Senior defender Lorina White surprised by mother for Senior Day

Lorina White, senior defensive for women
Lorina White, senior defensive for women

To see more photos of the surprise click here.

After practice Thursday, senior defender Lorina White was sitting on the floor of the locker room, listening as coach Craig Roberts stalled for time.

Finally, a knock on the door. As Roberts spoke at the front of the room to announce a special guest, White's mother, Laura Jackson, snuck in through the back door. She had flown in from Poughkeepsie, New York, to surprise her daughter before Senior Day.

"Hi baby," Jackson said as White's eyes welled up with tears. "I love you."

White was under the impression that her mother would not be able to come to the game -- but she understood why.

“My mom hasn’t been able to see any of my games, like, ever, because she’s always been working or busy watching my sisters,” White said.

But Tristin Stuteville, White's roommate, knew how much White wanted her mother to come out to a game. So Stuteville reached out to Jackson.

“[White] gives our team so much energy, so much life," Stuteville said. "We knew senior night that everyone’s parents were going to be there, and we thought it was important for someone who has such a big role on our team, such a big leader, to have her family here as well.”

Jackson was nervous -- she had never flown before -- but she said it was all worth it to see her daughter play.

“Ever since she was six she wanted to play soccer. She used to play with just boys and she did a hell of a job," Jackson said. "She’s always been good, she’s a good team role model, and she’s been good with all the girls, wherever she goes she’s good."

White was good at Monroe College in New York, where she was named the NSCAA/Continental Tire All-American Player of the Year in 2014 and led Monroe its first ever NJCAA Division I National Championship before transferring to Ball State. Last season, she was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.

But Jackson didn't see any of those games. She will, however, see Friday's 5 p.m. game against Morehead State (3-3-1).

“I haven’t seen it since she was in high school, so this means a lot to me,” Jackson said.

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