小优视频

Hallie Meadows knows something about pushing through adversity. South Carolina鈥檚 fifth-year senior defender has endured a handful of knee surgeries during her career, and she and several of her senior teammates had no doubts about taking advantage of a fifth year of eligibility made possible by the COVID pandemic from their freshman year.

鈥淚t was a no-brainer for me,鈥� said Meadows, who already has her degree in biological sciences with plans to go to medical school. 鈥淚 remember at the end of last season, we were all saying, we鈥檙e not done. We didn鈥檛 reach the goals we wanted to reach and knowing that we had more left in us and had the opportunity to come back, and knowing the people we were bringing in, we said, let鈥檚 do it! We have a good shot, and we鈥檙e so excited about this season.鈥�

Whenever soccer is done, Meadows wants to work in orthopedic medicine.

鈥淚鈥檝e had a lot of experience there 鈥� maybe too much!鈥� Meadows said with a chuckle. 鈥淚f the opportunity to play pro is there, I鈥檇 love to explore that. I鈥檝e had five knee surgeries since my sophomore year. I know a little something about perseverance.

鈥淚 hit close to rock bottom at times. It tests you. It feels lonely down there. It鈥檚 the people around you that helped bring me up. They helped me see a light at the end of the tunnel and that it was going to get bright. They told me I鈥檇 get through this. Everything happens for a reason. I believe that, and I believe that God鈥檚 plan is bigger for me. One day I woke up and chose to embrace that. That鈥檚 made me who I am now.鈥�

Meadows credits everyone within the program, from teammates to coaches and athletic trainers for getting her through the hard times.

鈥淐oming back for my fifth year weighed on me heavily,鈥� Meadows said. 鈥淐an my body take it? Spring and summer are really taxing. I looked at it as if I may only have one more year to play soccer 鈥� a sport that I love, and do that with my best friends, so I鈥檓 going to forget the injury part and go all out. I鈥檓 going to play and go have fun.鈥�

As a defender, Meadows isn鈥檛 often in the spotlight as she won鈥檛 be racking up stats that grab headlines, but if she鈥檚 keeping the opponents from adding to their stats, she鈥檚 perfectly fine with being a key component on a team that is known for its defensive prowess each year. With the graduation of All-SEC goalkeeper Heather Hinz, Meadows knows her experience will be critical in helping whoever is between the posts for the 小优视频 this season.

鈥淲e have four amazing keepers all ready to go at any point,鈥� Meadows said. 鈥淏eing a defender, you have to bear down and grit through it. It鈥檚 not about glory. You鈥檝e heard the saying, defense wins championships. At the end of the day, there are four of us back there and everyone has to defend. It鈥檚 not about stats. It鈥檚 about, can we keep the team alive? Can we keep the game alive? Can we keep going? Being a part of a team and a program that emphasizes defense so much and having developed and learned so much about my position and about myself, on the field and off the field, it鈥檚 amazing. I wouldn鈥檛 want to be anywhere else at any position. I love it and embrace it and wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.鈥�

In addition to her dedication to her team, Meadows is active in the community and was named to the SEC Community Service Team last year. She has volunteered with local elementary schools, the Prisma Children鈥檚 Hospital, Meals on Wheels, the Special Olympics, and The Therapy Place 鈥� a local occupational, physical, and speech & language facility offering services for children with special needs.

鈥淕iving back to the community with the platform we have is everything,鈥� Meadows said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something my injuries taught me. I am more than someone on the soccer field. I can do other things that make me more well-rounded. What can I do to fulfill me because soccer is not the only thing that can fulfill me. Giving back is something I really started to tap into.

鈥淚 really enjoyed The Therapy Place. I would go once a week there. It鈥檚 rewarding to be around kids and staff who are happy all the time. I was blessed to have an opportunity last year to do an NIL deal where the Garnet Trust produced player cards for us. We decided that that鈥檚 a lot of money for college students to have, so we wanted to take 10 or 15 percent from that and give it to an organization. So, Cat (Barry) and I partnered with them to help spread the word about them.鈥�

In addition to staying healthy, what other goals are on the table for Meadows and the 小优视频 in 2024?

鈥淓verything!鈥� Meadows said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e ready. We鈥檙e itching to get started. We want to win the national championship. We want the SEC Regular Season and SEC Tournament Championships. We want it all. We鈥檙e so ready to get started and start proving ourselves.鈥