Nick Zimmerman is Gators Soccer Coach

Press release from the University of Florida Athletic Administration

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators are bringing one of the nation’s rising coaching stars home. Florida has named Nick Zimmerman its new head soccer coach, director of athletics Scott Stricklin announced Friday, ushering in a new era for a program ready to surge.

Zimmerman returns to his home state after engineering a remarkable rise at Mississippi State. In just one season as the Bulldogs’ head coach, he steered MSU to the NCAA Tournament and made national noise with three top-10 victories in 2025 — highlighted by a thrilling 3-2 upset of No. 1 Tennessee.

His impact in Starkville began long before his head coaching promotion. Joining the program in 2019, Zimmerman helped transform MSU from a team with a limited postseason history into a consistent national contender. Under his guidance, the Bulldogs earned four straight NCAA Tournament berths, six SEC Tournament appearances, and captured the program’s first-ever SEC regular-season championship with a perfect 10-0 record in 2024.

A relentless recruiter, Zimmerman also elevated MSU’s talent pipeline. Mississippi State had never cracked TopDrawerSoccer’s top-50 recruiting rankings before his arrival; under his leadership, the Bulldogs earned recognition four times beginning in 2020.

A Sunshine State product, Zimmerman starred at James Madison before embarking on a professional career and ultimately moving into collegiate coaching.

Zimmerman becomes the fourth head coach in Florida soccer history and will lead the Gators into their 32nd season in fall 2026.