Sophomore Thomas Haugh doubles as an ultimate "glue guy" and a selfless standout on the fourth-ranked Florida basketball team.
It all begins with the lunch box. At just 8 years old, Thomas Haugh brought the Florida Gators with him to school each day in New Oxford, Pennsylvania. Though his family and friends were devoted Penn State supporters, Haugh isn’t sure why he chose a university so far from home — but he suspects it had something to do with the “cool” team colors.
Tim Tebow’s rise sealed the deal for Thomas Haugh’s fandom. Before long, his parents were painting his bedroom in orange and blue.
"I loved Tebow," Haugh said. "I just remember the Gators were always a thing for me. Always."
It wasn’t simply destiny that brought Haugh to the University of Florida — it was hard work. The tall, athletic Pennsylvania native had to prove himself worthy of wearing the Gators uniform.
Predetermined? No. Earned through determination? Absolutely.
"Thomas could never get enough of the work," said his mother, Jenn Haugh. "It was all day, every day trying to be the best he could be."
Thomas Haugh: Then and now
Florida’s role in his journey may have been chance, but for the current fourth-ranked and second-seeded Gators (27–4), preparing to face No. 7 Missouri (22–10) in Friday’s SEC quarterfinal at Bridgestone Arena, Haugh’s presence is invaluable as they aim for a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 215 pounds, the sophomore forward is known for his relentless energy — running the floor, battling for rebounds, and giving maximum effort on every possession. His drive transformed him into the player he envisioned, landing him at the school he once only dreamed about.
"It's true. I can actually say I made it to my dream school, and that's wild to me," Haugh said. "Some days I'll think, 'Oh man, I got to go to practice today.' Then I'm like, 'But I'm going to practice for the Florida Gators,' and it's different. I'm just very thankful."
[Read senior writer Chris Harry’s "Pregame Stuff" breakdown here]
Coach Todd Golden and his staff value Haugh deeply. Assistant coach Kevin Hovde, who first spotted him at a prep tournament in Pennsylvania, summed it up:
"Tommy never lets you down," Hovde said.
As a freshman, Haugh earned minutes late in the rotation on a 24-win NCAA Tournament team. In his sophomore season, he has doubled his production, averaging 9.1 points (49% shooting, 35% from three, 81% at the line) and 6.0 rebounds, while ranking among the team’s leaders in assists, steals, and blocks across 24 minutes per game.
The numbers tell part of the story, but his hustle, winning plays, and the respect of his teammates go far beyond the stat sheet.
Thomas Haugh (10), the sophomore, has nearly doubled his statistics from his freshman season.
"There are so many things you can say about him, but overall, just a great human being first," said first-team All-America point guard Walter Clayton Jr.
"The first thing that comes to mind with Thomas is how hard he plays. I've been saying that since he got here. Last year, he was kind of just running around, didn't know what to do. But he was going 110%, so I was fine with it and I always thought that once he got it down, knowing everything how he has this year, he was going be a great player. And he has been."
Missouri’s sixth-year guard Caleb Grill may have earned SEC Sixth Man of the Year honors for 2025, but coaches across the league recognize the spark Thomas Haugh provides whenever he enters the game.
"What a luxury to have a kid come in and play his tail off like that," Oklahoma coach Porter Moser remarked. "How do you say his name?"
The pronunciation is “howk.” Though the name has Scottish-Irish roots, Haugh’s identity is firmly tied to his upbringing in southern Pennsylvania.
Keystone Kid
New Oxford, a town of about 18,000 located 10 miles east of Gettysburg, is where Haugh grew up. The nearest major cities are Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Thomas is the eldest of three siblings, all of whom inherited athletic talent. His mother played volleyball at Shippensburg University, where she met Ryan Haugh, a linebacker who would later become her husband. Ryan pursued a career in hospitality, while Jenn became an elementary school teacher and the designated driver for countless youth sports events. With three athletic children, there were plenty of them.
The Haugh family (from left): siblings Thomas, Tanner and RyLee; parents Ryan and Jenn.
For Thomas, the oldest sibling, sports meant football, basketball, and volleyball. He excelled in each, but what truly stood out was his competitive drive. One middle-school gym class kicking contest even saw him bribe a classmate for a second attempt just to secure the win.
"It's the only time he ever got in trouble in school," Jenn said. "Ryan and I were both really competitive too, so it was kind of like, 'Sorry, not sorry.' But Thomas just always wanted to be the best, and if he couldn't be the best he would move on to something else."
Haugh had multiple options. He was a capable quarterback and drew recruiting interest in volleyball from Penn State and Ohio State. Ultimately, basketball became his path, aided by a couple of growth spurts. Countless late-night shooting sessions in the driveway and trips to his uncle’s farm — complete with a barn and full basketball court — paid off.
The relentless drive was part of his upbringing.
"Being in that environment kind of shaped who I am now; that rough, go-do-whatever-you-need-me-to-do kind of kid," Haugh said. "We were all just a bunch of farm-country kids. All really scrappy, probably because no one knew who we were, so when we played other teams, better teams, we had to go out and really battle."
Thomas Haugh began as a role player during his freshman year at New Oxford High School before transferring to Perkiomen School, a 150-year-old prep academy in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania.
