Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Get To Know: Adia Symmonds
March 21, 2025 | Soccer
STARKVILLE – From winning the 2024 ECNL Championship to participating in the ECNL Selection Game, Adia Symmonds brings a wealth of experience to Mississippi State for a freshman. Adding to her success on the club circuit, she enrolled early this spring to immerse herself in the college game prior to her first season. However, none of those experiences compare to her trial with Arsenal's U-21 squad in the English Women's Soccer League.
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Trialing with any club in England, especially one of Arsenal's caliber, is no small feat. Symmonds gained valuable insight into what life as a professional footballer looks like and how the game is played across the pond.
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"It was a lot of fun to see how their playing style differs from here in the States, and how they do training," Symmonds said.
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Symmonds noted from her experience that in England most of the buildup starts in the back from the goalkeeper. Soccer in Europe is very possession-based with an intense focus on keeping the ball whereas the style in the United States is more of a fast-paced, attacking mindset. Those similarities will make the Bulldogs' possession-oriented system much more familiar when she steps onto the field this fall.
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However, Symmonds' individual play style lines up more similarly to the modern American style.
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"I like to be crafty on the ball," she said. "When I get the chance, I like to dribble out of situations, and at the end of the day, I just like to have fun while playing."
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The Tampa, Florida, native's ties to England go back even further than her time spent with Arsenal. Symmonds has dual citizenship, but she has yet to decide which country she'd choose to represent if given the opportunity.
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"If I get the chance, I'll make a decision then," she said. "For now, I'm not sure."
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Symmonds attested to the development that Mississippi State has to offer as one of the main reasons why she chose to join the Bulldogs this season. After all, before she can earn the honor of representing one of her eligible countries, she knows she needs to grow to that caliber of player.
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 "A big thing in my recruiting process was knowing that the staff would help me to get to the next step in soccer," she said.
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Beyond the pitch, Symmonds is looking forward to growing in other ways as well. Her hometown is more than 10 hours from Starkville, which will force her to grow in her independence and offers a chance to create her own identity as a student-athlete.
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 "Starkville isn't that close to home, so I'm looking forward to being able to become my own person," she said.
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Trialing with any club in England, especially one of Arsenal's caliber, is no small feat. Symmonds gained valuable insight into what life as a professional footballer looks like and how the game is played across the pond.
Â
"It was a lot of fun to see how their playing style differs from here in the States, and how they do training," Symmonds said.
Â
Symmonds noted from her experience that in England most of the buildup starts in the back from the goalkeeper. Soccer in Europe is very possession-based with an intense focus on keeping the ball whereas the style in the United States is more of a fast-paced, attacking mindset. Those similarities will make the Bulldogs' possession-oriented system much more familiar when she steps onto the field this fall.
Â
However, Symmonds' individual play style lines up more similarly to the modern American style.
Â
"I like to be crafty on the ball," she said. "When I get the chance, I like to dribble out of situations, and at the end of the day, I just like to have fun while playing."
Â
The Tampa, Florida, native's ties to England go back even further than her time spent with Arsenal. Symmonds has dual citizenship, but she has yet to decide which country she'd choose to represent if given the opportunity.
Â
"If I get the chance, I'll make a decision then," she said. "For now, I'm not sure."
Â
Symmonds attested to the development that Mississippi State has to offer as one of the main reasons why she chose to join the Bulldogs this season. After all, before she can earn the honor of representing one of her eligible countries, she knows she needs to grow to that caliber of player.
Â
 "A big thing in my recruiting process was knowing that the staff would help me to get to the next step in soccer," she said.
Â
Beyond the pitch, Symmonds is looking forward to growing in other ways as well. Her hometown is more than 10 hours from Starkville, which will force her to grow in her independence and offers a chance to create her own identity as a student-athlete.
Â
 "Starkville isn't that close to home, so I'm looking forward to being able to become my own person," she said.
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