Sports

Athlete Spotlight: Meet Meredith Licata

Elise Hester • September 5, 2017

Meredith Licata has been playing for the Tiger women’s soccer team for four years now. File photo

I sat down with Trinity University Women’s Soccer captain Meredith Licata for a nice conversation about the life, career and personality of the senior forward from Buffalo, New York.

Favorite soccer team: “Liverpool.”

Favorite soccer player: “Abby Wambach. She’s from upstate New York as well. She’s an inspiration “¦ she’s a badass.”

Favorite soccer memory: “My sophomore year. We were playing a top 10 team, UT Tyler and it was back and forth all game and we went to penalty kicks. I didn’t play all game, which was fine, but I just really felt pretty confident that I could contribute with the PKs so I raised my hand when they asked for people to shoot and it ended up being that, if I made my kick, we would advance to the next round. I honestly don’t even remember what was going on in my head, but I was like, “˜I have to make this.’ I ended up making the kick and the fans stormed and I was just really happy that I could do that for the team and haven’t had a personal experience like that in soccer before so it was pretty special.”

And then you get that clip played over and over

“Yeah that clip was pretty “¦ My celebration’s a little bit unorthodox.”

A little Mario jump?

“A little bit of a Mario jump, yeah, but I’m just glad I was able to contribute to that.”

You’re the captain of the soccer team this year, but if you had to be any other type of captain what would you be?

“Captain of a ship.”

Where would your ship sail?

“All around.”

Where is somewhere you want to travel?

“South America. I’ve never been there at all.”

Where’s the coolest place that you have been?

“I was in Shanghai this past summer.”

If you could trade places with someone for a day and you get all their talent and their life for one day, which faculty member would you switch with?

“Dr. Field. He was with us in Shanghai. He is probably one of the wisest, most knowledgeable people I have ever met and I feel like he lives his life in an amazing way.”

If you could trade places with one student, who would you switch lives with for a day?

“I don’t know.”

What have you always wanted to be good at?

“Singing. I’m terrible at singing.”

So you’d want to be a choir person?

“Yeah. I don’t know anybody in the choir personally “¦ Maybe I would trade with Joel Holmes.”

If you didn’t play soccer, what sport would you play?

“Volleyball. Volleyball’s a lot of fun. I’m pretty short for it, but probably volleyball.”

Beach or mountains?

“I like both. I have to say mountains.”

Favorite sport to watch that isn’t soccer?

“Hockey.”

Favorite spot on campus?

“It’s probably cliche, but the soccer field.”

What advice would you give to younger students?

“Treat every year like it’s either your freshmen or senior year “˜cause senior year you have a lot of lasts and you’re just like, “˜I gotta do this, last time for it, last time for it’ and freshman year you’re really excited to go out and meet people and just experience a new city, a new school, new people so if you can try to treat every year like that “˜cause it’s a really short four years.”

What do you think of Texas?

“I love Texas. I love the heat. Well, I prefer the heat to the eight month winter we have back home. I love being outside. The people are great.”

What most surprised you about Texas?

“The extent of southern hospitality. When I was a freshmen I didn’t really know many people, but probably like seven different people were like, “˜oh absolutely. Come have Thanksgiving with my family’ and genuine people, this was a genuine offer and I was like, “˜are you serious? We barely know each other’ but they were just totally opening up their homes and Thanksgiving to me.

Ok, so I’m gonna go through the women’s soccer roster and you’re gonna give me one word to describe each senior. Kalli Douma.

Kali is…

Right there? Is that her?

Yeah that’s her.

We were just talking about you.

We’re talking about you

DOUMA: What?

HESTER: we’re going through a list. She has to say one word about each of the seniors.

DOUMA: What was mine?

LICATA: I haven’t said it yet.

HESTER: She was like “Kalli is..” and I was like “right there.”

LICATA: Um…you wanna hear your word?