The freshmen are taking over Florida’s soccer team. An influx of youth has helped UF see improvements and continue to make an impact in winning.
“Coming in as a freshman, I came in with the intent to win,” Florida freshman forward Megan Hinnenkamp said.
The Gators have shown a lot of progress during the 2023 season thanks to the strong bond of this year’s team. The connection shared among players off the field has paid dividends for the team’s performance on it.
Florida earned its first SEC victory since 2021 earlier this year and has already surpassed its win total from last season. This culture shift can largely be attributed to the impressive play and close bond of the freshmen class.
The addition of these young players has rejuvenated a proud Gators program looking to compete in the SEC. Upperclassmen on the team have also been integral in fostering this culture among the freshmen.
Junior midfielder Lauren Donovandon, for example, has worked closely with some of the young players and has helped them adjust, Hinnenkamp said.
“With the group that we have and the culture we created is competing to win and having fun while doing it,” she said.
Hinnenkamp has had an extremely productive season as a freshman starter up to this point. She leads all SEC freshmen with six goals and started in all 12 of the team’s games. She’s also adjusted well to the college level and hasn’t taken her opportunities for granted, she said.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to start,” she said. “If I can exert my energy and leave it out on the field, that’s a success for me.”
The desire to give maximum effort can be found throughout Florida’s young roster.
Many freshmen on the team come from winning programs and have brought the expectation to win back to Florida, Hinnenkamp said. She said the team has a strong love for each other and enjoys playing for one another.
“As a class, we have a big group and a lot of different personalities and playing styles,” Hinnenkamp said. “Everyone puts their best foot forward and comes in competitive ready to work every single day.”
Gators freshman forward Lena Bailey is another young player who exemplifies this winning culture.
Bailey has come off the bench for Florida this season and provides an offensive spark from the moment she steps on the pitch. She has scored three goals this season and has played in all 12 games.
Bailey expressed her goal on the field is to follow the team’s three keys to the game: continue to work, hunt and keep it simple.
“If I just keep it simple and play my game, that’s when I have success,” she said.
Bailey quickly pointed to the players’ off-field bonding as a big reason for their success. She feels off the field is where the team really connects, she said.
“We’re always with each other,” Bailey said. “Always eating team dinner together, team lunch, team breakfast and obviously practicing and playing together.”
A focus of the team is to always hold everybody accountable while uplifting each other, Bailey said. The positive, close-knit culture of this group has allowed players like Bailey and Hinnenkamp to adjust to the college game and find success early.
Florida freshman forward Liwa Nilsson is another testament to the Gators’ connection this season. Nilsson is from Sweden and grew up playing soccer against international competition.
Despite being so far from home, Nilsson said she already feels comfortable thanks to her bond with her teammates.
“During Summer B, we did so much things here, so I didn’t even have time to think about missing home,” she said. “The whole freshman group is very [close] to each other.”
During the summer, she and other teammates would always do things together like eat ice cream and just hang out, she said. These interactions have helped Nilsson acclimate quickly to her new environment and have allowed her to focus on her game.
Nilsson has also already established an extremely close connection with Bailey, her roommate. The pair have grown very close to one another in their short time at Florida and have been friends since day one, Nilsson said.
“When I am walking by myself, [people] are always like ‘Oh, where’s your best friend? Where’s your twin?’” she said, speaking about her friendship with Bailey.
Bonds like these have put Gators soccer back in the direction it wants to go. The youth movement mixed with the close-knit leadership from older players and positioned Florida in a much better situation than it found itself just a year ago.
“A team goal is to win the SEC and compete for national championships,” Hinnenkamp said. “I think we’re going to keep getting better and better.”
Contact Austin Stirling at astirling@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @austinstirlingg
Austin Stirling is a third-year journalism major and sports reporter for The Alligator. He previously covered Gators women's basketball and is primarily covering soccer during the fall 2023 semester. He is a huge New York sports fan and is hoping the Jets can be a respectable football team for once in his life this season.
