FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer opens Atlantic Sun Conference play Thursday at home against North Florida at 7 p.m. for Soccer Bingo Night. The Eagles face Jacksonville on the road Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches will not be streamed on ESPN+.
For tickets, purchase online HERE or at the gate. Single-game tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for military and youth (ages 4-12). For groups of 10 or more, tickets start at $6. FGCU students, faculty and staff are free with a valid Eagle I.D.
FGCU concluded its non-conference slate 1-4-1, defeating DePaul and tying Florida on Sunday. The Eagles were picked No. 1 in the Preseason ASUN Coaches Poll, earning nine of the 12 first-place votes. The Green and Blue went 7-1-3 in the league a season ago, with six shutouts, to earn the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament. FGCU won the ASUN Tournament Championship for the second straight year, advancing on penalty kicks 3-2.
Head coach Jim Blankenship is eyeing career win No. 450 on Thursday. Blankenship is currently the sixth-winningest active Division I head coach in women's soccer. FGCU has won the ASUN's regular season or tournament title in 12 out of the last 14 seasons. Blankenship, a five-time ASUN Coach of the Year selection, has won 10 or more matches in 16 of his 17 seasons at FGCU.
North Florida enters Thursday's contest 3-2-3 overall. The Ospreys also tied Florida 0-0 and are coming off a 1-1 draw at Davidson. UNF was picked to finish sixth this season. Ospreys defender Zara Siassi earned Preseason ASUN All-Conference honors. Paige McSwigan leads the team in goals with two.
FGCU is 16-3-1 all-time against UNF and has won the last four matches, three of which have been shutouts. The Eagles won 2-0 at North Florida last season as Kendal Gargiula and Erika Zschuppe both scored. Preseason ASUN Player of the Year Ashley Labbe paces all Eagles in goals scored in 2024 with three.
After UNF, FGCU heads north to face Jacksonville on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Eagles are 13-3-6 all-time when facing the Dolphins, winning 11 out of the last 12 matches. FGCU won 2-0 a season ago as Zschuppe and Gargiula teamed up once again to put Jacksonville away. FGCU has held JU scoreless in the last two meetings, outscoring the Dolphins 5-0.
Jacksonville (1-4-1) was picked to finish 11th in the preseason coaches poll. The Dolphins are trending in the right direction with a 2-2 tie versus Troy and a 5-0 win against South Carolina State. Logan Gonzales leads JU with three goals, two of which came against South Carolina State.
FGCU sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Molina continues to lead the conference in saves with 49, ranking 14th nationally. Her 8.17 saves per game ranks fourth in the nation.
