Chelsea Hatcher

Classroom

Hatcher is a political science major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  The Cincinnati, Ohio, native currently maintains a 3.41 cumulative GPA.  She is a two-time member of the Southeastern Conference’s Academic Honor Roll (2009, 2010) and was also chosen to the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll following her rookie campaign in 2008.  For her outstanding efforts in the classroom, Hatcher has been inducted as a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars as well as the Omicron Delta Kappa and Sigma Alpha Lambda national leadership honor societies.

Character

Hatcher has long been looked to as a leader for the Tennessee soccer program by Lady Vol Head Coach Angela Kelly.  When asked about her senior midfielder/forward, Kelly related an anecdote from UT’s surprising run to the 2008 SEC Tournament title.  “During our semifinal match against #11 LSU in the 2008 SEC Tournament, I looked to Chelsea to be our fifth and final penalty-kick shooter once regulation ended,” Kelly said.  “Despite her being just a freshman, I told her she would go last, and that she was more than capable of handling the responsibility of having the game resting on her shoulders.  She stepped up and calmly buried her PK to finish off a huge win over LSU on the way to the SEC title.  That showed me a great deal about her overall character at a very young age.  Over the course of her career at Tennessee, Chelsea has always been a player I can look to for leadership for her younger teammates and for a clutch contribution when we need it.”

Community

Hatcher has logged approximately 80 hours of service benefitting the local Knoxville community during her three-plus years at Rocky Top.  She has helped organize and host “Knox Kicks,” an annual soccer clinic that welcomes in displaced refugee children, who are currently living the Knoxville area, to enjoy a day of soccer, food, games and fellowship with the Lady Vol soccer team.  Hatcher has worked with the UT chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) in its local “Toys for Tots” program to provide gifts to underprivileged children in Knoxville.  She has visited Children’s Hospital of Knoxville on numerous occasions to spend time reading stories to kids and has also spent time helping feed the homeless with the Lost Shepherd Ministries.

Competition

Hatcher finished off her junior campaign in 2010 as both a first team All-Southeastern Conference and a second team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region selection after leading Tennessee in goals scored (eight), points (20) and shots (105), while rating second on the squads in assists (four).  League-wise, she finished the year tied for fourth in goals and sixth in total points while starting all 20 of UT’s matches.  She did the majority of her work in 2010 after Tennessee entered conference action, posting a team-best five goals over 11 SEC contests, to rate in a tie for fourth in the SEC, and 11 total points to dead-lock for eighth in the conference.  Hatcher now possesses 11 career goals, six assists and 28 total points over 58 matches played during her three-year stint at Rocky Top.  She has also moved into fifth all-time in the UT history books by launching 224 total shots (64 on frame).