean, the first day I got here I was like, ‘OK, let’s try and get through one round.’ But yeah, this has been such a dream, and to come back from Wimbledon like that is really special to me.
“I feel like I worked so hard to try and turn around from that, and I mean, today proved everything for me. I can do it, so yeah. This is really special.”
To call Anisimova’s season resurgent would be an understatement. An exciting junior prospect and the 2017 US Open girls champion, Anisimova burst onto the professional scene with a surprise semifinal appearance at the 2019 French Open as a 17-year-old. The hype and endorsements immediately followed.
But her career was derailed by a number of personal and professional setbacks, including the unexpected death of her father and several injuries. After a difficult start to her 2023 season, Anisimova announced she would be taking an indefinite mental health break as tennis had become “unbearable” for her.
She spent eight months away from the tour, taking time to pursue other interests and, in her words, “reset.” She returned at the start of 2024 and reached the fourth round at the Australian Open, but had largely mixed results in her comeback year.
But 2025 has been completely different. Anisimova won the biggest title of her career at the 1000-level Qatar Open in February. She reached her first grass-court final at Queen’s Club in June — and then followed it with her miraculous run at Wimbledon, including a thrilling three-set victory over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. She subsequently entered the top 10 for the first time. After her win over Swiatek on Wednesday, she’s expected to rise to a new high of No. 5.
After taking about 30 minutes to cry and mope following the defeat at the All England Club, Anisimova said a phone call with a friend almost immediately after helped her find the humor in the loss. She took some brief time off following Wimbledon to spend time with her young nephews and surf on the beach in Montauk, New York, but returned by the end of the month to play the Canadian Open.
In her two tournaments leading into the US Open, she had just two wins, and had never previously advanced past the third round at the tournament. But she still arrived to the year’s final major brimming with momentum and positivity — and with everything she learned from reaching the Wimbledon final.
“I think just having that experience and experiencing what that final was like definitely gives me some thoughts and certain things that I can bring with me going into this tournament, especially dealing with the stress and the tension of it being, like, a home slam, and there is a little bit of pressure on me,” Anisimova said before the tournament got underway. “I think just the way that the final went, it gave me a better perspective on how I should be handling my nerves.”
With her elevated profile and seeding, Anisimova has played every match thus far on a show court and, despite any extra attention, she has shown incredible composure and mental strength. She’s dropped just one set — against unseeded Jaqueline Cristian in the third round — but has otherwise firmly been in control of every match. She recorded a bagel set against No. 18 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia on Monday in the Round of 16. Through her first five matches, she has 28 aces, the second-most in the tournament, and she’s won 82% of her service games.
On Tuesday night, while mentally preparing for the quarterfinal match from her hotel room, she forced herself to rewatch the Wimbledon final, to take whatever she could from it. It was difficult, but necessary. She noticed she was “slow as hell” and fatigued but already felt she was in a better position this time around due to simply having that previous experience.
On Wednesday, playing in front of a crowd that frequently shouted words of support like, “Come on ‘Manda, you got this babe!” and “We love you, Amanda,” Anisimova was broken in the opening game of the match, just like she was at Wimbledon, and she couldn’t help but briefly panic. “When I wasn’t able to hold in that first game, I was really, like, ‘Okay, here we go,'” she said with a laugh in her news conference. “That was a little stressful.”
But this time, she recovered immediately by breaking Swiatek right back. And, she said, that took some “stress off of my shoulders, for sure.”
After taking the opening set, it initially appeared Swiatek had rediscovered her championship form as she handily took the first two games of the second set.
But Anisimova did not seem deterred, and she tried to fire herself up with positive affirmations and keep moving after every point — something she later admitted was not natural for her. She went on to win six of the next seven games, behind her strong serving, blistering returns and unwavering attitude. She had 23 winners on the day and just 12 unforced errors.
Swiatek said her inconsistent serving day “made the difference” in the match’s outcome. But she also said she wasn’t surprised by the level Anisimova brought.
“I think everybody knows how Amanda can play,” a dejected Swiatek told reporters after the match. “Yeah, she didn’t play well [at] Wimbledon, but it’s not like she’s always going to do the same mistakes or feel the same.
“No, I know that she’s a good player. She can play great tennis. So for me I was ready for a tough match.”
Anisimova later called it the “most meaningful victory” she has ever had.
Now into her third career major semifinal, Anisimova will next take on the winner of Wednesday night’s match between four-time major champion Naomi Osaka and 2023 French Open finalist Karolina Muchova on Thursday night. Anisimova has winning records over both players — she’s beaten Osaka twice and defeated Muchova in their only previous career meeting — but hasn’t faced either since 2022. She called both “incredibly tough opponents” but sounded ready for either possibility on Wednesday when speaking to the media.
