South Florida Women’s Soccer Set for War on I-4 Showdown with UCF
August 21, 2026 | Women's Soccer
The Bulls look to bounce back and make a statement in their home opener against an in-state rival
Joey Johnston/Athletics Senior Writer
Game Details
Date: Sunday, August 23, 2026
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Live Coverage: Stats
Buy Tickets Here: Tickets
Promotions: Thundersticks and schedule posters
TAMPA, Fla. (August 21, 2026) – After a difficult opening weekend on the West Coast, the University of South Florida women's soccer program can use a spark.
Sunday night. Corbett Stadium. The home-crowd advantage. And the obvious energy provided by facing a rival opponent, the UCF Knights.
That might do the trick.
"I think it's not all of what the team needs, but it's definitely part of it,'' midfielder Brooke Fabri said. "We're hungry. We're ready for a change. With UCF being the next opponent, I think it's a blessing in disguise because they're a great team and they challenge us. We want to challenge them back.''
"This is definitely the best opportunity we're going to have to change the path of the season,'' said defender Audrey Buck, a former UCF player. "This is an opportunity. If we want to send our season in a different direction, it must start this Sunday. There's no reason why we can't get a result. There's a lot of emotion, and it's all coming from a place that wants to change the course of the season for my team, but also leave everything I have on that field just because of the opponent and how much it means to me.''
The Bulls are 0-2 after decisive defeats at Gonzaga (5-1) and Washington State (4-1).
Third-year head coach Chris Brown said it was a learning experience against two quality programs. He hopes it will pay off when the American Conference schedule begins.
"I'm disappointed for the group because of the results, but I am not discouraged because I feel we have a very good team,'' Brown said. "To some degree, I still think we're figuring it out with a lot of new faces in the lineup. The results do not (look good), but there were some things we can build upon.''
Brown said he was most disappointed by surrendering five goals on set pieces (along with two penalty kicks), which became a defensive focus during this week's preparation.
"I don't think the scores were indicative of the group that we have, and that's what's causing the lack of sleep the last several days,'' Brown said. "It's not a good representation of what our program is about and what this group is about. They are very hungry to right the ship.
"We have players who are trying to get their footing, and we're just trying to piece together the right combination of players. Obviously, you'd love for it to be perfect and settled from Day One, but that's just not the case with the group we have. I'm certain we will right the ship. Our goal right now is to get a lot better this week and put together a great effort on our home turf.''
Another ongoing South Florida goal is … to score more goals.
That sounds simplistic. But more goals would've made a huge difference last season, when the Bulls finished 9-8-3. South Florida scored one goal or fewer (with three shutouts) in seven of the defeats.
"I think scoring more is actually one of our top priorities,'' forward Sophia Cabral said. "We're super committed to put our body on the line and get that ball in the back of the net.''
Brown said he expects the physical presence of Cabral and Amelia Malkin to be a major plus for South Florida's offense. Freshman forward McKenna Battilla, from Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School, is a promising newcomer who could also provide scoring.
South Florida's best option could be senior midfielder/forward Yui Suetsugu, a second-team American Conference selection last season. Suetsugu did not play in the first two matches due to a training-camp injury, but Brown hopes she can return against UCF.
"She's a special player, and she's unique,'' Brown said. "She's a big part of what we want to do. She has a special ability technically on the ball and a special mindset to really win her one-on-one battles from an attacking standpoint. With the way she plays, the risks she takes, and the courage that she has on the ball, hopefully we have her back sooner rather than later.''
UCF is next.
It's a perfect time to put everything together and build some positive momentum.
"I wouldn't call us young, but I definitely would call us inexperienced because a lot of the new faces, even a lot who are starting for us, there's not a lot of minutes in those players,'' Brown said. "I knew we would probably have some growing pains. But I believe in them. I think we're going to be just fine.
"Right now, I'm tunnel-visioned. Our focus is on UCF, trying to shore up and be as strong as we can for those 90 minutes on Sunday. It's a resilient group, and they are driven to excel. The way we started (with two defeats), we don't want that to define us. Let's try and learn from it. Let's move forward and play the way we know we're capable of playing.''
Sunday night would be an ideal time to start.
Series History
UCF holds the advantage in the all-time series, 14-7-4. The Knights claimed the most recent meeting on August 21, 2025, defeating South Florida, 4-1, in Orlando, Fla.
Follow South Florida Women's Soccer
For the latest updates from South Florida Women's Soccer, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on Facebook, Instagram, and X,.
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Women's Soccer
Chris Brown enters his third season as USF head coach after a record-setting debut in 2024, leading the Bulls to 12 wins and coaching both the American Athletic Conference Midfielder and Goalkeeper of the Year. South Florida produced six all-conference players. He recorded the most wins in a debut season with 12 wins. Brown followed that success by guiding the Bulls to a 9-8-3 overall record and a trip to the American Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals in 2025, as South Florida earned a first-round tournament victory and secured three selections to the American Athletic Conference Preseason Watch List entering 2026. Brown spent 17 years as associate head coach (2007–2023), helping USF to three American Athletic Conference titles, eight NCAA appearances, and a 10-year streak of 10+ win seasons. He coached USF's first All-American, Evelyne Viens, now a Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist, and has developed multiple American Athletic Conference award winners. Players under his guidance hold most of the program's records.
