Blazer soccer's Molly Woolridge is convinced that her ever-present head band has "Superpowers."  A two-time all-Gulf South Conference selection, Molly started wearing her head band in middle school.  "Teammates and friends say that I had a head band on when I came out of the womb.  I started wearing them in middle school and other than school picture day, I had a head band on just about every day.  My Mom put her foot down and said no head bands on school picture day.  There is no question that the head bands are my "superpower."  

Whatever "superpowers" the head bands hold have served Molly well as the Kennesaw, Georgia native is third in career goals and points scored and second in career game winning goals.  She was named the GSC Freshman of the Year in 2021 and earned all-conference honors that year as well as last season.  Blazer head coach Stephen Andrew says Molly's hard work and love for the game make her a special player.  "Molly was the first recruit we brought to campus after COVID.  Her work ethic, attitude and love for the game is infectious and she has over her four years become a great leader."  

Most student-athletes have never had to deal with having their season interrupted by a hurricane, but Molly and her teammates have had to deal with that twice, the first time with Hurricane Idalia last season and the second time with Helene just over a month ago. 
 
"I think having to deal with the storms has brought our team much closer together," Molly says.  "We have also had to ask ourselves whether we were going to let the excuses we could have—missing practice and training time, having to play additional games on the road or not having the preparation time that opponents have—define us or would we choose to overcome those challenges.  As a team we decided not to let adversity beat us.  I do, however, admit that the long power outages were challenging," she adds.

Molly will graduate this spring with a degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in coaching, nutrition and criminal justice.  Her post graduate plans include a move to Tampa, Florida to start a career in law enforcement with a goal of working with the FBI.

Known for her "big" personality, Molly says she feels that one of her responsibilities is to help keep her team motivated.  "I have always been loud and energetic, and I always try to stay positive.  Life is just too short to not enjoy it and have a good time.  Thinking that way helps to keep me motivated and hopefully my teammates as well."  

While Molly scored a "hat trick" (3 goals in a game) against Shorter as a freshman, she says her favorite individual Blazer moment was scoring against Alabama-Huntsville in her freshman year.  "We were down against Alabama-Huntsville, and they had an amazing goalkeeper.  I got a great cross pass and was able to score a "banger" header goal.  The crowd and our team went crazy.  That was a special moment and a wonderful memory."
 
The Blazers have climbed up the GSC standings by winning 4 of their last 5 matches and are now firmly in the hunt for a berth in the GSC Tournament.  While Molly is confident that the Blazers will make the GSC Tournament field and extend her final season, she realizes that her career is winding down.  "Soccer is all I have ever known so it will be sad and a bit weird when it is over.  I hope that my time at VSU will have had a positive impact.  I have developed lifelong friendships and really learned a lot about who I am and where I want to go and be.  The coaching staff have been supportive and I'm just really grateful for the experience I have had as a Blazer.  Andrew says Molly will be missed.  "She has been a joy to coach and has had a great career.  She will be sorely missed when she is done."

Molly and her teammates hit the road for games against Delta State and Mississippi College this weekend before returning home to close out the regular season against Lee University on Wednesday.