Riley Thompson, who as a seventh grader was a member of the 2015-16 West Lauderdale girls soccer team that won the school's first state championship in the sport, is pictured juggling a soccer ball during a workout Saturday afternoon, July 31, 2021, at Meridian Community College.

It hasn’t quite hit Riley Thompson yet that she’s about to be an SEC soccer player.

After attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, since her eighth-grade year, Thompson signed with Florida last November to continue her soccer career. This week, she’s in Gainesville preparing for the upcoming fall season, and the Gators have an exhibition against Southern Miss in less than two weeks in Orange Beach, Alabama.

“Sometimes I’m just sitting down and am like, ‘Wow, I’m about to play college soccer,’” Thompson said with a chuckle. “My first game is Aug. 12, and I’m pretty excited.”

Her father, Brent Thompson, said he couldn’t be prouder for his daughter after she sacrificed a normal high school life by attending IMG.

“It’s fantastic,” Brent Thompson said. “She’s worked her whole life for it, so we’re ready to see some college action.”

As a seventh grader, Thompson was a member of the West Lauderdale girls soccer team that won the school’s first state title in that sport. A desire to one day be good enough to play for the U.S. Women’s National Team led to her enrolling at IMG, a boarding school for athletes, and she credits IMG with developing her to the point where she could earn an SEC scholarship.

“It’s definitely paid off in a bunch of ways from the adjustment factor (of living away from home) to the higher level of soccer we faced,” Thompson said.

Thompson has already gotten a taste of life in college, as she was enrolled at Florida for summer classes this past month.

“It was kind of an introduction,” Thompson said. “We didn’t get to practice with the coaches or anything, we just did a bunch of conditioning with our strength and conditioning coach. It was really hard, but it was fun, and it was good to get to know the team and get a feel for the place.”

Having lived in Florida for most of the past five years, Thompson said the adjustment to Gainesville isn’t nearly as difficult as it would have been had she not attended high school at IMG.

“It definitely helps that I’ve lived away from home since the eighth grade, so it’s not that big of a shift,” Thompson said. “The only thing different is the level of soccer is definitely a lot higher, but I wouldn’t say it’s been too hard to adjust.”

Following the retirement of former head coach Becky Burleigh, Florida hired former Arizona head coach Tony Amato as its new soccer coach, and Thompson said she’s been looking forward to finally meeting him this week.

“I haven’t talked to the new coaches before this, but I think it’s super exciting because everyone is kind of starting on a clean slate, so there’s even playing ground for everyone,” Thompson said. “I don’t have a negative outlook on it at all.”

And she already has a few goals in mind heading into this season.

“I hope to get some playing time, and hopefully I’ll be in the starting lineup,” Thompson said. “I’m just trying to prove myself before anything else.”

Outside of soccer, Thompson said the thing that excites her the most about college is working toward a degree.

“I’m doing pre-med, which I find very interesting,” Thompson said. “I think I want to major in biology, but I’m not sure yet.”

While it’s difficult having to wave goodbye to his daughter as she heads down to Florida yet again, Brent Thompson said he’s grateful for the opportunity she’s receiving.

“I feel like she’s accomplished a lot of her goals,” Brent Thompson said. “There are still a lot of goals to go, but she’s getting there. She’s on the way, and that’s the most important thing.”

Thompson is also the daughter of Dr. Sandra Webb-Thompson.