Date: Sunday, August 23, 2026
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Live Coverage: Stats
Buy Tickets Here: Tickets
Promotions: Thundersticks and schedule posters
TAMPA, Fla. (August 21, 2026) – After a difficult opening weekend on the West Coast, the University of South Florida women's soccer program can use a spark.
Sunday night. Corbett Stadium. The home-crowd advantage. And the obvious energy provided by facing a rival opponent, the UCF Knights.
That might do the trick.
"I think it's not all of what the team needs, but it's definitely part of it,'' midfielder Brooke Fabri said. "We're hungry. We're ready for a change. With UCF being the next opponent, I think it's a blessing in disguise because they're a great team and they challenge us. We want to challenge them back.''
"This is definitely the best opportunity we're going to have to change the path of the season,'' said defender Audrey Buck, a former UCF player. "This is an opportunity. If we want to send our season in a different direction, it must start this Sunday. There's no reason why we can't get a result. There's a lot of emotion, and it's all coming from a place that wants to change the course of the season for my team, but also leave everything I have on that field just because of the opponent and how much it means to me.''
The Bulls are 0-2 after decisive defeats at Gonzaga (5-1) and Washington State (4-1).
Third-year head coach Chris Brown said it was a learning experience against two quality programs. He hopes it will pay off when the American Conference schedule begins.
"I'm disappointed for the group because of the results, but I am not discouraged because I feel we have a very good team,'' Brown said. "To some degree, I still think we're figuring it out with a lot of new faces in the lineup. The results do not (look good), but there were some things we can build upon.''
Brown said he was most disappointed by surrendering five goals on set pieces (along with two penalty kicks), which became a defensive focus during this week's preparation.
"I don't think the scores were indicative of the group that we have, and that's what's causing the lack of sleep the last several days,'' Brown said. "It's not a good representation of what our program is about and what this group is about. They are very hungry to right the ship.
"We have players who are trying to get their footing, and we're just trying to piece together the right combination of players. Obviously, you'd love for it to be perfect and settled from Day One, but that's just not the case with the group we have. I'm certain we will right the ship. Our goal right now is to get a lot better this week and put together a great effort on our home turf.''
Another ongoing South Florida goal is … to score more goals.
That sounds simplistic. But more goals would've made a huge difference last season, when the Bulls finished 9-8-3. South Florida scored one goal or fewer (with three shutouts) in seven of the defeats.
"I think scoring more is actually one of our top priorities,'' forward Sophia Cabral said. "We're super committed to put our body on the line and get that ball in the back of the net.''
Brown said he expects the physical presence of Cabral and Amelia Malkin to be a major plus for South Florida's offense. Freshman forward McKenna Battilla, from Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School, is a promising newcomer who could also provide scoring.
South Florida's best option could be senior midfielder/forward Yui Suetsugu, a second-team American Conference selection last season. Suetsugu did not play in the first two matches due to a training-camp injury, but Brown hopes she can return against UCF.
"She's a special player, and she's unique,'' Brown said. "She's a big part of what we want to do. She has a special ability technically on the ball and a special mindset to really win her one-on-one battles from an attacking standpoint. With the way she plays, the risks she takes, and the courage that she has on the ball, hopefully we have her back sooner rather than later.''
UCF is next.
It's a perfect time to put everything together and build some positive momentum.
"I wouldn't call us young, but I definitely would call us inexperienced because a lot of the new faces, even a lot who are starting for us, there's not a lot of minutes in those players,'' Brown said. "I knew we would probably have some growing pains. But I believe in them. I think we're going to be just fine.
"Right now, I'm tunnel-visioned. Our focus is on UCF, trying to shore up and be as strong as we can for those 90 minutes on Sunday. It's a resilient group, and they are driven to excel. The way we started (with two defeats), we don't want that to define us. Let's try and learn from it. Let's move forward and play the way we know we're capable of playing.''
Sunday night would be an ideal time to start.
Series History
UCF holds the advantage in the all-time series, 14-7-4. The Knights claimed the most recent meeting on August 21, 2025, defeating South Florida, 4-1, in Orlando, Fla.
Follow South Florida Women's Soccer
For the latest updates from South Florida Women's Soccer, visit GoUSFBulls.com. Follow the Bulls on Facebook, Instagram, and X,.
Get your tickets today!
Call 1-800-GO-BULLS (1-800-462-8557) or email BullsTickets@usf.edu to claim your season or single-game tickets. You can also download the South Florida Bulls app on the Android or Apple stores to purchase tickets and parking. Visit USFBullsTix.com for more information.
About South Florida Women's Soccer
Chris Brown enters his third season as USF head coach after a record-setting debut in 2024, leading the Bulls to 12 wins and coaching both the American Athletic Conference Midfielder and Goalkeeper of the Year. South Florida produced six all-conference players. He recorded the most wins in a debut season with 12 wins. Brown followed that success by guiding the Bulls to a 9-8-3 overall record and a trip to the American Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals in 2025, as South Florida earned a first-round tournament victory and secured three selections to the American Athletic Conference Preseason Watch List entering 2026. Brown spent 17 years as associate head coach (2007–2023), helping USF to three American Athletic Conference titles, eight NCAA appearances, and a 10-year streak of 10+ win seasons. He coached USF's first All-American, Evelyne Viens, now a Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist, and has developed multiple American Athletic Conference award winners. Players under his guidance hold most of the program's records.
Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer
Players Mentioned
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