Latest / The BIG LIFE / Is DI or DII Better? Let's Ask Mackenzie Jones, Who's Played Both! Plus the Big Ten Conf is Booming!

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Is DI or DII Better? Let's Ask Mackenzie Jones, Who's Played Both! Plus the Big Ten Conf is Booming! · The BIG LIFE

0:04
All right, everyone, and welcome back to this episode of The Big Life.
0:09
Jordan, 1-0 Michigan State. How are we feeling?
0:13
Feel good. Feel really good about it. You know, we opened up with a really tough
0:17
opponent against Notre Dame, and it is the first time, I believe,
0:21
in 35 years we have been able to beat them, especially beat them at their place.
0:26
So it's an amazing feeling I love every time one of those tweets come up because
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you know we keep making history as a team and there's a program and everyone's
0:35
looking at you being like you went back to back champs what's next what a great
0:40
way to start the season and to have that come in you know and we had it was
0:43
a really tough really physical game we got knocked around quite a bit,
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but coming out of it with that win is all that matters at the end of the day
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and it's a really really nice feeling to go into our next game which is this
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Thursday against Arkansas so we had that that's Sunday off.
0:56
We didn't play a second game this week. We had a whole week to prepare and get
1:00
into, well, when this episode drops, Thursday against Arkansas,
1:04
which is really exciting and
1:05
really nice too to let our bodies recover and really get into the season.
1:08
Absolutely. I love to hear it. And that's a perfect transition into what will
1:12
be our weekly recap of Big Ten women's soccer.
1:15
And probably, let's be real, a little bit of extra women's soccer news because
1:18
more women's soccer news never hurt anyone. And there's always some big headlines going on.
1:23
But with that being said, big moments in the big life this week.
1:33
Being headlined by Michigan State's 2-1, not really an upset,
1:37
but very intense game against home team Notre Dame.
1:41
So take us into more. You said, you know, it's a great feeling.
1:43
What was the game itself like? Talk about the goals. What was that feeling?
1:48
Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, for me personally, this is the second game I've ever
1:52
not participated in due to injury.
1:54
I was out on the sidelines, so I got to truly just watch it as a fan,
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which is something I'm not really used to.
2:01
And as much as it sucks not being able to be out there, it was kind of exciting
2:04
because it was such an intense game going back and forth. We came out right
2:08
away, super strong, scored a goal almost immediately.
2:12
Unfortunately, Notre Dame followed it up pretty quickly. And it was tied 1-1
2:17
going into that second half.
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And then again, pretty much right off the whistle, we were able to put another
2:21
one in the back of the net and kind of maintain throughout that second half
2:24
going into it and winning 2-1.
2:26
Like I said, this first time in 35 years. You know, we've played Notre Dame.
2:29
This is our third time now since my career.
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Second game that really counts. We play them in the spring. So it's a scrimmage.
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It's not really the same in the spring.
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But, you know, they beat us last year when it was pretty brutal.
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It's kind of our wake up call last year was that game against Notre Dame and
2:45
being able to kind of come back, reset and to do this right off the bat is really, really exciting.
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And it's going to mean a lot to our team as we take this momentum going into
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Arkansas, which I think are two of our tougher games in our kind of non-conference schedule.
2:59
Absolutely. I think that's a really great point. And I mean,
3:02
not that this is not always going to be about Michigan and state and Iowa,
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but I think we would be remiss to not talk about Iowa women's soccer. Oh my goodness.
3:10
Happening in the big 10 conference this week with Iowa's first game of the season.
3:15
They were away in Montana playing Oregon state and they're up to zero at half
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weather hits at halftime.
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They go into weather delay and the game then stops and is not played.
3:27
And apparently, according to rumors, I can't say I was there.
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Iowa was hoping to continue and play the second half the next day.
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And Oregon State did not have that same hope.
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And so the game was not played. And because it did not make it to the 70th minute,
3:42
that game does not count.
3:44
Jordan, what are your thoughts on this situation for Iowa?
3:47
I mean, look, if I'm Oregon State, I think it's the right call.
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It's not a loss on their schedule. It's tactical.
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It makes sense from that type of perspective.
3:57
I mean, from Iowa, though, they just got screwed.
4:01
I mean, seriously, they're just down a game now. I don't know how that's allowed.
4:05
I feel like there's something in your contract where if you write these games
4:09
and you're able to play them, you should have to play them out because that's how this stuff works.
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Like we don't just pick teams like there's a contract between you and the player
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and the team you're playing against.
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And a lot of this stuff is figured out years and years and years in advance.
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So the fact that they're able to just say, no, thanks. I think it's absolutely wild.
