Practice Begins for Florida Soccer

8/4/10

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida’s 2010-11 athletic year launches today when the Gator soccer team holds their first training session at their practice field located at Florida’s Lacrosse/Soccer Complex.

Soccer was the first of seven Gator teams to claim Southeastern Conference titles in 2009-10, claiming its fourth consecutive crown with an 8-1-2 league record. The 2009 Gators posted a 16-6-2 overall record and returns six starters from last season’s team which reached the NCAA Second Round. Florida finished the season ranked No. 15 in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.

A roster of 38, raising the largest number in the team’s 16-year history by five, starts practice Wednesday afternoon. The 2010 Gators will be a young team, as 28 are either freshmen or sophomores. Three
2009 NSCAA All-South Region soccer team selections - goalkeeper Katie Fraine, forward Lindsay Thompson and midfielder Erika Tymrak - return this season for the Gators. The top five goal scorers and point leaders from the 2009 campaign are all back this year – Thompson (10 goals, 2 assists, 22 points), McKenzie Barney (8g, 2a, 18pts), Tymrak (5g, 7a, 17pts), Brooke Thigpen (6g, 4a, 16pts), and Tahnai Annis (6g, 3a, 15pts). Florida returns two from 2009 All-SEC teams (Fraine and Thompson), plus welcomes back 2007 and 2008 All-SEC first-team selection Ashlee Elliott, who received a redshirt after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear of her left knee early in the 2009 season.

The 13-member incoming class is a gifted group, with three who are members of age-group national team player pools - sophomore transfer Alex Crown (U.S. Under-18), freshman Mady Solow (Canadian Under-20) and freshman Taylor Travis (U.S. U-18).

Florida plays host to Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m.
for an exhibition match. Soccer will be the first Florida team to compete this season, as the Gators open the 2010 season against three in-state rivals, starting at home against Miami on Aug. 20. The Gators then take to the road to play at UCF on Aug. 22 and return home to play Florida Atlantic on Aug. 27. The 2010 season will be challenging for the Gators, as over half of Florida’s 19 regular-season opponents received berths in the 2009 NCAA Championships’ 64-team field.