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For head coach Becky Burleigh, Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Auburn was heart-wrenching for a number of reasons. It meant the Gators were knocked out of the NCAA tournament. It meant she wouldn’t lead the team to their first national championship since 1998.
Perhaps the most heart-breaking part of it all, it meant Sunday was the last time this year’s senior class would play together.
These seniors. They will hold a special place in my heart. Not one player wanted to leave the field tonight. ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/IVnjNeP37S
— Becky Burleigh (@BeckyBurleigh) November 20, 2016
Departing Seniors
Seniors like Savannah Jordan and Brooke Sharp will be remembered by fans for their goal scoring heroics. For Becky Burleigh, they were part of a group of seniors that bettered the program as a whole. Not only for the four years they were wearing the Gator colors, but for good.
Burleigh mentioned in a very emotional press conference that this senior class has been through a lot, both on the field and personally. She implemented a new system four years ago when the now-seniors were just freshmen, and Burleigh admits they have truly grown together.
— Becky Burleigh (@BeckyBurleigh) November 21, 2016
It was only fitting that this collection of Gators was fighting until the very last minute in their last game playing together. Burleigh explained that her “system” has emphasized the person over the player, and these seniors thrived in it.
While it was certainly a tough way for it all to end, as was said in the Gator huddle following the game, the relationships formed by this team go way beyond their time in uniform.
