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Following four record-setting years with the Lady Black Knights, Womack, a Thomasville-native who lives in the Wallburg-Midway area, is taking her high-octane game to the next level after signing a letter-of-intent with the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Womack still has a few more games with North Davidson left before her high school career is over as playoff time is rolling around, but when it does finally end, few school records will be left standing.
“I’m just glad I get to go to the next level and play,” said Womack. “I’m excited because I get to stay in North Carolina. I didn’t want to go out of state. They [UNC-P] have a strong team and the coach was always very straight forward with me.”
Bored with softball, Womack needed a new challenge in her life. With her athleticism and quickness, soccer became the perfect fit. Throw in Womack’s competitive nature and innate drive to be the best and the outcome is no surprise.
Womack holds nearly every major record at North Davidson, a program that has taken its share of lumps in 14 years of existence. When Womack arrived at North, the Lady Black Knights were a middle-of-the-pack type of team. There was a couple teams they could handle, but squads like Davie County, ND’s arch-rival, and Reynolds were a bit too strong.
“The program was really small at first,” Womack said. “When I was a freshman, we were always fourth in the conference and I didn’t really do anything. Over the past four years, we have grown into a way bigger area. This year we’ve done better than we ever have in my whole career and it has gone by really fast.”
In came new head coach Greg Beall. The first-year coach came in and opened up the Black Knight’s offense, utilizing Womack’s speed and passing ability. Three years later, North is competing for the Central Piedmont 4-A Conference and Womack is the career and single-season leader in goal and assists. She has been named to the All-CPC team three years running with a fourth sure to come, and was voted team captain and MVP last season.
“She is a very gifted athlete,” said Beall. “She is very strong and quick with the ball, and she’s very technically sound. When she puts her mind to something she can take over a game. She can perform at any level. She has been willing to put in the work over the years to get to this level. The sky is the limit, it’s just what she is willing to shoot for. It’s an honor to the program. It gives other girls something to look up to.”
Womack is excited about the chance to play at UNC-Pembroke and feels she will see some action early in her career. She also realizes that the competition will be much stiffer and she is willing to put in the hard work needed to excel at the collegiate level.
“I think they [UNC-P] will be very pleased with what they get,” Beall said. “They are looking for someone who can be very involved and get up in front and score and create. That’s her strength and it’s a real good fit.”
In 2005, Womack played on a team that traveled to Trinidad/Tobago and trained with the national soccer club. Womack, who is also an outstanding student, was a three-year letterman in cross-country before passing on her senior season to focus solely on soccer.
Staff Writer Eliot Duke can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 233, or at eliotduke@hotmail.com.