Florida Gators mens basketball team receives perfect welcome when visiting The White House

It's been quite the year for the Florida Gators.

The football team took a huge step forward at the end of the 2024 season thanks to the emergence of true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway taking a huge step forward. The recruiting class also jumped up into the top 10 in the nation thanks to a couple of late commitments.

Fast forward to April and the basketball team secured their third National Championship over the last 20 years. Head coach Todd Golden led the Gators to a 36-4 record, including National and SEC Tournament titles.

Florida Gators visit The White House

On Wednesday, Golden led the Gators men's basketball team to The White House for their visit. It's tradition for champions to get invited by the President of the United States. Some players and teams have ended up passing on the invitation due to the views of the person in the position, but the Gators accepted the invitation.

When there is a visit to The White House, there are elements planned for the teams that attend. They had something special planned for the Gators, as I Won't Back Down, originally performed by Gainesville native Tom Petty, was performed acoustically by a violinist and guitarist as they arrived.