Danielle Fotopoulos Season 2024
(updated 8/31/04)
Danielle Fotopoulos is a household name to the majority of collegiate soccer fans in the nation, and now her name is officially associated with LSU. Fotopoulos and her husband George Fotopoulos will form one of the few husband-wife coaching combinations in the country.
Fotopoulos assisted the Tigers last season in a volunteer role, but is now prepared to help the LSU soccer program achieve unprecedented success. Fotopoulos, a star at the University of Florida from 1996-98, is the NCAA all-time leader in both points (284) and goals (118) in a career for both men and women. The native of Altamonte Springs, Fla., led the Gators to the 1998 national title as she scored the game-winning goal on a free kick in overtime versus North Carolina in the title game. She was subsequently named the 1998 Collegiate Player of the Year. Fotopolous was also named to Soccer America’s College Team of the Decade for the 1990’s.
Fotopoulos began her career at SMU, playing for the Mustangs from 1994-95 before transferring to Florida. She was a First-Team All-America selection for the Gators in 1998 and also led the nation in scoring in 1996. During her illustrious collegiate career, Fotopoulos was a three-time All-America selection, a two-time Soccer America Collegiate MVP, and was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year three times. Her teammate on the 1998 Florida squad was Tracy Hay, an assistant coach at LSU from 2000-03.
She was a founding player in the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) in 2001 and played for three seasons with the Carolina Courage. She also helped lead her Carolina team to the 2002 Founder’s Cup, as she led the WUSA in points during the season. Fotopoulos ranks second all-time in WUSA history in points, notching 20 goals and adding 16 assists. She was also a two-time WUSA All-Star.
Fotopoulos will work closely with her husband and assistant coach Ricky Zambrano to help elevate the LSU program to the top of the Southeastern Conference.
Fotopoulos was a member of the 1996 Olympic team that won a gold medal and was part of the 1999 World Cup championship club, which defeated China in a thrilling shootout victory.
She was the recipient of the 11th annual Saint Leo University Women in Sports Achievement Award in Feb. 2004. Fotopoulos has been featured twice in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.”
George and Danielle were married on June 8, 1996. They have one child, Alexia, who will turn four in November. The couple is expecting another child in July of 2004.