[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 88 (Friday, May 23, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E472]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THE ``GAINESVILLE NINE''

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAT CAMMACK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 23, 2025

  Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, today we recognize and cerebrate the 
legacy of a group of individuals whose passion for the game of baseball 
helped lay the foundation for college athletics at Santa Fe College in 
Gainesville, Florida.
  In the 1970-71 academic year, at what was then known as Santa Fe 
Junior College (SFJC), a group of players formed a baseball club--one 
of the earliest steps, along with other club sports, that would 
eventually lead to the college becoming a recognized National Junior 
College Athletics Association (NJCAA) member in 1973. They were known 
as the ``Gainesville Nine.''
  The baseball club, which predates the Northwest Campus, the largest 
of Santa Fe's seven locations across Alachua and Bradford counties, 
played other club and college teams from across the North Florida 
region. The bonds formed among the players showed that athletic 
participation and physical activity not only enrich the campus 
experience, but also foster a sense of perseverance and belonging that 
support a college-going culture.
  Santa Fe College's Athletic programs have since grown in stature both 
regionally and nationally. The Northwest Campus gymnasium was built in 
the late 1970s and the baseball and softball fields were added in the 
early 1980s. Over the college's illustrious history, multiple NJCAA 
sports were offered including track, cross country, tennis, and slow 
pitch softball. Currently, the college offers five sanctioned 
intercollegiate teams in volleyball, men's and women's basketball, 
softball, and baseball.
  Today, we honor the legacy of the 1970-71 SFJC club baseball team, 
the ``Gainesville Nine'' and celebrate their place in the rich history 
of Santa Fe College and its athletic programs.

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