Southern’s Soto-Ortiz caps career with accolades

It was right there.
So close that she almost had the award of a lifetime in her grasp.
She is Southern University soccer standout Almarie Soto-Ortiz, and the award would have been the 2008 Lowe’s Senior Class Award, given to one student athlete nationally that shows superior on-the field and off-the field excellence.
But as the team’s unquestioned leader, and a highly decorated player already, it’s not the personal accolades anymore. Instead, it’s more about the progression of SU’s soccer program and her off the field success as a dean’s list student.
“It’s not really about winning awards,” Soto-Ortiz said. “It’s just about going out there playing and bringing it all together as a team.”
Her road to success started as a freshman when she started out in SU’s Honors Academy, a program in which professors select 100 incoming freshmen that have the same course work and have to maintain good academic standing to remain a member.
Fast-forward four years and she is still at the top of her academic game with a cumulative 3.9 grade-point average. She is also on pace to graduate with a degree in secondary education.
“I’m just dedicated to my work,” Soto-Ortiz said. “I’ve always been an A student since elementary school. If I ever brought home a B, I would get punished.”
It’s that kind of upbringing by her father, an Army veteran, that’s shaped her into a great athlete and a superior student.
“He’s very strict,” Soto-Ortiz said. “I always brought home A’s.”
It’s that kind of upbringing that helped the Hopemills, N.C., native garner a taste of the national spotlight this year when selected as a 2008 Lowe’s Senior Class Award Candidate.
Prior to her nomination, Soto-Ortiz had never heard of the award which selects student athletes across nine sports for their performance on and off the field.
“That was really unexpected,” she said. “But it was a great honor.”
She can thank SU assistant sports information director Brandon Willis for his nomination.
“Brandon got me involved and nominated me,” she said. “It just went from there.”
From there Soto-Ortiz was selected as one of the 30 initial candidates, becoming the first-ever candidate selected from the Southwestern Athletic Conference, a Louisiana college or university and HBCU in the sport of soccer.
But she’s no stranger to breaking the mold as she is the only player on SU’s current roster to be selected to the SWAC tournament team two years straight (06′ and 07′).
She could also make the 2008 team, which will be chosen at the end of the season, following the SWAC Tournament.
“That’s something special, probably one of the most special ones,” she said.
Special honors are well deserved by those that work hard to achieve them. Soto-Ortiz can relate.
Good Ole Coach
Fourth year soccer coach John Knighten, a man that always speaks highly of his players was credited with being a great coach and a great person by Soto-Ortiz.
“Coach Knighten and I have a great relationship,” she said. “Coach has always been there for us. Whatever we need, he’s there to help. That just says a lot about him.”
Knighten feels the same way.
“I’m going to be kind of sad to see her go,” Knighten said. “She’s a very special young lady, really smart.”
Leaving Amanda
When Almarie graduates in May, she will leave behind her sister Amanda. Almarie and Amanda played high school soccer together and shared three years at SU.
Amanda will be a senior next season.
“It’s going to be sad not being able to be here for her senior year, to see her go through the season,” Almarie said. “It’s been great being able to play with her, though. It’s been a good experience.”