1998 NCAA Champions •20 NCAA Championship Appearances 14-time SEC Champions ▪1996, ’97, ’98, ’99, ’00, ’01, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’12, ’13, ‘15 Today’s Match: What’s Happening? No. 5 Florida (2-0, 0-0 SEC) versus Ohio State (0-2, 0-0 Big Ten) A stretch of seven consecutive matches versus 2017 NCAA Tournament teams begins Friday when Date & Time: Friday, Aug. 24 @ 7 p.m. ET No. 5 Florida faces defending Big Ten champion Ohio State. Friday’s match begins at 7 p.m. at the Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500) Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Coaches: Becky Burleigh, 29th season overall (491-133-38) and 24th season at UF (409-110-32/UF), Lori Walker-Hock, 24th Dizney Stadium is now Gator soccer’s permanent site for home action. The Gators have played a season overall (254-185-42) and 22nd season at OSU (217-148- limited schedule (including all post-season action) at Dizney Stadium since 2014. With the renovations 35) currently undergoing at the Percy Beard Track, it signaled time for soccer’s permanent move to Dizney Series Record: Ohio State leads 1-0 Stadium for all home play. Television: none Radio: none The 2018 Florida team, made up of 30 players, includes six making their first appearance for the Streaming video: SEC Network + Gators. Florida returns 10 starters from the 2017 NCAA Elite Eight team. Internet: live stats and audio for UF-OSU match available on Three 2018 Gators earned All-SEC honors last season – Parker Roberts (first team), Deanne Rose FloridaGators.com (first) and Rachelle Smith (second). Roberts and Rose also appeared on the 2017 United Soccer Admission: free Coaches All-Southeast Region team. Promotions: Mystery Night at the Diz! Students will be entered to win a BIG mystery prize just for attending; Fireworks! Stay for the Florida opened the 2018 campaign with a pair of home wins - 2-1 over Washington and 4-2 over post-match fireworks show!; Get Gator autographs - the team will Florida Atlantic. Four different Gators provided the scoring over the weekend, with Sammie Betters sign autographs on the concourse level following the fireworks. and Madison Alexander scoring in both contests. In Sunday’s match, senior Melanie Monteagudo opened the scoring and freshman Cassidy Lindley hit her first collegiate goal within the first minute of Florida SID Contact: Mary Howard the second half. Office: 352-375-4683, ext 6100 Email: [email protected] The first Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week honor went to Lindley. She tallied a goal and three assists in her first weekend as a Gator. Her five points leads Florida. She is the first Gator to earn the SEC Freshman of the Week award since Julia Lester claimed the 2016 season’s Week 11 honor. Did You Know… Lindley also was the only freshman on TopDrawerSoccer.com’s National Team of the Week. Florida meets six teams among the latest United Soccer Coaches top-25 rankings. Florida is No. 5 on the first United Soccer Coaches rankings, release Aug. 21. UF was No. 7 on the preseason poll, marking the 22nd consecutive appearance in the coaches’ association preseason poll All the meetings are spread over three weekends, with a match and the seventh straight year among the nation’s top 10. Ohio State is the first of seven teams on versus a top-25 team on Thursday/Friday and then again on Florida’s schedule ranked in the United Soccer Coaches preseason top 25. The Donald R. Dizney Sunday. Four come in consecutive matches, starting next Friday Stadium is the site for four of those matches - No. 2 UCLA (Aug. 31), No. 12 Southern California (Sept. versus No. 2 UCLA. 2), No. 23 Ohio State (Aug. 24) and No. 25 Tennessee (Oct. 4). Florida travels to meet preseason No. 5 South Carolina (Oct. 7), No. 10 Florida State (Sept. 7) and No. 16 Central Florida. Rank Opponent Site Date Florida is the SEC coaches pick to win the 2018 league title. South Carolina is the two-time defending 2 UCLA H Aug. 31 SEC champion. Florida is one of five SEC teams in the current United Soccer Coaches national rankings 6 Florida State A Sept. 7 –No. 5 Florida, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 10 South Carolina, No. 13 Tennessee and No. 24 Auburn. The 8 Southern California H Sept. 2 SEC led the nation in 2017 with an all-time high nine teams receiving NCAA Tournament bids 10 South Carolina A Oct. 7 – Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. South Carolina defeated Florida 2-0 in NCAA Quarterfinal action to advance to the NCAA 13 Tennessee H Oct. 4 College Cup. 23 UCF A Sept. 9 These two teams