Winning Waldner: The Captain’s Impact
January 15, 2020 | Soccer, HailStateBEAT
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Director/Communications and Emma Warren, Student Assistant/Communications
STARKVILLE – As the clock wound down on a bitter-cold Missouri night, MaKayla Waldner hoped her collegiate career wasn't over. In her home state, Waldner had put together another game in her trademark style.
In the seventh minute, she had found the net with a header, the same way she scored so many of her 28 career goals. She played the full match, but that was nothing new for her either.
When the horn finally sounded, she was the first off the pitch and the first to ask the question on every one of her teammates' minds.
"Are we in?"
For the first time in 15 years they were. The Bulldogs would be advancing to the SEC Tournament. Manager Efrem "E" Egede could barely get the words out before Waldner had leapt into his arms.
"I remember just looking at E, and I wanted to cry," Waldner said. "I gave him a hug and that's a moment that will never leave me."
Waldner has defined the most historic era of the Bulldogs' program. During her recruiting process, State won just six games combined in the 2013 and 2014 seasons without a conference victory. Since she arrived in 2016, the Bulldogs have won six or more games every year.
She was on the first team to make the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and helped end the conference tournament drought. Her name is littered throughout both State's single-season and career record book. For her career, she ranks second in goals and multi-goal games (6) and is tied for third in points (59). She holds school records for both single-season game-winners (5) and career game-winners (11).
A four-star prospect out of high school who also excelled in track and field, basketball and football, Waldner was a standout athlete long before she came to Starkville, but her high school didn't offer a soccer team so many of her friends at home weren't aware of her talent.
"I was always the athlete, in high school, where people had expectations made out for me before I could make them for myself," Waldner said. "I came in [to MSU] with zero expectations. I was able to figure out how to get my name in that book and not have the pressure of all these external people. It came from within.
"Honestly, this is something I've recently learned, but figure out what makes you happy and do the things that you expect for yourself," she added. "Don't go out and practice because someone's telling you to practice. Do it for yourself. That relieves so much pressure off you already if you take away the expectations of 'I have to do this to make my coaches proud.' No, do this to make yourself proud."
While the Bulldogs busing between Eastern Washington and Idaho in August, Waldner asked to see the record book for the first time. She eyed Elisabeth Sullivan and Meredith Riekert just ahead of her on the leaderboard as she embarked on her final season, not with envy or as a target but with admiration.
She hopes that one day another player will look at the record book, see her name and have the same reaction.
"I see Elisabeth being the all-time leading scorer and having all of these records and not knowing who she is but knowing her name," she said. "She came in and made a statement at Mississippi State. You walk into our locker room and see her face on the wall. She was the first one to get drafted and this and that. All the accolades that came with her, you knew she was a good player.
"I hope that people will come in and want to know who I am," she added. "I hope the coaches can tell stories about MaKayla. No. 10, did this," Waldner said. "I just hope that I left a lasting impression on this program and did something for it."
Without a doubt, No. 10 left her mark.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
STARKVILLE – As the clock wound down on a bitter-cold Missouri night, MaKayla Waldner hoped her collegiate career wasn't over. In her home state, Waldner had put together another game in her trademark style.
In the seventh minute, she had found the net with a header, the same way she scored so many of her 28 career goals. She played the full match, but that was nothing new for her either.
When the horn finally sounded, she was the first off the pitch and the first to ask the question on every one of her teammates' minds.
"Are we in?"
For the first time in 15 years they were. The Bulldogs would be advancing to the SEC Tournament. Manager Efrem "E" Egede could barely get the words out before Waldner had leapt into his arms.
"I remember just looking at E, and I wanted to cry," Waldner said. "I gave him a hug and that's a moment that will never leave me."
Waldner has defined the most historic era of the Bulldogs' program. During her recruiting process, State won just six games combined in the 2013 and 2014 seasons without a conference victory. Since she arrived in 2016, the Bulldogs have won six or more games every year.
She was on the first team to make the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and helped end the conference tournament drought. Her name is littered throughout both State's single-season and career record book. For her career, she ranks second in goals and multi-goal games (6) and is tied for third in points (59). She holds school records for both single-season game-winners (5) and career game-winners (11).
A four-star prospect out of high school who also excelled in track and field, basketball and football, Waldner was a standout athlete long before she came to Starkville, but her high school didn't offer a soccer team so many of her friends at home weren't aware of her talent.
"I was always the athlete, in high school, where people had expectations made out for me before I could make them for myself," Waldner said. "I came in [to MSU] with zero expectations. I was able to figure out how to get my name in that book and not have the pressure of all these external people. It came from within.
"Honestly, this is something I've recently learned, but figure out what makes you happy and do the things that you expect for yourself," she added. "Don't go out and practice because someone's telling you to practice. Do it for yourself. That relieves so much pressure off you already if you take away the expectations of 'I have to do this to make my coaches proud.' No, do this to make yourself proud."
While the Bulldogs busing between Eastern Washington and Idaho in August, Waldner asked to see the record book for the first time. She eyed Elisabeth Sullivan and Meredith Riekert just ahead of her on the leaderboard as she embarked on her final season, not with envy or as a target but with admiration.
She hopes that one day another player will look at the record book, see her name and have the same reaction.
"I see Elisabeth being the all-time leading scorer and having all of these records and not knowing who she is but knowing her name," she said. "She came in and made a statement at Mississippi State. You walk into our locker room and see her face on the wall. She was the first one to get drafted and this and that. All the accolades that came with her, you knew she was a good player.
"I hope that people will come in and want to know who I am," she added. "I hope the coaches can tell stories about MaKayla. No. 10, did this," Waldner said. "I just hope that I left a lasting impression on this program and did something for it."
Without a doubt, No. 10 left her mark.
For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for "HailStateSOC."
Players Mentioned
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