Florida State's Path to Women's College Cup

by Victor Olorunfemi

November 28, 2023

When asked by TopDrawer to describe what has made this Florida State season so special, head coach Brian Pensky replied, “Our team’s ability to fight through adversity has become the story of our season.” While, on paper, that may seem like a stretch, considering the Seminoles are undefeated through 21 games, a look beyond the surface reveals a program that has become the dominant force it has, only through the long list of adversity it survived.

For one, Pensky’s hire in April of 2022 came with plenty of uncertainty following the sudden retirement of legendary 17-year coach Mark Kirkorian. The shock following the retirement led to seven starters from the 2021 national championship team entering the transfer portal, made worse by the reality that Pensky would have practically no time to recruit and rebuild the roster. Yet despite that, the Seminoles reached the 2022 College Cup, setting up a 2023 spring with plenty of promise. But even that was hardly straightforward as the team lost multiple starters to the professional ranks, and the staff built a loaded schedule featuring games against NWSL sides Gotham FC and Orlando Prime, where the team failed to win but learned plenty about the fight and desire of every player populating the program.

And when this season rolled around, Coach Pensky would have no doubts about just how much his team would persevere and rely on one another no matter the situation. Perhaps, the best example is the little-known detail that Florida State has been tied or behind at halftime in 12 of 21 games this season and has responded by outscoring opponents 49-4 in the second half. That alone highlights a team that approaches adversity not with fear but with confidence in its ability to do what it takes to earn a result.

Perseverance through adversity has been the story of this Florida State season and will surely be a quality the Seminoles must call upon in the College Cup.

Ten Key Moments:

08/17/2023 – Freshman phenom Jordynn Dudley starts against Texas A&M, marking one of just six games where the Georgia native did not register a goal or assist.

09/03/2023 – Versus South Florida, Onyi Echegini makes her first start after spending the summer at the World Cup with the Nigerian national team. The Senior midfielder is having a career-best season with 15 goals and 4 assists.

09/04/2023 – Florida State is ranked No. 1 in the country, a position it has maintained.

09/24/2023 – A last-second goal from Freshman Amelia Van Zanten, assisted by Junior transfer Taylor Huff, sees the Seminoles earn a 3-3 draw at North Carolina.

10/11/2023 – TDS places Jordynn Dudley at No. 1 in Midseason Freshman Rankings. Amelia Van Zanten, at No. 33, joins the list.

10/13/2023 – Led by Taylor Huff at No. 4, several Florida State players populate the TDS Midseason Upperclassmen Player Rankings. Lauren Flynn (No. 7), Onyi Echegini (No. 23), Cristina Roque (No. 50).

10/26/2023 – Senior center back Lauren Flynn celebrates senior night with an unlikely hat-trick to seal the ACC Regular Season crown, leading to TDS Player of the Week honors.

11/01/2023 – Pensky wins ACC Coach of the Year, Echeginini is Offensive Player of the Year, and Dudley is Freshman of the Year. Jody Brown, Dudley, and Echegini make the ACC First Team, while Huff, LeiLanni Nesbeth, and Cristina Roque make the Second Team. Beata Olsson is on the Third Team, and Van Zanten joins Dudley on the All-Freshman Team.

11/04/2023 – The team wins fourth straight ACC Tournament title and ninth in eleven years.

11/24/2023 – In a 3-0 victory over Pittsburgh, Florida State advances to its fourth straight College Cup.

Ten Key Statistics: