Times wires
Monday, May 23, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. — Florida will be the next team to get a chance to stop Stanford's remarkable home winning streak.
Allie Will clinched the top-ranked and second-seeded Gators' 4-0 victory over UCLA in the NCAA women's semifinals Monday, sending UF (30-1) to its second straight final. Florida's lone loss came Feb. 21 to Stanford; the rematch is at 7 tonight.
"We're playing great at every position, and mentally we are better than ever," said Will, who beat McCall Jones 7-5, 6-2.
The Cardinal (28-0), ranked second and seeded first, beat Baylor 4-1. Stanford extended its NCAA record home winning streak to 184, dating to 1999.
UF PLAYS FRIDAY: Florida's softball team opens its best-of-three Super Region series against Oregon at 2 p.m. Friday in Gainesville. Game 2 is noon Saturday followed by Game 3 if necessary. The winner advances to the Women's College World Series, June 2-8 in Oklahoma City.
BASKETBALL: Ed DeChellis, who led Penn State to the NCAA Tournament this year, resigned to take Navy's coaching job. … Murray State promoted assistant Steve Prohm to head coach.
FOOTBALL: Former Alabama running back Demetrius Goode signed to play his final season at North Alabama, a Division II program where he'll be able to play right away for former Florida State coach Terry Bowden.
OBITUARY: Joe Steffy, who helped pave the way for Heisman Trophy winners Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis at Army and won the Outland Trophy as the nation's top lineman in 1947, died Saturday. He was 85. In 1944, before being drafted into the service, he played for a Tennessee team that went to the Rose Bowl.