As the Florida Gators gear up for their Final Four matchup in San Antonio, two Western New York natives, Carlin Hartman and Jonathan Safir, have played key roles in the team’s success this season.
Carlin Hartman, a Grand Island native, serves as Florida’s associate head coach. With more than 25 years of experience in college coaching, he is now in his third season with the Gators. Hartman has previously held coaching positions at Columbia University, Oklahoma, and UNLV. His leadership and strategic expertise have been crucial in Florida’s impressive 34-4 season and deep NCAA Tournament run.
Jonathan Safir, originally from Buffalo, works as the Gators’ director of basketball strategy and analytics. In this role, he utilizes data-driven methods to refine game planning and performance analysis, offering valuable insights that have been instrumental in the team’s tournament performance.
Florida’s path to the Final Four has been defined by resilience and standout individual efforts. One of the most notable moments came in the Elite Eight, where guard Walter Clayton Jr. fueled a thrilling comeback, scoring 13 of his 30 points in the final minutes to lead the Gators to an 84-79 victory over Texas Tech.
As Florida pushes for its first national championship since 2007, Hartman and Safir’s contributions highlight the influence of Western New York talent on the biggest stage in college basketball.
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