Ana Cate has been a force on the Auburn soccer team since she started in 2009. As her senior year begins she prepares to make it the best one yet.
Cate is an exercise science major with minors in Spanish and political science. After 15 years in the sport, she is using her wealth of experience to help her team win as the Tigers try to defend their 2011 SEC tournament championship.
"I'm just so excited to get out there," Cate said. "We were talking about it this weekend, the seniors, and everybody says that it goes by so fast, and you don't believe them till you are counting down the games you have left. It has definitely been a focus for me to embrace every game and enjoy every game for what it's worth. Just being out there with 21 of my best friends and just getting to do what I love."
That love for the game is displayed through her work ethic.
"I am not the most technical person,(and) I am not the most skilled, but I try to be the hardest worker that I can every day and at least use that to teach the younger ones that you don't have to be 6-foot-5 and then super, super skillful to be successful and have an impact," Cate said. "You can work hard every day and set an example, then let your actions do the talking."
Coach Karen Hoppa said that Cate "provides a lot of things" as a leader and source of motivation for a young team, two-thirds of which is underclassmen.
"On the field she is a big time player, a clutch player," Hoppa said. "She scored two of the biggest goals in the program's history. She is the kid you want at the end of the ball."
This year's schedule includes many big names like new SEC additions Texas A&M and Missouri.
"The SEC adding Texas A&M and Mizzou is not a small thing; those are serious, good programs," Cate said.
The newcomers promise to add to an already competitive SEC schedule.
Auburn won the SEC tournament with the help of Cate's late game-winning goals against Florida and Tennessee in the finals and semifinals, respectively.
Cate's smile was huge as she reminisced.
"It was a surreal, awesome, awesome moment," Cate said. "I didn't even know it went in. I turned and heard the crowd and people going crazy."
Cate, however, is not resting on last year's success and is extremely focused on winning the SEC this season.
"I mean we won the tournament and that is putting together three great games in a row, and they are all teams that we had played in the regular season," Cate said. "I think that is our big focus this year, winning the SEC regular season."
In response to the team's slim losses against Pepperdine and UC Irvine Aug. 24 and 26, Cate said the team is ready to take action.
"With a weekend like this weekend, we really have to rally around each other," Cate said. "Being able to take strengths from our losses and learning things from them is definitely going to help us when we get into the regular season."
Hoppa said the team learned how to win the big games last season.
As Cate's career at Auburn slowly winds towards the end, Hoppa said Cate still hasn't reached her peak.
"The best is yet to come," Hoppa said. "She's gotten better every year. Over the last three years she has improved leaps and bounds."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
