Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Season No. 23 opens for the University of Florida soccer program Friday on the road. The Gators meet Florida Atlantic – the sixth meeting between the two programs and second in Boca Raton.
 
The Owls' football stadium, FAU Stadium, serves as the site for the FAU women's soccer home opener for the second consecutive season. UF is 9-2 in season openers versus in-state rivals and 16-4-2 overall in debut matches.
 
Here's how to follow the Gators:
Listen to Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington's call of Friday's match at ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM or on FloridaGators.com.

Find a video stream link for the match at FAUSports.TV. There is a $6.95 charge to watch this stream.
 
The 2017 Gators:
The 2017 Florida team, made up of 32 players, includes nine making their first appearance for the Gators. Florida returns eight starters from the 2016 team that claimed the Southeastern Conference Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
 
Two Gator redshirt senior defenders earned 2016 All-SEC honors – Kristen Cardano and Gabby Seiler. Seiler is a two-time All-SEC first-team honoree. In addition to 2016, Seiler was a 2014 All-SEC first-team selection while with Georgia. She sat out the 2015 season due to SEC transfer rules. The two were joined the 2017 SEC Preseason Players to Watch list by junior midfielder Mayra Pelayo. All three were called into U.S. Under-23 National Team camps or tournaments in 2017.
 

RETURNING STARTERS: 8
Players	Pos	Class	GP/GS	Goals	Assists	Points
Mayra Pelayo	MF	JR	23/19	4	9	17
Sarah Troccoli	MF	JR	23/19	3	4	10
Julia Lester	D	SO	22/17	3	3	9
Gabby Seiler	MF	SR-RS	23/23	1	2	4
Rachelle Smith	D	JR	23/16	0	1	1
Briana Solis	MF	JR	22/11	0	0	0
Kristen Cardano	D	SR-RS	22/22	0	0	0
	Pos	Class	GP/GS	Min	Goals Against	GAA
Kaylan Marckese	GK	JR	23/23	2151	27	1.13

 

• Ten of the 16 Gators who earned points in 2016 return this season. Of the 169 points generated by the 2016 Gators, graduation claimed six players who contributed 87 points and 31 goals – Savannah Jordan (16 goals, 9 assists – 41 points), Meggie Dougherty Howard (8g, 12a – 28 pts), Brooke Sharp (4g, 1a – 9 pts), Pamela Begic (3g – 6pts), Betsy Middleton (2a – 2pts), Erika Nelson (1a – 1pt)

 

• Three join Florida as transfers - Lais Araujo / ASA Junior College-Brooklyn; Parker Roberts / Kansas and Alex Stubblebine / Cincinnati). All three are eligible to compete for the Gators in 2017.

 
About the Owls:
Florida and FAU meet for the second consecutive season, as the Gators took a 3-0 home win to conclude its opening weekend of the 2016 season.
 
FAU posted a 12-8-2 record in 2016, taking fourth in Conference USA with a 6-3-1 record. Seven FAU starters return from 2016, including sophomore Elisha Holmes, who was second among the Owls with 11 points off of four goals and three assists. She was joined on the 2016 Conference USA All-Freshman team by midfielder Mary O'Hara. Senior midfielder Asta Arnadottir was a C-USA third team selection in 2016. The Owls took a 3-2 home exhibition win over Florida Gulf Coast on Aug. 11. All of the FAU scoring in that exhibition came in the opening half.
 
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida tied for third in the 2016 SEC regular-season standings and won the SEC Tournament title. Florida Atlantic was fourth in 2016 Conference USA standings.
 
Florida – The SEC coaches picked the Gators to win the 2017 Southeastern Conference title.
 
FAU – The Owls are picked to finish fourth in the C-USA. North Texas is the C-USA's preseason pick to win the league.
 
Rankings:
Florida ranks No. 7 on the preseason United Soccer Coaches (USC) poll.
 
It is the 21^st consecutive Florida appearance in the coaches' association preseason poll and the sixth straight year the Gators open among the nation's top 10. Florida faces four teams ranked in the USC preseason top 25. Three of the matches are at home - No. 2 Stanford (Aug. 25), No. 4 South Carolina (Oct. 26) and No. 15 Florida State (Sept. 8). Florida travels to meet preseason No. 10 Auburn (Oct. 13).