Friday Features: NCAA leader Chloe Richards finds a home at UNA
By Mike Perrin
How did
Chloe Richards find herself in college at the University of
North Alabama in Florence when, as a young woman in Cornwell, England, all she knew about Alabama was that it was somewhere in the Southern U.S.A.? And, how did she find herself as the No. 1 goal-scorer in Division II soccer and the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year?
The answers are networking and working hard. Richards, who scored 26 goals to help UNA to a 13-2-1 record and 10-2 mark in the league, researched colleges in the United States and paid particular attention to UNA since a couple of soccer standouts who lived near her were already making waves on GSC pitches. One, Chloe Roberts, became UNA’s only other GSC Player of the Year. This season, Richards is one of 10 international student-athletes on the UNA squad and one of five from England.
“I hadn’t been to the U.S. before moving here my freshman year,” the junior forward said, “so I basically just had what I had seen on TV to base my opinion on – and Alabama is obviously a lot different than that!”
Richards was a solid performer for the Lions as a freshman, scoring 10 goals and racking up 21 points. Last year, her first playing for 2014 GSC Coach of the Year Chris Walker, she managed 16 points and five goals as she struggled with injuries during the season. This year, she took off. “I put a lot of hard work in during the spring and summer to make sure I was the best I could possibly be for the team this year, which helped a lot,” she said. “I also switched positions this season from left forward in a 4-3-3 formation to the center striker in a 4-4-2. In my previous two seasons playing on the wing I haven't really had the opportunity to play like I can and score goals.”
The 5-foot-8 20-year-old, who scored three or more goals in a match six times this year and four goals in two matches, also credited her teammates with her performance this year. “I have to give a lot of credit to my team for my goals this year because it’s the way we’re playing and our direct approach that’s allowing me to score.” Richards was one of eight Lions on the All-GSC team this season, with three making the first team.
Richards’ individual goal for this season was to lead the conference in scoring. Mission accomplished – by an incredible 16 goals – and her closest rival in Division II scoring was eight goals in her rear view mirror. “I know I have the ability to score goals, but I have achieved more than I imagined so far this season,” she said. “Going into this season I was thinking how great it would be to lead the conference in goals scored and now competing as the top goal-scorer in the nation is beyond what I could of dreamed.”
Richards and the top-seeded Lions will continue to chase their dreams against No. 4 West Alabama today in the GSC Tournament in Pensacola.
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