Olympic medalist to visit Southeast

Carli Lloyd, professional midfielder for the U.S. women's national soccer team, is set to spend an evening on campus as part of Southeast Missouri State University's Speaker Series. Lloyd will speak at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 2, at the Show Me Center.

Lloyd is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, appearing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Olympics in London. Lloyd scored the game-winning goal in both of the gold medal finals. She also scored the game-winning goal in the 2015 Women's World Cup final.

"Carli's story is very relevant," Joanna Shaver, coordinator of campus programming at Southeast, said. "We are very excited to have a champion on campus."

Southeast campus programming coordinators chose the incoming speakers for this year's series based on the interest of the students and the availability of those individuals.

"Considering the World Cup was this summer and Lloyd's busy schedule, we are privileged to have her come speak for us," Shaver said.

Southeast students and faculty are excited to hear her speak.

"I am ecstatic," senior Kailan Miller said. "I'm a huge fan of the USA women's national team, but an even bigger fan of Carli. She's just one of those people who stand out."

Lloyd's evening on campus will not only be exciting for Southeast students and faculty, but also the surrounding community.

"We have invited men's and women's local and high school teams to attend the event and are excited about engaging their interest," Shaver said.

Lloyd will speak about her philosophy on success and how to persevere through obstacles while managing the pressure that is associated at the professional level.

"No matter if you are interested in soccer, or even athletics, she [Lloyd] will have a great story to tell about working for a goal and working with a team," Shaver said.

"I think a lot of students could benefit from hearing Carli speak," Miller said. "She is one of the most dedicated, motivated and determined players on the team. She's also extremely modest."

Not only has Lloyd made appearances at the past two summer Olympic games, she has also represented the United States in the past three Women's World Cup tournaments. With a historic performance at the 2015 World Cup final, Lloyd scored three goals in the first 16 minutes of play. Her third goal was described by many sports analysts as one of the greatest shots of all times. Lloyd was awarded the Golden Ball Trophy and the Silver Boot for her outstanding performance in the tournament.

Lloyd also plays in the National Women's Soccer League where she has spent the last two seasons with the Houston Dash. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, she played for the Western New York Flash.

Lloyd began her soccer career in Delran Township, New Jersey, competing against the boys with her mom as her coach. Shaver added that tickets for the event are available for free with a Southeast ID at the Center for Student Involvement in the University Center or at the Show Me Center box office any time before the presentation.