Florida State University Athletics
Pensky and Staff Named National Coaching Staff of the Year
12/19/2025 2:34:00 PM | Women's Soccer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State soccer coaching staff has been named the National Coaching Staff of the Year, United Soccer Coaches announced on Friday.
After leading the program to its fifth national championship and second in his four-year tenure, head coach Brian Pensky and his staff earned the third National Coaching Staff of the Year award in team history. Pensky also received the accolade in 2023 after winning an NCAA title, while FSU was first bestowed with the staff honor in 2020.
Concluding his fourth season at the helm, Pensky has guided the Seminoles to two national championships, in 2023 and 2025, and another NCAA College Cup appearance in his first season, 2022. Florida State is 70-7-12 under Pensky, leading the nation with a .854 win percentage in those four years. FSU has won five ACC titles in that span, two regular season and three tournament. In 21 seasons as a head coach, Pensky is 255-118-57 (.660) with 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Pensky and the Seminoles posted a 16-2-4 record in 2025, with a 6-0-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament en route to the national title. As a No. 3 seed in the region, Florida State opened NCAA play with a 4-0 home win over Samford followed by a 1-0 neutral-site victory over Lipscomb. The Third Round saw FSU down No. 2 Georgetown 3-1 on the road before the team came home to beat Ohio State 4-1 in the Quarterfinal to clinch a return to the College Cup. In Kansas City, Missouri, the Garnet and Gold topped No. 2 TCU and the No. 1 overall seed Stanford, both by 1-0 margins, to seal the championship. After a 0-2-1 stretch in the middle of the season, the Seminoles closed the year with an 8-0-1 mark, outscoring their opponents 18-3 in the final eight games.
Along with the NCAA's No. 1 winning percentage since Pensky arrived on campus in 2022, Florida State leads the country with two national titles and three College Cup appearances.
The National Coaching Staff of the Year honor is the latest in a long list of accolades for the 2025 Seminoles. Junior forward Jordynn Dudley is one of three All-Americans and is a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, the Honda Sport Award and Top Drawer Soccer's National Player of the Year. Senior defender Heather Gilchrist, also an All-American, was recognized as an Academic All-American and a Scholar All-American. Sophomore midfielder Taylor Suarez joined Dudley and Gilchrist with All-America accolades, while she, Dudley and sophomore forward Wrianna Hudson were recognized on TDS's Best XI Teams. Six players were named Academic All-District, five were selected to the All-Region Team and five collected All-ACC distinction. Hudson and freshman goalkeeper Kate Ockene were College Cup Most Outstanding Players and two of five Noles on the College Cup All-Tournament Team.
The 20th NCAA title overall across Florida State Athletics, soccer's fifth national championship comes just two years after their last in 2023. It is the program's third in the last five years and fifth in its last six appearances in the National Championship Game, joining the title runs of 2014, 2018, 2021 and 2023.
For more information on Florida State soccer, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUSoccer) & Instagram (@NoleSoccer).
After leading the program to its fifth national championship and second in his four-year tenure, head coach Brian Pensky and his staff earned the third National Coaching Staff of the Year award in team history. Pensky also received the accolade in 2023 after winning an NCAA title, while FSU was first bestowed with the staff honor in 2020.
Concluding his fourth season at the helm, Pensky has guided the Seminoles to two national championships, in 2023 and 2025, and another NCAA College Cup appearance in his first season, 2022. Florida State is 70-7-12 under Pensky, leading the nation with a .854 win percentage in those four years. FSU has won five ACC titles in that span, two regular season and three tournament. In 21 seasons as a head coach, Pensky is 255-118-57 (.660) with 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Pensky and the Seminoles posted a 16-2-4 record in 2025, with a 6-0-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament en route to the national title. As a No. 3 seed in the region, Florida State opened NCAA play with a 4-0 home win over Samford followed by a 1-0 neutral-site victory over Lipscomb. The Third Round saw FSU down No. 2 Georgetown 3-1 on the road before the team came home to beat Ohio State 4-1 in the Quarterfinal to clinch a return to the College Cup. In Kansas City, Missouri, the Garnet and Gold topped No. 2 TCU and the No. 1 overall seed Stanford, both by 1-0 margins, to seal the championship. After a 0-2-1 stretch in the middle of the season, the Seminoles closed the year with an 8-0-1 mark, outscoring their opponents 18-3 in the final eight games.
Along with the NCAA's No. 1 winning percentage since Pensky arrived on campus in 2022, Florida State leads the country with two national titles and three College Cup appearances.
The National Coaching Staff of the Year honor is the latest in a long list of accolades for the 2025 Seminoles. Junior forward Jordynn Dudley is one of three All-Americans and is a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, the Honda Sport Award and Top Drawer Soccer's National Player of the Year. Senior defender Heather Gilchrist, also an All-American, was recognized as an Academic All-American and a Scholar All-American. Sophomore midfielder Taylor Suarez joined Dudley and Gilchrist with All-America accolades, while she, Dudley and sophomore forward Wrianna Hudson were recognized on TDS's Best XI Teams. Six players were named Academic All-District, five were selected to the All-Region Team and five collected All-ACC distinction. Hudson and freshman goalkeeper Kate Ockene were College Cup Most Outstanding Players and two of five Noles on the College Cup All-Tournament Team.
The 20th NCAA title overall across Florida State Athletics, soccer's fifth national championship comes just two years after their last in 2023. It is the program's third in the last five years and fifth in its last six appearances in the National Championship Game, joining the title runs of 2014, 2018, 2021 and 2023.
For more information on Florida State soccer, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUSoccer) & Instagram (@NoleSoccer).
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