By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Florida Gators will be without two of their swimmers when the SEC Swimming Championships begins next week.
Junior swimmers Lily Ramirez and Daniela Victoria have been suspended indefinitely following their arrest for shoplifting at an Orlando Mall this past weekend.
Ramirez, of Gainesville, and Victoria, who is from Plantation, both face misdemeanor petit theft charges for stealing two jackets from Nordstrom, valued at $130.
"We are extremely disappointed in the actions of two of our student-athletes this past weekend,'' UF swimming coach Gregg Troy said in a statement. "Both individuals have been suspended indefinitely, and will miss the 2011 SEC Swimming Championships. University of Florida student-athletes are held to a high standard of character. This was unquestionably a massive error in judgment, and our program simply cannot nor will not tolerate this type of behavior."
Ramirez is a graduate of Gainesville High who was a member of the 2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll last season. Victoria, is a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas.
According to police reports, the two were stopped after store employees reported that the women had walked out of the store with two jackets without having paid for them.
Florida will host the SEC Swimming Championships Feb. 16-19.