Taylor Smith flourishes under lights of Drake Stadium, shoots for pros

She didn’t want to go to UCLA at first.

In fact, Taylor Smith was already verbally committed to Florida State University – a bit of information she disclosed to only a few of her friends and family members – when Jill Ellis came calling.

Ellis, the former UCLA coach and the current U.S. Women’s National Team coach, made a real push to recruit Smith, and the 5-foot-3 forward began to rethink her college decision.

Smith was torn.

FSU had been a women’s collegiate soccer powerhouse for the past few years while UCLA was up and coming. Both soccer programs were primed to be contenders, possibly even rivals.

After much thought about her academic future, however, Smith decided that UCLA had the best mix of a great education and a contending program.

“UCLA is just phenomenal academically and with athletics, and that is something you can’t beat,” Smith said.

It was a decision she said she has never regretted, and for good reason. In three seasons, Smith has already had an impressive career, helping UCLA accumulate two Pac-12 championships and a NCAA championship with 25 goals in 66 starts.

Her strong resume earned her a spot on the women’s Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch List, the only award that recognizes the top player in collegiate soccer.

Pac-12 Networks analyst J.B. Long, a founding member of the sports website Bleacher Report, thinks Smith has stood out because of her ability to adapt.

“She has been the engine of this team for a long time,” Long said. “What is most impressive to me is how many different roles she has been asked to play throughout the years and done well.”

It is for this reason that both Long and UCLA women’s soccer coach Amanda Cromwell said they expect Smith to take her talents to the professional ranks.

“Taylor Smith is just super dynamic, a fun player to watch. She can play a variety of positions,” Cromwell said. “I think you will see her at the next level.”

That has been on Smith’s mind for a while. By taking classes this past summer, she positioned herself to graduate early and focus on the National Women’s Soccer League draft.

“It all depends on how the rest of the season goes but I think, come January, it will be really exciting to see where I will be going,” Smith said.

Smith’s ambitions go even further as she hopes to get a shot at joining the U.S. Women’s National Team, hopefully reuniting with Ellis. She played on the U-23 U.S. team this year.

For now, Smith is focused on this season. The Bruins’ current state is not good. After starting the season No. 4 in the country, the team has since dropped off the rankings, losing four of eight to start the season.

The senior isn’t worried, however. She is confident that they can pull themselves out of their position and she is proud of the work she and her teammates have put in so far.

When she looks back on her UCLA career, what she will remember are the Friday nights under the lights, with the home crowd cheering the Bruins on, knowing she made the right decision.

“Those nights,” Smith said, “that is what I am going to miss the most.”