The waters of the Hillsborough River are about to witness something extraordinary today, Wednesday, June 18. As the clock strikes 1 p.m., Tampa Bay will transform into a floating celebration of dreams realized and history made. The Tampa Bay Sun FC, our city’s first professional women’s sports team, will embark on a championship boat parade that marks not just a victory, but the birth of a new era in Tampa sports.
Today’s Championship Celebration: What’s Happening Right Now on June 18
At this very moment on Wednesday, June 18, fans are gathering at the Armature Works Pier (1910 N Ola Avenue), their hearts beating with anticipation. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor stands among them, ready to welcome the USL Super League champions home. The air crackles with excitement as supporters line the riverbanks, their voices carrying across the water like a battle cry of triumph.
The team is expected to arrive by boat around 2 p.m., and something tells me this won’t be just another parade. This is Tampa Bay writing its name in the championship legacy books, one wave at a time. The celebration is free and open to the public—because champions belong to everyone.
The Night That Changed Everything
Saturday night felt like destiny unfolding in slow motion. Under the lights at Riverfront Stadium, with a packed crowd holding its collective breath, the Sun defeated Fort Lauderdale United FC 1–0. It was their tenth home win of the season, a number that tells the story of dominance, of a team that refused to let doubt creep into their fortress.
The final whistle didn’t just signal the end of a game—it announced the arrival of Tampa Bay’s newest dynasty. The roar from the stands seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium, as if the building itself understood the magnitude of what had just transpired.
What Awaits at Today’s Waterfront Victory Lap
As you read this, the boat parade is preparing to depart from downtown Tampa, heading north along the river like a conquering fleet. Fans are invited to witness this aquatic procession, to be part of something that will be remembered long after the last wave settles.
The celebration at Armature Works Pier promises Sun-themed giveaways and face-to-face encounters with the champions themselves. When the boats dock around 2 p.m., the 2025 USL Super League trophy will catch the Florida sun, lifted high by hands that earned the right to hold it. The players will speak to fans and media, their words carrying the weight of historic achievement.
Photo opportunities and free swag await, but the real treasure is being present for Tampa Bay’s first women’s pro sports trophy celebration.
A Story Written on Water
There’s something poetic about this championship parade route. Throughout the season, the Sun traveled to home games by boat, crossing the Hillsborough River aboard Pirate Water Taxi vessels like modern-day warriors heading to battle. Fans joined these aquatic pilgrimages, turning each game day into a waterfront party that felt uniquely Tampa.
That connection to the water became more than transportation—it became identity. It made game days feel like festivals, where the journey mattered as much as the destination. Now, that same route serves as the stage for Tampa Bay’s crowning moment, a perfect circle of triumph.
Numbers That Tell a Championship Story
The statistics read like a fairy tale written in wins and losses. Tampa Bay Sun FC finished its inaugural season with 14 wins, 6 losses, and 10 ties—numbers that spell championship caliber in any language. Their final six matches were a masterclass in clutch performance, going undefeated when it mattered most.
At home, they were nearly unstoppable with a 10–2 record that turned Riverfront Stadium into a fortress. Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown earned Coach of the Month honors multiple times, becoming the first to claim that recognition more than once—a testament to tactical brilliance that guided the team through every challenge.
Heroes of the Historic Season
On the field, Cecilie Fløe emerged as the scoring machine with 12 goals, her strikes finding the net with the precision of a master craftsman. Tash Flint followed with 10 goals, while Carlee Giammona added 8, creating an offensive trinity that opposing defenses couldn’t solve.
Fløe and Tampa native Sydny Nasello each recorded four assists, their vision creating chances like artists painting masterpieces. Nasello’s MVP performance in the USL Super League Final proved that hometown heroes still exist, that dreams nurtured in local soil can bloom on the biggest stages.
The championship match also marked farewell moments for veterans Erika Tymrak of Bradenton and England’s Jade Moore, who retire after helping build the foundation of Tampa Bay’s first pro women’s soccer club. Their final bow came with a trophy in their hands—the perfect ending to careers well-lived.
Writing Tampa Bay’s Next Chapter
For a city that knows how to celebrate champions on water, the Tampa Bay Sun FC is adding its own verse to the Champa Bay legacy. Today’s parade isn’t just about one team or one trophy—it’s about possibilities, about little girls watching from the riverbank who now know they can dream bigger than ever before.
As the boats carry our champions through Tampa’s waterways, they’re not just celebrating what was accomplished—they’re announcing what’s yet to come. This is only the beginning of a story that promises to grow more thrilling with each passing season.
The waters of Tampa Bay have witnessed many celebrations, but none quite like today’s. As the Sun sets on this championship parade, one can’t help but wonder: what other dreams are waiting to set sail in these same waters? The answer, like the team that inspired it, is just beginning to emerge from the depths of possibility…
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