Full Great Women Great Danes Interview Transcript
UAlbany's Great Women Great Danes is a new series that will be published during Women's History Month. The series will feature Great Danes, past and present, and celebrate the women of UAlbany.
Q: As a student-athlete, you were a successful soccer player at UAlbany, can you tell me about your experience?
A: My experience at UAlbany was amazing. I enjoyed every aspect of it - I enjoyed what the University had to offer in terms of academics and I, obviously, loved the soccer side of it. I loved going to practice every day and playing games. I think one of my favorite things about playing soccer in college was actually pre-season because you would just eat, sleep and play soccer. I loved every second of it and if I could do it again, I would.
Q: You and your teammates led the Great Danes to many program firsts, like the first NCAA appearance and America East title, you had the first regional award, what can you contribute that success to?
A: I think when I went in my freshman year, I think people were ready to change the program and make an impact and leave their mark. We had the talent to do it and the work ethic, and that year we took advantage of all of those things and it came together really well. After that, we wanted to keep moving forward and keep getting better. I think that drove us to be successful the next couple of years.
Q: You were well decorated throughout your years at UAlbany. You were a two-time America East Defender of the Year, three-time America East First Team member, two-time All-Academic, All-Rookie your freshman year, four-time United Soccer Coaches All-East Region and you notched the program record, and tied the conference record, with fourteen assists your senior year. How does it feel to come out of your collegiate career with that many accomplishments?
A: I think it is amazing honestly. I think as a defender sometimes you don’t necessarily get the recognition that some of the other players do. I think having an award just for defenders is great. I can only attribute all that success to my teammates, honestly. You are only as good as the people around you and they help motivate you to be better. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve that without any of them there pushing me every day to be better. I think any award that anyone gets on a team is really a result of the whole team. It is a great feeling to get that recognition, as a team.
Q: You were a member of the Lady Lancers, can you tell me about the team and what it meant to play on a tier-two level?
A: I played with the Rochester Lady Lancers the summer going into my senior year. It was a great experience. It was a different level and you are playing against a lot of players that are currently in college or are out of college and are looking to continue playing. I think it helped a lot. It was a fast speed of play so there wasn’t a drop-off between going from there to college. I think it kept your fitness up and it kept the ball at your feet. I really enjoyed it. Then I went on and played with Syracuse Development Academy in the same league the following two years and I will still be playing in it now that I am not in college. I still play in the league in the summer just on a different team. It is a lot of fun and it is great competition.
Q: Now you are coaching at Utica College, can you tell me why you chose to be a coach?
A: I guess in college I never really considered it. I helped out a little bit with local teams. Then after college, a friend of mine that I actually met through the Lady Lancers reached out to me and asked if I wanted to come on as a graduate assistant and I had never really thought about it. I took some time, thought about it and I was like “Why not?” I’m not necessarily ready to give up being around the game and I thought it would be a great opportunity so I took a chance and it has worked out really well. I am so happy I was given that opportunity.
Q: So tell me what's better, coaching or playing?
A: I think playing. I like being on the field and in the action.
Q: How did the women around you help you to become the woman and athlete that you are today?
A: Growing up I didn't have very many female coaches and I, obviously, had my teammates. I think it is different when you can have a female coach and you can see how they went about the process; playing and getting into coaching. I really took advantage of using those resources and picking their brains about what worked for them. I think female coaches understand that there aren’t a ton of them in women’s soccer, so when you come across a good female coach, you take advantage of it and I think those coaches really look to help players get better and gain the confidence and move on and be the best player that they can.
Q: What does it feel like to know that young women and girls may look up to you because of your position and success?
A: I think it is a great feeling. I was just saying that there aren’t a ton of female coaches so I think when you can share the game with younger players and share your passion for it and just get them to fall in love with it and help them continue loving the sport, I think that is the only way that it will continue to grow and we can continue to have young female athletes doing so well, especially in the New York area.
Q: What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
A: To me, Women’s History Month, I think is an amazing way for women to be recognized for all their success. I think it shouldn’t have to be a month that is dedicated to women. I think we have done a great job of making our mark and making sure that we’re heard. I do appreciate an excuse to highlight all the success women have had and I think it is cool to read about all the success they have had and I hope that it continues.
For more interviews from the Women's History Month #GreatWomenGreatDanes series, click here.
