S O C C E `• R This Weekend’s Matches: What’s Happening? ⚽ Florida (0-1-1, 0-0 SEC) versus No. 19 Central Florida (1-0, 0-0 Florida finishes a three-match homestand facing a pair of undefeated in-state AAC) opponents. Date & Time: Thursday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. ET Action begins Thursday when No. 19 Central Florida visits the Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500) Donald R. Dizney Stadium. UCF opened the season Aug. 19 with a The Coaches: Tony Amato, 19th season overall (215-103-32) and first season at 4-0 home win over Texas. UF (0-1-1), Tiffany Roberts-Sahaydak, 15th season overall (145-89-36) and ninth Miami comes to town for a Sunday, Aug. 29 afternoon match. The at UCF (92-39-17) Gators finished the extended 2020-21 season in Coral Gables in Series Record: Florida leads 14-5-1. Last meeting, UCF won 2-0 on Sept. 8, April, claiming a 2-0 win. 2019 at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium Tickets: Free admission This is Gator Soccer’s 27th season as women’s athletics celebrates its 50th Television: none anniversary at the University of Florida in 2021-22. UF soccer advanced to the Radio: GatorVision with Skyler Lebron and Juan Aguerrevere calling the action NCAA Tournament 22 times and is one of 11 programs to win a NCAA title in the Streaming video: SEC Network + with Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington 39-year history of NCAA play. Florida’s 14 Southeastern Conference titles leads calling the action the league. Internet: live stats and audio for UCF at UF match available on FloridaGators.com UF and UCF last met in September 2019 at Dizney Stadium. The Knights scored in the first and final five minutes (goals by Ally Gudorf and Kristen Scott) to take ⚽ Florida vs Miami (1-0, 0-0 ACC) their second consecutive win over the Gators. Date & Time: Sunday, Aug. 29 at 1 p.m. ET Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500) Florida and Miami met on April 3 in Coral Gables to finish the extended 2020-21 Miami Coach: Sarah Barnes, 10th season overall (73-70-20) and fourth season at season. Florida scored early and late in the match for a 2-0 win. Freshman Beata UM (13-29-6) Olsson’s interception of a pass between UM defenders led to her goal in the fifth Series Record: Florida leads 9-2. Last meeting, Florida closed the 2020-21 minute. Samantha Tobar scored her first Gator goal in the 81st minute. The play season with a 2-0 win in Coral Gables, Fla., on April 3, 2021 started with Madison Alexander sending the ball right for Kouri Peace to catch Tickets: Free admission up to just inside the box. Peace's square pass to Tobar located at top of the box Television: none was calmly placed in with a left-footed strike. Radio: ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM with Skyler Lebron and Juan Aguerrevere calling the action The 2021 Gators consists of 31 players, including seven freshmen and one Streaming video: SEC Network + with Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington transfer. Florida returns eight with eight or more starts in last season’s 17-match calling the action schedule. Internet: live stats and audio for UF vs UM match available on FloridaGators.com Tony Amato is the second coach in Florida’s 27-season history. Becky Burleigh, Florida SID Contact: Mary Howard who started the Gator program in 1995, retired from collegiate coaching following th Office: 352-375-4683, ext 6100 the 2020-21 season. Amato starts his 19 collegiate coaching season in 2021, Email: [email protected] after spending the last eight seasons with the Arizona Wildcats. In his last 11 seasons coaching at the DI level, Amato led his teams to NCAA action six times, with the 2015 Arizona squad advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16. DID YOU KNOW? The Southeastern Conference opened up the 2021 season with seven matches Florida was 6-8-3 in the pandemic season that spanned both fall 2020 and spring versus top-20 opponents: 2021. The Gators were 13th in Southeastern Conference action at 1-6-1 and advanced to the SEC Tournament second round. Top returning points scorer Aug. 19 from 2020-21 is graduate Madison Alexander, who is taking advantage of the No. 6 Duke 3, No. 13 Arkansas 1 pandemic extra year of eligibility to play a fifth season in 2021. Alexander was No. 20 South Florida 2, Florida 1 third among the Gators last season with 11 points off