Gators Colin Castleton, Riley Kugel Earn 2022-23 SEC Awards

The past and future of Florida basketball were well-represented in the post-season SEC awards announced on Monday afternoon.

Fifth-year senior Colin Castleton drew First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive honors, while true freshman Riley Kugel landed on the conference's All-Freshman Team. The duo served as integral pieces to the success the Gators saw during the 2022-23 season.

Castleton opened the year as an all-conference caliber big man with significant buzz surrounding his return to Florida.

He lived up to the hype as the Gators' primary offensive weapon, producing 16 points on 50% from the floor and 2.7 assists per game. He also made waves on the defensive end with three blocks per game (fourth in the nation), aiding the Gators to a top-ten defense, according to KenPom.com, for the greater portion of SEC play.

However, his season was derailed by a broken hand he suffered against Ole Miss on Feb. 15. That ended his UF career sooner than anticipated.

He's second all-time in points scored by a transfer in Florida history as a 1,000-point scorer, third all-time in blocks (194) and first in blocked shots per game (2.94).

This is the third time in as many years Castleton aligns as an SEC honoree, just the 13th Gator all-time to do so. He is also the third to earn both first-team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive team honors, joining Chris Chiozza (2017-18) and Scottie Wilbekin (2013-14).

Kugel, on the other hand, flashed his raw skillset early in the season but has excelled with the opportunity presented by Castleton's absence.

Earlier Monday, the true freshman was named the SEC's Freshman of the Week for his performances in Florida's wins over Georgia and LSU. He then picked up the SEC All-Freshman team award, a testament to the late-season stretch produced by the Orlando, Fla., native.

He's averaged 12.6 points in SEC play while shooting at a 51.6% clip from the field and 40.7% from 3-point range. In the last eight games, the points game number has elevated to 18.3 points per contest, including three 20-point games in the Gators' previous four appearances.

His offensive dominance allowed Florida to produce two straight wins to end the regular season, even without Castleton in the mix.

Kugel will look to continue leading the Castleton-less Florida team as it tips off in the second round of the SEC Tournament against Mississippi State on Thursday at 1 p.m. EST.

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