New Mexico Suspended Player Elizabeth Lambert On Today Show (VIDEO)

Elizabeth Lambert of the New Mexico Lobos women's soccer team has gained plenty of attention due to a hair-pulling takedown of a BYU player during a recent game.

New Mexico suspended her indefinitely and also released the following statement from Lambert:

I am deeply and wholeheartedly regretful for my actions. My actions were uncalled for. I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary from the coaching staff and UNM administration. This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player that I am. I am sorry to my coaches and teammates for any and all damages I have brought upon them. I am especially sorry to BYU and the BYU women's soccer players that were personally affected by my actions. I have the utmost respect for the BYU women's soccer program and its players.

The incident received national attention this morning on The Today Show. WATCH HERE:

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Comments

[Usama]

03:17 PM on 11/18/2009

She was antagonized and reacted too excessively most likely because of the intense nature of the match.
Personally, overcoming a player by beating them to the ball, stealing the ball from them, gaining superior position, is the best way to overcome competitors who play nasty, and BYU players appeared to play nasty by elbowing, clothes grabbing (and perhaps pinching) and other instances.

But the comments that she will abuse her husband are kind of excessive too. Some men like a woman who's in touch with her aggressive nature. There are also plenty of men much bigger &, stronger than her who would not be afraid of her.

[racespeed]

09:43 AM on 11/15/2009

I am very unhappy that the real problem was not addressed. In fact that problem has still not been mentioned. It is a problem we see in a life and business. "People not doing their best job."
My question is what happened to the refs during this game? Where was their control? It is their fault that the foul play escalated. If they kept the game under control, the amount of incidences would not have grown. Elizabeth is a Junior, has she always been this way? In her apology I get the feeling she went overboard in this game. There were no boundaries for her, her nasty play increased, still no penalty.
These young players are learning. What happened to the adults that teach and control them? The league and reffing group have a major responsibility in this. A young student should not be the fall person for the lack of proper adult supervision and teaching.
Yes! Good, competitive sportsmanship is a learned behavior, teaching comes from coaching and other adult controls such as refs. Where is their punishment for allowing this to escalate? Have not seen one adult step up and say "my fault this had happened". Shame on all the real responsible adults that let this happen. The key here is "responsibility". Will someone please step up and take the steps to apologize(so as to show responsibility) and lay out some thoughts as to how they intend to make the over site during a game more realistic.

[Q2]

03:30 AM on 11/18/2009

That's exactly what I was thinking when I first saw the video. Where the H**L was the ref???

[South Sound Guy]

08:08 PM on 11/10/2009

I feel very sorry for the guy that she is going to be his wife one day ! she will be an abusive wife and mother ! she need to pick up some other game to play, she is playing a very wrong game ! take my advise and join a HOCKEY team sweet heart because this not the way soccer being played.

[Pebbles4]

06:02 PM on 11/10/2009

Ms. Lambert's actions on the field are completely indicative of her character both as a person and as a soccer player. In a word; cheap.

[shthar]

05:58 PM on 11/10/2009

Whooooo's Soorrrryy Nooowwww....

[LCLA]

12:07 AM on 11/10/2009

I am impressed that Elizabeth Lambert is accepting full responsibility for her abusive behavior and is not making excuses. Although she was provoked by the BYU players, her behavior was wrong and suspension is appropriate.
And thanks to excellent video, she will be the new Tanya Harding of the day. It will be a hard reputation to live down.

[ocirotreup]

06:57 PM on 11/16/2009

This is not her giving a sincere apology or accepting full responsibility. This is the UNM Legal Office-who without a doubt wrote that statement the university released, and told her to memorize it- at work to avoid sanctions and fines from the NCAA and UNM's athletic conference. This is an orchestrated "get out there and pretend to be sorry cuz if you don't you'll really be sorry" move by the administration to reduce the negative views on the university so as to not hurt enrollment and/or further athletic recruiting. She didn't write that apology. The only thing sadder than her actions is that she doesn't have to decency to come up with her own ways of redeeming herself or her character. How about going to BYU and making a private apology to the players you physically abused and give that girl back the handful of hair you ripped out of her head. Noooo, UNM doesn't want you doing that because that wouldn't do the university any good at all. Go on TV and read this statement!

[24kgold]

06:01 PM on 11/09/2009

Good because she could have broken her neck........

[helgat]

03:38 PM on 11/09/2009

DID I HEAR THE VIDEO CORRECTLY? HER OWN COACH SUSPENDED HER?
She did a one two punch on another play, and punched a back of another player, after collision of another player who took a fall/dive continued to "run into her while she was on the ground", did a slide tackle (she had not chance at the ball) on a player running full throttle - the girl flew forward landing on her chest to receive a ball kicked into her face by another NM player..she was yellow carded for the tackle. She was frustrated? Part of the game. NO EXCUSE.