As the sun beat down on the practice fields behind the University of Wisconsin Hospital complex, two strength and conditioning assistants for the UW women’s soccer team observed the final shooting drills of a sweltering summer practice, 48 hours prior to the season opener.
One player squarely, but seemingly effortlessly, struck the ball and only a leaping save from Wisconsin keeper Caitlyn Clem kept it from finding the back of the net.
Pretty good? Yeah, senior midfielder Rose Lavelle is pretty good. If pretty good constitutes being named 2015 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, 2014 CONCACAF U-20 MVP, 2013 Freshman of the Year and one of two collegiate players to earn a call-up to the national team this past December to train with the likes of Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd, then Lavelle meets those requirements.