CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The first transfer to join the University of Miami soccer team since 2013, Paris native Dalanda Ouendeno began her time at The U in January after opening her career at West Virginia.
Ouendeno, a 5-foot-5-inch defender who attended Catherine Labouré Secondary School, sat down with HurricaneSports.com to detail what her adjustment both to Miami and to the United States have been, among other topics . . .
Q: You have been at UM for almost seven full months now. How has it been so far?
A: It’s been great. I’ve gotten to know the team, which is good.
Q: How was it joining midyear as opposed to coming in the fall?
A: It’s better because I got more time to prepare for the season and that was good. We had a few games and I got to know the team better. The first games were kind of about knowing the team and the way we play. Now, I know I’ll be fine.
Q: What has been your favorite part about Miami thus far?
A: I would say the team. They are really nice. Before I came here, I was kind of scared about how the girls would accept me, but getting to know them, they are great. We are a good group.
Q: What are you most excited for about your UM career?
A: Playing in the ACC, playing for UM and graduating from here. Those are the most exciting parts.
Q: What are your main strengths as a player?
A: I would say I am strong in one-v-one defending and then I am smart. I try to play the ball and distribute.
Q: What do you think you need to work on the most?
A: Fitness, for sure. I’ve been running all summer because it’s something I know I need to work on, especially since I came to America.
Q: Do you know what you want to major in and, if so, how did you decide on that?
A: Economics. I hesitated a little bit, but in high school in France, you choose which field you are going into, where you’re going. So, I chose economics. I’ve just kept going with it here.
Q: Do you have any goals for the rest of your college career?
A: Just graduate and make the most out of the soccer, go as far as we can.
Q: What made you decide Miami was the school for you?
A: When I transferred, I only looked at UM because I’d been thinking about it for a while. I visited UM as well as West Virginia when I came to the U.S. When I knew I was transferring, I thought only about UM and then when I knew it was possible, I just went to UM.
Q: How have your first couple years in the United States been?
A: It was interesting, I would say. The most difficult part was adjusting to the language, like to understand what someone was say and be able to speak after. Once I got that, everything got way easier. I’ve noticed people don’t think the same way and don’t really act like French people. It’s not something you can see at first. It took me maybe a year or two to understand how people think and how different it is.
Q: Who is your favorite soccer player and why?
A: For males, I would say Sergio Ramos, the defender. I think he’s super smart. Every time I see him play I think he plays really and he plays the same position as me. For females, I would say Eugénie Le Sommer. She is a French forward and she scores a lot.
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