Wagner's Experience Gives Her Confidence To Lead Women's Soccer

As sophomore midfielder Gibby Wagner ran circles around a surprised UNC defense during a Thursday-night game in Newton, a reporter from The Boston Globe looked frantically through her notes before finally turning around and asking, "Who is number 10? She's definitely my new favorite player."

The UNC coach must have been wondering the same thing before quickly readjusting his defense to put more pressure on Wagner in the second half. As surprised as the media and opposing defenses might be to see a sophomore having such an impact in the toughest conference in women's soccer, Wagner's breakthrough is the combination of a full year of experience in college soccer and incredible focus and effort in the offseason. Now that Wagner has complete confidence in her play against any opponent, people aren't going to have to wonder who No. 10 is anymore.

After playing club soccer at the highest level with the Players Development Academy (PDA) of New Jersey, Wagner was a valuable recruit out of high school. Boston College head coach Alison Foley knew that Wagner had a lot of potential, but Foley also understood that adjusting to the college level would be difficult for all freshmen.

"Regardless of how highly touted you are, it's still a really big jump to a college level program, especially a program as competitive as ours," Foley said. "From the adjustment to college life in general to the change in the level of play, it truly takes a year for a freshmen to get past the adjustment."

For Wagner, getting used to a new team and a new style of play was a challenge during her freshman year.

"It's hard to be a freshman on a new team," Wagner said. "I struggled adjusting because it's hard when you don't know anyone, and you don't want to mess up. Plus you have to adjust being away from your family and the normal college stuff that everyone goes through."

Being a freshman on a new team was hard enough, but Wagner had the added challenge of being part of one of the best teams in the country looking to compete for a national title. Wagner earned a decent amount of playing time on last season's College Cup-bound team, appearing in 17 games and finishing with a goal and an assist. However, the experience of being so close to a national championship motivated her to work for a starting spot in the offseason.

"Training in the offseason really helped me in the spring," Wagner said. "I knew that I had a chance for a starting spot, and that's probably why I worked so hard in the spring and summer. I really wanted to start for our team."

Wagner's hard work did not go unnoticed. Foley quickly recognized the improvement Wagner had made and rewarded her for her effort.

"We always say to trust your training," Foley said. "Gibby really had a tremendous freshman spring. She really is a great example of how hard work in the off season translates to a good sophomore year."

However, the biggest difference in Wagner's game from last season to this season has nothing to do with her physical soccer skills and everything to do with a renewed sense of confidence. It was only after she came to the realization that she belonged on the field with the best players in the country that she was able to develop into a major weapon for the Eagles.

"That mentality is what I've developed most since I've played at BC," Wagner said. "Whether it's confidence or just how hard you're playing, that's what affects your performance the most. Personally, I didn't have that mentality last year, and that definitely affected my ability to play. I developed my mentality more than my fitness or skill in the off season."

Foley describes Wagner as a player who isn't afraid to be aggressive on offense and take defenders on one-on-one. She's an electric forward who creates opportunities for her teammates with her relentless energy and deceptive speed. For the type of player Wagner is, confidence is critical to her success on the field. Foley believes that Wagner's mentality has made her one of the top offensive players in the conference.

"Gibby is one of the best one-on-one players in the country," Foley said. "She clearly feels a lot more comfortable, and we're all witnessing the results of that. She's a handful, and defenses have a hard time keeping up with her."

The rest of the soccer world is starting to recognize Wagner's accomplishments this season. She was named ACC player of the week for the week and was also recognized as the NSCAA national player of the week for the week of Nov. 2. Wagner is the first BC player to earn this honor since Kristie Mewis won it in 2009. Despite the individual accomplishments, Wagner has only one thing on her mind heading into the NCAA tournament: a national championship.

"I want to win a national championship more than anything," she said. "Our team is so talented that we have a great chance this year. Now that we've been to the College Cup, if we don't get back there, it's going to be devastating."

Wagner has been instrumental in the Eagles' success this season. Playing her best soccer at the most important point in the season, she is sure to have a major impact in the NCAA tournament.