In a short amount of time, Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah) has made an astonishing impact at Seattle University. Only halfway through her collegiate career, Verdoia became the youngest SU student-athlete to be named Student-Athlete of the Year since Chris Coley (men's swimming) received the award in 2004-05 as a freshman. Outside of Seattle U this past season, she was also named First Team All-Conference, Academic All-Conference, NSCAA Third Team All-Pacific Region, Capital One Second Team Academic All-District, as well as being named to the WAC All-Tournament team.
Though hard to imagine with her collegiate success, Verdoia says she “was the youngest and worst on my team for the first couple of years” but admits she has “loved soccer ever since my very first game.” She was originally a three-sport athlete, also dancing and doing gymnastics, but when they started to conflict with soccer, she was forced to choose.
“My parents told me I would have to choose, and it was an easy choice. I loved it too much to consider giving it up.”
Though she had not previously considered attending school in Washington, the combination of her sister’s decision to play at Seattle Pacific University (SPU) as well as a visit to the SU campus made her choice clear.
“When I came to Seattle and the campus, I immediately felt more comfortable than at the other colleges I had visited,” Verdoia remembers. “The girls were amazing, the coaches seemed really invested in me, and I really loved the city.”
She finished the remainder of her visits at other schools, but couldn’t get Seattle U out of her mind. She most appreciated the balance and importance Seattle University placed on both academics and athletics.
“My team and coaches are really good at balancing Division I athletics and being full time students. I recognized that immediately when I spent some time around them, and a good education was one of my main priorities. Most schools emphasize one or the other, but Seattle University has managed to make both equally important.”
With two years under her belt, her favorite part of being a student-athlete is the relationships she’s made because of it.
“The best part of playing soccer at Seattle U is the community that surrounds us. My team, my coaches, alumni, fellow student-athletes, as well as the academic and athletic staff are all truly invested in our success and each one of us individually.”
Outside of soccer, Verdoia enjoys giving back to her campus, conference, and regional community as well as internationally. She will serve as Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Vice President at Seattle U next year, also serving on the WAC SAAC, and will be a part of the Gender Equity Committee as well as acting as a Student-Athlete Peer Mentor. She has also enjoyed the partnership that her team has fostered with Special Olympics and the events the two organizations have done together over the past two seasons.
Verdoia had the opportunity to travel to Belize over Spring Break of this year with head coach Julie Woodward, teammate Renae Russell, and several other Seattle U representatives from the organization Professionals Without Borders (PWOB). Partially because of that experience, she is interested in attending law school after college and studying “environmental or international law and then working with non-profits in other countries.” She continues “I mainly want to be a lawyer because I think it’s a good step in having influence to make a difference, and I want to help people.”
With two seasons still remaining in her career at Seattle U, she already has accumulated wisdom that she will take with her and would pass on to incoming student-athletes.
“The connections you make and the people you meet will always be more important than the success or failures you experience. College is a unique and amazing time in your life that won’t ever happen again, so [you have to] endure the mistakes and obstacles and know it’s all part of something great.”
Echoing the importance of a college education, she continues, “[I’d also advise going] to class, because it is a privilege to be educated. Seattle University offers a great education and [we] shouldn’t take that for granted. The work you put in now will pay off in the future.”