In her first season on the UCLA women’s soccer team, forward Lauren Cheney became notable.
In her second season, she became undeniable.
This past season, there was no stopping the sophomore from Indianapolis. Every time you looked, Cheney was scoring goals with uncanny efficiency, collecting numerous accolades and setting records.
On a team that finished the season with a 20-2-2 overall record, Cheney was the spark plug and the embodiment of the Bruins’ success in 2007.
“She contributed so much to the success of our team,” coach Jill Ellis said. “She scored goals at a high rate which is what her role is on this team.”
In just her second season in collegiate soccer, Cheney had the most productive season in UCLA women’s soccer history, looking nothing like an intimidated underclassman.
Her 23 goals set the UCLA women’s soccer single-season record, breaking Traci Arkenberg’s 1997 record of 22 goals. Her 57 points set the single-season record, breaking Arkenberg’s 1997 mark of 52 points.
Her accomplishment is even more impressive considering she earned 19 more points than the next-highest point scorer, senior Danesha Adams.
“For me individually, I feel that I grew as a player,” Cheney said. “Having a great team around me and the great players on this team helped me achieve what I did.”
In addition to the accomplishments Cheney achieved on the field, she was awarded with a multitude of accolades off the field. Cheney was named National Player of the Year by Soccer Buzz and Young Female Athlete of the Year by U.S. America, as well as named a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, given to the top player in women’s collegiate soccer.
Cheney’s tremendous accomplishments this season have built upon a remarkable freshman campaign in which she led the team in goals (19) and points (39).
According to Cheney, the drastic improvement this season can be attributed to her continued development not only as a player, but as an adult as well.
“I feel that I’ve grown a lot as a person as well as a soccer player, in terms of getting used to the college environment,” Cheney said. “On the field, I think that I’m getting more consistent.”
When she was recruiting Cheney, Ellis confesses that she did not recruit her too hard, believing that she might turn Cheney off if she had. Yet, Ellis was drawn to Cheney because of the way she carries herself.
“One thing is that she’s a straight shooter who is not hung on any pretense,” Ellis said. “She has grown into a mature young woman who has been a winner at every level. That was one of the things that drew me to her: She has proven success.”
This being an Olympic year, Cheney is looking to carry that success to the international stage. Currently, she is training with the national team in hopes of making the Olympic squad. Cheney also has ambitions to compete at the highest level in the World Cup.
“It is a huge goal of mine to make the team and play in the Olympics,” Cheney said. “Aside from that, I want to graduate from college and continue to play soccer for the rest of my life.”
Both Ellis and Cheney herself believe that Cheney’s leadership is shown through her performance on the field. Yet Ellis believes that one of Cheney’s greatest impacts comes off the field, where the chemistry between teammates initially develops.
“She is naturally a competitor,” Ellis said. “She has a fierce spirit in both games and in practice and sets the tone for the entire team. Off the field, she has built a friendship with the other players and reached out to the younger players. She is not around much in the spring due to her commitments with the national team so it is a lot harder for her to keep that contact, but she does what she can.”
As for Cheney, she admits that she doesn’t see herself as a leader in any special way. The only thing she focuses on is giving her team the best possible effort on the field she can.
“To be honest, I don’t see myself as a leader,” Cheney said. “I just try to be the best that I can be and to lead by my actions on the field. That’s what I strive for. Hopefully that makes me a leader.”