two goals and a team-high No. 1 Florida State 1, No. 9 Texas A&M 0 seven assists. Seven other Gators who scored goals last season return in 2021. Aug. 21 Of Florida’s three goalkeepers, only sophomore Alexa Goldberg has seen Auburn 2, No. 15 BYU 1 collegiate action. She appeared in four matches last season with one start. Aug. 22 No. 1 Florida State 4, Alabama 0 The Gators’ 2021 fall schedule includes six opponents ranked in the United No. 3 North Carolina 1, Arkansas 0 Soccer Coaches preseason top 25 – at No. 1 Florida State (Sept. 2), No. 3 North No. 8 TCU 2, No. 9 Texas A&M 1 Carolina (Sept. 9), No. 17 South Carolina (Oct. 28), at No. 18 Vanderbilt (Sept. 17), at No. 20 South Florida (Aug. 19) and No. 23 Mississippi (Oct. 3). Thursday’s Four more are coming up this weekend. opponent, No. 19 UCF, moved into the top-20 for the Aug. 24 poll. The SEC has Aug. 26 five teams among the preseason top 25 – second only to the Atlantic Coast LSU at No. 15 South Florida Conference’s six. No. 19 UCF at Florida Aug. 28 No. 9 Clemson at No. 21 Texas A&M Aug. 29 No. 5 Duke at Vanderbilt ABOUT THE GATORS: About the 2021 Gators Location: Gainesville, Fla. 8 Returners with eight or more starts in Florida’s 2020-21 17-match Enrollment: 52,218 schedule. President: Dr. W. Kent Fuchs 47% Goals scored in 2020-21 (15 of 32) return in 2021. Maddy Rhodes tied Athletics Director: Scott Stricklin for third among 2020-21 Gators with three goals. Madison Alexander Conference: Southeastern was third with 11 points and led UF with seven assists. Nickname: Gators 26% Newcomers (eight of 31) on 2021 roster. One transfer joins seven Colors: Orange & Blue freshmen All-SEC player (Kit Loferski/2019) UF SOCCER QUICK FACTS: 1 2021 Record: 0-1-1, 0-0 SEC 2 Wear “SEC Graduate” patch on their uniform – Madison Alexander and 2020 Record: 6-8-3, 1-6-1 SEC Kit Loferski 70% Minutes played in 2020-21 return to 2021 Gators lineup. COACHING STAFF: 72% Of the players (13 of the 18) to earn points in 2020-21 return. 2021 Head Coach: Tony Amato returners posted 54 of the 98 team points earned in 2020-21. Career Record/Years: 215-103-32 / 19th season UF Record: 0-1-1 / first season Assistant Coaches: Sandy Davison & Kyle Venter Eight Gator Newcomers in 2021 Volunteer Coach: Katie Nimitz Florida welcomes seven freshmen and one transfer to its 2021 roster. ALL-SEC PLAYERS: 15 Riley Thompson F Collinsville, Miss. (IMG Academy) Kit Loferski (2019 SEC first team) Scored 26 goals for IMG U19 which won first-ever The Girls Academy Southeast Conference title in 2021. Led nation’s Development Academy teams in 2018-19 with 32 goals and second in 2019-20 with 39 goals. 2021 University of Florida Soccer Schedule 16 Amaya Simoni-Walters D Seattle, Wash. (Lakeside H.S.) Date Opponent (TV/Radio) Time (ET) Member of Crossfire Premier XI 02/03 that won 2021 Dallas Cup U19 title. Played with U16 Aug. 12 vs Southern Mississippi^ (Exhibition) W, 2-1 Crossfire Premier (only U.S. team) at 2019 Madrid Cup in Spain, placing fourth. All-League Metro first team for Lakeside H.S. Aug. 19 No. 20 South Florida L, 2-1 19 Madeline Pirrello F Harrison, N.Y. (Harrison H.S.) Aug. 22 Texas T, 1-1 2OT Part of NYC FC Academy U16/17 that was runner-up in 2018-19 U.S. Soccer Development Aug. 26 No. 19 Central Florida 7 p.m. Academy Northeast standings. Led NYSC GA in assists in 2019. Scored 39 goals with NYC Aug. 29 Miami 1 p.m. FC in UF15/16 season. 21 Madison Young D Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Cardinal Sept. 2 Florida State 7 p.m. Gibbons H.S.) Sept. 5 Florida Gulf Coast 1 p.m. Miami Herald’s Broward 4A-2A 2021 Player of the Year after helping Cardinal Gibbons claim Sept. 9 North Carolina 7 p.m. its first-ever 4A FHSAA state title in 2021. Played for Weston FC last two seasons. Sept. 17 Vanderbilt 7 p.m. 22 Oakley Rasmussen MF Millville, Utah (Ridgeline H.S.) Sept. 19 North Florida 6 p.m. Deseret News Utah High School 4A MVP after helping Ridgeline H.S. claim its first-ever 4A UHSAA title in 2020. Played for La Roca FC ECNL team that won 2016 and 2020 State Sept. 23 Kentucky 6:30 p.m. championships. Played club with fellow Gator freshman Sophie White. Sept. 26 Mississippi State 7 p.m. 27 Julianne Leskauskas MF Manasquan, N.J. (St. Rose Oct. 3 Mississippi (SEC Network) 3 p.m. H.S./Rutgers) Oct. 7 Tennessee 7 p.m. Appeared in every match as a freshman at Rutgers’ NCAA Second Round team. 2018 Elite AllState All-American.