After effectively creating a reputation for herself as a leading competitor in the Big East Conference in just two seasons of play, junior forward Lindsey Yach now must tackle the transition of playing in collegiate sports most elite conference-the ACC.
In ACC play Yach will get the opportunity to try to establish her presence as a dominant force against some of the top-ranked universities in the nation, a chance she has been waiting a lifetime to receive.
Since coming to the University of Miami, Yach has become one of the ‘Canes’ premier offensive weapons. As a freshman, Yach started 16 of 19 matches played and placed second on the team in scoring with a total of 23 points-nine goals and five assists. That year, she would also gain honorable recognition as a game-breaker around the league and was named to the All-Big East Rookie Team.
Continuing her success in 2003, Yach was named Offensive MVP with a team-leading total of 21 points-nine goals and three assists. Yach would also score a Miami-best four game-winning goals in one season and was named Big East Offensive Payer of the Week twice, further solidifying herself as an offensive powerhouse on the team.
However, making the adjustment from the Big East to the ACC is no walk in the park, especially with programs like Duke and North Carolina already in the conference. Therefore, the question is, can Yach make the jump into the big leagues?
Yach said she doesn’t have a care in the world as to what team she plays against. She is prepared to take this young group of girls into battle against anyone and dispel any rumors that Miami will end up at the bottom of the ACC.
“I think this year will really be a great season for us,” Yach said. “We have the opportunity to come out this season and play a group of totally new teams, who we’ve really never got to play before, and that’s exciting. It’s the beginning of many new rivalries, and we are ready to show more than a few people that we got what it takes to play in this league.”
“Obviously the competition will be getting a lot tougher this year,” Head Coach Tricia Taliaferro said. “But we are looking forward to growing as a team and continuing to build this program over the next few years.”
The ‘Canes’ next game is scheduled for Friday against North Carolina State at Cobb Stadium at 7 p.m. The University of Miami has rescheduled the game against Florida State to Monday at 7 p.m. at Cobb Stadium.
Michael Holt can be contacted at m.holt1@umiami.edu.