The University of Mississippi Athletics
Captain, Four-Year Starter Snow Ready For 2011
8/17/2011 | Soccer
Aug. 17, 2011
OXFORD, Miss. - Senior defender Meredith Snow has been a leader at Ole Miss since earning a starting spot since her freshman year, a spot she's never given up.
This year, Snow, a two-time team captain and a four-year starter, has earned the respect of her team and coaches by being named team captain for the second consecutive season. In addition, she will enter her senior year as a starter on defense, marking her fourth consecutive year to earn a starting spot.
"It's good to have someone with experience, especially at defense, because it's a lot of knowing where to go and being able to tell others where to go," Snow said. "It helps that I've been back there in the same spot doing it for the last three seasons. Also, it helps in gaining respect from other players knowing that I've been there before that it's easier for them to trust me."
Snow, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, has started and played in 61 games during her career. She served as a team captain in 2010 and has been selected again this year, along with senior goalkeeper Alley Ronaldi. She has anchored a defense that has recorded 18 shutouts during her first three years.
The Rebels, who began preseason camp on August 3, have come into camp much more fit and prepared this year.
"I think it's a lot better this year than last year," Snow said. "A lot more of the players have come in fit, more of us than last season, so that's definitely helped. We've been able to play a lot more this year rather than having to take care of fitness. The team is really coming together and all of our personalities allow us to gel really well."
In addition to the fitness level, Snow can already see positive differences in this year's team from the team of a year ago. At this point last season, head coach Matt Mott had only been on campus for three months.
"We know Matt this year," Snow said. "Most of us have been with him for a season so we know what to expect and everyone is a lot less skeptical this year. People are more trusting of him now having him a year where last year everybody was kind of stuck on the old ways and weren't quite sure about the change. But, this year everybody is over the change so it's going to help us a lot more."
The team got its first game experience on Friday when the team hosted Tennessee-Martin in an exhibition match. The team has 11 new faces this year so getting the chance to get game experience was a big plus.
"I think we did pretty well for the first time of playing against somebody other than ourselves," Snow said of the Rebels who earned a 1-0 win. "There are things we need to work on, like working together and learning how everybody plays, but that will come with more practice and playing with each other. I think we did well on defense and we created chances on goal."
Sophomore transfers Rafaelle Souza (Salvador, Brazil), Emily Reid (Oklahoma) and junior transfer Emily Sinovich (UAB) have already made an impact on the team, Snow said.
"All of the transfers, Rafaelle, Emily Reid and Emily Sinovich, have all done a really good job and have all fought to earn playing time. They've come in, haven't missed a beat and it seems like they've always been with us for their entire careers."
Even with 11 new players on the roster, the team has really come together during preseason. In addition to twice-a-day training and weights, the team took some time to do team bonding activities like playing wiffle ball and the team's Second Annual Pool Olympics.
"We've done different bonding things this year," Snow said. "We did big sisters/little sisters where (assistant coach) Becky (Fletcher) matched the team into pairs by majors or positions. Last night we had the Second Annual Pool Olympics where we were split into teams and we had different events like relay races, a diving board competition, a dance and rap part and a skit."
While Snow still has one more year at Ole Miss, she has treasured the friendships she has made with her teammates, especially her fellow seniors.
"Becoming so close with the people on the team, especially the seniors class, is something I've really enjoyed," Snow said. "A lot of us have been here our whole career and we lived with each other in the dorms and I think things are going to be a lot easier this year. We all have each other's backs and we have six seniors that can all lead."
