Francis Marion University Athletics

FMU:  Returning letterwinner....2016 PBC All-Academic Team....Expected to help along defensive backline....Missed all of 2015 season with an injury....Played in 10 matches (2 starts) in 2014 despite being injured at the start of the year....Produced 3 shots....Good athleticism....Expected to play center back and outside back....Super smart young person, who makes great decisions on the soccer field, in the classroom, and everywhere else....Recovering from an injury that curtailed her senior prep season....Confident and optimistic that she can contribute right away.....Has a lot of the tools of the trade....Not fearful of anything....Discovered at a Player Development Academy Showcase in New Jersey.....Potential to be a good player....Expected to fit right in with the core of the Patriot team.....Great personality and really outgoing....Double Major....At the 2017 FMU Awards Day ceremony, received the Dr. Jesse A. Coles Jr. Award for Public Service....Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) 2016-17.....Part of the FMU Honors Program....Carlanna Hendrick Swamp Fox Academic Award (athletic department's highest academic honor) 2016-17....Chi Alpha Sigma national college athlete honor society....Patriot Scholar....PBC Presidential Honor Roll 2015, 2016, 2017....FMU Swamp Fox Athletic-Academic Honor Roll 2014 (fall), 2015 (spring, fall), 2016 (spring, fall), 2017 (spring)....Phi Kappa Phi honor society....Pi Sigma Alpha national honor society for political science....Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society....D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award 2017.

PERSONAL: Born Melina Emily Much in San Diego, Calif.....Graduate of Valley Center High School, where she played for coach Joe Montoya....Earned two varsity letters....Missed her senior year with the Jaguars due to an injury....Team captain as a junior and sophomore....3-time Scholar-Athlete....Also lettered in swimming and played field hockey....Played club soccer for Arsenal FC....Nickname is Mia.         

PERSONAL FAVORITES: As a child what you wanted to be when you grew up:  Soccer player....Favorite Superhero when growing up: Wonder Woman....Favorite Athlete: Lionel Messi....Favorite Sports Team: San Diego Padres....Favorite Movie: Right now its Zootopia, but it always changes!....Favorite TV Show: Supernatural....Favorite Food: Ben & Jerry's Dairy Free Chunky Monkey....Favorite Vacation Spot: Anywhere that has a beach....Celebrity Crushes: Daniel Craig and Charlie Hunnam....Favorite Sport Other than Your Own: Baseball....Favorite Website: Pinterest ....Favorite Social Media Site: Instagram ....Your Motivation Music: Falling in Reverse or anything Latin Pop....Favorite Thing About FMU: The Griffin Athletic Complex....Favorite Off-Field Activity: Riding my motorcycle....Goals for Upcoming Season: To play safely coming off my recent injury and be able to recover fully....Hobbies: Riding motorcycles and playing with my cats....Brush With Greatness: I met Bill Murray working a Little League snack bar and he tipped me a dollar.