Off The Pitch: Carly Mauldin

Over the offseason, HailState.com will interview select Mississippi State soccer players in an effort to learn more about their lives on and off the pitch. Minutes-leader Carly Mauldin is first on our list as we sit down with the Laurel, Miss., native.

Carly Mauldin Q&A

Q: What are your first impressions of the new coaching staff?
A: ""I really like them. They push us to our limit and they want us to be our best, but in an encouraging way. I really like them so far and they're very nice."

Q: What lessons did you learn from your first two years at MSU?
A: "I've learned that every game you have to be at your best. There's no time to really have a let down, because you have to always be consistent. You have to take each practice like it's a game and that's the biggest thing I've learned over the past two years. Just give it your all while you have the chance and opportunity." 10176

Q: What do you want to improve on this offseason?
A: "I would like to get better at ball striking. All of my goals have come in the preseason when they don't count, so I obviously want to get better at that. I want my range of passing to be better as well, I usually try to keep things simple but I need to try for the over-the-top ball to the forward sometimes"

Q: What something that before you came to MSU you didn't know?
A: "When you come here and visit the first thing you notice is how friendly everyone is. You don't really know if that's a front or not, but once you've been here you see that it's genuine. The staff, coaches and everyone here is so welcoming. It really is my home away from home."

Q: Why did you choose to come to MSU?
A: "During the recruiting process I was trying hard for MSU, because I grew up a fan and knew it would be awesome to play here. I finally got an offer to come and decided to follow that dream. Once I got here I knew it was the right decision, because this is an amazing campus and the people here are great."

Q: Why did you decide to major in kinesiology?
A: "I want to be a physical therapist, I guess being around sports has led me to that. I really like helping people, so that kind of motivated me to majoring in kinesiology. I've shadowed a family friend who is a physical therapist for a few summers now and I've loved every minute of it."

Q: What's it feel like to have "Carly's Corner" support you at every home game?
A: "They're great, they're all my family and relatives who basically live on the same street back home. We're all very close and they have supported me even in high school by coming to all of my games. They started their own little corner near the stands and its gone from there. When you walk out for warm-ups and hear them cheering, it really gives you a great feeling because you have something extra to play for."

Quick Hitters
Favorite place to eat in Starkville: Little Dooey's
Favorite song before a game: Lip Gloss (Lil Mama)
Favorite thing to take on a road trip: Earphones
Favorite TV show: The Office
Biggest fear: Spiders
Funniest teammate: McKenna de Graaf, because of her dry and sarcastic humor.
Biggest influence on career: My parents
One word to describe 2016: Growth
One word she hopes describes 2017: Winning

Social Media
For more information on Carly Mauldin, or any other Bulldog soccer player, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at "HailStateSOC."

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