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25 they're 25 minutes short of a win I mean that's tough
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that's really really tough to be an Iowa fan and
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to see that right now if you are one it's tough
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to hear I mean you have a freshman that scored both the goals so
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a freshman's having a breakout game for her in her first college game
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scores two goals to go up to zero those goals don't count
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for her now you know in any kind of record and
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I think at a certain point you know like like you
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said I don't I don't know the details I wasn't there I'm only getting
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obviously one half of the story I understand that and
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I saw a lot of very sassy tweets coming from Iowa women's
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soccer Twitter page so if you if you need to chuckle there's
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there's some good stuff if you know you know but with
5:05
all that being said I don't understand how one team can kind
5:08
of elect not to play and have that
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not count as a forfeit like at a certain point like how does it
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not benefit Iowa like if you don't want to continue the game
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that's fine but how does that not count against you so it feels
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like a weird loophole like you said if you're Oregon State it's
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relatively tactical can't necessarily you know but
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that's where the tactics and the morality seem to come into play and
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Iowa definitely got screwed and you know
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when you're looking at things way way down the line such as like RPI strength
5:36
of schedule games played you know having one less game is a potential to make
5:40
a difference maker and so that's that's really unfortunate for Iowa right now
5:43
yeah I didn't think about that either like you're talking NCAA tournament bid
5:47
and that could have been the difference between be making it or not if Iowa's the team on the brink.
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So that's, yeah, that's just really tough. I don't understand how that's allowed.
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I don't think it should be. I think you'll see some of Iowa's contract revisions.
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I mean, we never see them, but in the future, I would suspect that they have
6:02
kind of claws in their contracts with teams that they're no longer allowed to
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do this because, I mean, that's just crazy. There's no other way to put it. That's just crazy.
6:10
Absolutely. Other big headlines that I know caught my eye cutting out of the
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Big Ten is number six Nebraska at home losing the first game of the season.
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So they lost to Oklahoma State 2-0 in a pretty big upset.
6:24
And I don't know. I know I saw some crazy tweets about the upset that pulled
6:28
and how that was a different Nebraska team, especially when you have said Eleanor
6:31
Dale not there anymore. Jordan, what are your thoughts on this?
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See, I think, I believe in their first game, you had Sarah Weber with a hat trick from what I saw.
6:41
I think she's the new Eleanor Dale for them. Very simply put,
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she will fill in those shoes, and I think she is a fantastic forward and someone
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to be reckoned with on that level.
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I think what Nebraska is missing now is a Sarah Weber.
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They need someone else to step into her shoes as she moves up the ranks here.
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If you're looking at the box score with this, I didn't watch the game,
7:01
but with 22 shots, Nebraska only put four on goal with none of them converting.
7:06
Converting, Oklahoma State had 13 shots, three of those being on goal and two
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of those being in the back of the net, which...
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22 shots and four and goal. I don't think that's great statistics for you as a Nebraska team.
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And I think, I don't know if this was just something out of the blue,
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like a tough game for them, or if this is potentially something they're going
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to have to struggle with throughout the season.
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I think this is kind of the exciting part about being so early in the season
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is you get to speculate on this stuff without much record to back it up for the rest of the season.
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And so oh my favorite rumor well I don't even know if it's a
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rumor but the thing I heard about Nebraska is they actually practice slide
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tackles like in practice like they
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have time dedicated in their 20 hours to practice like
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slide tackling which I think is absolutely crazy and it
7:50
makes sense when you play them they're very I was gonna say as someone who's played
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Nebraska for five years that adds up that one percent adds up I almost like
7:58
it though like if you're practicing it does that mean you can do it safer like
8:03
is that i don't know to practice that or is it is it no bueno i don't know i
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don't know how i feel about that but it's a lot going on i don't know.
8:12
And speaking of emotions we have a rival in
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michigan with a very upsetting weekend losing both
8:19
of their games one with a massive upset against
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utah valley a little bit of backstory through this game I'm
8:25
pretty sure it was one to one until like the 90th minute when Michigan native
8:29
Faith Weber scores the goal that puts Utah Valley ahead so nice little I'm sure
8:35
there's probably some extra emotions out of that one for a loss in Ann Arbor
8:39
for Michigan and then they go to Xavier and lose 3-0 what's going on with Michigan.
8:45
Um michigan i mean they've had a tough go of it they won the big 10 conference my,
8:53
freshman year yep okay
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so my freshman year they were top dogs they won
8:59
it and then it was all kind of downhill from there they lost a lot of players
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and they have found themselves at the bottom these past few years pretty much
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and i'm surprised a little bit by their schedule lineup up because you had Utah
9:13
Valley Xavier both losses and then they're going to Colorado.
9:18
For their next game and then they're at home for Notre Dame I
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just if I'm throwing out predictions I would say they're going to go 0-4 in
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these first four games I think this is a tough schedule for a team that struggled
9:29
in the past and North Carolina only beat Colorado 3-2 this weekend and so I
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mean that says it there Colorado's here to play they're here to be a great team
9:38
and so it's a really tough tough battle.
