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Recruiting trips in college sports often turn into chance meetings.
The story of how Spencer Valdespino came to Nicholls State from Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School in Western Florida is partly its own chance meeting.
Nicholls soccer coach Dylan Harrison recalled a recruiting trip to the Sunshine State in 2011 where he was taking in various games across several fields when Valdespino caught his eye.
“The true story of it is I was watching another field and I heard a ball hit a crossbar,” Harrison said. “I turned around and sure enough, it was her and she put another goal away pretty quickly after that. I recognized that she was the type of player that wants the responsibility of scoring goals and wants to be a game-changer.”
The coach and player soon got in contact with each other and the rest has been history – quite literally. Thanks to Valdespino’s play, the Colonels have already set a program record for wins in a single season, as they recorded nine victories in their first 10 games this year.
According to Harrison, Nicholls’ players were proactive enough to play their own hand in helping the Colonels land Valdespino.
“We had heard she was looking for a place that had nice dorms, so we actually had one of our seniors now take a picture of her dorm and e-mail it to her,” Harrison said. “It is funny how things like that work out. You never know what a kid is looking for. I’m lucky that we found her because I think she’s happy here.”
To Valdespino, Nicholls provided her with a surrounding no other school could match.
“I came here and what really drew me were the people,” Valdespino said. “I love everyone on this team. I didn’t feel any chemistry with any of the other teams that recruited me. This team just felt like a perfect fit. Everybody loves each other and you can tell this year that that’s working both on the field and off the field. We’re having a tremendous year and I’m really glad I came here.”
Having the kind of atmosphere that attracts elite players like Valdespino, who was named one of the top 25 players in the state of Florida coming out of high school, has gone a long way to help boost recruiting throughout the program, said Harrison.
“It’s made my job so much more enjoyable and stress-free knowing that players really do care about each other here and want to see the best for each other,” he said.
With a 9-2-1 overall record entering the week, the Colonels are already enjoying their best season ever, and that’s with at least one month still to play on the schedule.
The team entered the week having dropped back to back games – against Incarnate Word and most recently against Lamar last Friday – for the first time all season, but they still boast the second best overall record among Southland Conference foes and are just one game back of Abilene Christian in the conference standings.
At the front and center of the team’s run has been Valdespino, the leading scorer for the Colonels and the entire conference with 11 goals through 12 games. Nicholls as a team has scored more goals (38) in that stretch than any other conference opponent.
To say she’s been the Colonels’ Most Valuable Player might be a given, but Valdespino says it’s been a team effort and that the chemistry and togetherness she experienced as a recruit still permeates throughout the program now in her sophomore season.
“Just having the team I have behind me, I don’t think I’d have had the success I’ve had with any other team in the league or anywhere else,” Valdespino said. “We have chemistry and I click with all of them. They know that if they get me the ball, I’m going to work my (tail) off. But everyone on this team is a leader. Nobody has that specific role. I think we’re all pretty even, no matter the stats.”
That’s not to say Valdespino is shying away from her own individual accomplishments. Being the conference’s hottest player and leading scorer is something she takes pride in.
But it’s all a product of her surrounding cast, she said.
“If I have an off-day, they’re there to pat me on the back,” Valdespino said. “Even if I don’t score, I know I can count on them. But I’m really happy about (being the leading scorer). There really are no words to describe how I feel. It’s amazing that I’m having all the success I’m having this year.”
Harrison said that Valdespino’s success isn’t just a matter of her ability and the way she’s playing, but also who she is as a person.
“She’s got character,” Harrison said. “She’s been through a lot and still finds a way to put herself out there and show who she is. She’s finding a way to contribute to what we have and recognizing what’s important to her.”
Nicholls State striker Spencer Valdespino fights through traffic during a game this season. The Colonels’ standout has been a huge cog in the team’s success this season, leading the entire Southland Conference in goals scored on the year.
