Florida State University Athletics
Sunday, August 23
Gainesville, Fla.
2:00 PM
Florida State
at
Florida
Rivalry Matchup at UF Up Next for No. 3 FSU
8/22/2026 11:49:00 AM | Women's Soccer
TALLAHASSEE – The No. 3 Florida State soccer team returns to the road to face rival Florida on Sunday, August 23, at 2 p.m. in Gainesville, Florida.
FSU will make its 2026 national TV debut, as SEC Network will televise the contest live from Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Live stats are available at Florida.Statbroadcast.com. Direct links to watch and follow along can be found on the schedule page at Seminoles.com/Soccer and on social media on Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUSoccer) & Instagram (@NoleSoccer).
The Seminoles are 3-0-0 on the season, 1-0-0 at home and 2-0-0 on the road. Following a home-opening win on Thursday night, FSU is unbeaten in 36 consecutive regular-season non-conference games, a stretch that began in the middle of the 2019 non-conference season. Dating back to last year's national-title run, Florida State has won nine consecutive games, tied for the seventh-longest streak in school history, with a 13-game unbeaten streak, tied for ninth all-time. The team has five shutouts in a row, tied for No. 4 in the record books, as sophomore goalkeeper Kate Ockene has a four-game shutout streak that is tied for No. 9 in program history.
Florida State's nine goals have come from seven different players, four of them newcomers, and five players have one assist, all first-year Seminoles. That includes senior forward Tanner Strickland, who has two goals and an assist for a team-best five points. Junior forward Wrianna Hudson leads the team with nine shots, all on goal. Ockene has two shutouts with two saves and a 2-0-0 record.
NATIONALLY-RANKED SEMINOLES
Florida State moved up one spot to No. 3 in the week one IWSOC DI Top 25 Coaches Poll, while Top Drawer Soccer has FSU No. 1. Beginning the year at No. 4, the Seminoles were in the top-10 in the preseason coaches' poll for the 20th time in the last 21 seasons.
SERIES HISTORY VS. FLORIDA
Florida State is 18-13-0 all-time against Florida, including 9-6-0 at home and 9-7-0 on the road. The two teams have met every year since 1995, FSU's first season, except for 2016 (weather cancellation) and 2020 (ACC-only season). The 2000 and 2003 campaigns featured two matchups, the second meetings coming in the NCAA Tournament and marking the only two times the rivalry has been played in the postseason. The Seminoles won both NCAA affairs by 2-1 margins.
With the longest unbeaten streak by either team in the rivalry, FSU has won eight in a row since 2017 and three consecutive at home. Six of the eight wins in the streak have been shutouts, including the last four, while the Seminoles have outscored the Gators 24-3 during this stretch. Last season's 5-0 win tied the largest margin of victory, and most goals scored, in the series, along with a similar 5-0 triumph in 2022in Gainesville.
One year ago, the Seminoles began the season with a 5-0 win over Florida on August 14, 2025, in Tallahassee in a contest that featured two weather delays. Heather Gilchrist scored the game's first two goals for her first career brace and game-winning goal, after entering the season with one career score. Hudson made it 3-0 just before halftime for her second goal vs. UF in as many years. FSU added two more second-half goals. A complete recap from the win can be found here.
SCOUTING THE GATORS
Florida is 1-1-0 in 2026 and 1-0-0 at home following a 3-2 win over Coastal Carolina in Gainesville on Thursday night. Two nights ago, the Gators led 2-0 after 33 minutes, but the Chanticleers tied it just over 10 minutes later. Host-UF won it in the 76th minute with the lone second-half goal. Florida's season commenced with a 4-3 loss at UCF on August 13.
LAST TIME OUT: HOME-OPENING CLEAN SHEET
Florida State recorded its third consecutive shutout to begin the season with a 3-0 win over Florida Atlantic on Thursday night in the team's home opener. The Seminoles scored 11 minutes into the game and added two goals in the second half while holding the Owls to two shots, one on goal.
Strickland gave the Seminoles a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute, the team's first score in the opening half in 2026. Freshman forward Ryder Ajeto doubled the lead with her first career goal in the 64th minute, and an own goal made it 3-0 in the 83rd to finalize the scoring. Strickland's goal is the fifth of her four-year career along with it being her second in two games in the Garnet and Gold. Junior forward Anaiyah Robinson and junior midfielder Sam Erbach assisted on Strickland's goal, while senior midfielder Ashley Henderson and Erbach got the assists on Ajeto's goal.
