A pair of Zionsville girls soccer standouts signed to continue their playing careers on Wednesday afternoon.
Rachel Higgins (West Georgia) and Bryn Maxwell (Texas-San Antonio) made their college decisions official.
“I’m beyond excited,” Higgins said on Wednesday. “The recruiting process, going through it, is tough and hard and the past three years have been hard – but working up to it – it’s great to overcome all that.”
West Georgia is an NCAA Division I school that plays in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
They are coached by Mallory Sayre.
“The coaches really stood out,” Higgins said. “I think they see the true me, and they are really encouraging. I think they liked me as a person, and I liked them a lot too.”
Higgins was a dynamic forward for the Eagles during her high school career.
She said when talking to the coaches at West Georgia, there were a couple things that stood out about her game.
“They really commented on my speed and I think just the ability to move the ball well across the field,” Higgins said. “They liked the way I think the game too.”
Higgins said that prior to heading off to school, she wants to get into the gym and work on her physicality so that she can be ready for the rigors of college soccer.Â
And while she is ready for the next chapter in her playing career, Higgins will always be thankful for the Zionsville community and what they have done for her to get to this point.
“I am going to remember my teammates,” Higgins said. “We have played with each other for so long, and I am going to remember all the memories I made with them and how great of a season we had.”
For Maxwell, signing day was just making official something she has known for a while – UTSA was going to be her soccer home following her Zionsville career.
Maxwell had verbally committed more than a year ago, but now she has officially put the pen to paper.
“I am really excited,” Maxwell said. “I talked with my coach earlier this morning and I just can’t wait to get started with them.”
UTSA is an NCAA Division I school that plays in the American Athletic Conference.
The team is coached by Derek Pittman.
“I really enjoyed the program in general,” Maxwell said. “They have awesome coaches and great facilities – and it just felt like home there. I feel like that’s how I kind of new where I wanted to be.”
A four-year standout at Zionsville, Maxwell earned all-district honors this past fall as an attacking midfielder for the Eagles.
Maxwell said the UTSA coaches really liked her playing style.
“They liked that I’m a very aggressive player and like to play at a fast pace,” Maxwell said. “They liked the effort I put in as well.”
Like Higgins, Maxwell said she wants to focus on some technical things with her play, but the big thing is building more strength to play with some of the bigger, older girls in college.
When looking back at her time as an Eagle, more than anything it is going to be the people she met and played with that stand out.
“The relationships are what I will remember,” Maxwell said. “The friendships I got through Zionsville soccer are all super special for me.”
Both girls are undecided on majors, but Maxwell said she wants to study something law related.
Will Willems is the Sports Editor of the Lebanon Reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Will_Willems.