STATESBORO - Smith Cathey is ready to keep growing with the game. The Georgia Southern women's soccer senior is coming off a personal best season after scoring a career high of seven goals in 2023. Cathey has no plans on slowing down and is ready to challenge herself for one last season with the Eagles.
 
The Eagle's midfielder was introduced to soccer at the ripe age of four, going on to play for a startup club in her hometown of Madison, Ga, called Maysa. Cathey played on co-ed teams and was even three years above her age group for Maysa, challenging her to keep up with the older players.
 
Cathey's father, Ryan Cathey, was her coach throughout her time at Maysa, driving her to be the best she could be on and off the field. "He was the hardest coach I've ever had. We grew to be so close from it," said the senior Eagle. Mr. Cathey now plays the role of her biggest fan, cheering her on from the stands. "Now he's on the other side of the bench, and I think I'm harder on myself now than he is," said Cathey.
 
 
Cathey decided at age 13 that she was going to switch clubs and play for United Futbol Academy in Atlanta, Ga. Making this switch meant Cathey would have to drive an hour and a half one way for practices. Cathey played with UFA until she graduated high school and joined the Eagles.
 
The senior midfielder faced many sacrifices to get to this point in her soccer career. Cathey was also a swimmer growing up and made the decision to quit swimming to focus on her soccer career. "I couldn't do both; it was too much. So, I made the decision to focus on soccer when I was 14," said Cathey. Cathey did online school throughout her high school years to be able to focus on her soccer career and make her dreams of playing college soccer a reality.  
 
Her hard work and dedication paid off when she committed to Georgia Southern as a high school junior. Cathey has played in every match since joining the Eagles as a freshman in 2021. In 2023, Cathey had her best season yet, tying for the second most goals on her team and tying for fifth in the Sun Belt Conference in goals scored.
 
The Eagles midfielder's favorite memory is scoring the game-winning goal at Miami. "Scoring against a team when you're the underdog is just a really good feeling," said Cathey. The win at Miami was the first Georgia Southern win over an ACC opponent since 1995.
 
 
Cathey's success and determination have led her to be a leader within the team, stepping into the role of captain this season for the Eagles. "[Being captain] comes with a lot of pressure, but pressure is privilege, and it feels good knowing that my coaches and teammates trust me to lead our team," said Cathey.
 
The small-town senior says her hometown is part of her motivation to keep pushing. "I come from a small town and not many people come from there and make it big in sports," said Cathey. Although it is her last year with the Eagles, Cathey is not ready to say goodbye to the game just yet. Cathey is aiming to play overseas after she graduates with her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing in May 2025. Cathey plans to continue playing soccer for as long as she can and is interested in medical sales after she retires from her soccer career.