FSU out-shot FAU 18-2 with a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Seminoles earned 10 corner kicks and did not allow one. Six came in the first half after entering the game with five total in the first two games of the year. Fouls were six for the Owls and four for Florida State. Erbach led the team with five shots and was one of seven players with a shot on goal. Ockene did not have to make a save in the game and the defense cleared a ball off the line. FAU's keeper stopped five shots.
Twenty players appeared in the game for Florida State, all for at least 36 minutes and just two for more than 56 minutes besides Ockene's 90. The Seminoles improved to 5-0-0 all-time against Florida Atlantic and 2-0-0 at home. Four of the five contests have been FSU shutouts as FAU came to Tallahassee for the first time since 2003.
A complete recap and box score is available here.
UP NEXT: BACK ON THE ROAD
FSU will have 10 days off before another road contest, at Georgia on Thursday, September 3. Kickoff in Athens is at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Florida State's next game at the Seminole Soccer Complex is on Sunday, September 6, vs. Rice at 12 p.m. Tickets are available now at Seminoles.com/Tickets or by calling the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at 850-644-1830. Admission is free for all FSU students with their FSUID.
QUICK KICKS: NOTES TO KNOW
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).
FSU will make its 2026 national TV debut, as SEC Network will televise the contest live from Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Live stats are available at Florida.Statbroadcast.com. Direct links to watch and follow along can be found on the schedule page at Seminoles.com/Soccer and on social media on Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUSoccer) & Instagram (@NoleSoccer).
The Seminoles are 3-0-0 on the season, 1-0-0 at home and 2-0-0 on the road. Following a home-opening win on Thursday night, FSU is unbeaten in 36 consecutive regular-season non-conference games, a stretch that began in the middle of the 2019 non-conference season. Dating back to last year's national-title run, Florida State has won nine consecutive games, tied for the seventh-longest streak in school history, with a 13-game unbeaten streak, tied for ninth all-time. The team has five shutouts in a row, tied for No. 4 in the record books, as sophomore goalkeeper Kate Ockene has a four-game shutout streak that is tied for No. 9 in program history.
Florida State's nine goals have come from seven different players, four of them newcomers, and five players have one assist, all first-year Seminoles. That includes senior forward Tanner Strickland, who has two goals and an assist for a team-best five points. Junior forward Wrianna Hudson leads the team with nine shots, all on goal. Ockene has two shutouts with two saves and a 2-0-0 record.
NATIONALLY-RANKED SEMINOLES
Florida State moved up one spot to No. 3 in the week one IWSOC DI Top 25 Coaches Poll, while Top Drawer Soccer has FSU No. 1. Beginning the year at No. 4, the Seminoles were in the top-10 in the preseason coaches' poll for the 20th time in the last 21 seasons.
SERIES HISTORY VS. FLORIDA
Florida State is 18-13-0 all-time against Florida, including 9-6-0 at home and 9-7-0 on the road. The two teams have met every year since 1995, FSU's first season, except for 2016 (weather cancellation) and 2020 (ACC-only season). The 2000 and 2003 campaigns featured two matchups, the second meetings coming in the NCAA Tournament and marking the only two times the rivalry has been played in the postseason. The Seminoles won both NCAA affairs by 2-1 margins.
With the longest unbeaten streak by either team in the rivalry, FSU has won eight in a row since 2017 and three consecutive at home. Six of the eight wins in the streak have been shutouts, including the last four, while the Seminoles have outscored the Gators 24-3 during this stretch. Last season's 5-0 win tied the largest margin of victory, and most goals scored, in the series, along with a similar 5-0 triumph in 2022in Gainesville.
One year ago, the Seminoles began the season with a 5-0 win over Florida on August 14, 2025, in Tallahassee in a contest that featured two weather delays. Heather Gilchrist scored the game's first two goals for her first career brace and game-winning goal, after entering the season with one career score. Hudson made it 3-0 just before halftime for her second goal vs. UF in as many years. FSU added two more second-half goals. A complete recap from the win can be found here.
