Katie Mahoney – South Illinois University-Edwardsville

Katie Mahoney

Soccer

South Illinois University – Edwardsville

Why did you choose SIUE as your final destination?

I chose SIUE because, ever since I was little, I always wanted to play division 1 soccer. I always knew I did not want to go to a big school, but I still wanted to be able to compete and play at a competitive level. The school offered everything that I wanted, and the coaches made me feel really valued and appreciated. The players and coaches were really the deciding factors; I felt like I was a part of the team. I knew it was the school for me.

What was the turning point that made you want to play soccer in college?

When my club soccer team started winning a lot of games at a young age and started getting attention from college coaches, I knew that was my goal. I knew that because of my teammates, coaches, and my own abilities, I was able to achieve that goal of playing college soccer.

What is your favorite moment from your soccer career?

My favorite moment of my soccer career is definitely winning the national championship in 2016. I would never have even thought that this accomplishment was even a possibility when I was younger. It really showed me how all of the years of hard practices and games paid off without me even realizing it. I think that just watching myself and my teammates grow as players and continue to succeed on and off the field is rewarding and makes all of the tough practices and games worth it in the end.

What is your biggest goal once you get to SIUE?

My biggest goal when I get to SIUE is to help my team get into the NCAA tournament each year. I want to come onto the team my freshman year and make an impact on the field. I want to be able to contribute to the games and help us win our conference so that we are able to go back and compete in the postseason tournament.

Describe your journey from early soccer experiences to now.

When I was young I never imagined myself competing at the level that I compete at today. I’ve grown as a player and have learned to push myself harder when I have to. When I first moved here and was given the opportunity to play on the best team for my age group, I struggled and had to push myself to get myself to the same level as the other girls on the team. From then on, I’ve been lucky to be able to play with a lot of the same girls who have been with me and helped me get to where I am today.