Florida Gators women's soccer
Women's soccer team of the University of Florida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Florida Gators women's soccer team represents the University of Florida in the sport of college soccer. The Gators compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Home games are played at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on the university's Gainesville, Florida campus. They have won thirteen conference championships and one NCAA national championship.
| Florida Gators soccer | |
|---|---|
| |
| Founded | 1995 |
| University | University of Florida |
| Head coach | Nick Zimmerman |
| Conference | SEC Eastern Division |
| Location | Gainesville, Florida, US |
| Stadium | Donald R. Dizney Stadium (capacity: 1,500) |
| Nickname | Florida Gators |
| Colors | Orange and blue[1] |
| NCAA tournament championships | |
| 1998 | |
| NCAA tournament College Cup | |
| 1998, 2001 | |
| NCAA tournament Quarterfinals | |
| 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2014, 2017 | |
| NCAA tournament Round of 16 | |
| 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 | |
| NCAA tournament Round of 32 | |
| 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 | |
| NCAA tournament appearances | |
| 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 | |
| Conference tournament championships | |
| 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016 | |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 | |
History
Becky Burleigh was named the first head coach of the start-up Florida Gators soccer program on June 28, 1994.[2] Since the Gators' began play in the fall of 1995, the team has compiled a record of 414-120-36 and a winning percentage of 0.7579, and Burleigh's Gators teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 21 of the 24 seasons of the program's history.[2]
In 1998, in the Gators soccer program's fourth year of existence, the Gators won their first NCAA national title by defeating the defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels 1–0 in the final game of the tournament.[3] The 1998 Gators finished 26–1, having lost their only match to the same North Carolina team that the Gators defeated in the NCAA championship final.[3] Players from the Gators' 1998 national championship team included All-Americans Erin Baxter, Danielle Fotopoulos and Heather Mitts.[3]
In addition to their 1998 national championship season, the Gators have advanced to the NCAA tournament semi-final once (2001), the quarter-finals four times (1996, 2003, 2014, 2017), and the round of sixteen six times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017).[2]
The Gators play in the Southeastern Conference.[4] In conference play, the Gators teams have won ten SEC championships, and twelve SEC tournament titles, leading all other SEC teams since the Florida soccer team began play in 1995.[5] Most recently, the Gators won the SEC championship (regular season) again in 2015 and the SEC championship (tournament) in 2016. In 2016, the Gators advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament before losing to Auburn.[2] The Gators finished the 2016 season 8–3-0 in the SEC, and 17-5-1 overall.[2]
Burleigh announced she would retire at the end of the team's 2020–21 season[6] and was replaced by Embry-Riddle head coach Samantha Bohon.
Roster
As of September 5, 2024[7]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable players
First-team All-Americans
The following Florida soccer players have been named first-team All-Americans:[8]
- Erin Baxter (1997)
- Danielle Fotopoulos (1998)
- Heather Mitts (1999)
- Abby Wambach (1999, 2001)
- Melanie Booth (2005)
- Erika Tymrak (2012)
- Christen Westphal (2015)
- Savannah Jordan (2015)
Internationals and professionals
- Former All-American Danielle Fotopoulos was a member of the U.S. National Team (1996–2005), and played on the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup championship team.
- Abby Wambach and Heather Mitts won the gold medal with the United States in women's soccer at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens,[additional citation(s) needed][9] and Mitts won the gold medal again at the 2008 games in Beijing.[9] Both Wambach and Mitts were members of the U.S. runner-up team in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, while Wambach captained the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup winning team.
- Former All-American Melanie Booth has been a member of the Canada National Team since 2001, and was a member of Canada's FIFA Women's World Cup team in (2007).
- Danielle Murphy played for the England National Team from 1998 to 2003, and was the youngest-ever member of England's FIFA Women's World Cup team.[citation needed]
- Erika Tymrak was named National Women's Soccer League Rookie of the Year in 2013 and won two titles with FC Kansas City, in 2014 and 2014.
- Deanne Rose has been a member of the Canada National team since 2015,[10] and won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games as well as a gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[11]
- Christen Westphal was the third overall selection in the 2016 NWSL College Draft, taken by the Boston Breakers in the first round. She joined fellow former Gators Tymrak, Adriana Leon, Lauren Silver, Havana Solaun and Kat Williamson in the league.[12]
- Kaylan Marckese was selected with the 28th pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft by Sky Blue FC (now known as Gotham FC). In July 2022, she signed for Arsenal of the WSL.[13]
Coaching staff
Becky Burleigh became the first head coach of the Florida Gators soccer program on June 28, 1994. Prior to coaching at Florida, Burleigh was the head coach at Berry College, where her Lady Fury teams won two NAIA national championships.[14] At Florida and Berry, Burleigh compiled an overall record of 496-141-43, with a winning percentage of 0.7610.[14] She ranked fourth in total number of wins, and fifth in winning percentage, among all active Division I women's soccer coaches at the time of her tenure.[14]
Tony Amato served as head coach for the 2021 season before being terminated after one season and a 4–12–4 record.
