Meadows Perseveres Through Adversity

Hallie Meadows knows something about pushing through adversity. South Carolina’s fifth-year senior defender has endured a handful of knee surgeries during her career, and she and several of her senior teammates had no doubts about taking advantage of a fifth year of eligibility made possible by the COVID pandemic from their freshman year.

“It was a no-brainer for me,” said Meadows, who already has her degree in biological sciences with plans to go to medical school. “I remember at the end of last season, we were all saying, we’re not done. We didn’t reach the goals we wanted to reach and knowing that we had more left in us and had the opportunity to come back, and knowing the people we were bringing in, we said, let’s do it! We have a good shot, and we’re so excited about this season.”

Whenever soccer is done, Meadows wants to work in orthopedic medicine.

“I’ve had a lot of experience there – maybe too much!” Meadows said with a chuckle. “If the opportunity to play pro is there, I’d love to explore that. I’ve had five knee surgeries since my sophomore year. I know a little something about perseverance.

“I hit close to rock bottom at times. It tests you. It feels lonely down there. It’s the people around you that helped bring me up. They helped me see a light at the end of the tunnel and that it was going to get bright. They told me I’d get through this. Everything happens for a reason. I believe that, and I believe that God’s plan is bigger for me. One day I woke up and chose to embrace that. That’s made me who I am now.”

Meadows credits everyone within the program, from teammates to coaches and athletic trainers for getting her through the hard times.

“Coming back for my fifth year weighed on me heavily,” Meadows said. “Can my body take it? Spring and summer are really taxing. I looked at it as if I may only have one more year to play soccer – a sport that I love, and do that with my best friends, so I’m going to forget the injury part and go all out. I’m going to play and go have fun.”

As a defender, Meadows isn’t often in the spotlight as she won’t be racking up stats that grab headlines, but if she’s keeping the opponents from adding to their stats, she’s perfectly fine with being a key component on a team that is known for its defensive prowess each year. With the graduation of All-SEC goalkeeper Heather Hinz, Meadows knows her experience will be critical in helping whoever is between the posts for the Gamecocks this season.

“We have four amazing keepers all ready to go at any point,” Meadows said. “Being a defender, you have to bear down and grit through it. It’s not about glory. You’ve heard the saying, defense wins championships. At the end of the day, there are four of us back there and everyone has to defend. It’s not about stats. It’s about, can we keep the team alive? Can we keep the game alive? Can we keep going? Being a part of a team and a program that emphasizes defense so much and having developed and learned so much about my position and about myself, on the field and off the field, it’s amazing. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else at any position. I love it and embrace it and wouldn’t have it any other way.”

In addition to her dedication to her team, Meadows is active in the community and was named to the SEC Community Service Team last year. She has volunteered with local elementary schools, the Prisma Children’s Hospital, Meals on Wheels, the Special Olympics, and The Therapy Place – a local occupational, physical, and speech & language facility offering services for children with special needs.

“Giving back to the community with the platform we have is everything,” Meadows said. “That’s something my injuries taught me. I am more than someone on the soccer field. I can do other things that make me more well-rounded. What can I do to fulfill me because soccer is not the only thing that can fulfill me. Giving back is something I really started to tap into.

“I really enjoyed The Therapy Place. I would go once a week there. It’s rewarding to be around kids and staff who are happy all the time. I was blessed to have an opportunity last year to do an NIL deal where the Garnet Trust produced player cards for us. We decided that that’s a lot of money for college students to have, so we wanted to take 10 or 15 percent from that and give it to an organization. So, Cat (Barry) and I partnered with them to help spread the word about them.”

In addition to staying healthy, what other goals are on the table for Meadows and the Gamecocks in 2024?

“Everything!” Meadows said. “We’re ready. We’re itching to get started. We want to win the national championship. We want the SEC Regular Season and SEC Tournament Championships. We want it all. We’re so ready to get started and start proving ourselves.”