SCOUTING THE GATORS
Florida is 1-1-0 in 2026 and 1-0-0 at home following a 3-2 win over Coastal Carolina in Gainesville on Thursday night. Two nights ago, the Gators led 2-0 after 33 minutes, but the Chanticleers tied it just over 10 minutes later. Host-UF won it in the 76th minute with the lone second-half goal. Florida's season commenced with a 4-3 loss at UCF on August 13.
LAST TIME OUT: HOME-OPENING CLEAN SHEET
Florida State recorded its third consecutive shutout to begin the season with a 3-0 win over Florida Atlantic on Thursday night in the team's home opener. The Seminoles scored 11 minutes into the game and added two goals in the second half while holding the Owls to two shots, one on goal.
Strickland gave the Seminoles a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute, the team's first score in the opening half in 2026. Freshman forward Ryder Ajeto doubled the lead with her first career goal in the 64th minute, and an own goal made it 3-0 in the 83rd to finalize the scoring. Strickland's goal is the fifth of her four-year career along with it being her second in two games in the Garnet and Gold. Junior forward Anaiyah Robinson and junior midfielder Sam Erbach assisted on Strickland's goal, while senior midfielder Ashley Henderson and Erbach got the assists on Ajeto's goal.
FSU out-shot FAU 18-2 with a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Seminoles earned 10 corner kicks and did not allow one. Six came in the first half after entering the game with five total in the first two games of the year. Fouls were six for the Owls and four for Florida State. Erbach led the team with five shots and was one of seven players with a shot on goal. Ockene did not have to make a save in the game and the defense cleared a ball off the line. FAU's keeper stopped five shots.
Twenty players appeared in the game for Florida State, all for at least 36 minutes and just two for more than 56 minutes besides Ockene's 90. The Seminoles improved to 5-0-0 all-time against Florida Atlantic and 2-0-0 at home. Four of the five contests have been FSU shutouts as FAU came to Tallahassee for the first time since 2003.
A complete recap and box score is available here.
UP NEXT: BACK ON THE ROAD
FSU will have 10 days off before another road contest, at Georgia on Thursday, September 3. Kickoff in Athens is at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Florida State's next game at the Seminole Soccer Complex is on Sunday, September 6, vs. Rice at 12 p.m. Tickets are available now at Seminoles.com/Tickets or by calling the FSU Athletics Ticket Office at 850-644-1830. Admission is free for all FSU students with their FSUID.
QUICK KICKS: NOTES TO KNOW
- Florida State is in its 32nd season in 2026 and owns a 495-165-62 (.729) overall record since the team's first season in 1995
- Head coach Brian Pensky is in his fifth season at FSU (73-7-12, .859) and his 22nd as a collegiate head coach (258-118-57, .662), and has led the Seminoles to two national championships, in 2023 and 2025, another NCAA College Cup berth in 2022 and five ACC titles, two regular season and three tournament, in his first four seasons with the Seminoles
- FSU leads the country with an .859 win percentage and two NCAA titles, and is second with 73 wins, since the beginning of the 2022 campaign, when Pensky took the helm
- With five national titles and 15 College Cup appearances, Florida State has made 26 total and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, every year since 2000, with four College Cups in the last five years and five title-game appearances in the last eight seasons
- The Seminoles are No. 2 all-time in NCAA success, second in Tournament wins (89-19-6), win percentage (.807), national titles (5) and College Cup appearances (15)
- FSU is unbeaten in its last 36 regular-season non-conference games, going 32-0-4 since the middle of the 2019 non-conference season after a 4-0-1 mark in 2025, the team's fifth consecutive unbeaten non-conference slate
- 4 of 11 starters are returning in 2026, with six of the seven departing starters now playing professionally in the NWSL
- FSU's incoming class is ranked No. 1 in the country by Top Drawer Soccer for the third consecutive season, with 16 newcomers (5 freshmen and 11 transfers) on the 2026 roster
- For the 20th time in the last 21 seasons, the Seminoles started the season in the top-10 nationally, as they were voted No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top-25
- 10 players signed professional contracts after helping FSU to a national title in 2025, eight in the NWSL and two in the Liga MX Femenil
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).
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's SoccerThursday, August 20
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