Samantha Bohon was hired as the third head coach of the program on May 16, 2022.[15] On November 12, 2025, Bohon was fired after compiling an 18–34–18 overall record and 5–23–12 in SEC play over four seasons.[16][17]
On December 5, 2025, Nick Zimmerman was named the fourth head coach in program history.[18] Zimmerman, previously head coach at Mississippi State (where he led the team to a 12–7–1 record and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2025), will lead the Gators into their 32nd season in fall 2026.[18]
Current coaching staff
- Head Coach: Nick Zimmerman (since December 2025)[19]
- Associate Head Coach: Jonathan Garbar
- Assistant Coach: Kerri Hanks Petersen
- Assistant Coach: David Styles
James G. Pressly Stadium
The Florida Gators soccer team plays its home games in James G. Pressly Stadium.[20] Pressly Stadium is a dual-purpose facility serving as home to the soccer team and the men's and women's outdoor track & field teams.[20] It is a lighted stadium and has a seating capacity of approximately 4,500.[20] The stadium is named for James G. Pressly, a 1972 alumnus of the University of Florida College of Law, who made a generous contribution to have the facility upgraded for Division I play.[20]
The Gators soccer team also has the exclusive use of a soccer practice field that was completed as part of the Florida Lacrosse Facility in 2009.[20]
Season records
| NCAA Division I Champions | Conference Champions | Conference Tournament Champions | Division Champions |
| Season | Head coach | Conference | Conference record | Conference ranking | Conference tournament results | Regular season record | Final ranking | Postseason results | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Overall | ||||||||
| 1995 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 6-1-1 | 2 | 2 | Auburn T 0-0 v. Auburn (5-4 Auburn PKs) |
14-4-2 | NR | Did Not Make |
| 1996 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-0-0 | 1 | 1 | Lexington W 3-0 v. Tennessee W 6-1 v. Auburn W 3-2 (2OT) v. Arkansas |
22-3-0 | 8 | Gainesville W 7-3 v. NC State W 5-0 v. Wake Forest Chapel Hill L 0-9 v. North Carolina |
| 1997 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 7-1-0 | 2 | 2 | Gainesville W 6-0 v. Ole Miss W 3-1 v. Georgia W 4-2 v. Vanderbilt |
20-3-1 | 9 | Gainesville W 3-2 v. Vanderbilt Chapel Hill L 0-5 v. North Carolina |
| 1998 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-0-0 | 1 | 1 | Tuscaloosa W 6-0 v. South Carolina W 2-0 v. Kentucky W 2-0 v. Vanderbilt |
26-1-0 | 1 | First round Bye Gainesville W 5-1 v. James Madison W 1-0 v. Northwestern W 3-1 v. Penn State Greensboro W 1-0 v. Santa Clara W 1-0 v. North Carolina |
| 1999 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 9-0-0 | 1 | 1 | Nashville W 4-3 v. Arkansas W 3-0 v. Vanderbilt W 3-0 v. Ole Miss |
21-2-0 | 10 | First round Bye Gainesville L 0-1 v. Hartford |
| 2000 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 9-0-0 | 1 | 1 | Athens W 4-1 v. Arkansas W 2-1 v. Kentucky W 2-0 v. Georgia |
16-8-0 | 19 | First round Bye Gainesville L 1-2 v. Florida State |
| 2001 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-1-0 | 1 | 1 | Baton Rouge W 4-0 v. Vanderbilt W 3-1 v. Kentucky W 2-1 v. Auburn |
21-4-1 | 4 | Gainesville W 4-0 v. UCF W 3-0 v. Georgia W 3-1 v. Clemson Los Angeles W 1-0 (2OT) v. UCLA Dallas L 2-3 v. Santa Clara |
| 2002 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 5-3-0 | 2 | T3 | Oxford W 2-1 v. South Carolina W 2-0 v. LSU L 1-2 (2OT) v. Tennessee |
10-10-2 | NR | Did Not Make |
| 2003 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 6-2-1 | 2 | 3 | Orange Beach W 3-1 v. Vanderbilt W 4-1 v. Georgia T 1-1 v. Tennessee (7-6 Tennessee PKs) |
19-4-2 | 8 | Gainesville W 3-2 (2OT) v. UCF W 4-3 (2OT) v. Mississippi W 1-0 v. Tennessee L 1-2 v. Florida State |
| 2004 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 7-2-2 | 2 | 3 | Auburn W 2-0 v. Alabama W 3-0 v. Ole Miss W 2-1 (2OT) v. Tennessee |
16-4-3 | 21 | Gainesville L 2-3 v. UCF |
| 2005 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-2-1 | T2 | T3 | Orange Beach L 2-1 v. Auburn |
