Natalie Ieyoub‘s Work Translates to Success in Any Language
As the LSU football squad returns to the field each fall, the LSU fútbol team begins a season of its own. Just like the football Tigers, the LSU soccer team is constantly preparing for upcoming games. However, for senior midfielder Natalie Ieyoub, soccer is just one aspect of a very busy collegiate lifestyle.
On the pitch, Ieyoub has been a major reason for the Tigers’ success over the past three seasons. In her junior season, she made appearances in 16 games and helped the Tigers capture their fourth SEC Western Division championship in five years. Ieyoub scored game-winning goals against Oklahoma and Tennessee during the 2011 campaign.
Throughout her collegiate career, Ieyoub has been just as successful off the pitch. She is currently majoring in international studies, and has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in her freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.
“I am not sure what exactly I want to do after college,” Ieyoub said. “I want to do something in which I can travel with my job, and use all of the languages I know.”
She is fluent in many languages, including Spanish and German.
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Ieyoub has also been very active throughout the community. She has been a member of the 2010 and 2011 SEC Community Service Teams, and has helped with numerous charities in the Baton Rouge community, including Habitat for Humanity and Kids Hope.
“Our whole team is really involved with Kids Hope program,” Ieyoub said. “Every week we mentor a kid near campus.”
Ieyoub has also visited the Republic of Haiti on mission trips over the past two years with the organization Lespwa Worldwide. She helped with the reconstruction of numerous buildings that were damaged in the devastating earthquake of 2010. Ieyoub also played soccer and made arts and crafts with the children of Haiti, and served as a runner at an onsite medical clinic.
“Although I went in expecting to make a big difference there, Haiti made a difference in me,” said Ieyoub in an online blog describing her mission trip.
She admits that balancing soccer with schoolwork, along with her efforts in the community, can sometimes be challenging.
“Time management is definitely something that you have to learn in order to be a successful student-athlete,” Ieyoub said. “The resources we have at the Cox Communications Center for Student-Athletes are extremely helpful. (LSU soccer coach) Brian (Lee) places a big emphasis in making sure we take of school.”
Ieyoub would not be the person that she is today without the strong support of her family. From Lake Charles, La., Ieyoub’s family history is decorated in purple and gold.
Ieyoub’s grandfather, Alvin Foreman, and great uncle, Ed Khoury, played football at LSU. Khoury was a team captain for the Tigers, and wore the purple and gold while former Governor Huey P. Long was in office during the 1930s.
“I have a really big Louisiana-based family,” Ieyoub said. “The great thing about coming to LSU is that my family can always be at every game.”
Many other Tiger fans join Ieyoub’s family in cheering on the LSU soccer team each game. LSU fans have made Friday nights at the newly constructed LSU Soccer Stadium a truly unique environment.
Tiger fans can catch Ieyoub and the rest of the LSU soccer team in action as they are in the midst of an exciting 10-game homestand.
“Our fans create an amazing atmosphere for our home games and make our stadium a special place for us to play,” Ieyoub said. “We went to Oklahoma earlier this season. They had a good crowd, but it was nothing like our fans.”