Soccer Reporter 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.
The Gators failed to notch a goal for the first time all season as No. 19 South Carolina (7-1) cruised to a 1-0 victory over No. 23 Florida (4-3-1) on Thursday in Columbia, South Carolina. UF dropped to 19-9-4 in Southeastern Conference openers and suffered their second-consecutive loss to a ranked opponent.
With nonconference play concluded, the road back to Florida’s first NCAA Tournament since 2019 continues Thursday with yet another ranked foe: No. 19 South Carolina (6-1).
No. 21 Florida (4-2-1) was unable to find an answer, falling 2-1 to No. 5 Wake Forest (7-0) on Sunday at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The loss marked Florida’s first at home this season.
No. 21 Florida (4-1-1) defeated Youngstown State (0-5-1) 2-0 Thursday on Senior Night at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Gators dominated from start to finish, outshooting the Penguins 33-3.
Florida will honor 10 seniors in its 2026 class: goalkeepers Jayden Emmanuel and Paris Bice; attackers Kyra Taylor, Zoe Main, Kelsey Smith, Montalene Dymond and Lena Bailey; midfielder Emma Duval; and defenders Avery Upton and Hannah Jibril.
No. 20 Florida (3-1-1) ultimately settled for its first draw of the season, tying Florida Atlantic (1-2-2) 1-1 on Sunday at FAU Soccer Stadium. The Gators controlled the attack with 18 shots, but junior goalkeeper Ashley Small delivered a career-high 10 saves to preserve the draw for the Owls.
Florida (3-1) dominated Jacksonville University (1-1-1) 6-0 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. UF completely took over the match, outshooting the Dolphins 16-1 and remaining perfect all-time against Jacksonville. The Gators’ six goals marked their highest single-game total since Aug. 27, 2023, when they defeated Stetson 8-0.
It’s a tale of two contrasting styles: Florida’s explosive, high-powered offense against Jacksonville’s stifling defense. The Gators have scored three goals in each of their first three matches, while the Dolphins have yet to concede a goal this season.
After a magical Sunday in which everything went right for the Gators, Florida seniors Kyra Taylor and Jayden Emmanuel earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors. Taylor was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week after recording a brace in each of Florida’s two victories, while Emmanuel earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
A new coach often brings familiar players, and a significant portion of Florida’s 2026 transfer class followed Zimmerman from Mississippi State to Gainesville. Seven Bulldogs made the move after combining for 17 goals in 2025, accounting for almost half of their scoring.
Solutions by The State News
