From volleyball to cross country to kicking for her high school’s football team, sophomore forward Lily White has done it all. However, at the end of the day, soccer has been her true love, and it’s the one that brought her to Penn.

White first had a ball at her feet at five years old. The Boynton Beach, Fla. native tried out many different sports growing up, but soccer was the one that always accompanied her. By middle school, she knew that playing soccer in college was her goal. Her father, who hails from soccer-loving England, was her first coach and played a part in nurturing her love for the game. 

Despite knowing that soccer would always come first, White played a number of different sports. She competed on her high school’s varsity track and field, cross country, and beach volleyball teams, and kicked field goals for the football team. White fondly recalls her time on the football team, where she played alongside future collegiate football recruits. The experience taught her how to deal with high-pressure situations, something that is still useful to her today. 

“I feel like the nerves I felt have helped me deal with stuff outside of football,” White said. “I honestly think the mental part of kicking helped me more than I ever imagined it would.”

White made an immediate impact in her debut season as a Quaker, starting in 14 out of 16 games. Off the field, White was shy at first, only starting to come out of her shell as the season progressed.

“Being away from home was definitely a growth period for her,” coach Krissy Turner said. “She’s completely different this year … than last year.”

But White did not go through the process alone and credits her teammates for helping her through her first weeks in a new environment. The deep bonds she formed in her freshman year now allow her to be more comfortable on the field.

“I’m more vocal, because I know that it’s really going to help everyone,” the sophomore says. “I’m probably a little more reserved off the field, but also, when I’m on the field, I’m with my best friends, so I … feel free to be my true self.”

White’s first season at Penn was not all sunshine and rainbows. The team struggled, only winning two out of 16 games. In the offseason, the players decided to start holding themselves to a higher standard. White recounted that the team’s preparation and practice became more intentional, and although the results have not been what the team was working towards this season, most games have been very close. The Quakers have more than doubled last year’s win total ahead of their season closer against Yale this Saturday.

At the end of a tough season for the team, White also had to overcome a personal challenge. She suffers from compartment syndrome in her legs, which occurs when too much pressure builds up in the muscles. Last year, it was unclear whether she would even be able to continue playing.

“Last season, she would play until the point where she couldn’t feel her legs, … and we had to help her off [the field],” White’s close friend and teammate junior forward Mia Fuss said. “The grit that she exhibited was also extremely admirable.”

Going through recovery shifted White’s mindset, realizing how much she had taken playing soccer for granted once she was forced to watch on the sidelines. Now, White just tries to have as much fun as possible and treats every training session as a blessing.  

“I really just love playing,” White said. “So every time … I’m just grateful to be out there, especially with the injury last year.”

Her team is also grateful she is back on the field, as is the coaching staff. As a winger last season, White scored one goal and had two assists among the team’s combined 13 goals, and over half of White’s shots were attempts at goal. Turner highlighted her vision on the field. 

“Her vision is very special. … If you threw a dime on the field, Lily is someone on our team who could have [the ball] drop right to that spot,” Turner said. 

“She plays balls that … a lot of people don’t see, but she makes them happen, and they create really, really impactful attacking plays. Her composure is just really something that helps her stand out from most players,” Fuss added.

Besides having fun and scoring some goals, White has one big goal for her years at Penn: making the Ivy League tournament. 

“I think that’d be such a cool experience,” White said. “It’s definitely my number one goal as a team.”

Whether she and the team will achieve this goal is left to be seen, but one thing is for sure: White will enjoy every moment of working towards it.