As she jotted down her thoughts in her journal, junior striker Faith Webber and the Wolverines prepared to battle cross-town rival No. 13 BYU.
“Be committed. Be Positive. You know what you can do, and what you are capable of.” Those are the words that Webber writes down before every game to create the right mindset.
An assist and two shots on goal later, Webber and the Wolverines conquered the Cougars and secured their highest -ranked win in the program’s history.
That kind of success is not rare for Webber. In just 28 games with the Wolverines, Webber has scored 22 goals, put 69 shots on goal, and assisted eight teammates to reach the back of the net.
The transfer from Delta College has been a dream turned reality for the Women’s Soccer program. For Webber, the decision to leave her home state and to move across the country is not a difficult conversation to have.
“UVU is a beautiful school. I have always been among the best teams in the country, and I like to win. I Like to be a part of programs that like to win,” Webber stated. “Chris is originally from Michigan so there was a bit of connection there. But he has such a good vision for this program and Chris does a good job of setting those expectations for us.”
Chris Lemay is entering his seventh season as head coach of Utah Valley, and his second with Webber.
“Faith is an out-goal scorer; she is going to score a bunch of goals like she did last year. Faith is a hard worker, competitive, and the best part about her is her enthusiasm,” Lemay said. “She loves competing and her team. She was a big-time pickup and is just a great personality.”
It isn’t just Lemay who is fond of Webber’s leadership, her teammates have noticed it as well.
“She just wants the best for you. Faith coaches me, gives me positive energy and is a great role model,” freshman pickup Nixan Jackson said. “She always lifts me and the team up.”
Reigning from Grand Blanc, Michigan, Webber spent her freshman season at Delta College, where she scored 35 goals in 17 games with the Pioneers. Webber had 12 games of 2+ goals and five games of a hat-trick or better.
Webber helped the Pioneers lead an NJCAA Division III District Championship and a 19-1 record before falling in the NJCAA Division III National Championship.
After deciding to leave the Pioneers, Webber decided to make a move to help find herself.
“Being out here in this different type of environment has just really inspired me to fully be myself. When you are around so many things you identify with your entire life, it’s so easy to be in your comfort zone,” Webber said about moving to Utah. “I needed to be outside of my comfort zone and decide who I wanted to be and what my goals were.”
While Webber has competed at the highest levels in her career, she is not the only one in her family that has success at the next level.
Webber’s sister, Paige Webber, is a senior at Indiana University and has been a mentor to Faith in her soccer career.
“She leads by example, and I don’t shut up,” Faith said laughing. “She will not ever sit me down and tell me what I am doing wrong, she will show me and help me become better. We are very close, and while she is only one year older than me, she has helped me grow as a player and person.”
While Webber has not sustained any major physical injuries, she emphasized the importance of mental health and being a college athlete.
“I think you have to be a little crazy to still be playing sports. My friends and I joke about it because it is definitely hard and there is a lot of pressure. It’s something I really struggled with when I was 16. I was kind of realizing that this is kind of turning into a job.”
Webber then mentioned how Utah Valley has supported its student-athletes and continues to build them up through mental health services.
“I think that we have done a really good job at our university incorporating that. We have a guy named Jeremy who works for our team. He is a mental strength coach. He comes in, he just kind of toots your horn a little bit, which everyone needs I think.”
While Webber is a student-athlete, she wanted to let people know what kind of person she truly is.
“I want people to know that I am a fun, happy, joyful person that can also bring that to other people in any environment. Whether it is school, a sporting event, or the grocery store,” Webber stated. “I want people to find joy in other people. I hope I can help other people around me bring that joy.”
Webber and UVU are continuing their season in hopes to win the WAC Championship. The team currently sits at 3-3-2 on the season. After playing three nationally ranked teams in Clemson, BYU and USC, the Wolverines will look towards conference play.
Webber used a hat trick to carry the Wolverines to a 3-2 victory over No. 19 USC on Thursday, Sept. 7, giving the Wolverines their first ranked win of the season. Webber recorded all three goals for the Wolverines securing a hat trick and her third multi-goal game of the season.
You can follow Webber and the Wolverines’ games the rest of the season, as they are all broadcast on ESPN+.
