Liana Handler, a Latina junior from South Florida, has pursued UF and north central Florida sports stories for the past two years, including her current role as The Independent Florida Alligator’s UF gymnastics beat reporter. She’s had bylines in the Tampa Bay Times in addition to work with WUFT News and WRUF (ESPN Gainesville).

Her favorite stories focus on the intersection of sports, culture and community. As a member of the 2025 Sports Journalism Institute class, she hopes to continue her journey this summer as a sports reporter while working on baseball, football and collegiate stories at the Baltimore Banner.

In December, she hopes to obtain her bachelors in journalism with a specialization in sports and media from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. After graduation, she plans to pursue a reporting career covering baseball in the northeast. In her free time, she enjoys watching Jane Austen movies, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and playing dominos with her family and friends.