3 things to know about Iowa women’s soccer with 2021 season underway

IOWA CITY — Even in a shortened offseason, a lot has changed about Iowa women’s soccer.

After capturing its first Big Ten tournament title and first NCAA tournament victory in a delayed spring season, the Hawkeyes not only return all of their senior leaders, but also add two key graduate transfers while some young faces rise up through the ranks to bolster the offensive attack.

Iowa was picked No. 7 in the Big Ten preseason coaches poll and received 16 votes in this week’s NCAA coaches poll. The Hawkeyes kicked off their regular season with two road victories, 2-1 at DePaul and 1-0 at then-No. 21 Saint Louis.

In preparation of Iowa’s rivalry matchup Thursday with Iowa State and the upcoming season, here are key storylines you should know about the 2021 Hawkeyes.

Samantha Cary trains with women’s pro soccer team this summer

Junior defender Samantha Cary spent her offseason training with a neighboring National Women’s Soccer League team, the Chicago Red Stars.

The NWSL, a women’s pro soccer league that started in 2014, has skyrocketed in popularity this past year, fielding nine teams in 2020 and set to add three more by the 2022 season.

The Red Stars are one of the league’s most popular and oldest franchises, home to U.S. Women’s National Team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and defenders Tierna Davidson, Julie Ertz and Casey Krueger.

As a member of the Red Stars reserves, Cary played against members of the Red Stars’ roster and fellow NCAA soccer players from across the country, including Big Ten players like Wisconsin’s Jordyn Bloomer, Michigan’s Nicki Hernandez, Illinois’ Amaya Ellis and Michigan State’s Zivana Labovic. She was named one of the team’s captains.

“The fact that this pro league is becoming more prominent means a player like me who may not have that huge resume of being in throughout youth national team programs my whole life have an opportunity to play in this league because of its growth,” Cary said.

Graduate transfers expected to aid offense

Former Richmond forward Alyssa Walker came to Iowa hopeing to get experience playing at a major Division I school before pursuing a professional playing career overseas. She captured her first goal in the season opener against DePaul last Thursday.

“I was actually frustrated leading up to that game because I had a lot of shots on goal and just shy of the goal,” Walker said. “When I got into the DePaul game and got that through ball, I just thought to myself: this is my chance, don't overthink it.”

Courtney Powell, a graduate transfer forward from Iowa State, is playing this season in honor of her father, who died in February from COVID-19. The former Union Community prep had always wanted to be a Hawkeye, but went to Iowa State because she wanted to study agriculture.

“When you’ve spent four years in the weight room, four years playing at a high level, you're mentally and physically more prepared than a freshman,” Iowa Coach David DiIanni said. “It’s a higher level now than where they’ve played, and I think we’re asking a lot of them tactically, but it’s been a very seamless transition.”

Kenzie Roling might be the freshman breakout star

Kenzie Roling, a freshman from Waverly-Shell Rock, has scored in every one of the Hawkeyes’ four games so far, including exhibition matches against South Dakota and Northern Iowa. She was named Big Ten freshman of the week.

“We're more offensive than we were last year, we have more pieces and we’re more athletic,” DiIanni said. “Those players (Walker, Powell, Roling and freshman Addy Bundy) certainly have given us a little bit of a jump, they're hungry, they're uber competitive.”

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