Meet Imelda Williams, the leader of USU Soccer’s backline
Senior Imelda Williams is off to a stellar start this season for the Utah State Women’s Soccer team. She’s anchored a backline that has surrendered only three goals this season. She’s also scored two goals through six games this year, including a game winner over Northern Arizona on Aug. 21.
If you talked to Williams though, she wouldn’t take any credit for it.
“It’s definitely a team effort and both of my goals really came off of (the) effort of other teammates,” said Williams. “I was lucky enough to be in the right spot at the right time for both goals.”
This year’s Aggie squad has gone undefeated through their first seven matches. They’ve one five of those games, including win’s over spring 2021 NCAA tournament teams Northern Arizona and Utah Valley. Williams thinks this year’s team has what it takes to go deep in the postseason.
“As a team, I might sound a little confident, but I know that we can win the Mountain West Conference,” she said. “Just saying that excites me because if we keep going in the same direction, we’re going I think that’s where we should be. I think about going to the tournament, this team hasn’t been to the tournament since I was a freshman, and I did not play a single minute.”
William’s personal goal for this season is to be the best she can for her team.
“I want to leave this season knowing that I played my best,” she said. “And that I played my best for my team and I didn’t just go 50%. My goal is to get better. I know I’m only two goals in, but I’m gonna get better, I’m gonna get more and not for me but for this team.”
Throughout Williams’s career, she has faced lots of tumultuous events, including head coach turnover and the pandemic. Many other student athletes in similar circumstances opted to transfer to different programs, but Williams stayed at Utah State.
“I have had a lot of thoughts about transferring throughout my career, but I just couldn’t do it. I love being an Aggie,” she said. “The girls on this team are so special. I love Utah State, the student athletes here. The relationships I have, they were just too special to me to actually pick up and leave.”
The Aggie community is another thing Williams loves about Utah State.
“I love that when you go out to eat or anything it’s like, ‘Are you on the soccer team?’ (and) ‘Go Aggies!’ if you’re wearing anything Utah State,” she said. “You’re in the airport, you’re in California, you could be anywhere, and someone will say, ‘Go Aggies!’ I love that people take pride in that and how friendly the whole student athlete community is. Everyone is so kind and I’ve met so many amazing people. The people are special here.”
As highly as Williams regards Utah State, her teammates equally regard her.
“Imelda Williams is the greatest, most legendary outside back to ever touch Utah State’s history!” senior midfielder Ashley Cardozo said during our interview with Williams.
Coach Manny Martins recognizes her impact on the team and her contribution to his success in his first season as head coach for the Aggies.
“Her experience is paying off for us. Obviously, we have a couple others but she’s definitely one of the senior leaders but not just on the field. I mean off the field she’s one to manage the things that I don’t have to deal with and there’s great communication, she’s a great link up for me to be able to have a pulse on how the team is doing,” Martins said following a victory against Marquette. “She has the ability to play on both sides left and right of the field so I don’t think we would be here (undefeated) without her.”
This will be Williams’s last year of college, and it’s surreal for her.
“I have no words,” she said. “This is crazy, this is the last time I get to do this. I get to be tired, I get to go to class, I get to go to practice, I get to see my best friends every day, I get to play the sport I love every day. I feel very lucky.”
Williams is unsure about her plans post-graduation, but she is looking into doing a master’s degree at USU, or coaching or playing soccer professionally, if given the opportunity.