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I mean, as I don't know if we remember, but last year, Michigan finished ninth
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in the Big Ten Conference.
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So they did not make the Big Ten Tournament, but it's strong enough non-conference
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to get them into the NCAA tournament.
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And obviously right now we're not off on the start to make a repeat happen.
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So it'll be super interesting to watch the trajectory of this Wolverine squad so far.
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Absolutely. It's so hard to go at Colorado with the elevation change and everything
10:03
we went through last year.
10:04
That's a tough, that's a tough game. And I would be be surprised if they came
10:07
out with the win and maybe hopefully they turn it around here I think you know
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preseason you always kind of root for big 10 teams although it is Michigan so
10:15
not really but it'll be interesting to kind of keep up with them I.
10:21
I don't know. They've struggled in the past, and I'm a little bit concerned
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for their schedule here.
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It looks like these first four games are going to be pretty difficult for them.
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And how do you recover from that?
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If you do go 0-4, that's mentally really tough to be able to recover from and
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turn it around in time for season.
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Absolutely. And you know, there's 18 teams in the Big Ten this year,
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so we're not going to be able to give highlights on every single team's weekend.
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But as always, you can find team social media to have more information.
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And Jordan, I will always be back with the big moments in the big life to start every week.
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But there's some other women's soccer news that is going on that I don't know. I feel like I'm drawn to.
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And that is the Women's Super League from England crossing over with the NWSL this week for games.
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So we had Washington Spirit versus Arsenal play on Sunday night.
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And then on Monday night, we have Gotham versus Chelsea.
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And so Arsenal did beat Washington Spirit. And I know, especially being overseas,
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a lot of my Twitter feed, I feel like, is, you know, what is the best league in the world?
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You know, where are the best players playing? And there's always debate. Is it NWSL? Is it WSL?
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So on and so forth. So I know I've seen some Twitter spras going on between the two fan bases.
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And it's going to be really interesting to see how these two different leagues really shake out.
11:38
Absolutely. I think it's a battle of styles. I, you know, I'm fortunate enough
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to have gone over this past Christmas break and I played against some WSL teams,
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you know, like the real roster teams.
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And it is a completely different style than I think you see a lot of these NWSL
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teams and just American soccer or football in general.
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And, you know, I think from what I've heard, a lot of people believe that the
12:03
superior league is the WSL.
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You know, NWSL is still popular.
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Fairly new in comparison and they had brought over
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a lot more talent and are maintaining a lot more talent where in previous years
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a lot of the top Americans would go overseas and
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play in these leagues so I think the NWSL is growing and
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growing in strength but a two-to-one game is not a blow-up by any means so I
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think it's definitely a statement and that we're here to compete and it'll be
12:30
interesting to see how the rest of these games turn out and I hope that they
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continue to have these crossovers because they're super exciting to kind of
12:35
see that those differences the differences is in soccer.
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That's what I was going to say. One thing I think it's beyond amazing to applaud
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the ability for these two teams in these two leagues to square off.
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I feel like when you see a debate about who's better, often you see them never
12:49
want to play each other because they want to keep that debate happening.
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And so I think it says a lot. We have the battle of the champions,
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the WSL champion versus the NWSL champion in Gotham last year.
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And I think that that's going to be a really interesting battle.
13:02
You know, I did sit down and I watched the entire Arsenal -Washington Spirit game.
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And there's some interesting, you know, like you can point out the fact that
13:09
like Arsenal is technically a preseason and they have a lot of new players on
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their squad, whereas Washington Spirit is, you know, mid-season,
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but they also didn't play with.
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Hal Hershoff, Kermit Bethune, or Trenny Rodman, who were with the U.S. in the Olympics.
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So, you know, you're always going to have your like, oh, well,
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if we would have had her, well, if we would have had her.
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Personally, as someone who watched the game, I think that Arsenal could have
13:30
finished even more chances and probably made it not as close to the game.
13:34
But when it comes to comparing the leagues, like you said, it's such a different style.
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And I think the difference is the depth of the league in general.
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I think the NWSL has a lot of really great teams where when you play everyone,
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it's going to be a game. There is no gimme a games.
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If you look at the WSL, you have Chelsea, you have Arsenal, you have Man City,
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you have a lot of great talent at the top.
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But then there does tend to be some disparity at the bottom.
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And so I think that those are really the main difference.
14:00
I do think the top is the top in the WSL. but if
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you're comparing leagues it's a different kind of truth yeah that's
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a really that's a valid point very interesting take there
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and yeah i just like i said i hope they continue to do this i think it's super
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fun and exciting as a fan and it's it's definitely something to be able to look
14:17
at and compare these two leagues too another thing that happened is we had our
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episode last week the usl super league kicked off with the some impressive crowds
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here to start the season Absolutely.
