Many recent Gators coaches earned signature wins early in their tenure, like when Todd Golden and Florida basketball upset No. 1 Tennessee in January 2025.
No coach gained it in his third game – until Sunday.
Under humid conditions and behind the largest crowd in Donald R. Dizney Stadium history, new coach Nick Zimmerman delivered Florida soccer its biggest moment in over a decade.
The Gators upset No. 3 and defending national champions Florida State 3-1 to improve to 2-1 in the young 2026 season.
“The energy of the team was absolute, whether you played no minutes or 90 minutes,” Zimmerman said. “This is a huge win for our program, our conference, and we’re going to enjoy it.”
It’s hard to put into words how massive and frankly stunning this win was. The Gators have struggled to build a winning culture since Becky Burleigh’s retirement in 2020. Tony Amato’s lone season ended in controversy, and Samantha Bohan’s rebuild took too long for athletic director Scott Stricklin.
The Seminoles, meanwhile, have won five national champions in the last dozen years, including two under current coach Brian Pensky. The recent battles between the two haven’t been competitive. UF hadn’t scored a goal on the ‘Noles since 2021, with a 5-0 defeat last season in Tallahassee. Florida State won eight in a row prior to Sunday, with Florida’s last win in 2015 – when the No. 14 Gators upset the top-ranked and defending national champions Seminoles at home.
FSU, itself, hadn’t lost a non-conference game since 2019 and not to an unranked squad since 2017. Yes, the ‘Noles lost a great deal of talent from the national championship team, but a win of this magnitude is what changes the trajectory of a program.
Yet, Zimmerman convinced his young squad – which started four freshman – the upset was possible.
“We challenge our players. We know what our identity is, but how do we actualize it?” Zimmerman said. “Our DNA is fighting and competing, and you saw that today. You saw players leave it all on the line, bodies on the box. Carnage.”
Kyra Taylor entered Sunday with a fresh mind. She transferred with Zimmerman from Mississippi State, and unburdened by bad memories, she scored twice Sunday. Her first, scored in the 22nd minute, struck fear into the Seminoles.
“Since preseason, we’ve been working on standards, and every single thing was displayed today,” Taylor said.
Through the first two games of the Zimmerman era, offense wasn’t the issue. The coach said before the season he wanted the Gators to play with tempo, and they showed that with six goals vs. UCF and Coastal Carolina.
However, defense and goalkeeping plagued the squad. UF doubled Central Florida’s shot total, but still lost 4-3. Zimmerman made the change in net to redshirt senior Jayden Emmanuel.
Emmanuel stunned the 1,632 in attendance with a 1-on-1 save in the first half over Shaneil Buckley.
“My mind was kind of blank. I hit a flow state,” Emmanuel said.
Zimmerman called Emmanuel’s save “big time.”
“Those are moments you need to beat really good teams like Florida State,” he said.
In the 78th minute, Montelene Dymond juked out FSU goalie Kate Ockene to put the game on ice.
“Monty is my roommate, so I was like ‘Do it for Room 203!’” Emmanuel said. “She’s from Canada, and her family was in the stands, so I’m happy for her.”
Lael Hill was one of UF’s four freshman starters. Zimmerman praised Hill’s versatility postgame. Zimmerman, himself, gained a new fan in Lael’s father – college basketball and NBA legend – Grant Hill. The Orlando resident attended Sunday’s game.
“You’re not just beating a team like FSU, you are beating a legacy,” Hill said. “You hear bits and pieces, but what he’s done with this group in holding them accountable and making them believe. Belief is a powerful tool, and this group came in believing they were going to win.”
For Zimmerman, Sunday was the first step back in restoring the Gator legacy.
“This was what you think of the standard of Florida soccer,” Zimmerman said. “You see the joy of the fans and the players. They’re pushing their minds and spirits. Really happy for them.”
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1, Instagram @Ramreporter and Facebook Noah Ram – Reporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida soccer stuns defending national champ FSU for highest ranked win in a decade
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
