BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Today we continue a new series called Student-Athlete Spotlight, presented by Coca-Cola, that will highlight Samford's outstanding student-athletes. Today's episode features soccer senior Alyssa Frazier.
 
Frazier is in her third season at Samford after playing her freshman season at Ole Miss. Frazier talked about what brought her to Samford.
 
"I came and visited here in the winter, I transferred after my freshman fall, and I really felt like I clicked with the coaching staff, first of all," Frazier said. "And then I knew Samford was really good academically. With those two things, and then I knew they'd won the last four years in a row, and just being a part of a program that has been that successful and that I wanted to continue to grow was really appealing."


 
Frazier and the soccer team is preparing for a spring season, after the traditional fall season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Frazier talked about how the team has dealt with the current situation.
 
"Obviously, we all got sent home in the spring and missed our spring games we had left and our practices," Frazier said. "But, we were able to come back early in the summer and get to work with each other. We thought we would be playing a fall season, but obviously, that was pushed back. But, I think just being in it together as a team and going through it together really has helped us grow closer. Still being on campus together and still being able to practice together has brought us closer in these really uncertain times."
 
The soccer team is a little over three weeks from its season opener on Feb. 18 against UAB. Frazier said she likes where the team is at so far in its preparation.
 
"I think we'll be ready once the time comes," Frazier said. "We're all really excited. Obviously, it's been such a long time since we've played a real game."
 
Samford has won the last six-straight Southern Conference regular-season titles. Frazier talked about how the program has stayed so consistently good throughout the years.
 
"I'd say our coach, Todd (Yelton), usually attributes it to humility, and I have to agree with that a lot," Frazier said. "We play good teams in our conference and we know every game, the teams that we play against are going to show up and put in a lot of effort. And I think that because we know that and we know that the effort they'll put forth is 100 percent, we know we need to train hard and work hard to be able to counter against that and just keep our momentum going."
 
This year's team includes another talented group of freshmen. Frazier talked about what she has seen from that group so far.
 
"I love our freshman class," Frazier said. "They're really good people first of all, and then there are a lot of very talented players coming in too, players that I think will play and will bring a lot of different aspects at multiple positions. So, it's really exciting."
 
Frazier also talked a little about her expectations for the upcoming season.
 
"Team goals, first and foremost, we want to win our conference and want to win the tournament," Frazier said. "That's the most important thing to everyone on our team. Personally, there are just some different aspects of my game that I've been working on. They may or may not show up in stats or awards, but I think I just want to be able to build off of last season and improve as a player and a teammate to help our team, ultimately, win."