The program was competitive, filled with college-level prospects, and Haugh initially struggled to earn a starting spot — something that concerned his parents after sending him away from home. Thomas, however, stayed focused.
"He'd say, 'It's a process, Mom,'" Jenn recalled.
By his senior season, Haugh was starting alongside forward Ryan Dunn (Virginia), who later became a first-round NBA draft pick, and guard Xavian Lee (Princeton). At that point, recruiting interest came mostly from mid-major programs such as Bucknell, Lehigh, and Colgate. His coach suggested a post-grad year to gain more exposure, but Thomas had other ideas.
"Thomas always bets on himself," Ryan said.
Haugh at Perkiomen
That summer, Haugh’s performance on the Under Armour circuit drew attention from bigger programs, including Maryland, Illinois, and Northwestern, with Virginia Commonwealth also showing interest. While en route to a VCU visit, an AAU contact called with unexpected news:
"He said Florida had called and wanted to know if we were interested," Ryan said.
The family quickly arranged a visit. Assistant coach Kevin Hovde, who had first seen Haugh play while at Richmond, coordinated the trip. After meeting the UF staff, touring facilities, and hearing the recruiting presentation, Haugh made his decision before even reaching his hotel room.
"I want to be a Gator," he told his parents.
He canceled a planned visit to Virginia Tech and announced his commitment on June 29, 2022. At the time, Todd Golden had yet to coach a game at Florida, but Haugh trusted the vision.
"I liked the analytics stuff they showed. They explained to me the offense and how I would fit into the system," Haugh said. "They had a vision for me. They had a vision for everybody on the team."
The staff even compared him to Chandler Parsons, the versatile former Gator and 2011 SEC Player of the Year.
Instant Impact
Haugh arrived in Gainesville in May 2022, joining the summer A session earlier than most freshmen. He was paired as a roommate with fellow newcomer Alex Condon, a 6-foot-11 forward from Perth, Australia. The two quickly bonded, just as associate head coach Carlin Hartman predicted.
"Coach Hartman told us Thomas and Alex would be in each other's weddings," Jenn said.
UF associate head coach Carlin Hartman (left), who tutors the "bigs," and Thomas Haugh share a moment after a win.
For nearly three years, Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon have shared more than just a room — they’ve built a friendship that extends to fishing trips, with Haugh even owning a boat. With Condon’s family living overseas, the Haughs welcomed him as part of their own, bringing him along on visits to Pennsylvania and outings to the Delaware beaches for deep-sea fishing, all while balancing basketball training.
The two also sharpened their skills through countless one-on-one battles at the barn court.
"We just have a lot in common, with what we like and how we interact, but really with our work ethic," Condon said. "On Day 1, we started playing straight-away one-on-one. We were both just going really hard and figured out pretty quickly that we were both high-energy, hustling players. My respect for him has been sky-high ever since, and he's been playing amazing basketball this year."
Some of Thomas Haugh’s standout performances during the 2024–25 season came in a five-game stretch when Florida was missing major contributors — leading scorer Walter Clayton Jr. (ankle), top rebounder Alex Condon (ankle), or defensive specialist Alijah Martin (hip pointer). In that span, Haugh averaged 16.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists.
One of his biggest showings occurred on Feb. 11 against No. 22 Mississippi State. After Condon exited just 30 seconds into the game, Haugh nearly recorded the fourth triple-double in program history, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in a crucial road win.
Haugh, an avid fisherman, and his dad reeled in a 470-pound shark in 2019.
"The more he's on the floor, the more the winning plays show up," Golden said.
Thomas Haugh’s commitment shows up in the gym, often away from the spotlight. His improvement speaks volumes: after shooting just 25.5% from three-point range last season, he has raised that mark to 35% this year, with 27 makes — the most among Florida’s front-court players. At the free-throw line, he jumped from 45.7% last season (near the bottom among rotation players) to 81.0% this year, ranking second on the team in both percentage and attempts.
By the end of the 2024–25 regular season, advanced metrics placed Haugh’s overall efficiency — combining offense and defense — among the nation’s elite. He was listed just behind Cooper Flagg (Duke), Johni Broome (Auburn), Joseph Tugler (Houston), Kon Knueppel (Duke), and Kam Jones (Marquette), all of whom are projected All-America selections.
Despite not being a starter, Haugh embraces his role.
"That's our whole team this year. We have a different person scoring a career high or a new person coming in and doing something special every game," Haugh said. "Everybody steps up. If it's not your night, someone has your back. I just have that attitude going into every game; that it's not about me. It's about the team. I don't care about stats. If we win, we all win. That's what we're all trying to do here, right? And it's fun when we do it."
Thomas Haugh (left) and best buddy Alex Condon rejoice after upsetting top-ranked Auburn on the road.
Florida has enjoyed 27 wins this season, the second-most regular-season victories in the program’s 118-year history. While Thomas Haugh’s parents haven’t been able to attend as many games as they’d like, they can see their son’s happiness from afar — his body language makes it clear.
There are also the moments that tug at a parent’s heart.
"He told me once, 'Mom, when I say my prayers, I always ask that I don't get hurt, and I don't wake up and find out being a Gator is all a dream,' " Jenn Haugh said. "He's fallen in love with his life at Florida."
For Thomas, it’s not a dream — it’s the reality of playing at his dream school.
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu
