Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Senior W. Soccer Spotlight: Madison See
8/4/2015 10:35:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. — As the 2015 Davidson women's soccer season approaches, davidsonwildcats.com took some time to get to know each of the six seniors who will lead the Wildcats this year.
The 10-question Q&A session with Dani Johnson, Sarah Tuggle, Maddie Fisher, Madison See, Vicky Bruce and Jenni Isaac was designed to help fans get to know the seniors a little more as they play their final season together. Davidson's season opener is Aug. 21 when it hosts Albany at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Stadium.
The next spotlight features forward/defender Madison See. The Midland, Ga., native enjoyed a career junior season a year ago. She played in a career-high 18 games and started a personal-best 16 of them. See scored her first career collegiate goal in a 2-1 Atlantic 10 win over Rhode Island at home. She excelled in the classroom as well, being named to the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll for the Spring semester. See has played in 33 career games, earning 20 starts in those contests.
Today's spotlight highlights forward/defender Madison See...
Q: What attracted you to Davidson as opposed to other schools in your recruitment?
A: "I visited Davidson on my recruiting visit and saw the friendliness of the team and how much they cared about each other. I noticed that Davidson College Women's Soccer (DCWS) was more than just a group of girls working hard on the field; they were genuine friends who lived life together and I wanted to be a part of that. I also was attracted to Davidson because of the intense academic setting. Davidson is a unique place because of the opportunity to play Division I athletics, while also engaging in a challenging and rewarding academic environment. The combination of the teammates I would be surrounded with, the ability to pursue undergraduate studies at one of the best liberal arts schools in the country, while also getting the opportunity to play Division I soccer solidified Davidson as a top choice for me during the recruiting process."
Q: How was the transition from being a high school athlete to a collegiate one? How did Davidson's staff help you?
A: "The transition from being a high school athlete to a collegiate one was challenging because I had to adapt to a higher level of play and adjust to life on my own as a college student. The hardest part was leaving a school where I was given the opportunity for consistent playing time and coming to a place where everyone has played at a high level and is fighting for starting positions. As a freshman, I came in expecting to impact the team on the field, but I didn't get much playing time because I wasn't ready. In order to help the transition to the higher level of play at the Division I level, the coaches challenged me to work hard to improve areas of my game and offered to come out early before practices to help me improve. Although the transition was challenging, my perspective kept me focused on how I could impact the team from the sideline even though I wasn't getting the minutes I wanted. I have learned that everyone has a powerful role on the team and can impact the team positively or negatively. Although being on the field and starting is something each athlete strives for, the work ethic and the attitude of people who are not yet starting can make or break a team."
Q: What has been the most surprising part of your Davidson experience?
A: "The most surprising part of my Davidson experience has been the relationships that I have made. Davidson attracts incredible people who desire to make the world a better place, and I have valued the opportunity to get to know these people. Whether it is my biology lab partner who wants to be a doctor, my soccer teammate who wants to start an orphanage, or my freshman roommate who wants to work for a non-profit, the people who call Davidson home have been an integral part of my experience here and I will leave this place with friendships that will last for the rest of my life."
Q: What advice would you have for current high school athletes who are going through the transition to becoming a college athlete? What would you tell students who are considering coming to Davidson?
A: "I would tell current high school athletes transitioning into college athletics and those that are considering Davidson that your perspective determines your experience. Playing college athletics involves hard workouts, long road trips, and heart-breaking losses, but it also includes life-long friendships, developing leadership, and adrenaline-filled victories. Come in asking the questions, "How can I improve and what can I do to get better?" With this perspective, challenging criticism is an invitation for improvement."
"Also, your perspective is more powerful than your performance. It can be easy to fall into a rut of negativity when the games are hard and the minutes you play on the field are short, but if your mindset is rooted in the knowledge that you get to do this rather than you have to do this, then you can walk away from the field every day, regardless of how well you played, knowing that playing in college is a gift not to be taken for granted."
Q: What's the hardest part about being a Division I athlete? What do you like the most about it?
A: "The hardest part about being a Division I athlete is the expectation to perform at your highest level every day. The season goes by quickly and every day matters for improving as an individual and as a team. This can be challenging when other areas of your life are also requiring energy and attention. One of the best parts about being a Division 1 athlete is the challenge. Being a part of DCWS is one of the best, hardest things I have ever done. It has grown me as a soccer player, a leader, and an encourager. It has shown me how I can push myself, the importance of leaning on others, and the value of relationships. It has challenged me to take initiative, to work harder than I thought I could, and to not pause even when I don't see progress. I'm so thankful for DCWS because I would not be the person I am today without the experiences I have had over the past three years."
Q: How do you feel your experience as a student and as an athlete at Davidson college will help you in your future?
