The Florida Gators soccer team kicks off their season this Friday as they square off with the Iowa State Cyclones. This Florida team enters the season with a bit of a chip on their shoulder after being eliminated by Duke in the round of 16 just a few months ago. The Gators return 15 players this season and look to get off to a better start than the one in the previous year. Head coach Becky Burleigh has spent 22 seasons coaching the Gators and has accumulated an outstanding track record over that time.
After opening with Iowa State, the Gators will then go over to the west coast to face off with Stanford and UCLA. Two games that will lay the foundation of the identity of Becky Burleigh’s team; a team that will have much more experience and leadership in the 2016 campaign. When their west coast trip is over, the Gators will then go to Tallahassee to face off with rival Florida State. The Gators will then face Oklahoma State before galloping through the SEC Gauntlet. Last season in conference play, the Gators had a record of 8-2-1. Like in almost every other sport, playing in the southeastern conference prepares you for postseason play like none other. The conference is jam packed with soccer Goliaths that will test you in every aspect of your game.
This season for the Gators is about starting the year with the same momentum they finished with a season ago. At the end of last season, Florida piled up 11 straight victories before being downed by Duke. To do that, they must continue to play aggressively, and rely on their proven leaders. Leaders like leading goal scorer Savannah Jordan. A year ago, the Florida Gators soccer team was young and inexperienced; having only three seniors and virtually having to build a team from scratch. Jordan had a career high 24 goals in the 2015 season and because of her outstanding performance at the forward position, was awarded the 2015 SEC Offensive Player of the Year award.
As Jordan attempts to recreate her red hot finish to her junior season, she will be accompanied by Gabby Seiler; a junior who transferred from the University of Georgia in 2014 and was required to sit out the 2015 season because of conference transfer rules. Seiler scored in the final exhibition game of the summer against the University of South Florida, a welcome sight to Becky Burleigh and the Gator coaching staff. Making the opposing defense have another threat to watch, the Gators hope to sprint past the competition and impose their will against everyone on their schedule.
With proven abilities of Jordan and upside of the returning sophomores who gained experience having to play as freshman, the University of Florida is eyeing yet chance to go deep in the NCAA tournament; hoping to get back to the round of 16 for a third consecutive season.