14:27
There was three games in the Super League played.
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There was a one-to-one tie with Tampa and Dallas, a 1-0 win between Carolina
14:36
and D.C., and a one-to-one tie between Spokane and Fort Lauderdale.
14:41
So really close games, but I think the more impressive thing was the crowds.
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There was sold-out crowds in all three avenues, showing excitement about this new league.
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There's a lot of questions about what it's going to bring, what does it mean.
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But I think the biggest thing that this weekend answered is that there is an
14:57
audience if people want it.
14:58
And so I think that was the most exciting thing that stood out to me about this USL this week.
15:03
Oh yeah, absolutely. And I stand by my statement in terms of my opinion for
15:06
the USL from last week is you can't be mad at more opportunities for players.
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And that's exactly what this is.
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And it's exciting to see. It's exciting to see people support women's sports,
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no matter what league it is or where it is, especially women's soccer.
15:18
So I absolutely love to see it.
15:20
And it'll be interesting to watch
15:22
as they continue to grow and see how the season pans out for all of them.
15:25
Completely agree. And that is it for our news this week. And what is big in the big life?
15:36
I am so excited about our interview today. We actually talked with Mackenzie
15:41
Jones, who transferred from Grand Valley State University, D2.
15:46
She played there for four years, actually overlapped, had the same coach as
15:49
Jordan for a year, Jeff Hosler, and then for her fifth year decided to enter
15:54
the transfer portal and ends up at Purdue.
15:57
So going from D2 to the big life. So we get all in with Kenzie,
16:00
talking all about her journey, her transfer portal, how she ended up in the
16:04
big life, and comparing Division II to the big life.
16:07
So, so excited for Kenzie to join us on the pod.
16:10
All right, and we are here with the incredible Mackenzie Jones,
16:15
who I'm so, so excited to have on this podcast.
16:17
A little bit of background on Mackenzie.
16:20
So she is from St. Petersburg, Missouri, and originally committed to Grand Valley
16:24
State University at a D2 level, where she played there for four years,
16:28
racking up numerous awards,
16:30
basically being headlined with national champion and first team All-American
16:35
at the Division II level.
16:36
Then for your fifth year, you decide
16:38
to transfer and you end up at Purdue University, now living the big life.
16:43
So Kenzie, thank you so, so much for coming on the pod.
16:46
Thanks for having me. Excited to be here. I have so many questions and I'm so,
16:50
so excited to hear a little bit more about your journey and your perspective,
16:53
especially as you've entered this new phase of your fifth year.
16:56
But I think my biggest question for you is after such a successful four years
17:01
at Grand Valley, what was the decision point for you to want to move on to another
17:05
program and enter the transfer portal?
17:07
So it was a super last minute decision. I didn't think I like kind of was like,
17:11
Oh, I'm going to transfer till end of April.
17:14
So I kind of like had one more spring game left against Michigan.
17:18
And I kind of hit me I was like, Okay, like I, I want to see what I can do.
17:23
I feel like I've accomplished everything I can here.
17:26
What's my next step? I didn't want to waste, not waste, that's the wrong word,
17:30
but I didn't want to just go through the motions of my last year.
17:33
I really wanted to push myself and see what I could achieve.
17:36
So I was like, okay, it's time to be uncomfortable.
17:39
It's time to really push yourself. And I just wanted to see if I could play
17:42
at that level. And here I am.
17:45
So did you always know you were going to to take that fifth year?
17:49
No, actually my freshman year, I was like locked down for the first five weeks
17:53
of college because like roommate after roommate kept getting COVID.
17:56
And Jeff asked me as soon as like we got it, he's like, so are you taking your
17:59
fifth year? And I was like,
18:01
I don't know, but I think I figured out after my sophomore year,
18:06
I was like kind of beginning of my junior year.
18:08
I was like, okay, I think I'm going to take it. Like I really enjoy college soccer a lot.
18:12
Yeah. So for anyone who doesn't know, Jeff Hosler is now the current coach for
18:16
Michigan State. He came in when I came in, but before that he was the coach at Grand Valley.
18:20
So you got a full year with him. So we have that in common. What was he like
18:23
coaching you? I'm curious.
18:25
He was very, he was very intense and he had very high expectations,
18:29
but he also was very good at like in little moments like kind of pulling you
18:34
aside and being like hey you're doing good like he kind of gave you that reassurance
18:38
but you really had to earn it it's like when you got a good job from him you're
18:41
like this is the best day ever okay okay yep.
18:48
It's like going into this you say it was a late decision to go into the transfer
18:52
portal especially because you know so much of the transfer portal seems to happen
18:56
after that December window.
18:58
And that's what a lot of the movement of girls are committing are right at the end of season.
