GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer signs striker Kelsey Smith for the Gators fall 2026 roster.
Smith joins the Gators as a grad transfer after leading Maryland in goals (6) and points (14) in 2025. All of her eight career goals came in the last two seasons. She earns her bachelor’s degree in public health practice this spring and enrolls at Florida this summer.
“We are so excited to welcome Kelsey to Gator Nation! She is a player we have been following since her youth club days when she was Gatorade Player of the Year in Maryland!!,” Florida Head Coach Nick Zimmerman said. “She will join an exciting attacking group who is eager to score goals and create chances! She loves to go 1v1 and her competitiveness is evident every time she steps on the field! “
“I’m super excited to join this group of girls and staff in my next chapter,” Smith said. “I can’t wait to get started!!”
Smith is the eighth transfer, joining Tatum Bormanhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/15/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-tatum-borman, Charlotte Grimhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/16/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-charlotte-grim, Hannah Jibrilhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/16/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-hannah-jibril, Zoe Mainhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/15/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-zoe-main, Ella Petersenhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/16/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-ella-petersen, Adia Symmondshttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/15/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-adia-symmonds and Kyra Taylorhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/15/gator-soccer-adds-transfer-kyra-taylor. Florida signed four freshmen in Novemberhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/11/19/soccer-gators-signs-four, with Addy Deanhttps://floridagators.com/news/2025/12/18/gator-soccer-signs-addy-dean and Courtney Hoganhttps://floridagators.com/news/2026/1/3/gator-soccer-signs-courtney-hogan also signing in December.
Kelsey Smith
IG: kelsey_smith_https://www.instagram.com/kelsey_smith_/
- Position: Forward
- High School: McDonogh School (Coach: Harry Canellakis and Mary Beth Todd)
- Club: Maryland United
- Previous School: Maryland
- Hometown: Elkridge, Md.
Info
At Maryland (2022 – RS, 2023, 2024, 2025): - Led Terrapins in 2025 goals (6) and points (14). Team captain, starting every match, averaging 75 minutes per match. First multi-goal match (2) came versus Saint Francis.
- Shared second in points (6) off two goals and two assists in 2024. Appeared in all 19 matches, starting 14
- Returned to field in 2023 after sidelined in 2022 with injury. Appeared in every match with 13 starts
- 2023https://academicallamerica.com/documents/2023/11/21/Acad_WSOC_2023_24.pdf?id=4438, 2024https://academicallamerica.com/documents/2024/11/19/24Acad_WSOC.pdf?id=5550 and 2025https://academicallamerica.com/documents/2025/11/25/25WSOC_AAD_Announcement.pdf?id=5622 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
High School/Club:
- 2021 United Soccer Coaches Fall High School All-Americanhttps://unitedsoccercoaches.org/united-soccer-coaches-announces-2021-fall-high-school-all-americans/ after scoring 19 goals and 41 points
- 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year for Marylandhttps://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/poy/assets/writable/70713/2022_GS_KSmith.pdf
- 2021 Baltimore Sun All-Metro Player of the Yearhttps://www.baltimoresun.com/2021/12/20/mcdonogh-forward-kelsey-smith-headlines-2021-baltimore-sun-girls-soccer-all-metro-teams-as-player-of-the-year/
- First-team selection for 2021 All-Metrohttps://www.baltimoresun.com/2021/12/20/mcdonogh-forward-kelsey-smith-headlines-2021-baltimore-sun-girls-soccer-all-metro-teams-as-player-of-the-year/ and All-Conference
- First-team selection for 2021https://dt5602vnjxv0c.cloudfront.net/portals/9330/docs/2021%20all%20state%20teams.pdf and 2019https://dt5602vnjxv0c.cloudfront.net/portals/9330/docs/2019%20all-state%20master%20list.pdf Maryland Association of Coaches of Soccer (MACS) All-State
- McDonogh School won 2018, 2019 and 2021 Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) A Conference titleshttps://iaamsports.com/soccer/champions/ (team didn’t compete in 2020 due to pandemic)
- Named to 2019 ECNL Girls National Selection Game – South Carolinahttps://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/ecnl-sc-national-selection-game-rosters_aid47404
Smith’s Career Statisticshttps://umterps.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/kelsey-smith/14602 (at Maryland)
Season
GP-GS
Min
Shots
G (GWG)
A
Pts
2022
RS
2023
18-4
589
11
0
0
0
2024
19-14
877
17
2 (1)
2
6
2025
18-18
1,351
32
6 (1)
2
14
Totals
55-36
2,817
60
8 (2)
4
20
