ORLANDO – Head UCF women’s soccer coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak has been named Greater Orlando Sports Commission’s 2024 Women in Sports Leadership Award recipient. Roberts Sahaydak will officially receive the award at GO Sports’ 6th Annual Celebrating Women in Sports luncheon on Sept. 25 at Addition Financial Arena.
"I am deeply honored to receive the Women in Sports Leadership Award from the Greater Orlando Sports Commission and WISE Greater Orlando. To be recognized alongside such exceptional women in sports is truly humbling and inspires me to continue advocating for and empowering women in the industry,“ Roberts Sahaydak said.
Roberts Sahaydak, who is entering her 12th season at the helm of UCF women’s soccer, is an Olympic gold medalist in 1996, a women’s World Cup champion in 1999, a two-time NCAA champion, and a professional league champion for the Carolina Courage in the WUSA. She was also a part of the coaching staff that helped the U.S. Women’s National Team win the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship in Mexico.
Roberts Sahaydak spent more than a decade in the U.S. National Team player pool from 1994-2004, earning 112 caps with 62 starts. She debuted for the USA in 1994 when she was just 16 years old and was one of the youngest players ever to suit up for the U.S. Women’s National Team. She played in her first FIFA Women's World Cup a month after her 18th birthday and won Olympic gold before she was out of her teens. She is a four-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the Knights, and UCF has earned five NCAA Tournament bids (2022, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013) and four American Athletic Conference championships under her guidance (2022, 2017, 2014, 2013). Prior to coming to UCF, she spent six seasons as co-head coach—along with her husband and current UCF associate head coach Tim Sahaydak—at VCU (2007-2012).
The Women in Sports Leadership Award recognizes leaders who have helped make the sports industry in Greater Orlando the success it is today. It is an honor reserved for those who have given their time, energy and passion to improving the industry and taking it in new directions.
Along with Roberts Sahaydak, Angela Suggs (Florida Sports Foundation) and Joanne Wallen (USTA) will also receive the Women in Sports Leadership Award, while Grace Burr (USTA) will receive the Rising Star Award and Pennie Parker (Rollins College) will receive the WISE Greater Orlando Women of Inspiration Award. Honorees were voted on by panels made up of GO Sports and WISE Greater Orlando Board Members, respectively.
“We are honored to recognize Tiffany, Angela, Jo, Grace and Pennie for their passion, leadership and dedication to Greater Orlando’s sports community,” said Sharon Line Clary, Chairman of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission Board of Directors and Senior Vice President of Community Impact & Partnership Engagement at AdventHealth. “We are also thrilled to welcome Doris Burke as this year’s keynote speaker, continuing our tradition of offering insight and inspiration from some of the most noted female athletes and executives in U.S. sports history.”
Linda Gooch, UCF’s cheer and spirit program head coach, was also a finalist for GO Sports’ 2024 Women in Sports Leadership Award.
Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute will return as the event’s presenting sponsor. Florida Blue returns as the sponsor of the fireside chat with featured speaker Doris Burke, and VyStar Credit Union will sponsor the VIP Meet & Greet. This year’s award and event sponsors include the City of Orlando, First Horizon Bank, Holland & Knight, LMG, LPGA, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, Orlando Cleaners, Orlando Magic, Orlando Valkyries, Universal Destinations & Experiences, and WISE Greater Orlando.
“Congratulations to this year’s class of winners. We’re excited to host this annual event and continue to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary women in our sports community,” said Jason Siegel, President & CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. “Thank you to Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute for their ongoing support as our presenting sponsor.”
Roberts Sahaydak and her 2024 Knights will officially begin the 2024 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 15 at Florida Atlantic. The home opener will be the following week on Aug. 22 against Utah Valley. The Knights will then open their second season of Big 12 competition on Sept. 12 when Houston comes to town. Prior to beginning the season, UCF will host Miami in a preseason exhibition Saturday, Aug. 10 at 6 p.m. at UCF Soccer Complex.
Visit GreaterOrlandoSports.com for more information on next month’s event.
Congratulations to head coach @trsahaydak for being named @GreaterORLSport's 2024 Women in Sports Leadership Award recipient 👏
— UCF Women's Soccer (@UCF_WSoccer) August 6, 2024
She will officially receive the award at the 6th annual Celebrating Women in Sports luncheon on Sept. 25 at @AdditionFiArena
🗞️https://t.co/xSsXV0YBee pic.twitter.com/2K5PmMLJxr