19:01
So what was it like navigating the window, especially on a delayed notice compared to other people?
19:07
It definitely was tougher. Like I'd have schools respond and they're like,
19:11
Hey, like, like, Oh, I, we need like a six, like, and then they're like, Oh my gosh, nevermind.
19:17
Someone just changed their mind. They're actually coming back.
19:20
It's a lot of turnover happening at a lot of schools,
19:22
a lot of coaching changes and people trying to
19:25
learn their new environment so that part was definitely difficult but I
19:28
also had a lot of people vouching for me I had
19:31
three completely different coaching staffs in four years
19:34
at Grand Valley which is not normal and I
19:38
bet like at least one coach from every one of those coaching staffs was
19:41
like really great at giving advice and guiding me
19:44
and like vouching for me to other coaches so it definitely
19:48
helped a lot so as you're going through this process Purdue
19:51
eventually reaches is out what makes you decide that this
19:54
is where you want to call your home I really liked
19:58
so Purdue got new coaches this or November
20:01
and so they had like a whole spring together and then they kind of had a big
20:06
turnover rate I think they they cut some girls to create like a new environment
20:10
a healthier environment and so they had a lot of transfers coming in and that
20:14
made me feel a lot more comfortable like okay I'm not coming into this team
20:18
that's so close and I'm like that one outsider.
20:21
There's a lot of girls in the same boat as me, which I really liked that.
20:25
It's Big Ten, which is what I wanted. And I really like the coaching staff.
20:28
They're young, they're hungry, they're excited, they're passionate.
20:32
And I really appreciated that.
20:34
Yeah, that's super awesome. And
20:36
so you kind of talk about this decision of wanting to go into the Big Ten.
20:39
As a podcast called The Big Life, talking about our experiences in the Big Ten,
20:43
what was it that was like, okay, if I'm going to take my fifth year and want
20:47
that next level, Why was the Big Ten that you viewed as that next level for you?
20:53
In the spring, we've always played Big Ten teams. I played Michigan in the spring
20:57
because my third head coach came from Michigan.
20:59
So we would always play her team in the spring.
21:02
And I just enjoyed the level of competition. We played Illinois in the spring.
21:08
And then in summer league, just playing against a bunch of Big Ten girls.
21:11
I was like, okay, this is fun. I like this level of intensity and level of passion.
21:16
And I really had a lot of respect for it. so you go
21:19
into committing for Purdue and then
21:22
pre-season obviously start a couple weeks ago when
21:26
did you get on campus to produce like when did
21:28
that acclimation period kind of start for you so I
21:31
was actually it kind of shocked me I was one of the first people here
21:34
and I got other than the girls who I stayed over summer but I
21:37
got here July 17th and then
21:40
like pre pre-season started the 21st so but
21:44
the acclimation was really easy the girls were really great
21:47
very like as soon as they got here they're like hey like we're doing this or this
21:49
or this like come on and I was like okay so it was really nice so as you've
21:54
now had a little bit of time I know it's still pretty early into season but
21:57
going from Grand Valley to Purdue what are some of the similarities and differences
22:01
you've noticed between the divisions and the levels of D2 to D1 say the difference
22:07
is maybe Maybe consistency,
22:10
like at Grand Valley, like there would be great passes, great balls,
22:14
great ideas, but it wasn't ever like, it's not as consistent as it is here.
22:19
It'd be like one, I don't know. I guess that's a big difference is the level
22:22
of consistency and like technicality, finishing, defending, just everything all across the board.
22:29
But I think a big similarity is just the journey itself.
22:33
I guess I've noticed a lot. Like there's still girls who are going to thrive
22:38
and have a great preseason and play a lot.
22:41
And there's girls who are going to struggle and go through the same mental challenges
22:45
that anyone goes through at any school. I think it's very similar.
22:50
You know, I feel like there's an unfortunate, I don't want to say stigma,
22:54
but there's a mentality that surrounds like Division two universities and especially
22:58
one that you went to where you said you've played against Division one schools.
23:01
I know you've beat Division one schools.
23:03
You know, you're at a high, high level at that, you know, regard that some people may not see it at.
23:08
What kind of stigma or like, do you think you faced when committing and choosing
23:13
to go to a D2 that maybe you don't have now at a Big Ten?
23:17
I think not only committing to a D2, but a D2 that no one really knew what it was, where I'm from,
23:23
was definitely like, I think it was really good for me because it made me realize
23:28
like, I'm not doing this just to say like, oh, I'm going to this school to play.
23:33
Like, I'm doing this because I truly love the school. I truly love the environment.
23:37
I truly want to be there, not just for the image.
23:41
I'm doing it for the environment. And so I think it was really good for me,
23:44
but it definitely had some stigma. People were like, oh, like, what is that?
