Florida Soccer Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Florida Women's Athletics
Mary Howard
10/28/2021
Gator Soccer hasn’t been around for all 50 seasons of University of Florida Women’s Athletics, but UF soccer plays a significant role in the program’s overall success.
From winning it all in 1998 – in just the program’s fourth season – to leading the Southeastern Conference in team and tournament titles, Gator Soccer is a substantial player in UF’s Women’s Athletics.
Here’s a look at what Gator Soccer has accomplished since first taking the field in 1995.
NCAA Success
Florida soccer has made 22 NCAA Appearances in program's 26 seasons, including reaching at least Elite Eight or better six times.
1996 NCAA Quarterfinal
1998 NCAA Champions
2001 NCAA Semfinal
2003 NCAA Quarterfinal
2014 NCAA Quarterfinal
2017 NCAA Quarterfinal
Southeastern Conference Success
League Leader:
- 14 Southeastern Conference titles
- 12 SEC Tournament titles
Gallery: SEC Soccer Champions
1 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
2 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
3 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
4 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
5 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
6 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
7 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
8 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
9 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
10 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
11 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
12 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
13 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
14 of 14
SEC Soccer Champions
SEC Tournament Champions
SEC Players of the Year
Danielle Fotopoulos - 1996 & 1998
Erin Baxter - 1997
Sarah Yohe - 1999
Abby Wambach - 2000 & 2001
Stephanie Freeman - 2003 & 2004
Lauren Hyde - 2009 (D)
Kathryn Williamson - 2010 (D)
Holly King - 2012 (D)
Erika Tymrak - 2012 (O)
Savannah Jordan - 2013 & 2015 (O)
Christen Westphal - 2015 (D)
Scoring Leaders:
- Six of the top five all-time Southeastern Conference scoring leaders are Gators
- Of the NCAA top 20 career goals leaders, three are Gators - Danielle Fotopoulos (No. 1 - 118 goals at SMU/UF); Abby Wambach (No. 7 - 96 goals) and Savannah Jordan (No. T17 - 81 goals)
Abby Wambach - 96 goals
Savannah Jordan - 81 goals
Andi Sellers - 71 goals
Danielle Fotopoulos - 66 goals
Melissa Pini - 60 goals
Sarah Yohe - 60 goals
Success in Classroom
- 174 athletes earned 381 SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades
- Seven with 11 CoSIDA Academic All-America honors
Gallery: Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
1 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
2 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
3 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
4 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
5 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
6 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
7 of 7
Soccer CoSIDA All-Americans
Representing their Country and Gator Nation in International Play
- Eight Gators represented their nation in every World Cup since 1999, winning gold (1999, 2015), silver (2011) and bronze (2003, 2007)
- 2020 was fifth consecutive Olympics that at least one Gator has claimed a medal (5 Gators, seven golds, two bronze)
Danielle Fotopoulos - 1999 World Cup gold
Heather Mitts (left - 2004, 2008, 2012 Olympic gold; 2011 World Cup silver) and Abby Wambach (2004 & 2012 Olympic gold)
Melanie Booth - 2012 Olympic bronze
Abby Wambach - 2015 World Cup gold, 2011 World Cup silver, 2007 World Cup bronze
Adriana Leon - 2020 Olympic gold
Deanne Rose - 2020 Olympic gold and 2016 Olympic bronze
| Gators in World Cup or Olympic Competition | ||||
| Year | Name | Nation | Event | Medal |
| 1999 | Danielle Fotopoulos | U.S. | World Cup | Gold |
| 2003 | Abby Wambach | U.S. | World Cup | Bronze |
| 2004 | Heather Mitts | U.S. | Olympics | Gold |
| Abby Wambach | U.S. | Olympics | Gold | |
| 2007 | Abby Wambach | U.S. | World Cup | Bronze |
| Melanie Booth | Canada | World Cup | DNA from group play | |
| 2008 | Heather Mitts | U.S. | Olympics | Gold |
| 2011 | Heather Mitts | U.S. | World Cup | Silver |
| Abby Wambach | U.S. | World Cup | Silver | |
| 2012 | Heather Mitts | U.S. | Olympics | Gold |
| Abby Wambach | U.S. | Olympics | Gold | |
| Melanie Booth | Canada | Olympics | Bronze | |
| 2015 | Abby Wambach | U.S. | World Cup | Gold |
| Adriana Leon | Canada | World Cup | Quarterfinal | |
| 2016 | Deanne Rose | Canada | Olympics | Bronze |
| 2019 | Adriana Leon | Canada | World Cup | Quarterfinal |
| Deanne Rose | Canada | World Cup | Quarterfinal | |
| Lauren Silver | Jamaica | World Cup | Qualifying Rnds. | |
| Havana Solaun | Jamaica | World Cup | Qualifying Rnds. | |
| 2021 | Adriana Leon | Canada | Olympics | Gold |
| Deanne Rose | Canada | Olympics | Gold | |
