If there’s one thing Brooke Chancey has learned as a career backup goalie at UF, it’s that she has to earn every minute she gets on the pitch.
With a void left at keeper heading into this season following the departure of Katie Fraine, Chancey, a senior, thought she would have a clear path to finally cracking the No. 9 Gators’ starting lineup.
“I’ve been waiting three long years, patiently waiting, to get this opportunity and I couldn’t be more excited to finally have my chance to show them what I have,” she said.
But standing in her way of starting minutes, and catching UF coach Becky Burleigh’s eye early on, has been 6-foot-1 athletic newcomer Taylor Burke, who will play soccer and jump for the track and field team this year.
Through two games, the position battle between both the senior and the freshman has been close enough to keep the starting spot open.
“That’s one area that’s pretty unsettled at this point, but I think both of them bring different strengths to the table,” Burleigh said. “I really like Taylor’s distribution, especially from the ground. She does a really good job at finding the open player. Obviously her size and athleticism are huge factors.”
The 5-foot-6 Chancey, meanwhile, brings more poise than raw ability at the position, her coach said. With three years of college experience under her belt, the senior’s calming presence could be desperately needed for a team opening with four consecutive games on the road.
Last season, in the first start of her career, Chancey filled in for an injured Fraine during the pressure-packed Southeastern Conference Tournament final and delivered a 1-0 shutout masterpiece for the Gators.
“We are so thankful she could step up and make as big of an impact as she could that game,” junior midfielder McKenzie Barney said. “That’s a huge plus. She works so hard for our team. It was huge for her, but at the same time, it’s a new year.”
Barney said the team is equally confident in Burke, who brings in an impressive résumé from her prep career in Medina, Ohio.
As a first team All-American and Gatorade National Player of the Year finalist, Burke broke the Ohio record for most consecutive shutout minutes in her senior year with 1,243.
Adding to her mounting accolades during track season, the multi-sport star set the 2010 national mark in the high jump with a state-record leap of 6-1 1/4 inches to win the Ohio Division 1 outdoor state title for the third consecutive year.
But even with the hype surrounding her early playing days at Florida and the chance she could play immediately, Burke recognizes the tension starting labels could bring to the team.
“I wouldn’t really call it a competition, we’re really good teammates, we’re getting really close and we’re just trying to push each other in practice,” Burke said. “I’m definitely confident in both of us. The coaches are going to make their decision and I know whatever they make will be a good decision.”
