During her freshman season, Jenny deHay was homesick.
Rightfully so, considering she made the long trek from Kamehameha High School and Aiea, Hawaii to the mainland. She gave up agreeable temperatures and beautiful beaches for the humid and steamy Louisiana climate.
But deHay has her reasons for leaving the group of Pacific islands. She said she wanted to go to an area with mild winters and LSU was the only southern school recruiting her.
“I wanted to definitely go somewhere away off the island,” deHay said. “I weighed the pros and cons. My [twin] sister is in California, and I didn’t want to be next to her. I wanted to make my own identity.”
Recruited by former coach Gregg Boggs, deHay said she found it tough in the beginning with current head coach George Fotopoulos, since she was not one of his recruits. However, she said she fought through the adversity.
“When I first found out George was coach, I was really excited, but then [I don’t think] he really wanted me to come here,” she said. “I like him now. I’m really happy he’s the coach.”
As a freshman, deHay ended up starting 18 of the team’s 21 games, recording a goal and three assists. Last season deHay started 14 games and played in a total of 18, notching one goal.
Fotopoulos said deHay’s versatility has been a real asset for the team this season — especially in a situation like Friday’s game against Vanderbilt, in which playing conditions wreaked havoc with LSU’s stamina.
This year, deHay has played defender and midfielder, but she has also seen some time up front.
“We’re a team where versatility is important,” Fotopoulos said. “The fact that she can play outside back and outside midfield is important. [When] our legs are heavy, it’s important players like her are able to give us quality minutes.”
Though deHay said she accepts the role because she is a team player, she also said in some ways she wishes the circumstances were different.
“I like being versatile, but it’s hard for me to do that,” she said. “I’d rather be in one position and play. I don’t like waiting for [Fotopoulos] on the side to call me in. If it’s my role, then I have to deal with it.”
In Friday’s 1-1 tie, deHay came up with a valuable assist from her midfield position. For the season deHay has two goals and two assists for six points.
But Fotopoulos said she is more valuable because she is one of the most mature players on the team.
“Her strength is her maturity,” Fotopoulos said. “She’s a very mature person and that comes on the field. She’s been like that since she got here, it’s not just because she’s a junior. She’s always been able to have that type of maturity.”
Leading by example helps the younger players, deHay said.
“I don’t really talk to [the younger players] much,” she said. “If they make a dumb decision, I tell them it’s not the brightest. I just kind of stick to my own business. I don’t do too much talking. I just do the right thing, and people just look at that [and say] ‘Oh, she’s doing the right thing, I’ll try that.'”
JESSICA WALDON / The Reveille
PLAYING THE ROLE: Junior Jenny deHay, right, has emerged as an important player for the LSU soccer team with two goals and two assists this season.