January 20, 2026
South Sumter Senior Timothy Gaynor Commits to NCAA Division II Seton Hill
By Kyle Coppola
South Sumter Senior Timothy Gaynor Commits to NCAA Division II Seton Hill
South Sumter High School senior running back Timothy Gaynor has announced his commitment to Seton Hill University, an NCAA Division II program in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
Timothy was a key force in the Raiders’ return to the FHSAA playoffs in 2025. The decision allows Timothy to continue both his athletic career and academic pursuits on a a full scholarship.
Timothy is often referred to as T3. Earlier this year he helped lead South Sumter to a 6-5 record, culminating in a berth in the Class 3A playoffs. The Raiders competed in the FHSAA regional quarterfinals falling to Eastside High.
No matter if it’s been on the field or off of it, Timothy is a workhorse. He rushed for 928 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in 2025. He also contributed on special teams, averaging 17 yards per kickoff return. He’s also a good student and carries a 3.4 GPA.
South Sumter head coach Ty Lawrence’s teams have historically had many high GPA players over the years and Coach Lawrence praised Timothy’s dedication from the moment he arrived on campus.
“The first day that T3 stepped foot onto South Sumter High campus he went to work,” Lawrence says. “He has an extreme work ethic. That is why he is going to be able to go to college for free. He was a great Running back for us this year. He is not a shifty runner. He is a one cut and go type of back. Big physical runner. That style of running is what makes South Sumter, South Sumter. We are going to miss him but excited to see him grow at Seton Hill.”
Gaynor will join a Seton Hill program that fields a competitive Division II squad but is coming off a 4-7 season in 2025. The arrival of Timothy is a big addition to the program and he will no doubt have an impact with his athleticism.
Congratulations to his family, coaches, friends, teammates and everyone who’s helped him get to this point.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
