Summary

• Florida State senior Heather Gilchrist spent her off-season training with NWSL teams and the U.S. U-23 national team, sharpening her skills in elite environments to prepare for her final college season.
• She’s brought back valuable habits, chemistry with fellow Seminoles, and leadership qualities to an already strong FSU squad, aiming to elevate team performance on and off the field.
• Now a key offensive and defensive contributor, Gilchrist is embracing her role as a leader with the goal of winning a national championship in her final year.

Florida State senior center back Heather Gilchrist’s final season is about more than defending.

It’s about leading.

Before returning to FSU’s campus for the fall season, Gilchrist spent her days immersing herself in professional-level environments—training by invitation with NWSL clubs Orlando Pride, Bay FC and the Portland Thorns as a means of player development. She also represented the U.S. U-23 women’s national team in two matches against Germany in May and June, later attending training camp in her home state of Colorado alongside 23 of the best young players in the country.

With the elimination of an official draft, NWSL teams have begun identifying and training top talent like Gilchrist before players even graduate college. Athletes are now free agents, and these training opportunities ease the pipeline to the professional leagues by giving players a preview of where they could potentially sign—all while developing their game.

Gilchrist returned to Tallahassee in August, determined to apply what she learned in elite environments to an already championship-caliber Seminole squad. With the timing of training with NWSL teams in the middle of their season, Gilchrist was challenged to play at an incredibly high level despite being in the college offseason.

Gilchrist has continued representing Team USA at each youth level. As her U-20 and U-23 teammates turn professional, Gilchrist remains dominant in the NCAA

“The speed of play is so much higher in those settings,” Gilchrist said. “You’re surrounded by pros who are in the middle of their seasons, and it forces you to grow. But beyond that, you learn from how they carry themselves day to day in how they train, how they recover, how they approach the game. Bringing those habits back to Florida State has been huge for me.”

It’s not just about individual growth. Gilchrist shared the U-23 experience with two fellow Seminoles, Gianna Riley and Yuna McCormack. The trio has been building chemistry since the U-20 World Cup, and their continued time together at the national team level has deepened the connection they now bring back to Florida State.

“It was amazing to have teammates in a new environment like that,” Gilchrist said. “It makes it feel more comfortable. I've also had both Yuna and Gianna at the U-20 World Cup, so I feel like we've been building that chemistry for a while. That helps with the transition between the U.S. national team and pro events and college.”

This chemistry hasn’t just been built at the national team level. Over the summer, Gilchrist also participated in The Soccer Tournament, an annual competition featuring eight women's teams that play in World Cup style matches for a chance at $1 million in prize money.

Her team, Bumpy Pitch FC, lost only in the final to the U.S. Women—a team made up of retired legends including Carli Lloyd, Ali Krieger and Heather O’Reilly. Gilchrist joined forces once again with Riley during the tournament, as well as Florida State player Taylor Suarez, playing in an environment surrounded by World Cup champions. There’s not much more you can ask for in terms of development.

That cohesion is showing early this fall. Florida State is off to a 6-0-1 start, unbeaten with only a road draw against Kansas, and Gilchrist has solidified herself as a strong offensive set piece target alongside her defensive duties. She’s already scored three goals from corners, including a brace in FSU’s dominant home-opening rivalry win against Florida, 5-0.

“Winning a national championship is the biggest goal,” she said. “But for me, I also want to step into a leadership role, help this team in any way I can and apply those U.S. principles back into the home environment.”

As her senior season builds momentum, Gilchrist is embracing the responsibility of being both an anchor and leader for a team eyeing another national championship run. She’s taken lessons from the highest levels of the game—now it’s time to win at the highest level of the college game.