13-6-1 | 20 | Gainesville L 0-1 (2OT) v. Illinois |
| 2006 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 7-1-3 | 1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 4-1 v. Georgia W 2-0 v. South Carolina L 1-2 v. Kentucky |
14-6-5 | 10 | Milwaukee W 2-0 v. Loyola T 0-0 v. Marquette (4-3 Florida PKs) Los Angeles L 2-3 v. UCLA |
| 2007 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 9-2-0 | 1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 4-0 v. Kentucky W 1-0 (2OT) v. LSU W 4-1 v. Georgia |
17-5-3 | 17 | Gainesville W 3-0 v. Miami T 0-0 v. UCF (4-3 Florida PKs) Los Angeles L 0-1 Southern California |
| 2008 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 11-0-0 | 1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 2-1 v. Alabama L 0-3 v. Georgia |
19-4-1 | 10 | Gainesville W 2-1 v. California W 2-0 v. UCF L 1-2 v. Texas A&M |
| 2009 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-1-2 | 1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 1-0 (2OT) v. Tennessee L 0-1 v. South Carolina |
16-6-2 | 15 | Columbus W 2-0 v. Illinois State L 0-1 (OT) v. Oregon State |
| 2010 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 9-1-1 | 1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 5-3 v. Vanderbilt W 3-1 v. Georgia W 1-0 v. South Carolina |
19-2-3 | 12 | Gainesville W 3-0 v. Mercer T 0-0 v. Duke (4-2 Duke PKs) |
| 2011 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 7-4-0 | T2 | T3 | Orange Beach W 2-0 v. Georgia W 2-1 v. Alabama L 2-3 v. Auburn |
17-8-0 | RV | Gainesville W 3-0 v. FGCU L 2-3 v. UCF |
| 2012 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 11-2-0 | 1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 2-1 v. Mississippi W 3-0 v. Missouri W 3-0 v. Auburn |
19-5-1 | Gainesville W 2-0 v. FGCU W 1-0 v. UCF L 0-2 v. Notre Dame | |
| 2013 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 9-2-0 | 1 | Orange Beach W 1-0 v. Arkansas W 2-1 v. Mississippi L 1-2 v. Texas A&M |
15-3-1 | Gainesville W 2-0 v. Jacksonville Durham L 0-1 v. Duke | ||
| 2014 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 9-2-0 | 2 | Orange Beach T 1-1 v. Tennessee (Tennessee 5-4 PKs) |
17-4-2 | Gainesville W 3-0 v. Mercer W 3-1 v. UC Berkeley W 3-2 v. Texas Tech Palo Alto T 2-2 v. Stanford (Stanford 4-3 PKs) | ||
| 2015 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-2-1 | 1 | Orange Beach W 2-1 v. Vanderbilt W 2-0 v. Auburn W 2-1 v. Texas A&M |
19-4-1 | 6 | Gainesville W 1-0 v. Western Michigan W 5-2 v. William & Mary L 1-2 v. Duke | |
| 2016 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 8-3-0 | T3 | Orange Beach T 3-3 v. Missouri (8-7 Florida PKs) W 1-0 v. South Carolina W 2-1 (OT) v. Arkansas |
17-5-1 | 10 | Gainesville W 3-0 v. Florida Gulf Coast W 3-2 (2OT) v. Wisconsin L 1-2 v. Auburn | |
| 2017 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 7-3-0 | 3 | Orange Beach W 1-0 v. Auburn L 1-2 (OT) v. Texas A&M |
17-7-0 | Gainesville W 3-0 v. South Alabama W 1-0 v. USF W 1-0 (2OT) v. Washington State Columbia L 0-2 v. South Carolina | ||
| 2018 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 4-4-2 | 8 | Orange Beach T 1-1 v. Auburn (Florida 2-1 PKs) W 1-0 v. Vanderbilt L 0-1 (OT) v. Arkansas |
7-10-4 | NR | Did not qualify | |
| 2019 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 6-3-1 | 3rd | T | 11-9-1 | NCAA First Round | ||
| 2020 | Becky Burleigh | SEC | 1-6-1 | 13th | 6-8-3 | NR | Did not qualify (COVID-affected) | ||
| 2021 | Tony Amato | SEC | 3-6-1 | T10 | 4-12-4 | NR | Did not qualify | ||
| 2022 | Samantha Bohon | SEC | 0-9-1 | 14 | 2-14-1 | NR | Did not qualify | ||
| 2023 | Samantha Bohon | SEC | 2-4-4 | 13 | 11th | 6-5-6 | NR | Did not qualify | |
| 2024 | Samantha Bohon | SEC | 1-7-2 | 15 | 11th | 4-8-6 | NR | Did not qualify | |
| 2025 | Samantha Bohon | SEC | 2-3-5 | 11th-ish | First round exit (e.g., L vs Kentucky) | 6-7-5 | NR | Did not qualify for NCAA | |
| 2026 | Nick Zimmerman | SEC | Season ongoing/future | ||||||
| Total | 188-39-15 | 453-182-62 | 35-18-4 | ||||||
