Becky Burleigh
Encyclopedia
Rebecca Lund "Becky" Burleigh (born October 13, 1967) is an American college soccer coach and former college soccer player. She is the current head coach
of the Florida Gators women's soccer team of the University of Florida
. Burleigh is best known for coaching the Gators soccer team in winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I championship in 1998.
In 1998, in the Gators soccer program's fourth year of existence, Burleigh coached the Gators to their first NCAA national title by defeating the defending national champion North Carolina
Tar Heels 1–0 in the final. The 1998 Gators finished 26–1, their only regular season loss coming to the same North Carolina
team that the Gators defeated in the NCAA championship final. Players from her 1998 national championship team included All-Americans Danielle Fotopoulos
, Heather Mitts
and Erin Baxter.
Burleigh's Gators play in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference
(SEC). In conference play, her Gators teams have won eleven SEC championships, and nine SEC tournament titles, leading all other SEC teams since the Florida soccer team began play in 1995.
Prior to coaching at Florida, Burleigh was the head coach at Berry College
, located in Mount Berry, Georgia
. She was offered the Berry job within weeks of her own college graduation, at the age of 21. From 1989 to 1993, Burleigh compiled an 82–23–6 overall record during her five seasons at Berry, and her Lady Fury teams won two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
(NAIA) national championships in 1990 and 1993.
As a head coach, Burleigh has compiled an overall career record of 365–95–32, with a winning percentage of 0.774. Among all active Division I women's soccer coaches, she ranks fourth in total number of wins, and fifth in winning percentage. During her tenure at Florida, Burleigh has coached sixteen All-Americans.
(DIAC) championships, three NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, and a trip to the 1988 Division III Final Four. Burleigh played defense
for her first three seasons, and served as the team's goalie as a senior. She was a three-time First-Team All-DIAC selection and earned First-Team All-South honors in 1988. In 1999, she was inducted into the Methodist University Hall of Fame.
, where she began to play youth soccer at the age of ten. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree
in biology from Methodist College (now known as "Methodist University") located in Fayetteville, North Carolina
, in 1989. In 1993, Burleigh earned her master's degree
in exercise science from Georgia State University
located in Atlanta, Georgia
.
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Florida Gators women's soccer team of the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Burleigh is best known for coaching the Gators soccer team in winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I championship in 1998.
Coaching career
Burleigh was named the first head coach of the start-up Florida Gators soccer program on June 28, 1994. Through the conclusion of the 2010 season, she has compiled a record of 283–72–26 (.777) as the head coach at the Gators. Burleigh's Gators teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament thirteen of the last fifteen seasons.In 1998, in the Gators soccer program's fourth year of existence, Burleigh coached the Gators to their first NCAA national title by defeating the defending national champion North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
Tar Heels 1–0 in the final. The 1998 Gators finished 26–1, their only regular season loss coming to the same North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
team that the Gators defeated in the NCAA championship final. Players from her 1998 national championship team included All-Americans Danielle Fotopoulos
Danielle Fotopoulos
Danielle Ruth Garrett Fotopoulos is a former American college, professional and international soccer player. Fotopoulos holds the all-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I records for goals and points, and was a member of the University of Florida team that won the 1998 NCAA...
, Heather Mitts
Heather Mitts
Heather Blaine Mitts Feeley is an American professional soccer player who is a defender in the Women's Professional Soccer league. Mitts played college soccer for the University of Florida, and thereafter, she has played professionally for the Philadelphia Charge, Boston Breakers, Philadelphia...
and Erin Baxter.
Burleigh's Gators play in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC). In conference play, her Gators teams have won eleven SEC championships, and nine SEC tournament titles, leading all other SEC teams since the Florida soccer team began play in 1995.
Prior to coaching at Florida, Burleigh was the head coach at Berry College
Berry College
Berry College is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Mount Berry, unincorporated Floyd County, Georgia, north of Rome. It was founded in 1902 by Martha Berry.-Location:Berry College is located on U.S...
, located in Mount Berry, Georgia
Mount Berry, Georgia
Mount Berry is an unincorporated community contiguous with the main campus of Berry College in Floyd County, Georgia, United States, bordering the city of Rome. Mount Berry was named after Berry College founder Martha Berry...
. She was offered the Berry job within weeks of her own college graduation, at the age of 21. From 1989 to 1993, Burleigh compiled an 82–23–6 overall record during her five seasons at Berry, and her Lady Fury teams won two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
(NAIA) national championships in 1990 and 1993.
As a head coach, Burleigh has compiled an overall career record of 365–95–32, with a winning percentage of 0.774. Among all active Division I women's soccer coaches, she ranks fourth in total number of wins, and fifth in winning percentage. During her tenure at Florida, Burleigh has coached sixteen All-Americans.
Playing career
During her collegiate playing career at Methodist College, Burleigh was a four-year varsity letterman in soccer for the Lady Monarchs, including Methodist's first four seasons as a varsity program. During her four seasons of play, she helped Methodist to a 55–19–4 (.731) record, four Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceDixie Conference
The Dixie Conference was the name of three collegiate athletic leagues in the United States. The first operated from 1930 until the United States' entry into World War II in 1942. The second conference to use the name existed from 1948 to 1954...
(DIAC) championships, three NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, and a trip to the 1988 Division III Final Four. Burleigh played defense
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for her first three seasons, and served as the team's goalie as a senior. She was a three-time First-Team All-DIAC selection and earned First-Team All-South honors in 1988. In 1999, she was inducted into the Methodist University Hall of Fame.
Personal
Burleigh grew up in Tarpon Springs, FloridaTarpon Springs, Florida
Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 21,003 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 22,554....
, where she began to play youth soccer at the age of ten. She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in biology from Methodist College (now known as "Methodist University") located in Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, in 1989. In 1993, Burleigh earned her master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in exercise science from Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
located in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of college women's soccer coaches with 250 wins
- List of Florida Gators soccer players
- History of the University of FloridaHistory of the University of FloridaThe history of the University of Florida is firmly tied to the history of public education in the state of Florida. The University of Florida, colloquially known as "Florida" or "UF," originated as several distinct institutions that were merged to create a single state-supported university by the...
- Soccer
- University Athletic AssociationUniversity of Florida Athletic AssociationThe University Athletic Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for maintaining the Florida Gators intercollegiate sports program of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida...
- Women's Soccer
External links
- GatorSports.com – Gators sports page of the Gainesville Sun.
- GatorZone.com – Official website of the Florida Gators.
- SECSports.com – Official website of the Southeastern Conference.
- University Athletic Association – Official website of University Athletic Association
- University of Florida – Official website of the University of Florida.