Although Redmond resident Meredith Teague stands just 5-foot-4-inches, she is a giant on the soccer field.
Since 2005, the Seattle Pacific University senior has been a force at midfield for the NCAA II powerhouse Falcons, who went undefeated last season until the semifinals of the NCAA tournament, finishing with a record of 23-1.
Led by Teague, the Falcons are off to a hot start this season with a 10-1-1 record.
The 21-year-old got her start playing youth soccer for the ultra-competitive FC Crossfire club, before starring at Bellevue Christian High School from 2001-04.
“It was 1A, so a bunch of other schools had great players too from other clubs,” Teague said about playing high school soccer. “It was fun, I got to play with my sister. It was a great experience.”
Teague definitely left her mark at Bellevue Christian. She was a four-year letterwinner, scored 20 goals during her senior season and also was named the 1A Emerald City League MVP as a junior.
Following in the footsteps of her older sisters Allison and Melinda, who both played at SPU, Teague decided to stay close to her Redmond roots and play for the Falcons, one of the country’s top programs.
“It’s a small school, and when I visited, the team was great,” Meredith said. “I love the girls … and it’s close to home. I wanted to be close to my family and they had a great soccer program.”
Meredith cites her most fond soccer memory as her freshman season on the team, when she got to play with her sister Allison, then a senior. That year, the Falcons finished second to Nebraska-Omaha at the NCAA Divison II National championships.
Meredith came into her own during the playoffs, earning an assist and scoring the game-winning goal in the semifinals as well as being named to the NCAA All-Tournament team.
Ever since, she’s made an impact on her coaches and teammates with her talent, team-first attitude and work ethic.
“Meredith Teague is the kind of kid where you cringe and cry a little bit when her eligibility is up,” said Chuck Sekyra, who has an 106-11-8 record in the last five-plus seasons as head coach at SPU. “She brings so much to this team. Meredith is one of our most sophisticated players, she goes at people, cracks a great shot … defends well, attacks well, she’s a leader by example on and off the field.
“She’s one of those kids that you get once in a lifetime.”
Likewise, Teague has great respect for Sekyra, who has helped her develop from a talented, but raw, freshman, to the complete player and team leader she is today.
“Chuck is a great coach,” Teague said. “He’s really pushed me to mentally think about the game, and also to play smart, get the ball down and see your options.”
Teague has scored a team-leading five goals, including three game winners. She also has seven assists. But for now, the only thought on her mind is to finish out her final season of collegiate soccer strong and return to the NCAA II championship game, which has eluded them since the dream season of 2005.
“I just love the girls, I love playing the game,” Teague said. “It’s just so creative, and that’s what this team is. We’d like to win every game, and I hope the team continues to get stronger from here and keep going up.”
Tim Watanabe can be reached at twatanabe@reporternewspapers.com or by calling (425) 867-0353, ext. 5054.
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QUOTABLE
“Meredith’s character and leadership ability has gotten better each year. She’s just an amazing player, one of the greatest players I’ve ever coached here. The kid just does it all. Off the field, she’s calm, easygoing, quiet, but when she steps on that field, she’s a gamer, very competitive.”
— SPU soccer head coach Chuck Sekyra
