Florida athletic events canceled, campus closed due to Hurricane Helene

The University of Florida is closing campus on Thursday and has canceled three athletic events in anticipation of Hurricane Helene’s landfall off the Gulf Coast.

Thursday’s soccer match against Tennessee has been postponed, and Gator Talk with Women’s Basketball Coach Kelly Rae Finley has been canceled. Friday’s swim meet vs. Nova Southeastern has also been canceled.

Billy Napier says the football team still plans to practice on Thursday, but the situation is fluid at this time. Safety is a priority, and the team is making contingency plans if the storm severely impacts Gainesville.

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“Even if the university is closed, they provide us with parameters in terms our how we meet, practice, and just the safety of the staff and the players,” Napier said. “We would most likely be in the indoor and our process would stay the same depending on how severe the storms are.”

Up next for the Gators

Florida does not play Saturday with its first bye of the season scheduled. The UCF Knights will come to Gainesville in Week 6 for a 2021 Gasparilla Bowl rematch. The Gators are looking for revenge after falling to the Knights, 29-17, under interim head coach Greg Knox.

UCF features the best rushing attack in college football through four weeks of play. The Knights average 375.7 yards on the ground and have 13 touchdowns on the ground. Meanwhile, Florida is ranked 107th of the 133 FBS teams in run defense after allowing 188.8 rushing yards per game.

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