GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida plays host to Florida Gulf Coast Friday for NCAA Women's Soccer Opening Round action.
Friday's match at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium begins at 7 p.m.
Both teams won their conference tournament titles Sunday to take the automatic berth in the 64-team NCAA field. This is the third meeting between the two programs in NCAA opening round play since 2011 and Florida owns a 4-0 advantage in the all-time series.
Ticket Information:
Tickets for Friday's match are $7 for adults and $3 for children (12 and under), students and senior citizens.
The first 200 UF student showing at Gator1 card are admitted free.
Ticket sales begin Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. at the Gator Ticket Office, located at gate 1 of the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Tickets can also be purchased Friday at the Dizney Stadium ticket windows beginning at 5:30 p.m. For more information:
- visit the UAA Ticket Office site
- contact the UAA Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, ext. 6800 or 1-800-34GATOR, ext. 6800 (state of Florida only)
Here's how to follow the Gators
Can't be at Dizney Stadium for Friday's match? Here's how to follow the action:
- Follow the stream of the Florida-FGCU match on WatchESPN
- Hear Daniel Gillman and Annie Bobbitt's call of Friday's match on FloridaGators.com
NCAA Notables:
- Florida's 20 overall NCAA appearances is tied for 13th among Division I programs. Among those teams in the top 14, Florida is the youngest as the UF program is in its 22nd season. ^
- This is Florida's 14th straight NCAA appearance – which ranks ninth for active streaks of consecutive NCAA Championship berths. North Carolina leads all as the Tar Heels have appeared in all 35 NCAA Championship fields. ^
- Six Southeastern Conference teams received 2016 NCAA bids – Florida, Arkansas, Auburn, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas A&M. The Big Ten leads the nation with eight representatives, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference's seven. The SEC, Pac-12 and Big 12 are next with six each. Three SEC teams head into the tournament as top-four regional seeds (No. 1 Florida, No. 1 South Carolina, No. 3 Auburn). The ACC leads with six regional seeds and the SEC and Pac-12 are next with three each.
- Florida is 30-17-4 all-time in NCAA play. Thirty wins ranks No. 13 all-time among the 234 teams which have appeared in NCAA Division Championship action.
See the complete NCAA Championship field
Florida at 2016 SEC Soccer Tournament:
Florida claimed its 12
th Southeastern Conference Tournament title on Nov. 6 in Orange Beach, Ala., with a 2-1 overtime win over then No. 19 Arkansas. Dramatic results followed Florida throughout the SEC Tournament – tying Missouri 3-3 2OT (advancing 8-7 on penalty kicks) and then handing No. 2 South Carolina its first loss of the season (1-0).
Florida placed the same four players who earned 2016 All-SEC honors on the SEC All-Tournament team. Senior
Meggie Dougherty Howard was named the SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player. She provided Florida with assists in each SEC Tournament match, including on the golden goal versus Arkansas. She is the 14
th Gator to earn SEC Tournament MVP honors. Joining her on the All-Tournament team was
Savannah Jordan who scored goals in UF's final two tournament wins. Defenders
Kristen Cardano and
Gabby Seiler also earned SEC All-Tournament honors.
About the FGCU Eagles:
The FGCU Eagles earned its third consecutive and fifth overall NCAA Championship berth by taking the Atlantic Sun's automatic bid with a 2-0 win over Lipscomb Sunday in Fort Myers. FGCU also took the ASUN regular-season title with a 6-0-1 record.
The NCAAs top two active leaders will be playing at Dizney Stadium Friday, as FGCU senior Tabby Tindell is second to UF's Jordan in goals (66) and points (162). Tindell is the 2016 ASUN Player of the Year and leads the league with 14 goals and 36 points. She was joined on the ASUN first team by defender Ashley Parks and midfielders Ali Rogers and Paulina Speckmaier. Rogers, who scored both goals in Sunday's ASUN Tournament title match, was the MVP of the event. Defender Lindsey Patton landed on the ASUN second team. Melissa Weck leads the ASUN with her 10 shutouts and GAA of 0.73.
Jim Blankenship is in his 10
th season with the FGCU Eagles.
Team Records:
Florida: 15-4-1, 8-3 SEC
FGCU: 14-4-1, 6-0-1 ASUN