23:49
And you're like, oh, it's just up in Michigan. Like even here,
23:52
like after training, it's been like, oh, where's your old school?
23:54
And I'm like, oh, it was a D2 up in Michigan. And like, they're like, okay.
23:59
So it definitely had some stigma to it, which is understandable.
24:03
Yeah, you talked about the differences on the field, but we all know that the
24:08
big life that we call it is a lot more of being a student athlete and a lot
24:13
of different things that we somehow end up doing end up being a part of at our universities.
24:17
So what would you say has been like the biggest differences for you living the
24:21
life of a student athlete at a Big Ten school?
24:23
School yeah it's definitely different so
24:26
I'm doing like a communication leadership like online
24:30
certificate so not a whole lot of school
24:32
thank goodness but I will say like even my day tomorrow like I wake up I've
24:38
lift and then I have an individual session from 10 to 10 30 and then I have
24:44
film like individual film from 11 to 11 30 and then practice in the afternoon versus my old school,
24:50
it was like, okay, you wake up, you have practice and then lifts right after and then whatever.
24:55
So I think there's a lot more emphasis on recovery, rehab.
25:00
I'm coming back from an injury right now. So spending even more time doing that.
25:05
So there's just a lot less free time, I would say, in the big life than there is at Division II.
25:11
These individual sessions, are they structured with the coaching staff or is
25:15
it just something you do on your own?
25:18
We do it with one of our assistant coaches. So it's in Teamworks and you just
25:21
sign up for a time slot if you want to do it. It's completely optional.
25:25
And then they set the session up for you and it's extremely helpful.
25:30
Yeah, that's awesome. What have you noticed? You've been recruited twice now
25:35
as you go through your original process and then through the transfer process.
25:39
If you had to give some sort of advice, what have you noticed as you went through
25:44
this that you've learned or that you wish you knew or that you knew for the
25:48
second time going through it that you wish you knew the first time as you went
25:50
through this recruitment process?
25:53
Yeah, definitely. I would say something I kept in mind is know what you want.
25:57
If you want to come in and you want to play right away be aware of that and
26:01
know your strengths your weaknesses your limitations,
26:04
if you want to come in and really challenge yourself and see
26:07
how much you can grow I would say know that too that's what I recommend the
26:12
most like the worst thing I feel like you can do is set yourself up for failure
26:16
by not being prepared and by not knowing who you are as a soccer player I'd
26:21
also say style of play I'm very like I'm a possession oriented person like that's
26:25
It's my favorite thing to do.
26:26
I'm not, kick and run isn't really my favorite.
26:29
As a six, that's kind of normal, I think.
26:33
But I would say know your playing style, know the coaching that you like.
26:38
If you like a screamer, if you like an intense environment, know that and kind
26:42
of watch the coach during practice.
26:44
I kind of like that to an extent. I like an intense environment with positive feedback mixed in.
26:51
But some girls like just a very positive, relaxed environment,
26:54
and that's where they thrive in so I would say know your strengths know your
26:58
weaknesses know your limitations know what you want so now looking forward a
27:03
little bit you've had your first game day weekend Purdue winning or winning
27:07
one losing one this weekend what does it mean and what are you looking forward
27:11
to for this Big Ten season going forward.
27:14
Growth I'm so excited like we're a brand new team we
27:17
have I think 13 new girls something
27:20
crazy 11 new girls or something and just
27:23
the highs and lows and learning each other and
27:26
learning how we play together learning how to mesh and I'm
27:30
just excited to see what we can do I feel like this is just the start and
27:33
I feel like once we truly get comfortable with each other and get
27:36
a good understanding which we will I think it'll be
27:39
a really good season yeah luckily I
27:42
mean I guess unluckily with that answer like we play each
27:46
other the last game of the season for Big
27:49
Ten Conference play on October 27th so you guys got a lot of time to figure
27:55
it out here I'm a little nervous now it's so full circle I'm like first college
28:00
game with Jeff last regular season college game with Jeff I'm like wow a little
28:05
poetic maybe we'll have to like
28:07
play some mind games or something, have him start like yelling at you on the field.
28:14
I love it. One thing about Purdue this year is just the newness of it all.
28:18
You have a new coaching staff, you have a lot of new players,
28:21
and the Big Ten in general is new with four new teams being added and so much going into the ringer.
28:27
What is it that's going to make Purdue women's soccer successful this season?
28:31
I would say our leadership. I think we have really good leadership From the
28:35
coaching staff to the captains to the bench to everyone in between,
28:39
I think everyone has the same goal in mind of success and is willing to do anything
28:44
they need to do, whether it's on or off the field.
28:48
And I think that alone creates a culture that leads to success that I really
28:53
respect and appreciate and I think will help us thrive in a new conference and
28:58
in a new environment with new teams.
