5-star point guard Liv McGill commits to Gators women's hoops
GAINESVILLE, Fla — Florida women’s basketball coach Kelly Rae Finley and her staff have landed a five-star recruit for the second year in a row. The latest addition is Alivia “Liv” McGill, who pledged to the Gators this week.
McGill announced her decision with a commitment video on Monday.
“Thank you to everyone that has been supporting me since the beginning,” McGill said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. Gator Nation, what’s the word? Let’s go!”
McGill is ranked the nation’s No. 14 overall recruit in the ESPN rankings for the 2024 class. She will join the Gators roster as a freshman for the 2024-25 season.
McGill averaged 14 points and three assists per game as a junior at Hopkins High School in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, where she helped lead the Royals to a Class 4A runner-up finish this season and a Class 4A title team in 2022.
Finley grew up in Minneapolis less than a half hour from McGill’s hometown and attended the Breck School. McMill marks the second five-star commit for Finley and her staff in as many years.
McGill joins Laila Reynolds, Gators
The Gators signed five-star guard Laila Reynolds in the 2023 class. She was ranked No. 19 nationally in the ESPN rankings and will join the UF women’s basketball program for the 2023-24 season.
During the 2022 campaign, Reynolds helped lead Shabach Christian Academy to the GEICO National Championship game while averaging 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
“Laila is an exceptional student-athlete,” Finley said of Reynolds. “She is a competitor and a proven winner. As we grew in our relationship with Laila and her family, it became clearer that our values aligned. Work ethic, mindset and love for people stood out as well as her tremendous sense of humor! On the court, Laila’s ability to create her own shot, combined with her court vision and willingness to defend 94 feet, will make her one that Gator fans will love to watch over the coming years.”
Reynolds competed Tuesday night in the McDonald’s All-American Game. ESPN’s Shane Laflin provided a scouting report on Reynolds this week.
“Laila Reynolds really improved her game starting her junior year and into her rising senior summer, then into her last high school season. She is efficient with her dribbles and slashes to the basket off the rip-and-go quicker than most wings in the country. She has the shake and the wiggle off the dribble that defenses cannot contain. Her real separation comes in the details of defensive assignments, rebounding and making the extra pass when she draws help and double teams from defenses. She will help put points on the board one way or another.”
