Senior Cina Salemi Leads Spartans Towards NCAA Run
The 2013 women's soccer team has been nothing short of stellar this season. They are entering the Sunshine State Conference Tournament as one of the nation's premier teams. The Spartan women have found no trouble finding the back of the net, and senior Cina Salemi has been a crucial part of the run.
Coming from Palm Harbor Fla., Salemi knew the University of Tampa would be a perfect fit. "I hate being in the cold and growing up in Florida, I knew I didn't want to leave. The program at UT had a great reputation and it seemed like a perfect fit."
Salemi has played soccer since she was nearly 6 years old. As a kid, her older brother influenced her to play soccer and instilled a love of competition inside her. "I remember seeing all of the medals and trophies in his room from playing soccer and I wanted that. I started playing soccer with him and we were always competitive with each other."
While Cina's shining moment at UT was in her sophomore year when she assisted on a game winning goal in overtime in the round of 16, she is very confident the Spartans will make a strong run into the SSC playoffs. "We're a young team and we have a LOT of talent. Everyone seems to be clicking really well together and I think we have a great overall chance at making a run into the postseason."
Like nearly everyone else on the team, including senior goalkeeper Kori Butterfield who is out indefinitely with a major knee injury, Salemi has battled injuries throughout her career. From pulled muscles to other ailing injuries, Cina along with the rest of her teammates usually has something hurting throughout the entire season. "Staying injury free is really the hardest part of each season. We're fortunate enough here to have great athletic training staff who really put a lot of effort into helping each athlete."
With the stretch run of the 2013 campaign in sight, Salemi has made plans for after her graduation date in May of 2014. "I would love to go to graduate school and get my CPA license in accounting. I would also like to go back to Spain again. I went there on vacation with my family and I loved the atmosphere there."
While the Spartan women's soccer team has several seniors graduating this year, Salemi has high hopes for the younger girls on the squad and believes they will deliver results. "The team is definitely moving towards a younger core, and we also have a couple girls who were injured this year who will get to play at the start of next year. I'm confident that the younger girls on our team will step up and fill the shoes of us seniors who are graduating."
The inspiration that she has found to keep her playing through injuries and at the highest level has come from a multitude of sources rather than any one individual. "I admire anyone who simply doesn't give up and can put that spirit and determination into others. I would love to be that person in someone's life."
The Spartans are set to open the SSC Tournament on Tuesday versus Florida Southern and look to be in good shape towards earning an invitation to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth as the current-No. 2 team in the South Region.
Written by David Bowers