28:59
We kind of talked about a bit about the stigma in some regards of going D2.
29:03
And, you know, you talked about so positively your experience and saying that
29:07
that's what you needed at the time.
29:08
For an athlete who's currently, you know, debating about, do I want to go Division
29:12
I route? Do I want to go Division II?
29:14
What, I guess, advice would you say to them, especially emphasizing your pathway in Division II?
29:21
My biggest advice would be put your ego aside.
29:24
Don't care what people think. and if
29:27
they're like oh you're going like oh it's d2 like
29:30
don't care like be secure in yourself like know that
29:34
you are amazing alone for playing college sports because that's not easy at
29:39
all and like don't worry about what other people think if you find a d1 program
29:43
that you think that you're better than a d2 then that's great if you find a
29:46
d2 that's better for you than a d1 that is great too and that's still an amazing
29:51
accomplishment so that's my greatest advice.
29:55
Great advice. We talked a lot about how you got to Purdue now and kind of a
30:00
little bit about your journey at Grand Valley, but going backwards,
30:03
how did you end up at Grand Valley?
30:05
What was that kind of recruitment process and story like?
30:08
Yeah, so my club coach at the time was actually friends with Jeff.
30:12
So we had a tournament out in North Carolina.
30:17
And so Jeff saw me playing there and asked me to come to a camp.
30:21
And so I was like, all right, like, why not?
30:24
Because my coach was like, I think you should really do like,
30:26
it's a really cool school. And I never heard of it. So I was like,
30:29
but I researched it. I was like, okay, this seems really cool.
30:32
So I went out to an ID camp there.
30:34
And then Jeff came and watched me play a couple more times. And then he was
30:40
like, offered me like for the team, and I definitely still needed I wasn't ready
30:44
to make a decision And it was back when you were like committing at 15.
30:48
Thank goodness there's like new rules now. But so I just wasn't ready.
30:53
And he like really respected that I needed my time, which was nice.
30:56
And I think it was like a year long process because I was like,
31:00
I'm not ready. I don't know what I want. I don't know what I want.
31:03
And then August going into my junior year of high school, I committed.
31:07
I was like, okay, I know what I want now.
31:10
I know there's a lot of conversation, especially with like kids and parents
31:14
trying to figure out, are ID camps worth it?
31:17
Like, in your opinion, would you say like, that's something that you should
31:21
definitely do and look into if you want to get recruited?
31:23
Or is it something that you feel like
31:24
maybe only if the coach invites you personally, like they did for you?
31:29
No, I do. I think they're worth it completely. But I again, I feel like it goes
31:33
back to knowing your strengths and limitations.
31:36
Like if I would have gone to like a Stanford ID camp, I probably wouldn't have done much for me.
31:42
But like I found the schools that fit my skill level and that I knew what and
31:47
I think those were extremely beneficial for me to go to.
31:50
So overall, you're looking back 16 year old Mackenzie just committed to play at Grand Valley.
31:55
You have an incredible journey over those four
31:58
years like I said all-american national champion
32:01
so many things that I'm sure you'll treasure with ever now you're
32:05
taking your fifth year at a big 10 university going into
32:08
a brand new season with them looking back on that journey where do you feel
32:13
like the emotions what are the feelings when you think about that trajectory
32:16
that college soccer took you on just gratitude like it has been the best thing
32:21
for me ever like it's like I've had some really high highs. I've had some really low lows.
32:27
But just going through all of it and adjusting to all of it,
32:30
I'm just so grateful for it.
32:32
Grand Valley was the best thing for me for four years.
32:35
I loved every moment of it. And I kind of feel like I'm living on borrowed time
32:39
right now with just the COVID year.
32:41
And I'm just, again, grateful just to play Big Ten soccer too.
32:45
And not a lot of people get to experience both.
32:48
And it's an amazing experience. So just gratitude and just happy and just enjoying it all.
32:56
All right. You got anything else, Jordan? I mean, bonus points if you got anything.
33:01
Anything at Sam. I'll take anything.
33:03
There's got to be something embarrassing or like a story.
33:08
We used to do Guitar Hero in the
33:12
basement and we would dress up all in
33:14
like Sam's clothes and like they were ridiculous
33:17
outfits but like at the time we thought like I think Sam had some like button-up
33:22
plaid vest that was like we would like compete for every time just like who
33:27
got to wear it and then Sam would also like sing and she had her like little
33:33
glasses that she had when we were
33:35
younger and it was like the craziest looking
33:38
thing ever why are you
33:41
doing this to me it was i mean i was
33:44
right there with you like it was good it was not our best i had to move to europe
33:50
away from this imagery oh oh my gosh well ken thank you so so much for spending
33:56
some time with us we're super super grateful for you sharing your story and
33:59
we really appreciate it yeah thank you Yeah, thanks for having me.
