Athlete of the Week is an ongoing weekly series by the Reveille started this year.
At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.
As LSU’s one and only student newspaper, the Reveille will be using its unique perspective to honor a standout student-athlete each week.
The Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU soccer’s Ida Hermannsdottir.
The junior midfielder scored the middle of LSU’s three goals on Thursday night against Oklahoma, which ultimately stood as the game-winner and helped the Tigers take the 3-1 win.
The goal came early in the second half when Hermannsdottir worked her way through multiple defenders and into the 6-yard box. She sent the ball sliding past the goalkeeper, which gave LSU a 2-0 cushion before Oklahoma’s goal later in the half.
“I don’t know how it happened, but I just got through and saw her (the goalkeeper) legs,” Hermannsdottir said. “I feel like it was a good goal, and I need to get through more often like that.”
She leads the team with seven goals so far this season.
Born and raised in Iceland, she signed with LSU after playing on the professional and national levels for her country.
She takes after her parents in that regard. Her mother was once the captain of the Icelandic national team, and her father played in the Premier League for 15 years.
In her freshman year at LSU, Hermannsdottir started 16 games and scored seven goals. Two years later, she has matched that in just the first half of the season.
She says that’s due to her constant focus on being ready for games.
“From the time I wake up, I’m just thinking about what time I’m eating, what I’m eating,” Hermannsdottir said. “I watch clips from the other team. I think about what I want to do in that game. I rest my legs. I’m sure to move a little bit. I stretch. I hydrate.”
Hermannsdottir has made herself comfortable as No. 9 in the SEC’s top 10 goal-scorers.
“So, as soon as I’ve done all that, you can’t really get close to me,” said Hermannsdottir.
When in doubt, LSU knows they can rely on Hermannsdottir to find the net. In her collegiate career, she has never missed a penalty kick with a clean 4-for-4 record.
This season, many of her goals were game changers for the Tigers. In the UL match, when the score was tied 1-1 in the last 15 minutes, Hermannsdottir scored a pair of back-to-back goals to give LSU its first home win this year. She now owns the school record for the fastest two goals scored by the same player in a game.
“I’m really happy about it,” Hermannsdottir said. “I wanted to be more goal-driven this year, and I feel like I’ve done that. But at the end of the day, I just want our team to win and do well, and I’m so proud of our team.”
