DADE CITY, Fla. — LSU’s co-head soccer coach Danielle Fotopoulos was this year’s recipient of the 11th annual Saint Leo University Women in Sports Achievement Award, it was announced on Feb. 5 by the school’s Director of Athletics Francis X. Reidy.
Fotopoulos, named co-head coach of the Tiger soccer program on Jan. 14, was honored at the Girl and Women In Sports banquet at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club. Fotopoulos played for the University of Florida from 1996-98 and finished her career as the NCAA Division I all-time goals (118) and points (284) leader. The native of Altamonte Springs, Fla. native led the Gators to the 1998 NCAA Championship, scoring the winning goal and won the 1998 Honda Award, which goes to the top collegiate player in the nation.
Fotopoulos was a First-Team All-America selection in 1998 and also led the nation in scoring in 1996. She started her career at SMU and played there from 1994-95. In her career, Fotopoulos was a three-time All-America selection, a three-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, and a two-time Soccer America collegiate MVP.
Fotopoulos was a founding player in the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) in 2001 and played for three seasons. She ranks second all-time in the WUSA in points and led her team, the Carolina Courage, to the 2002 Founders Cup. Fotopoulos was also a member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal as well as the 1999 World Cup Champion squad.
The Women in Sports Achievement Award was first given in 1993 to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers president Gay Culverhouse.