A: "My experience as a student-athlete at Davidson has taught me how to respond to instruction, how to take initiative, how to build relationships with those in authority, how to manage my time, and how to work well under pressure. As an intern this summer at Elevation Church, I saw how incredibly important all of these attributes are in the work place. Being a student-athlete at Davidson has developed these characteristics and gives me confidence that I am prepared to learn from and impact the organizations I am a part of moving forward."
Q: How does Davidson's small, intimate size affect you?
A: "Davidson's small size has allowed me to build relationships with a diverse group of people. The small classroom setting provides an opportunity for me to meet people in the classroom and then continue those friendships outside of it. The relationships that I have built over the past three years have been an incredible gift. The small, intimate size has also helped me connect with and get to know my professors. They genuinely care about the students and are more than willing to meet after class to help the students."
Q: What are your ultimate goals as a Wildcat individually and as a team?
A: "As a team, the goal is to compete in every game and to get better as we head in to A-10 Conference play. We had some close losses last year in the Atlantic 10, so I would love for our team to be able to get those close wins and play in the conference tournament and win it here in front of our Wildcat fans. Due to a career-ending concussion in March, this season will look differently for me individually, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to still contribute to this team. My goals are to welcome our class of incoming freshman and to incorporate them into this DCWS family and to do everything I can off the field to impact those who step onto the field."
Q: When you graduate, how do you want people to remember you as an athlete, as a student, and as a person?
A: "My faith in Jesus is the most important thing in my life, so I hope that people remember me as someone who lived that out during my time at Davidson. I want to be remembered as someone who saw the best in others, who encouraged those around me, and who deeply cared for people. As an athlete, I want to be remembered for my work ethic and the consistency of my character when I wasn't playing and when I was playing. As a student, I want to be remembered for my desire to learn and the relationships I built in the classroom."
Q: What/who is your motivation as an athlete? What drives you?"
A: "I came to Davidson because I was motivated to play at a high level. I enjoy the challenge of competition and the camaraderie of a team sport. My teammates drive me as an athlete and they have pushed me farther than I could have pushed myself. They have walked with me through the highs and lows of this journey and they are one of the reasons I enjoy this program so much. Over the past 18 years of playing soccer, God has used this game as a way for me to connect with people and for me to learn more about who He is. My motivation as an athlete is to use the gifts God has given me for His glory and I am so thankful that I have gotten the opportunity to do that here at Davidson College."
The 10-question Q&A session with Dani Johnson, Sarah Tuggle, Maddie Fisher, Madison See, Vicky Bruce and Jenni Isaac was designed to help fans get to know the seniors a little more as they play their final season together. Davidson's season opener is Aug. 21 when it hosts Albany at 7:30 p.m. in Alumni Stadium.
The next spotlight features forward/defender Madison See. The Midland, Ga., native enjoyed a career junior season a year ago. She played in a career-high 18 games and started a personal-best 16 of them. See scored her first career collegiate goal in a 2-1 Atlantic 10 win over Rhode Island at home. She excelled in the classroom as well, being named to the A-10 Commissioner's Honor Roll for the Spring semester. See has played in 33 career games, earning 20 starts in those contests.
Today's spotlight highlights forward/defender Madison See...
Q: What attracted you to Davidson as opposed to other schools in your recruitment?
A: "I visited Davidson on my recruiting visit and saw the friendliness of the team and how much they cared about each other. I noticed that Davidson College Women's Soccer (DCWS) was more than just a group of girls working hard on the field; they were genuine friends who lived life together and I wanted to be a part of that. I also was attracted to Davidson because of the intense academic setting. Davidson is a unique place because of the opportunity to play Division I athletics, while also engaging in a challenging and rewarding academic environment. The combination of the teammates I would be surrounded with, the ability to pursue undergraduate studies at one of the best liberal arts schools in the country, while also getting the opportunity to play Division I soccer solidified Davidson as a top choice for me during the recruiting process."
Q: How was the transition from being a high school athlete to a collegiate one? How did Davidson's staff help you?
A: "The transition from being a high school athlete to a collegiate one was challenging because I had to adapt to a higher level of play and adjust to life on my own as a college student. The hardest part was leaving a school where I was given the opportunity for consistent playing time and coming to a place where everyone has played at a high level and is fighting for starting positions. As a freshman, I came in expecting to impact the team on the field, but I didn't get much playing time because I wasn't ready. In order to help the transition to the higher level of play at the Division I level, the coaches challenged me to work hard to improve areas of my game and offered to come out early before practices to help me improve. Although the transition was challenging, my perspective kept me focused on how I could impact the team from the sideline even though I wasn't getting the minutes I wanted. I have learned that everyone has a powerful role on the team and can impact the team positively or negatively. Although being on the field and starting is something each athlete strives for, the work ethic and the attitude of people who are not yet starting can make or break a team."
