Meet Academica SC: Jordan Lau
Jordan Lau is heading into her fourth season as a key member of Fresno State's defense.
Jordan Lau is a center-back heading into her senior year at Fresno State. The Honolulu, Hawaii native joined the Bulldogs during the 2021 season and made an instant impact.
Time at Fresno State
Lau says that a big part of the reason she decided to attend Fresno State was due to their head coach, Brian Zwaschka. “I grew a lot of respect for him both as a person and as a coach and he recognized my potential early and believed in me, which played a big role in my development as a player at such a young age. I played I started as a freshman. To this day, I still remember my first collegiate game against Santa Clara. And I was just a freshman, I was really scared but I made mistakes and he still believed in me at the end of the day, and that's kind of what I felt like in the beginning. Like, no matter what, at the end of the day, even if I make mistakes he's he's always going to have my back and believe in my potential. So his understanding was crucial for my decision and he also had a big appreciation for my culture and background and made me feel valued and respected.”
Coach Zwaschka’s early trust in Lau paid off as well, in her freshman season she started 15 games for the Bulldogs, which was the most by a freshman defender since 2014. She eclipsed the 1000-minute mark in her freshman year as well playing a total of 1144 and that number has grown significantly every season since she joined the program. When asked about getting an opportunity right out of the gate essentially, Lau stated: “I know a lot of players don't really get that opportunity. You know, so I'm very, very thankful”
Another person Lau noted as a major influence on her soccer career was former teammate, Robyn McCarthy. “She was a fifth-year senior when I joined Fresno State as a freshman so I played with her. It was me and her that were playing center-back. Just playing alongside her as a freshman was, I think, the most transformative experience for me and my development. Robyn set an excellent example for me guiding me through you know, the role of being a center-back and being in that position. She demonstrated how to make smart decisions on the field and really gave me a good example of what a leader should be like back there. Her mentorship helped me shape my path for the rest of my years at Fresno State. I feel like her influence, just with her technical skills, also showed me how to be a role model, not just on the field, but as a person outside. I still connect with her to this day and I'm still maintaining that friendship.”
I reached out to McCarthy and she had this to say about Lau: “Having the opportunity to play alongside and be someone Jordan can look up to was and has been such a privilege. Although I only got to play with Jordan for a season at FSU, it was such a fun and exciting experience. Playing beside her as a center back duo was so easy and natural for me, we complimented each other so well. She came in and stepped up in such a big position, even though she was only a freshman. She is such a confident and fun person to be around off the field which always translated to her playing style on the field. Jordan is such an amazing girl who is so talented and I’m so happy I got to be apart of her life and playing career.”
Now Lau has established herself as a key part of the Bulldogs’ defense and she’s heading into her senior year with some high expectations. At the center of her personal goals for the upcoming season are two very important qualities, hard work and leadership. Ultimately, she hopes her team can walk away with a Mountain West Championship, something that has eluded Fresno State during Lau’s tenure so far. “Personally, my primary goal entering my senior season is to win the Mountain West championship and secure a ring. This would be a testament to my hard work and as a team, our hard work and dedication. I aim to be an outstanding leader for my teammates, guiding and supporting them both on and off the field. It's important to me to leave, impact, and serve as an inspiration to others, whether they are my peers, future players, or members of the Fresno community. I just want to demonstrate that with my determination teamwork and hard work.”
Joining Academica
Lau had quite a few teammates from Fresno State joining Academica this season, as a result, she decided to follow suit in order to build some chemistry with them, specifically her fellow center-back Julia Hardwick. “My decision to join Academica was influenced by my teammates. You know Julia, I play center-back with her at Fresno State so I wanted to continue building a strong bond, especially with her so that entering the season we can have even more chemistry coming off of the summer. Then just building these relationships off the field is just important, as you know, on the field performance.”
When asked about that chemistry, Lau felt like it was coming along nicely adding “On these drives, I'm getting to know her as a person and things that I would never know about her if you know we didn't have that time together.” Hardwick had nothing but praise for Lau when I reached out to her about her teammate saying “Jordan is the kind of player who gives her full effort every game and practice. She is such a fearless defender and always pushes those around her to their full potential. Jordan is a great leader and I can always count on her. It’s been a pleasure playing beside her on the field but also getting to know her throughout the years at Fresno State. She is an amazing person inside and out. I’ve had so much fun hanging out with her whether that be on or off the field. I know she has such a bright future ahead of her wherever she goes!”
Long-Term Goals
Lau hopes to someday play the game she loves at a professional level. Outside of soccer though, she’s majoring in business and wants to follow in her mom’s shoes by going into real estate. Her ambitions don’t end there though, as she also wants to own and operate a clothing brand with her sisters.
Inspired by Family
When it comes to her life off of the field, Lau said that two of her biggest inspirations have been her two older siblings stating: “I've always inspired to be like them because I was always looking up to them and they were always so successful when I was growing up. So, I guess I would say definitely them. They set an example, especially my older sister playing soccer for the University of Hawaii and always going to her games. I always felt like I was riding on the back of her journey and then now I get to have mine. I’m just so thankful I had her because she set a good example for me.”
Part of the reason Lau made the move to California was to step out and carve her own path. Despite looking up to her siblings, she wanted to make her own journey and she’s certainly done that and established herself as a big-time player for Fresno State. A big part of the reason for that was her parents as well. Her father Leonard Lau is a football coach who pushed her quite a bit from a young age. “He knew the intricacies of being an athlete and what it takes. So I just felt very lucky that I had my own coach at home, not just when I would go to practice and his support and encouragement mean the world to me. His belief in my abilities and the values that he's instilled in all of us kept me focused and driven. Knowing that he's always there cheering me on gives me the confidence to pursue my goals and overcome any challenges that come my way.”
While Lau attributes quite a bit of her success on the field to her father, she wanted to make sure it was known that her mother Daina Lau had an incredible amount of influence on who she is as a person. “My dad leads our family and has influenced me a lot as an athlete, but I owe much of who I am as a woman to my mom. She taught me how to navigate life with grace and showed me what unconditional love truly means. She exemplified how to be a woman of God, embodying love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control. I deeply admire the woman my mom is and I aspire to be just like her.”
Off the Field
In her free time, Lau enjoys spending time with friends and family, but she also loves the water which unfortunately isn’t overly accessible in Fresno. “I come from a big water family. My brother is actually a professional surfer. So we grew up around the water and just playing water sports, so I enjoy that as well. But then also I like to read. I like to draw and I like to go on hikes.”
Academics are also very important to Lau, which is a trait she also attributes to her father. "Growing up, my dad always made sure that school came first. So it's a big achievement to say I can do both. He was very firm with me and all my siblings that you don't get sports until you also perform in the classroom. It feels kind of good to be able to do both, you know, I can say I'm a student but also an athlete and I excelled in both.” Lau’s efforts in the classroom haven’t gone unnoticed either, as she was named to the All-Mountain West Academic Team last season.
There’s always uncertainty for a player heading into her senior year, but it’s clear that with the amount of ambition and determination that Lau has, she’s going to find success one way or another. Whether that be on the pitch professionally, as a realtor or in the fashion industry, she’s going to make an impact somewhere.