On The Plains with Sydnie Thibodaux: 'make the most of every opportunity I got'

AUBURN, Ala.— “I feel like everyone here was super welcoming and as a whole, it just felt like a big family”.

For senior Sydnie Thibodaux, the first time that she stepped on Auburn’s campus, she felt an overwhelming sense of belonging and community on The Plains. As an attacking midfielder from Montgomery, Texas she emphasized that the competitiveness of the SEC was also a big factor in why she chose to attend and play soccer at Auburn University.

“I wanted to find a school that really felt like it wanted me there as opposed to me trying to force myself into a program,” she said.

For the last three years, Thibodaux has encountered a lot of challenges in her personal journey, but she has faced them head-on and pushed through. Upon arriving at Auburn, she had to adjust to a new role that she was previously not used to. For the first time in her career, Thibodaux was not the best player on the field and was not playing as much as she was used to. This meant that she had to make the most of every opportunity that she was given.

“I went my hardest. I went all out. Whether it be in games or practices, I tried my best to make the most of every opportunity I got.”

In the beginning, these new changes were hard for rookie. However, she persevered, and eventually, her hard work onthe field started to pay off.

The last two seasons, Thibodaux has made a name for herself by stepping up in the big moments.

“I wouldn’t say that I’m a huge vocal leader, but if I do lead, it’s more so what I do on the field,” she said. “I just make sure that I’m working hard and giving my all.”

While she may not be the most vocal player on the field, she has a special ability to find the back of the net on the biggest stage.During her sophomore year, Thibodaux scored a beautiful header off a free kick against the No. 2 ranked team in the country, Florida State. That goal would end up being crucial in that match as the final score was 1-1.

Last season, she scored two goals but her most memorable came as the game-winner against No. 6 Arkansas. She bagged a world-class goal from miles outside of the box to propel Auburn to the top-10 upset victory.

“Everyone was super happy for me in that moment considering how motivated we were that week. It showed us what we were capable of when we tapped into our potential.”

Fast forward to this season, Thibodaux has big goals that she wants to accomplish this year. As she finishes her time on The Plains, she wants to “play the best soccer I’ve played here at Auburn. I want to contribute the most I have so far. I want to score goals, and I want to assist people.”

Reflecting on her collegiate career, Thibodaux explains that she has felt the most influenced by the people who have been around her. She discussed how her teammates have pushed her to be great, specifically highlighting her senior class, crediting her fellow seniors LJ Knox, Carly Thatcher, Haley Duca and Jaycie Silhan for pushing her day in and day out.

When asked what separates Auburn soccer from other programs, she described a team that is more like a family.

“All of us are always here for each other and willing to listen to each other,” she said. “We work really well together and want to compete harder to help each other achieve our goals.”

After graduation, Thibodaux wishes to go overseas and play professionally for a couple of years before coming back to pursue a job in strength or personal training.