Freshman soccer player Alexis “Lexy” Warner has only been a part of the MSU women’s soccer team for a short time but is already making a name for herself, having been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for Sept. 1. This serves as her first Big Ten mention in her collegiate athletic career.
Warner is from the Ypsilanti area and said she has been playing soccer since she was three years old.
Her love and dedication for the sport has led her to benefit the team in a great way. Teammate and redshirt senior Gabby Gauruder said Warner’s presence on and off the field does wonders in unifying and building sportsmanship.
“She’s amazing,” Gauruder said. “She always gives it her all when things happen to her, she can play both offense and defense and that’s really hard to find in a player.”
Gauruder said when her teammates see Warner working hard, they have no choice but to work hard.
“She’s one of those players that she can take it all she wants, but she’s she’s not a selfish player,” Gauruder said. “It makes us work harder on our end.”
Head coach Tom Saxton said Warner is a dynamic player who works hard on the field.
“She’s an incredibly hard working soccer player,” Saxton said. “She played in the first few games for us in both roles, as the attacking wide player and then as a defensive outside back, and she never misses a beat.”
Saxton went on to say that Warner’s charisma on and off the field has a great deal to do with why she was chosen as player of the week.
“She brings incredible toughness and she’s not afraid of anything,” said Saxton. “She understands she’s got special pace and she knows how to use it in terms of getting around other players.”
Warner was humble in recognizing her mention, as she places much of her success on that of her teammates and what she learns from them.
“This means nothing without my teammates,” Warner said. “I know that I have to keep working everyday to get better and learn from them because I am only a freshman.”
Coach Saxton is proud that Warner was mentioned as freshman of the week and feels she deserves it for working hard and making a statement while on the field.
“She scored a couple of big goals for us already as a freshman,” Saxton said. “In soccer, those are the main things you key on. She brings it day in and day out, she’s tough and the team loves her.”
