Florida Soccer’s Road To SEC Tourney Title
It’s been 10 years since Florida soccer brought home the SEC tournament trophy. And thanks to its performance against Georgia last Sunday, the Gators have a chance to bring the title back to the Sunshine State, starting Sunday against Arkansas in Pensacola.
Though not a win, Florida got the job done. The Gators held on to a 1-1 draw against the Bulldogs to automatically qualify for the tournament, sparing them from relying on the results of three other teams to secure a postseason berth.
Florida snuck in as the No. 12 seed and has its work cut out from that perch at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex. Florida (6-6-5, 2-4-4 SEC) logged 10 points in conference play and will compete against a five seed Razorbacks team (7-5-4, 5-2-3) in the first round with nearly double the points. Since the introduction of the 12-team field in 2024, no 12 seed has survived the four consecutive matches to win the title.
Florida has historically dominated the tournament, starting in 1996, when it also won the regular-season title to start a stretch of six straight titles through 2001. In total, the Gators hold an SEC-best 12 titles, more than double the number of Tennessee in second place with five. However, the program’s last title came during the Becky Burleigh era in 2016, and it has struggled to reach the final since then.
In just his first year at Florida, coach Nick Zimmerman joins former coaches Burleigh and Tony Amato in being able to bring the Gators to the SEC tournament during their first year at the helm. Former coach Samantha Bohon took Florida to the SEC tournament for the first time in her four-year tenure in 2025 as the No. 11 seed, before suffering a first-round loss to Kentucky in Pensacola.
For Zimmerman, confidence will be key heading into the first round at 8 p.m. ET Sunday on the SEC Network. The trip to Pensacola offers a clean slate, and the Gators are determined to take advantage.
“Everyone’s record is 0-0,” Zimmerman said. “We look forward to the opportunity and it’s a privilege to get a chance to play again.”
Arkansas wrapped up the season with 18 points following a shocking loss to Kentucky that snapped a three-game win streak and cost it a first-round bye.
The Razorbacks also come into the tournament looking for redemption after they fell out early during last year’s tournament as the clear favorites. Arkansas’ tournament run ended with a loss to Mississippi State in the quarterfinals, led by Zimmerman before he replaced Bohon in the offseason.
Arkansas already notched a 2-1 win against the Gators on Oct. 18. Arkansas snatched a result from Florida at the very last minute, scoring with mere seconds left. Florida, coming off a tough 3-0 loss to Vanderbilt before the Arkansas game, has yet to win since, following the losses with two draws.
“I think Arkansas looks at every game as an opportunity,” Zimmerman said. “They want to impose their style, impose their will, and we know it is going to be a battle.”
If Florida advances past Arkansas, it would face fourth-seeded Kentucky (9-5-3, 5-2-3), which also comes into the tournament with 18 points and a first-round bye, in Tuesday’s 8 p.m. ET quarterfinals. The Gators have yet to face the Wildcats this season and would have two days to prepare before that matchup – no easy feat against a team who will have had more than a week to rest.
But if Florida can pull off its second upset against the Wildcats, a spot in the semifinals await at 7 p.m. ET Thursday. There, the Gators would face No. 1 seed Vanderbilt, No. 8 Mississippi State or No. 9 Texas — all regular-season opponents.
The conference teams on the opposite side of the bracket include No. 2 seed South Carolina, No. 3 Alabama, No. 6 Auburn, No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 10 Georgia and No. 11 Louisiana State. The final match of the tournament is scheduled for Nov. 15.
The odds of Florida coming home with the title are slim, but not impossible, as the Gators are hungry for an extension to their season.
“Any time you are playing in November and you have the Wilson balls out, it’s a good thing,” Zimmerman said. “It means you are playing meaningful football.”
Category: Gator Sports, Gators Soccer
