This story was first published by the Tampa Bay Times on Feb. 6.
By Ella Zinken, Times Staff Writer
TAMPA — As the Tampa Bay Sun return from the USL Super League’s winter break, excitement is building both on and off the field.
The area’s first professional women’s soccer team will resume play Saturday against Fort Lauderdale United at Riverfront Stadium in downtown Tampa. The game was postponed from Oct. 12 due to Hurricane Milton.
For Sun captain Jordyn Listro, the focus is on starting the spring season strong and building momentum for a potential playoff run.
“It’s always important to start with a win,” Listro said. “You get momentum, and you build from there. We ended the fall pretty well, so we just want to build on that, keep going, and stay consistent to make the playoffs.”
The Sun went into the winter break fifth in the league standings, one point behind fourth-place Fort Lauderdale. The top four teams at the end of the full season (which ends in late May) will make the playoffs.
“Whoever wins this match will be in fourth place overall,” said Sun coach Denise Schilte-Brown, who was named one of the Tampa Bay Times’ People to Watch in 2025. “It’s going to be a really interesting second half of the season, and everyone’s going to have to fight for every point they get.”
The Sun went through several changes in the fall, losing a few players, including forward Riley Parker, but gaining new talent, including Jordan Zade and Parker Goins.
Zade, a dynamic defender from the University of Nebraska, was signed on Jan. 8. She was a standout in college, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2023.
“I’m really excited and grateful for this opportunity to play at the next level,” Zade said. “This has been a dream of mine since I was little. I even have worksheets from when I was 4, writing that I wanted to play pro. It’s crazy that this is happening now.”
Goins, who played five seasons at Arkansas, was a three-time first team All-SEC selection (2019, 2020, 2021) and 2021 SEC midfielder of the year. She most recently played for Racing Louisville of the National Women’s Soccer League.
Listro said she looks forward to playing alongside her team’s new arrivals.
“We are excited to get going with the new players,” she said. “I think there are some good additions that will help us in areas we didn’t necessarily have in the fall.”
The Sun enter the spring on a roll, having gone 3-1-1 over their past five games, including a come-from-behind, 3-2 victory over Spokane in their most recent match on Dec. 14.
Schilte-Brown called the win an outstanding display of character, something she hopes her team will build on Saturday against its in-state rival. The teams tied 1-1 in their first meeting Nov. 10 in Fort Lauderdale.
“They offer a different look from other teams,” Schilte-Brown said. “They have an interesting desire to build, but they also have the tools to counterattack. They’re quite pace-y compared to other teams in the league, and they rely on that in the final third.”
Schilte-Brown emphasized the significance of the rivalry, not just for the players, but for the fans, too.
“Most people love the city and state they’re from, and that closest team is infringing on your territory. It creates this feeling of pride for your city,” she explained. “You want to win that derby, and it’s a great thing for the fans.”
For Zade, the game represents more than just a chance to climb the standings. It’s the realization of a lifelong dream, the culmination of years of hard work, and an opportunity to inspire the next generation of athletes.
“Being able to interact with young girls and show them that this is possible is huge,” she said. “It hit me one day, like, wow, I was that little girl going to camps, seeing older players and thinking, ‘You are awesome.’ Now, I’m that role model for these little girls, and that’s crazy.”