Gators Soccer Hits New Heights with Star Freshmen Performers
Last year, Florida Gators women’s soccer finished their season 4-8-6 and missed a shot at the SEC Tournament. The team finished 14th in the SEC, and while its 11 senior players in 2024 brought experience, the talent was not enough.
Due to coach Samantha Bohon’s recruiting, 2025 has seen an influx of talent. The Gators have 11 new starters in an almost completely new team. This new team has turned the page for the Gators as they have surpassed the total amount of wins that they had last season, behind the efforts of a few shining freshmen, with a 6-5-5 overall record.
First, attacking midfielder Kai Tsakiris came to Florida from Newport Beach, California. She was named Co-SEC Freshman of the Week after her outstanding performance and goal scored in the Gators’ tie with No. 17 Georgia. She has continued to be a big contributor, leading the team with four goals so far this season.
Tsakiris talked about how she is feeling as she takes on a new position and role as a starter for the Gators.
“I am feeling like each game has more and more confidence,” Tsakiris said. “I do feel like starting at the 10 is kind of a big role to play and there’s no point in doing it if you are not going to believe in yourself.”
Midfielder Sophia Sindelar is also a big contributor, just behind Tsakiris with three goals in her debut season, helping the Gators defeat tough SEC opponents. She contributed the first goal in the Gators’ win against No. 12 Mississippi State, the team’s only ranked win this season.
As part of the younger class of the team, Sindelar talked about the team’s improvements and how they are working on their bond and chemistry after scoring her first collegiate goal against UNF on Aug. 24.
“The energy is just different than it was before so us being able to come in and make an impact we are just all doing our role the best that we can,” Sindelar said.
Redshirt Freshman forward Addy Hess is a transfer from Penn State. Hess came to the sunshine state ready to play after not seeing the field once with the Nittany Lions.
Hess is tied with Tsakiris, leading the team with four goals this season and contributing goals against Mississippi State and Kentucky in SEC play.
After scoring the winner against the Bulldogs on Friday, Hess earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the second time. The first came after she scored a brace against Maryland earlier this season.
Katie Johnston is a freshman forward from Oklahoma, who came out balling in the team’s early-season matchup against Towson with two goals and two assists. She recently earned a starting spot as a winger over senior Njeri Butts and became an unexpected star for Florida.
“People were asking me, ‘Where did you get this girl?’”Bohon said about Johnston earlier this season.
The Gators earned a 2-1 win against No. 12 Mississippi State on Oct. 10. They then fought for two scoreless draws against No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 16 and Ole Miss Sunday.
Florida’s final match of the regular season is on Sunday in a road matchup with LSU.
The Gators are looking to chomp the Tigers on the road in Baton Rouge to secure their spot in the SEC Tournament, where the best 12 teams in the SEC battle in single elimination for the championship title.
Florida currently sits at 11th in the conference with 11 points and would clinch their place in the postseason with a win or draw on Sunday.
The new-look Gators and their freshmen stars look ready to head to Pensacola for the tournament, where they hope to make a statement.
Category: Gator Sports, Gators Soccer, SEC
