Instead of hitting the field with her teammates, Diederich was nursing a torn ACL, an injury she received during her senior year of high school. She didn’t start her career playing, but her injury encouraged her to stay motivated.
Today, Diederich is now one of the top players for the Crimson Tide and one of the captains of the team. She’s posted 21 goals during her collegiate career. The fifth year senior redshirted her freshman year, but that didn’t stop her from being one of the most important players on the team.
“Having the experience that I’ve had the past five years is just great,” she said. “[I’ve] really gained a lot of knowledge about the game but also just different experiences being a part of the Alabama culture.”
After tearing her ACL twice, Diederich came back in her sophomore year and led the team in scoring seven goals with one assist. She scored seven goals again during the 2012 season and tied for most on the team. Last season she scored three goals as well.
Coach Todd Bramble said Diederich does an outstanding job playing on the field, even after everything she has been through.
“She is a fierce competitor,” Bramble said. “She is one of our most intense players and I think that’s another reason why she was voted captain. Not only can she lead us through the things she says to people on and off the field, but she definitely leads us by the way she plays. There’s no way you can be on the field with [Theresa] and see how hard she plays and how bad she wants to win and that not rub off on you, not inspire you to play just as hard as she is playing.”
Diederich has experienced the ups and downs of the Crimson Tide’s previous seasons. She’s seen the team win and lose. She’s felt the pain of not making it to the SEC Tournament last season after falling to Auburn in the final game of the season. It hasn’t stopped her from striving for more, however. Instead of living in the past, she and her team have set a goal to make it to the post season. Their mission is simple: to improve and to win.
“[Our mission is] to take each game game by game and to play your all every game,” Diederich said. “Not look too far off into the future but play in the moment and give it your all every single game.”
Despite the early setbacks, she’s still hungry for more. Diederich said she hopes to score 10 goals this season, and she’s already scored four. Bramble said she’s been one of the best players on his team.
“She’s just hit another level of playing,” Bramble said. “She’s been consistently our best player on the ball so far this season. She really seems composed and is seeing the game a lot better now and has good instincts. She’s just been really good so far in the early season.”
Diederich and the rest of the Crimson Tide will take on No. 8 Florida this Friday night, her senior night.
