I've always had the good fortune of being fleet of foot.

This talent has taken me quite far in life, but I had tons of practice.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of one day being a professional dancer.

For 13 years, I danced.

And I danced.

And I danced some more.

I wouldn't say I necessarily got burned out by dancing, but around seventh or eighth grade, I traded in my dance shoes for soccer cleats.

Permanently.

Looking back on it now, it's by far one of the best decisions I made in my life.

While I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for dancing, as I grew older, I developed an even stronger passion for soccer and fashion.

Although I didn't know it at the time, all those dance rehearsals and recitals actually led me to where I am now.

It was all a part of my journey.

Best of both worlds

I grew up with a big sports family in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

My dad played hockey.

My aunt played hockey.

My brother, Colin, plays hockey as well.

It's Minnesota. We love our hockey up there.

But I always enjoyed soccer more.

When people think of Minnesota, soccer probably isn't the first sport that comes to mind. It's a fair point, given the cold weather and long winters, but it's more popular than you might think.

Sure, we have the Vikings, Timberwolves, Lynx, Wild, etc., but don't forget about our MLS team in Minnesota, United FC.

Soccer is on the rise in Minnesota.

At the same time, I'll admit that getting noticed for college recruiting was a bit of a challenge in my neck of the woods up in Maple Grove.

At least getting noticed by the one school I had on my list.

Kent State.

Not only did I have aspirations of playing soccer there, but for those that don't know, Kent State is one of the best fashion institutions in the world.

I knew Kent State was my ticket to paradise.

A place where I could enjoy the best of both worlds — soccer and fashion.

Arriving in grand fashion

Kent State was exactly where I wanted to be, but it took some time to get on their radar.

Maple Grove is quite a ways away from Northeast Ohio, so I had to get a bit creative.

I sent them emails.

I sent them film.

I was persistent.

They eventually came and watched one of my high school games, and not long after that, I signed on the dotted line and made it official.

I was a Golden Flash, just like I envisioned.

And it didn't take me long to leave my mark on the field either.

In the first collegiate game of my career, against Buffalo, I recorded an assist. Just like that, I made an immediate impact and helped put my team in a position to win.

I played the full 90 minutes of that game, and I remember stepping off the field almost in shock.

I'd made it to my dream school.

And the most exciting part was I knew I was just getting started.

Following my heart

When it came time to choose a major, it technically wasn't a hard decision, but I still had some concerns.

Like I said before, a big motivating factor for me coming to Kent State was their revered fashion program, but still — fashion is not exactly the most common, everyday major, right?

Was I putting myself in a successful position after college?

After discussing this with my family, they gave me some sound advice: study what you love. And fashion has always been so close to my heart.

I can't pinpoint the exact moment when my love for fashion started, but I remember my mom making all these dance costumes for me when I was little. And I would always beg her to let me help. I became fascinated with the design process.

Like threading a needle, I was hooked.

As a junior now, my official major is fashion merchandising, with a minor in fashion media.

I feel beyond blessed that Kent State allows me to follow my two passions inside and outside athletics.

It's made a world of difference in my life.

I also made the decision — similar to the one I did many years ago when I put away my dance shoes — that I'll be hanging up my soccer cleats once I graduate from Kent State.

I don't know what my future holds in the fashion industry, but I can't wait to see what it looks like.

From the midfield to writing for Vogue?

Starting my own company?

Designing my own clothes?

I look forward to exploring all these different avenues, and I'm so grateful for the experiences and opportunities that have led me to this point.

All those years ago, I never would have guessed that my dance performances would inspire me to live my dream of playing midfield like Lindsey Horan at the DI level, and study fashion at one of the best programs in the country.

But that's exactly what happened.

When it came to dance, soccer, and fashion, I've always listened and followed my heart. It's helped me reach successes and achievements I didn't think were possible, and I have no plans to stop listening to it anytime soon.

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