MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Former Berry College Women's Soccer coach, from the NAIA era, Becky Burleigh has been inducted into the 2024 University of Florida Hall of Fame.

Fresh off an illustrious playing career at Methodist University, an ambitious Becky Burleigh would take on the role as Berry Women's Soccer Head Coach at just 21 years old in 1989. 

Despite having four players that were older than her on the roster, Burleigh led through influence rather than positional power. In her first year as head coach, she led Berry to a National Championship appearance where they finished as National Runner-Ups. Burleigh was also named NAIA Regional Coach of the Year in her first season.

She then led Berry to two NAIA National Championship wins in 1990 and 1993. Burleigh also was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in those same seasons. In her five seasons, Burleigh dominated NAIA division, achieving a 76.6-win percentage and only losing seven games to NAIA opponents in her time as Berry's head coach. 

While at Berry, Burleigh learned that to be effective as a coach, stating that it should be "person over player." The holistic development skills that Burleigh picked up at Berry and at the DIII level followed her back to her home state of Florida, where she became the first Women's Soccer Head Coach in UF history. 

In her 26-year career in Gainsville, Burleigh has embarked on an extraordinary journey, earning 513 total wins and winning SEC Coach of the Year in 1996, 2000, 2008, and 2010. She has coached her teams to 10 SEC Tournament Titles and won a National Championship in 1998. Burleigh led the Gators to an amazing 22 NCAA Tournament appearances in her 26 seasons with the program. Burleigh has coached 20 players that have gone on to play in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

In 2021, Burleigh retired after 26 seasons. Just days after her retirement, Burleigh became the interim head coach in the NWSL for the Orlando Pride. 

For her efforts as a coach and player, Burleigh was recently inducted into the Florida Athletics Hall of Fame and the Methodist University Hall of Fame.

You can read more about her amazing career at the Floridagators.com