On Thursday, just over 24 hours after one of the biggest wins of her career, she will have the chance to reach her second consecutive Slam final. But no matter what happens, she was letting herself feel proud of what she had already achieved this summer — and proven to herself and the world.
“It still feels a bit surreal, for sure,” she said to the packed room of reporters, with a backwards Nike baseball hat on her head. “I mean, I have that belief in myself and that confidence that I’m able to play at the top level, and I’m able to really go head-to-head with these top three and everyone who is in the top 10. I’ve shown that, and I think I was able to prove that to myself time and time again for a long time now.
“It’s really competitive these days, and also the Grand Slams are really tough, so I’m just really pleased to make it this far for the first time.”
Florida State freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard was shot in the back of the head Sunday night, his father said, and remains in stable condition at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
Earl Pritchard told WFTV in Orlando that Ethan Pritchard was shot while driving his aunt home from a family gathering in Havana, Florida, which is about 16 miles from Tallahassee, near the Georgia state line.
“He was actually in the car taking my sister around the corner to her daughter’s house to drop her off,” Earl Pritchard told WFTV. “They turned the corner, and as soon as they turned the corner, they heard gunshots.”
Earl Pritchard said doctors continue to monitor the swelling in Ethan’s head.
An investigation into the shooting by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office is ongoing.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell said Wednesday he has been able to briefly visit Ethan Pritchard in the hospital, and he has remained in contact with Earl Pritchard.
“It’s a lot, not going to say it’s not,” Norvell said. “I try to give the players a daily update. … I was able to go by yesterday for a short period of time with limited visitation, just getting a chance to be there for a handful of minutes. It was good to be with him.
“He’s still in stable condition. … We are absolutely praying for him every day and trying to be there for our players, too. Yes, it’s one thing on the field, but it’s also off the field, that’s one of their brothers and a guy they deeply care about. Just working through this part of the tragedy of what it is.”
Pritchard, who is from the Central Florida area, did not play in the Seminoles’ season-opening victory against Alabama.
Sports
Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter: Bill Belichick’s surprising North Carolina debut, Alabama drops the ball
Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on during the second half of a game at Kenan Stadium on Sept. 1, 2025, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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Welcome to the Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
RUDE WELCOME – Bill Belichick’s return to coaching got off to a rough start. In his North Carolina debut, the Tar Heels suffered a blowout loss to the TCU Horned Frogs. Continue reading …Â
STAR-STUDDED – Bill Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, watched North Carolina’s game Monday in a suite alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss. Michael Jordan and other high-profile sports figures were also in attendance. Continue reading …
‘A LOT OF WORK TO DO’ – During his first postgame press conference at UNC, Bill Belichick maintained the stoic demeanor that became synonymous with his lengthy run with the New England Patriots. Belichick admitted TCU “deserved to win, and they did it decisively.” Continue reading …
UNC football coach Bill Belichick on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, during a press conference inside the Kenan Football Center. (IMAGN)
BIG LEAGUE MOVE – World Series champion Mark Teixeira is throwing his hat into the political ring. The former New York Yankees first baseman announced his campaign for Texas’ 21st Congressional District in the U.S. House. Continue reading …
SLUGGER SPEAKS – Shortly after launching his bid for a U.S. Congressional seat, three-time MLB All-Star Mark Teixeira shared his thoughts on the political divide in the United States. Continue reading …
PRESIDENTIAL PITCH – President Donald Trump is expected to attend the New York Yankees game in the Bronx on Sept. 11, the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, sources told Fox News Digital. Continue reading …Â
U.S. President Donald Trump throws a baseball on the South Lawn of the White House on July 23, 2020, in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
GRIDIRON JAB – During Tuesday’s announcement that Space Command headquarters would relocate to Huntsville, Alabama, President Donald Trump briefly referenced the Alabama Crimson Tide’s stunning loss to Florida State. Continue reading …
FROM FOX SPORTS – Micah Parsons’ agent, David Mulugheta, pushed for the NFL Players Association to review the Cowboys’ negotiation tactics with the now-Packers star. The request comes amid competing claims and concerns that Dallas acted in a way that merited punishment. Continue reading …
FROM OUTKICK – The 2025 NFL season finally kicks off on Thursday night. OutKick’s Armando Salguero breaks down which coaches are likely to enter the year with their jobs on the line. Continue reading …
WATCH NOW – Arch Manning fell short of expectations in Texas’ season-opening loss to Ohio State. The quarterback admitted he “has to play better.” FOX Sports’ “First Things First” discusses whether the Longhorns can bounce back this season. Watch here …
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