With five matches remaining in Southeastern Conference play, Florida soccer has plenty at stake. The Gators sit at No. 58 in the DI Women's Soccer Rankings - NCAA Women's Soccer RPI as they pursue their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.
Florida could strengthen its case for a spot in the 64-team field with another signature win. That opportunity arrives Thursday when No. 5 Alabama visits Gainesville.
The Crimson Tide (12-1, 5-0 SEC) have excelled this season, earning two wins over ranked opponents in nonconference play. Alabama defeated then-No. 21 Memphis 2-1 on Aug. 15 before beating then-No. 15 TCU 3-2 on Aug. 20.
Ironically, its lone loss came against the only other Division I team with “Crimson” in its nickname: Harvard. The Crimson defeated the Crimson Tide 6-4 on Sept. 6.
Alabama also utilizes a style similar to Florida’s high-risk, high-reward approach.
“They want to attack with numbers, and they want to press,” head coach Nick Zimmerman said. “So, very similar playing styles. It’s going to be a great challenge for us come Thursday.”
Junior forward Larkin Thomason leads Alabama’s attack. The Scottsdale, Arizona, native is one of 30 players named to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy midseason watch list.
Thomason is no stranger to the big stage. She earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors last season after transferring from Mercer. This season, she leads the Crimson Tide with nine goals and serves as the team’s primary penalty taker. Her six goals from the penalty spot are a single-season program record.
While Thomason has commanded the spotlight, senior midfielder Melina Rebimbas has played a key role in creating scoring chances for the Crimson Tide. A third-team All-SEC selection last season, Rebimbas leads Alabama with four assists.
Wes Hart leads Alabama in his 12th season at the helm. During his tenure, he has guided the Crimson Tide to five NCAA Tournament appearances and the program’s first SEC regular-season title in 2022, when Alabama finished 10-0 in conference play.
The former Major League Soccer player is familiar with the Gators, having served as an assistant coach at Florida State from 2013 to 2015.
If Florida wants to knock off the Crimson Tide, it must capitalize on scoring opportunities. Finishing in the final third has been a persistent challenge for the Gators this season.
Standing in Florida’s way is junior goalkeeper Madi Munguia, a key contributor to Alabama’s success. She has earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors three times this season and recorded eight shutouts, with four coming in conference play.
The lone goal she allowed in SEC play came with four minutes remaining against Oklahoma, when Alabama held a 3-0 lead. Excluding the loss to Harvard, Munguia has allowed just five goals this season. She has also recorded 40 saves and a 0.85 goals-against average.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
Contact Zach Moore at zmoore@alligator.org. Follow him on X @zach_moore27.
Zach is a junior sports journalism student in his third semester at The Alligator. He currently covers soccer for the Fall 2026 season after previously serving as the softball reporter. Zach also has experience as a play-by-play broadcaster in the Florida Collegiate Summer League for the Winter Garden Squeeze. In his free time, Zach enjoys going to the gym and watching sports, especially his favorite teams: the Minnesota Vikings, Arsenal FC, Houston Astros, Orlando Magic and Orlando City SC. A fun fact about Zach is that he is also an avid WWE fan.
