Tony Amato, the winningest coach in Arizona Wildcats soccer history, is leaving the UA for the University of Florida. The Gators made the announcement Monday afternoon.
The Florida native takes over for retiring UF coach Becky Burleigh, who's led the Gators since the program's inaugural season in 1995.
"The University of Florida is a special place and I am extremely excited for this opportunity," said Amato in a news release. "I have admired Florida Soccer and the program Becky Burleigh built since I started coaching at Rollins College. I am honored to follow in her footsteps and will work tirelessly to make our administration, alumni and fans proud of our Gator team."
Amato took over the UA program in 2013 following stops at Division II Rollins College and Stephen F. Austin. Over eight seasons in Tucson, Amato posted a 88-53-17 record and qualified for NCAA tournament in '17, '18 and '19.
Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said Amato has been "a proven and consistent winner at each of the three programs he's led."
"Each of those programs enjoyed a significant rise in success under Tony's watch, including consistent NCAA bids," said Stricklin said. "As someone who grew up in Florida and has coached in the state, he understands that the University of Florida is a special place, and his plan for Gators soccer completely aligns with our vision to succeed at the highest SEC and national levels.
"Tony draws from his knowledge as both a player and coach, enabling him to help players maximize their individual skills and abilities, but his definition of success expands beyond the pitch. He has the ability to connect with his players on an individual level, and they in turn have earned high academic achievements while also being active in the community."
