Freshman midfielder Amanda Carreno is in her first season with the LSU women’s soccer team and comes to Baton Rouge from Union High School in Tulsa, Okla., as one of the top 100 high school recruits in the country for the Class of 2006. She earned recognition as one of the nation’s top players while competing as a member of both the Region III Olympic Development Program Team and the U-17 adidas ODP All-Star Team in 2005. Carreno is from a large family with nine brothers and sisters and is majoring in biochemistry at LSU.
Diary Entry
I arrived at LSU on Aug. 8 and didn’t know what college life would have in store for me while playing for the Tigers. I knew I would have a great time playing soccer because it’s my passion, and the past three weeks with the girls on the team have been amazing! They all have their unique personalities that make me laugh and have a great time when I’m around them. They are all great soccer players too, which makes it that much more fun. We all support each other 100 percent both on and off the field, and it’s awesome being a part of this team.
Our first game was approaching on us quickly as we finished up our preparations and practices that would help us play well in that game. Aug. 25 came up on us like the speed of light. We left Baton Rouge on Aug. 24 and made the seven hour bus ride to Dallas to play SMU the next day. Once we got into Dallas, we unpacked and got ready for a light practice to get our legs loose. I was very anxious and nervous about the game that night in my hotel room, then it came and went like a flash.
The game ended in a 2-0 loss, but we did not feel down on ourselves afterward. We all pushed until the very end of the game. Even though it didn’t go as we had planned, we now know what is needed from us as a team and as individuals to succeed. That was the beginning of my college career, and I learned a lot about playing at this level from that game. My hopes for this season are that we have a good season by winning the SEC and making the NCAA Tournament.
Classes started yesterday and the streets and sidewalks were packed with students trying to make it to their classes. As I rode my bike down to my classes, I was excited because I wondered if I would like taking them and meet new friends when I got there. I hope they’ll be fun and easy, but I guess we’ll find out as the semester goes by ? so far so good. I am hoping to make at least a 3.5 GPA this semester in my classes that include anthropology, chemistry, ISDS, math and psychology. It’ll probably be more difficult than I think right now, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
This is really my first time away from home, and it won’t be easy for me since I come from such a big family. I’m so used to the noises of my house being the voices of my younger brothers running around causing all kinds of trouble, my younger sister asking me what to wear the next day, my parents shouting out to my younger siblings to get ready for school, my older sister telling us to do our chores and clean, and my niece running around the house. I’m sure I’ll get through it alright and have an awesome first semester at LSU.
GEAUX TIGERS!!!