Q: What has been the most surprising part of your Davidson experience?
A: "The most surprising part of my Davidson experience has been the relationships that I have made. Davidson attracts incredible people who desire to make the world a better place, and I have valued the opportunity to get to know these people. Whether it is my biology lab partner who wants to be a doctor, my soccer teammate who wants to start an orphanage, or my freshman roommate who wants to work for a non-profit, the people who call Davidson home have been an integral part of my experience here and I will leave this place with friendships that will last for the rest of my life."
Q: What advice would you have for current high school athletes who are going through the transition to becoming a college athlete? What would you tell students who are considering coming to Davidson?
A: "I would tell current high school athletes transitioning into college athletics and those that are considering Davidson that your perspective determines your experience. Playing college athletics involves hard workouts, long road trips, and heart-breaking losses, but it also includes life-long friendships, developing leadership, and adrenaline-filled victories. Come in asking the questions, "How can I improve and what can I do to get better?" With this perspective, challenging criticism is an invitation for improvement."
"Also, your perspective is more powerful than your performance. It can be easy to fall into a rut of negativity when the games are hard and the minutes you play on the field are short, but if your mindset is rooted in the knowledge that you get to do this rather than you have to do this, then you can walk away from the field every day, regardless of how well you played, knowing that playing in college is a gift not to be taken for granted."
Q: What's the hardest part about being a Division I athlete? What do you like the most about it?
A: "The hardest part about being a Division I athlete is the expectation to perform at your highest level every day. The season goes by quickly and every day matters for improving as an individual and as a team. This can be challenging when other areas of your life are also requiring energy and attention. One of the best parts about being a Division 1 athlete is the challenge. Being a part of DCWS is one of the best, hardest things I have ever done. It has grown me as a soccer player, a leader, and an encourager. It has shown me how I can push myself, the importance of leaning on others, and the value of relationships. It has challenged me to take initiative, to work harder than I thought I could, and to not pause even when I don't see progress. I'm so thankful for DCWS because I would not be the person I am today without the experiences I have had over the past three years."
Q: How do you feel your experience as a student and as an athlete at Davidson college will help you in your future?
A: "My experience as a student-athlete at Davidson has taught me how to respond to instruction, how to take initiative, how to build relationships with those in authority, how to manage my time, and how to work well under pressure. As an intern this summer at Elevation Church, I saw how incredibly important all of these attributes are in the work place. Being a student-athlete at Davidson has developed these characteristics and gives me confidence that I am prepared to learn from and impact the organizations I am a part of moving forward."
Q: How does Davidson's small, intimate size affect you?
A: "Davidson's small size has allowed me to build relationships with a diverse group of people. The small classroom setting provides an opportunity for me to meet people in the classroom and then continue those friendships outside of it. The relationships that I have built over the past three years have been an incredible gift. The small, intimate size has also helped me connect with and get to know my professors. They genuinely care about the students and are more than willing to meet after class to help the students."
Q: What are your ultimate goals as a Wildcat individually and as a team?
A: "As a team, the goal is to compete in every game and to get better as we head in to A-10 Conference play. We had some close losses last year in the Atlantic 10, so I would love for our team to be able to get those close wins and play in the conference tournament and win it here in front of our Wildcat fans. Due to a career-ending concussion in March, this season will look differently for me individually, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to still contribute to this team. My goals are to welcome our class of incoming freshman and to incorporate them into this DCWS family and to do everything I can off the field to impact those who step onto the field."
Q: When you graduate, how do you want people to remember you as an athlete, as a student, and as a person?
A: "My faith in Jesus is the most important thing in my life, so I hope that people remember me as someone who lived that out during my time at Davidson. I want to be remembered as someone who saw the best in others, who encouraged those around me, and who deeply cared for people. As an athlete, I want to be remembered for my work ethic and the consistency of my character when I wasn't playing and when I was playing. As a student, I want to be remembered for my desire to learn and the relationships I built in the classroom."
Q: What/who is your motivation as an athlete? What drives you?"
A: "I came to Davidson because I was motivated to play at a high level. I enjoy the challenge of competition and the camaraderie of a team sport. My teammates drive me as an athlete and they have pushed me farther than I could have pushed myself. They have walked with me through the highs and lows of this journey and they are one of the reasons I enjoy this program so much. Over the past 18 years of playing soccer, God has used this game as a way for me to connect with people and for me to learn more about who He is. My motivation as an athlete is to use the gifts God has given me for His glory and I am so thankful that I have gotten the opportunity to do that here at Davidson College."
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
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/ Women's Soccer
F/D
/ Women's Soccer
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