Category: Varsity Women’s Soccer

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Freshman Spotlight: Natalie Merrick

College is a time for students to step out of their comfort zone and explore. You have the freedom of living on your own and making your own decisions. Being at Grove City, this is the time where you find out more about yourself, find friends that will be with you throughout life, and where you can grow deeper in your faith, all while being surrounded by community.

Natalie Merrick is a freshman majoring in Exercise Science with a pre-physical therapy concentration, and minoring in Psychology. While her academics are time-consuming, she has learned to find a way to balance it while playing soccer at Grove City College. For Natalie, she grew up in the Cranberry Township area (about 30 minutes from campus) and knew of Grove City College from her sister going here and people in her high school. While she was looking at other colleges, she ultimately decided on Grove City because of the Christ-centered mission of the College and the soccer program.

Along with her major and being on the women’s soccer team, she is also a part of Homecoming Committee and the Gamma Sigma Phi sorority. Her best piece of advice when it comes to rushing different sororities is to check your heart constantly and form relationships with people to be their friend, not to be in the sorority. When it comes to sororities or fraternities, you want to make sure that you “vibe” with the people in the group as your true self, not having a persona.

When asked about the impact that Grove City College has had on her faith, Natalie said her faith has grown tremendously because of the people that she surrounds herself with at college. She was intentional when getting to know the seniors in her sorority and on her soccer team. She said “watching them walk with the Lord has encouraged me to do the same and I’ve found people who prioritize their relationship with Him and encourage me in my walk of faith.” She has found that her friendships here are ones that will stay throughout her life. When asked about the community at Grove City College, she said it is welcoming and inviting to everyone and encourages growth spiritually, academically, and socially.

The best piece of advice Natalie has for future underclassmen or prospective students is to “go into everything with open hands and find chances to grow and be challenged in your academics and faith.” Keep your eyes open to new things, people, and opportunities God places right in front of you. Whatever you decide to do in college or whatever happens, God is always with you to help guide you and provide for you. College can be the best time of your lives, so get involved with activities, groups, and get to know people who can help push you to be a better person overall.

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Inside Wolverine Athletics Podcast: Coach Jordyn Cole

In this week’s episode of Inside The Wolverine Den, we are joined by coach Jordyn Cole! Jordyn is a Grove City College grad who helps with recruiting, event coordinating, and assists coaching Grove City College Women’s Soccer. She dives deeper into the special qualities of Grove City College Athletics and what the recruiting process is like for prospective students. If you are looking for schools, you will not want to miss this one!

Inside the Wolverine Den: Jordyn Cole

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Inside Wolverine Athletics Podcast: Coach Melissa Lamie

In this week’s episode of Inside the Wolverine Den, coach Melissa Lamie talks about the definition of culture and what is looks like to have a successful culture. With almost 30 years of experience at Grove City College, she has seen the growth and change of the College over time. Lamie gives an insider’s perspective to the Grove City College Women’s Soccer team and how they have created a team atmosphere that strives for success on the field, in the classroom, and for God’s kingdom.

Inside the Wolverine Den: Understanding Culture and The Importance of Culture

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Women’s Soccer: Lindsay Hutton

Lindsay Hutton

Class of 2018

Biology Major, Spanish Minor

What has been your favorite soccer team memory?

The bus rides that we take, we’ve gotten to travel to Kentucky to Massachusetts to Texas. We spend a lot of time not on the field  but in travel. It goes to show that our relationships carry out on all aspects. We were going to Thomas More which is a six hour bus ride and the sound system was broken. We spent about an hour configuring tape job to get a movie to work so we could watch a High School Musical marathon.

What would you say is unique about Grove City College’s Women’s Soccer team?

The main difference is that we play for an audience of one. We play to bring glory to God. I’ve never thought of athletics as a place of worship, but it is. That’s the main focus, and our team is growing our relationship with Christ through how we play.

What is something a prospective soccer player should know?

It will change your life. After freshman year, I debated leaving the school, but I stayed because I couldn’t think about leaving the team. Just because of the relationship and the impact they had on my life even just after one season. And it was a great decision because I’ve had some of the best four years being a part of this team.

How was the women’s soccer program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?

It was different from any team I’ve been on, from day one everyone was trying to meet you and get to know not just your name, but your story and try to start to build a relationship with you. It was a definitely a super supportive and encouraging environment, it wasn’t just to start or have an important part on the team.

What has your soccer experience been like over the past four years and how did soccer affect your collegiate experience?

For me, it has given me the majority of my best friends, not to say that we don’t have other friends in sororities. But they really do become your best friends, even in the off seasons when you don’t get to see them everyday. Physically, we’ve been looking for the best for each player. We all have our own role on the team and your roles on the team change. Freshman year was definitely hard to transition, coach is very lenient in putting academics first, and the team is super willing to help you, and the teachers are very understanding when we need to miss class.

What would you tell a prospective soccer player that is debating playing soccer at Grove City College?

I would say do it! I was on the fence, I wasn’t sure I’d play college soccer. I decided last minute to try out for the team and it was great. There’s been people who didn’t make it their first year but come back because of what close a relationship we’ve had … and they want to be a part of that.

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Women’s Soccer: Megan Van Kirk

Megan Van Kirk

Biology Secondary Education

May 2018

Position: Right-wing defender

What has been your favorite women’s soccer memory?

Beating Washington and Jefferson on my birthday last November 2nd. We beat them 1-0 in regular time and they are one of our absolute rivals and are a very physical team. We’ve beat them once in the normal season and then once in the PAC semi-finals so it was a big game.

What makes Grove City’s Women’s Soccer team unique to other programs?

Our coaching staff is one. Our focus is on glorifying God and growing individually in our faith and how we can grow as soccer player and as individuals. Bringing out the best in our teammates and play the best kind of soccer that we can is very important to us as a team.

What is something a prospective soccer player should know?

It was more challenging than I thought it would be because it focuses on well-rounded individuals, not just soccer. In terms of spirituality and challenging us mentally, it was a bigger challenge than I expected it to be, but in a good way.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective student?

I think that soccer takes up a lot of time, but it is so worth it. It grew me as a student because it helped me on my time management, and gave me friends I’ve never had, and it gave me mentors with my coaches and teammates.

How was your soccer experience been like over the past four years and how did soccer affect your collegiate experience?

Spirituality it is the biggest. In the team, was have small groups that meet during the season led by upperclassmen. The first year I was an underclassman learning from the upperclassmen and in the past years, I led those and helped the younger girls. Plus, it was a lot of responsibility from my coaches. It was good learning from the girls and then pass that on to the next group behind me .