Sunlake High School boys soccer coach Danielle Fotopoulos joined the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame on Aug. 13. The Land O' Lakes coach adds a regional honor to a resume that includes a World Cup title and the NCAA's all-time scoring record.

Childhood idol and family shaped her journey

Fotopoulos grew up in Orlando watching Michelle Akers, a two-time FIFA Player of the Year, train. She told The Perch her family remains her biggest influence on her soccer journey.

Surprise honor delivered during school day

Fotopoulos, known around campus as "Coach Fotop," learned about the honor in a surprise moment at school. She was pulled from class and brought to an administrator's office, where a family friend from the soccer community delivered the news.

"I was brought out of class up to Ms. Merlin's office with Coach Finan, so I thought it was school related," Fotopoulos told The Perch, Sunlake's student newspaper. "It was humbling and exciting to be here at Sunlake and told in front of Ms. Merlin and Coach Finan."

Ceremony honors nine-member induction class

The ceremony took place at Higgins Hall on the campus of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Tampa, according to the Tampa Bay Soccer Hall of Fame. Fotopoulos was one of nine inductees in the organization's second class. Other honorees included former Tampa Bay Rowdies owner Cornelia Corbett, Rowdies goalkeeper Winston DuBose and high school coaches Bob Bauman and Ray DiPompo.

Decorated playing career preceded coaching path

Before coaching in Pasco County, Fotopoulos played on the 1999 U.S. Women's National Team that won the FIFA Women's World Cup. At the University of Florida, she helped win the 1998 NCAA championship and was named the 1998 National Player of the Year. She still holds the NCAA Division I records for career goals (118 in 92 matches) and career points (284), according to NCAA.com. She earned 35 caps for the U.S. Women's National Team and won the 2003 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) Cup.

She coached at Eckerd College from 2010 to 2022 and then moved to Sunlake.

State championship season at Sunlake

Fotopoulos has made her mark quickly in Land O' Lakes. She coached the Seahawks boys soccer team to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 6A state championship on Feb. 25, a 3-2 victory over Mandarin High School of Jacksonville. Sunlake reached that final after defeating St. Thomas Aquinas on penalty kicks in the semifinal, Jacksonville.com reported. The Seahawks had won 14 straight games after a 3-3-3 start to the season, powered by double-digit goal scorers Jairo Todd (16 goals, 12 assists) and Juan Hernandez (13 goals, 2 assists).