GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer opens the 2025 season Thursday at preseason No. 3 Florida State.
This is the fourth time in both program’s 31-season history that they meet to open a campaign. Both programs met for their debut match on Sept. 2, 1995, with the Gators taking a 4-0 home win.
Thursday, Aug. 14 at preseason No. 3 Florida State
Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium<https://floridagators.com/sports/2020/4/4/donald-r-dizney-stadium.aspx>
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Site: Seminole Soccer Complex<https://seminoles.com/facilities/seminole-soccer-complex/6>
TV: ACC Network<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/8453c697-ffa3-4378-a1f5-8e64eaf58e5e> Announcers: Jenn Hildreth and Kacey White
Live Stats<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=595621&vislive=fla>
Tickets<https://seminoles.com/tickets>
Florida is 21-6-3 in season openers. Thursday’s meeting is the eighth time UF opened a season versus a top-20 team (2-3-2 all-time vs top-20 teams in opener).
In 2025 preseason play, Florida won both of its exhibition matches – 1-0 versus Florida Atlantic<https://floridagators.com/news/2025/8/3/soccer-wins-1-0-vs-florida-atlantic-in-exhibition-action.aspx> and 4-1 at USF<https://floridagators.com/news/2025/8/9/florida-soccer-wins-4-1-at-usf-to-close-exhibition-action.aspx>. The Seminoles won 4-1 over Alabama in their only exhibition on Aug. 8.
About the 2025 Gators:
* Florida’s 28 player roster includes 11 newcomers – six freshmen and five transfers. The 17 returners includes five with eight or more starts in last season’s 18-match schedule. 2025 Gator Roster<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster>
* Florida was 4-8-6 in 2024. Two Gators with a pair of goals – Lena Bailey and Delaney Tellex – are the Gators leading returning scorers. Senior Njeri Butts is back after leading the 2024 team with a trio of assists. Florida returns two who saw action at goalkeeper last season – redshirt junior Jayden Emmanuel and redshirt sophomore Paloma Peña.
* Ten Gators appear on the 2025 SEC Soccer Preseason Watchlist<https://floridagators.com/news/2025/8/12/ten-gators-on-sec-soccer-preseason-watchlist.aspx> – Jayden Emmanuel (GK), Abby Gemma (D), Addy Hess (F), Megan Hinnenkamp (F), Katie Johnston (F), Madison Jones (MF), Charlotte McClure (MF), Paloma Peña (GK), Sophia Sindelar (MF) and Kai Tsakiris (MF)
* Six with state Gatorade Player of the Year and/or high school or club All-America honors
* Ryleigh Acosta (2022-23 United Soccer Coaches Winter/Spring H.S. All-America)
* Addy Hess (2024 Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year / 2022 and 2023 United Soccer Coaches Club/Youth All-America)
* Megan Hinnenkamp (2023 Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year / 2021-22 Winter/Spring United Soccer Coaches H.S. All-America)
* Katie Johnston (2022 and 2023 ECNL All-America)
* Brinley Murphy (2022 and 2023 Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year / 2021 and 2022 United Soccer Coaches H.S. All-America)
* Sophia Sindelar (2023 and 2024 United Soccer Coaches Fall H.S. All-America)
* International play was part of spring action for a pair of Gators.
* Senior Njeri Butts (Jamaica) played in a pair of international friendly matches versus Chile in February.
* Redshirt sophomore Paloma Peña (Dominican Republic) played every minute in goal versus Honduras to start June.
About Florida State:
Florida State turned in a 15-2-4 record in 2024 and shared second in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season standings with a 7-2-1 record. The Seminoles won their 11th ACC Tournament title with a 3-2 win over eventual NCAA champion North Carolina. The Seminoles were among the top four seeds for the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Vanderbilt upset FSU in the NCAA Second Round, advancing on penalty kicks after the two teams played to a 3-3 overtime tie.
The Seminoles top two returning goal scorers each posted nine goals in 2024 – junior All-American Jordynn Dudley and sophomore Wrianna Hudson. Sophomore Addie Todd started all 21 matches last season, posting a goals-against-average of 0.98. Dudley and senior defender Heather Gilchrist both appear on the preseason All-ACC team.
Brian Pensky begins his fifth season leading the Seminoles.