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Twenty-five years after Gators soccer’s first and only National Championship, the story of the 1998 team will air on SEC Storied.
SEC Storied: “Kick Start” featuring head coach of the 1998 team and founder of the soccer program, Becky Burleigh, debuts on Oct. 29 on SEC Network. The 1998 is historic for winning the National Championship, but also for doing it only four years after the team’s conception. Much of the credit for the team’s unprecedented and meteoric rise belongs to Burleigh.
#SECStoried: Kick Start ⚽️
The story of how Becky Burleigh led @GatorsSoccer to its first national championship after starting the program 4 seasons prior
Premieres Oct. 29 | 8p ET | @SECNetwork
More: https://t.co/1h7oQmvlaW | @FloridaGators pic.twitter.com/Ujst9AMeab
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 15, 2024
Burleigh’s Belief
Burleigh, hired in 1994 at just 26, held the responsibility of building the team and program from the ground up. In just four short years, Burleigh demonstrated a masterclass in leadership and vision, turning a fledging program into a powerhouse. At the time, only two teams had ever won the National Championship: George Mason once, and UNC the other 14 times. For Burleigh, success started with recruiting that focused on “believers.” That strategy worked, as she compiled a stacked 1998 roster with All-Americans Erin Baxter, Danielle Fotopoulos, and Heather Mitts. Not to mention freshman Abby Wambach, who became one of the best women’s soccer players of all time.
In the 1998 regular season, the Gators went 26-1. Going into the National Championship game against the juggernaut UNC team, the Gators were the underdogs. But Fotopoulos scored on a free kick, and the Gators ended the game, stunning the Tar Heels 1-0. While it remains the program’s only National Championship, the team never took their foot off the gas. They appeared in four more quarterfinals. Since Burleigh’s retirement in 2020, the Gators have not returned to the postseason. On Friday Oct.19, Burleigh was inducted in the Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
On the Big Screen
Director of “Kick Start”, Erin Leyden, says she is inspired by how quickly Burleigh established a winning tradition for Florida soccer. “To me, the story of the ’98 championship team is a testament to what can happen when a bold idea is backed up with great passion, smart planning and a whole lot of heart,” Leyden said. Watch the trailer here and catch the short film on at 8p.m pm on Oct.29 on SEC Network.
