Ali Krieger remembers a time when she was awestruck to see Christie Welsh, Penn State's 2001 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy winner.

"When I was a freshman, she had just graduated, so she was here as well," Krieger said. "I was just like, 'Oh my God. Christie Welsh.' "

And what college freshman would not be rendered speechless? Welsh was named the best women's soccer player in the country in 2001, and was named the runner-up to the award the next year.

At that point, Welsh was the face of Penn State soccer.

Now, two years removed from her first collegiate season, Krieger and the rest of Penn State's women's soccer team sees Welsh every day on the practice field.

Welsh returned to campus this past August to serve as a volunteer coach and to train for the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympics.

Welsh spent the spring and summer on the U.S. Women's National Team and scored seven goals in six games.

Welsh was named the Algarve Cup Top Scorer for leading her team to the 2005 Algarve Cup Championship, knocking in five of her seven scores in the tournament.

"It's awesome, it really is," Welsh said of representing her country on the national team. "This is it. This is my job now. It's what I do. I love it. It's the best life."

Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins said the decision for Welsh to come back to Happy Valley was a mutual one and one that will definitely benefit both sides in the long run.

While Welsh will get to train for her professional career, she can also instill some of her soccer knowledge to the members of her alma mater.

Welsh has been working mostly with the forwards, Wilkins said, helping them with runs and finishing in the box.

The Penn State skipper said she has not seen any dramatic changes in the play of her forwards since Welsh started helping but admits that Welsh's presence will benefit the team.

"I think they are different players," Wilkins said, comparing Welsh to her current stock of forwards.

"But I think having that role model type player at practice is good for them."

Welsh has earned herself a spot in Nittany Lion history as the most prolific scorer the program has had to date. Welsh surpassed Rachel Hoffman as the Lions' all-time leading goal scorer against Iowa on Oct. 12, 2001, when she scored her 59th career goal. Welsh went on to score 82 career goals and 216 career points in 97 games for Penn State.

However, Welsh might not see those numbers stand for much longer. Senior striker Tiffany Weimer has scored seven goals and one assist in just four games this season, giving her 66 career goals and 160 career points.

Welsh said she would not mind to see Weimer break her records. In fact, she told Weimer the same thing Hoffman told her before she rewrote the record books.

"Records are made to be broken," Welsh said. "And I do hope that she does it. She's a tremendous finisher."

Welsh even went so far as to say that she thinks the lethal Weimer is a better finisher than she is, even though the pair has two very different styles of play. Welsh, standing six inches taller than the 5-foot-4 Weimer, has the ability to run through defenders, whereas Weimer has to go around defenders, often making them look like neighborhood youth soccer players in the process.

"She's very cheeky and crafty," Welsh said. "The girl's probably scored at least 15 to 20 of her 60 [goals] through different toe pokes and spins.

"She has a gift that is, you know, one in any number that you want to pick. There's very few in college soccer that can do it."

Strong words from someone who is one in a million herself.