last met in early 2015 season action in Columbus, Ohio, with the Buckeyes taking a 1- 0 overtime win. Ohio State won its first Big Ten title in 2017, as the Buckeyes posted a 15-5-1 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In the 2018 Big Ten coaches preseason poll, OSU is picked to finish second. Three Buckeyes appear on the 2018 Big Ten Players to Watch list - seniors Arden Holden, Sarah Roberts and sophomore Izzy Rodriguez. OSU also returns Devon Kerr, who played all but 107 minutes in goal for the 2017 Buckeyes, turning in a 0.63 goals against average. OSU opened the season No. 23 on the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. Last weekend on the road in the Tar Heel State, OSU dropped 2-0 decisions at No. 3 Duke and No. 6 North Carolina. Lori Walker-Hock, the 2017 Big Ten Coach of the Year, is in her 22nd season with the Buckeyes. ABOUT THE GATORS: About the 2018 Gators Location: Gainesville, Fla. The 2018 Gator team is made up 30 players. Among the six newcomers are five Enrollment: 55,862 freshmen and one transfers. Ten starters return from Florida’s 2017 NCAA Elite Eight President: Dr. W. Kent Fuchs team. Athletics Director: Scott Stricklin Conference: Southeastern Three Gators earned 2017 All-SEC honors. Redshirt junior Parker Roberts and Nickname: Gators sophomore Deanne Rose were part of the 2017 All-SEC first team. Senior Rachelle Colors: Orange & Blue Smith appeared on the 2017 All-SEC second team. UF SOCCER QUICK FACTS: 12 of the 16 Gators earning points in 2017 return this season. Those not 2018 Record: 2-0, 0-0 SEC returning - Gabby Seiler (6 goals, 8 assists – 20 points), Cassie Owens 2017 Record: 17-7, 7-3 SEC (1 – 2 pts), Samantha Chung (1g – 2 pts) and Kristen Cardano (1a – 2017 SEC Finish: 3rd overall; T3rd in SEC Tournament 1pt) – generated 25 points and eight goals. COACHING STAFF: Carina Baltrip-Reyes transferred from Florida International, joining the Head Coach: Becky Burleigh Gators for 2018 spring training. The redshirt sophomore Career Record/Years: 491-133-38/ 29 seasons defender/midfielder is eligible to compete for the Gators this season. UF Record: 409-110-32 / 24 seasons Associate Head Coaches: Vic Campbell & Alan Kirkup Several Gators spent part of their summer with teams in the Women’s Volunteer Coach: John Roman Premier Soccer League (WPSL) or other leagues - Madison Alexander (Motor City FC), Baltrip-Reyes (FC Austin Elite), Haillie Lower (Tampa RETURNING ALL-SEC PLAYERS: Bay United), Alyssa Howell (Florida SOL FC), Roberts (Asheville City FC), Tess Sapone (Washington Spirit Reserves) and Danielle Van Liere Parker Roberts (2017 SEC first team) (Charlotte Eagles). Deanne Rose (2017 SEC first team) Rachelle Smith (2017 SEC second team) Four Gators were called into various national team activities – Cassidy Lindley (U.S. U-18 camp), Roberts (two U.S. U-23 camps) and Rose 2018 University of Florida Soccer Schedule (Canada’s Algarve Cup team). Freshman Georgia Eaton-Collins also Date Opponent (TV/Radio) Time (ET) played for England in a U-19 2018 European Championship qualifier. Aug. 7 Florida Gulf Coast# (Exhibition) W, 4-0 Aug. 17 Washington (SEC Network +) W, 1-0 Six Newcomers in 2018 Aug. 19 Florida Atlantic (SEC Network +) W, 4-2 Florida welcomes five freshmen and one transfer to its 2018 roster. Aug. 24 Ohio State (SEC Network +) 7 p.m. Aug. 26 Oklahoma State 2 p.m. Taylor Baksay played with the Palm Harbor University team that reached Aug. 31 UCLA (SEC Network +) 7 p.m. the FHSAA 5A semifinal in 2015 and 2018. Earned 2018 Pinellas County Sept. 2 Southern California (SEC Network +) 6 p.m. Athletic Conference North county first-team honors. Sept. 7 Florida State 7 p.m. Georgia Eaton-Collins of Ipswich, Suffolk, England, has been a member Sept. 9 Central Florida 6 p.m. of England youth national teams at Under-15, U-16, U-17 and U-19. Sept. 16 Vanderbilt (SEC Network) 3 p.m. Member of Arsenal’s 2017-18 Women’s Super League (WSL) Sept. 20 Kentucky 7:30 p.m. development championship team and named team’s U-20 Player of the Sept. 23 Louisiana State (SEC Network +) 1 p.m. 2017-18 season. Sept. 28 Mississippi State 8 p.m. Cassidy Lindley was the 2017 West Most Valuable Player and named to Oct. 4 Tennessee (SEC Network +) 6:30 p.m. Best XI at 2017 High School All-American Game, held in Orlando Dec. 2. Oct. 7 South Carolina (SEC Network) 3 p.m. Attended February’s U.S. U-18 camp in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Oct. 14 Alabama (ESPNU) 5 p.m. Mary Peach of Lakeland played with Lakeland Christian which reached Oct. 18 Georgia (SEC Network +) 6:30 p.m.