Since its most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2019, Florida endured its fair share of struggles on the soccer pitch. The Gators strung together three consecutive losing seasons before then-second year head coach Samantha Bohon got her squad back on track in 2023.
The Gators finished last season 6-5-6, marking their first winning record in four years. While the team failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, it appears Bohon has the pieces set in place to make a potential postseason run in 2024.
Sophomore forward Megan Hinnenkamp will lead the charge for Florida’s returning players. Hinnenkamp led her squad with eight goals and 16 points last season. With a year of experience under her belt, Hinnenkamp will look to pick up right where she left off with her explosive offensive abilities.
In net for the Gators, graduate student goalie Alexa Goldberg will also return for what could be one final year donning the orange and blue. Goldberg started in all 17 of Florida’s matches last season, holding her opponents to a staggering 0.91 goals against average.
She also tallied 30 saves en route to a 0.667 save percentage, giving the Gators an ever-trustworthy presence at goalkeeper for the coming season.
Other noteworthy returnees for Florida include sophomore forward Lena Bailey, junior defender Lauren McCloskey and senior defender Madison Young. Bailey finished second on the team with four goals last season, while McCloskey led the squad with four assists.
Meanwhile, Young, who started in all 17 games for the Gators in 2023, will take on a key leadership role for UF this season.
“This team, I feel like we’ve been working so hard to rebuild,” Young said. “We’ve been putting in the work nonstop for the past three years, and I think finally, this year, it’s paying off.”
Young made an instant impact on the pitch to kick off Florida’s 2024 campaign. She scored the first goal in UF’s season-opening win against Western Carolina Aug. 16.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Delaney Tellex knocked in a goal to seal a 2-0 victory for Florida to open the new season in the win column. Tellex, who joined the Gators as a transfer from Memphis last offseason, has already established strong chemistry with her teammates in the locker room.
“It’s super fun to play here, just [in] this atmosphere,” Tellex said. “Playing with my teammates, it gives me so much confidence on the ball and to just have fun.”
Tellex went on to dedicate her first goal as a Gator to her uncle, who had passed away earlier that day.
Florida still has numerous challenges that await, including a Sunshine State showdown against defending national champion Florida State Sep. 8 and a home matchup against reigning SEC champion Georgia Oct. 13.
Bohon remains optimistic the program is headed in the right direction and is on the verge of a breakthrough this Fall.
“We love our group,” Bohon said. “We’re really happy with the culture that our leadership has helped develop in our team. We enjoy being out there with each other, and we’re excited about the continued growth and development we have at Florida soccer.”
Through three games this season, the Gators compiled a 1-0-2 record with a win against Western Carolina and ties against North Florida and UCF. Bohon’s squad will return to the pitch Aug. 29 for a road match against Georgia State at 7 p.m.
Contact Jack Meyer at jmeyer@alligator.org. Follow him on X @jackmeyerUF.
Jack Meyer is a fourth-year journalism major and the Assistant Sports Editor for The Alligator. In his free time, he enjoys reviewing music, spending time with friends, playing video games and going to the gym.
