SAC Student-Athlete Insider: Women's Soccer

With the start of SAC women's soccer just a few weeks away, Wingate's Chelsey Horan, Anderson's Adrienne Lough and Lincoln Memorial's Abby Yother gave some insight to theSAC.com about the upcoming season.

What is the best part about being back on campus for the start of classes and practice?

Horan: "Being able to suit up again in my jersey and get back on the pitch. I also enjoy seeing the scared faces of all the freshmen."

Yother: "The best part about being back on campus in the fall is simply the atmosphere. Nothing beats getting back and seeing all of your friends after a long summer. Even though it also means getting back on the grind with schoolwork, hard practices, and the hustle and bustle of being a collegiate athlete in general, it's still exhilarating."

What match are you most looking forward to this season?

Lough: "To be honest, I am mostly looking forward to our first conference game. That is always an important game to start of the season in my opinion. It is a chance to put things together that we have worked on in practice and especially worked on in preseason."

Yother: "Every single opportunity to just get on the pitch and play with my family is what I look forward to the most, and of course watching all the other athletic teams at LMU do their thing."

How do you plan to serve as a leader on your team and on campus this season?

Lough: "I like to lead with positivity and by example. Leading isn't done by just telling people to do things -- you have to make sure you are willing to work just as hard."

Yother: "I want every single girl on our team to really challenge themselves, whether it is with skill, fitness, or just true grit in general. I plan on raising the bar myself and being an encourager to everyone around me, because in the words of the Beatles, we all get by with a little help from our friends! Setting the example as someone that never gives up is something I've really been working on this summer, and that is exactly what I plan on doing this season."

What's something interesting people don't know about your team?

Horan: "Before every home game prior to running out, we all rub the head of our locker room bulldog statue and all jump and slap both hands against the wall above the door."

Lough: "People don't know how close we really are. We are not just close because we see each other every day on the field or in classes, but because we honestly respect each other and appreciate who every individual is as a player and as a person. We strive to work hard for each other just like a family works as a unit. I couldn't ask for a better family."

Did you do anything exciting this summer?

Lough: "A really exciting part of my summer was going tree trekking with a friend. If you don't know what that is, just Google it! You walk along trees doing zip lining and tree swinging. It is a really awesome experience. I do not recommend it if you are scared of heights, however. Another exciting thing I did was take an east coast road trip home to Canada."

Yother: "I wish I could have answered this question after August 20th, because that is when we will be returning from our preseason trip to Brazil! That will definitely be the most exciting thing I have done this summer. Other than that, I have been quite busy all summer with classes and working in the hospital. I've seen many neat surgeries while doing an internship under a CRNA this summer, which has been very beneficial."