Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Both Gator fútbol and football teams open Southeastern Conference play with home events this weekend.
 
Before Florida football begins league action Saturday at 7 p.m. versus Tennessee at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gator soccer meets Missouri 24 hours earlier at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
 
Both teams finished non-conference action with 4-1-2 records. This is just the second time Florida started SEC action with Missouri, winning that league opener 3-2 in 2019.
 
               Missouri
               Date: Friday, Sept. 15
               Time: 7 p.m. ET
               Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500) Gates open at 6 p.m.
               Streaming: SEC Network + with Kyle Crooks and Matthews Stubbington calling the action
               Radio: ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM with Nevada Cullen and Sky Lebron calling the action
               Stats: StatBroadcast
               Promotions: It's Alumni Night and Florida celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1998 NCAA title team. 1998 Commemorative Replica Jersey T-Shirt for first 250 fans!
               Admission: Free
 
Florida's Fourth Weekend:
Florida split in 1-0 decisions to close non-conference action. In a weather-shortened match, Florida won 1-0 in its first meeting with Charlotte. Lightning combined with a 9 p.m. return plane flight to Gainesville forced the match to end in the 82^nd minute.
 
The Gators closed non-conference action with their first ranked opponent of the 2023. Florida lost 1-0 at No. 5 Florida State on Sunday. The result ended Florida's season-opening record unbeaten streak at 4-1-2.
 

• Freshman Lena Bailey scored the game-winner at Charlotte in the 51^st minute. She got the ball from Oakley Rasmussen near the top of the box, spun her defender and then scored on a right-footed shot. She and fellow freshman Megan Hinnenkamp share Florida's individual goals lead at 3 each.
• The Seminoles' Jody Brown scored in the 76th minute off a give-and-go with senior Beata Olsson. The 1-0 win was the fewest goals scored by the Seminoles so far this season.

 

 
Saluting Gator Champions:
It's Florida's Championship Reunion Weekend with Gator team celebrating 10, 25 or 50 year anniversaries celebrated at Saturday's football game.
 
This includes two Gator soccer championship teams – 2013 SEC and the 1998 NCAA/SEC champion teams.
 
The 1998 title team was remarkable as it was achieved in just the Gators' fourth season. Ten who were members of Florida's debut roster in 1995 returned to Gainesville on Dec. 6, 1998 hoisting the NCAA Championship trophy.

• Florida is still the only Southeastern Conference team to win a NCAA soccer team title.
• The 1998 team posted a school season record of 26-1, avenging the campaign's only loss (2-1 OT vs North Carolina) in the title match.
• Senior Danielle Fotopoulos, who scored the only goal in the 1998 NCAA College Cup final win over defending champion North Carolina, earned the Honda Award as the top women's soccer player of the 1998 season.
• Fotopoulos and goalkeeper Meredith Flaherty were the 1998 College Cup's Offensive and Defensive MVPs. They were joined on the 1998 College Cup team by Keisha Bell, Heather Mitts and Sarah Yohe.
• Florida's Becky Burleigh was the first woman to lead her team to a NCAA title – a distinction she held until 2013 when Amanda Cromwell led UCLA to its first NCAA title.

 
About Missouri Tigers:
Missouri was 5-8-4 overall and 2-5-3 in SEC action last season. The Tigers brought in 10 freshmen and three transfers for 2023. Sophomore Kylee Simmons' five goals leads MU in 2023. Senior defender Grace Pettet earned 2022 All-SEC second team honors.
 
The Tigers own four wins – vs Southeast Missouri (4-0), at Creighton (3-1), vs Illinois (2-1) and at Missouri State (2-0). Both ties were 2-2 finals versus Omaha and at Kansas. The lone loss came at Nebraska (5-0). Missouri's Bella Hollenbach is the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Week after stopping a penalty kick in 2-1 win versus Illinois and shutout 2-0 win at Missouri State.