34:02
This has been really fun.
34:04
Thank you again. I'm only a little embarrassed from some of the personal stories
34:08
that Kenzie has shared, but I'm so thankful for her joining us and really just
34:13
sharing her experience in that transition of going from D2 to the big life.
34:16
Yeah, absolutely. Amazing interview. It's always so nice to hear someone else's
34:21
perspective because like me and Sam will never know what it's like to be able
34:25
to go through that transition.
34:26
Both of us have stayed at our college for all four years. We
34:29
don't know what the transfer is like we don't know what other divisions
34:32
or other schools are like so I always love to kind of hear that perspective
34:35
and soccer is such a big world and there's so many different experiences so
34:38
just to be able to broaden it a little bit and Sam
34:41
I know you're in charge of editing now but those better
34:44
make the cut no promises no like I used to joke though like I don't know if
34:51
you remember the the meme going on from a year ago like what's your Roman Empire
34:55
and like I remember Remember making the joke like my Roman Empire is what goes
34:58
on in other women's soccer college programs and like trying to figure that out.
35:02
So I so appreciate we got we got two more gems about what goes on in Purdue
35:05
and what goes on in Grand Valley.
35:07
So I'm super excited for Kenzie for taking her time and joining us on.
35:10
Absolutely. I love the individual sessions and stuff that they sign up for because
35:14
a lot of our stuff is team oriented.
35:16
And then you can do those things if you would like to have an individual meeting with the coach.
35:21
But a lot of times it's small group or just team things.
35:24
So the fact that they just do individuals right off the bat that you can sign
35:28
up for and that they have it structured that way where it's not so scary to
35:31
sign up for them, especially as a new player coming in, I thought was really interesting. thing.
35:35
Absolutely. So Jordan, big week ahead, home opener, first time back at DeMartin
35:40
playing Arkansas. How are you feeling going into the game?
35:43
I am feeling, I feel good. We played Arkansas once before in my career.
35:49
We ended up going to them. It was at a time where Michigan State was not great.
35:55
You know, our reputation wasn't great.
35:57
So we went to them and we ended up competing really well. We lost one,
36:01
nothing, but we've had our fair share of opportunities.
36:03
I think Even with that loss, it was a huge confidence booster in our program,
36:06
our team, to see that we can compete with schools at that level.
36:09
Going into this game now, we're here to win. We are at that level.
36:13
We have back-to-back champs. We have done all the things. We have the success.
36:17
We have worked our butts off these past four years as a program to rebuild and
36:22
restructure to put ourselves in a great position to be able to not only compete
36:25
with them, but to win and to win at home.
36:28
So they're putting a lot of work into this game from a media department and
36:33
all that advertising is our first home opener.
36:35
Everyone's kind of moving in on campus right now. So I'm really,
36:38
really excited for that.
36:40
I'm also kind of sad, though, you know, this this is the end of the or the beginning
36:45
of the end, I guess, you know, this this one Notre Dame I knew I was sitting
36:49
out for because of injury and this game.
36:52
I should be back Tuesday. I don't know if I'll participate or not.
36:55
That's not my decision. Obviously, that's up to the coaching staff.
36:58
But I'll be healthy for and it'll be kind of.
37:02
The beginning of the end for my senior year here is we have my last first home
37:07
opener, my last home opener.
37:09
And then we've turned around to Sunday and that's senior night already.
37:12
And I cry every time I think about it. So it's going to be an emotional week, I think, for me.
37:17
My gosh, that's an early senior night. You guys are really, really kicking that
37:21
off early going into senior night.
37:23
Okay, let's dive in here. I remember my senior night. I remember bawling my
37:27
eyes out on my senior night.
37:29
How are we feeling going into that? like obviously I'm
37:32
sure a lot but talk a little bit more about that yeah I
37:36
went to dinner with a couple of my teammates last night
37:39
two nights ago I went to dinner with them two nights ago and you
37:42
know they're like really dived into like the logistics of senior night and everything
37:46
and I immediately started crying like ugly tears I just I'm not I'm not ready
37:51
you know I think they do it early in the season to kind of hopefully make it
37:56
less emotional for us because it's not truly the end.
38:00
But like I said, it's the beginning of the end. And it's one of those things
38:03
where this program has meant so much to me and you become nostalgic.
38:08
And looking back at my career, I have accomplished more than I ever dreamed possible for myself.
38:13
Michigan State has given me so many opportunities and I will forever be grateful
38:18
for this university and for this program.
38:20
And it almost like, it doesn't start the clock because we've already had games
38:25
for it, but it is so close to the beginning.
38:27
I'm like, you know, clock's ticking towards the end of my career here and my
38:32
end of my time in this program.
38:34
And I'm not ready for that to happen yet. You know, I'm so thankful and I'm
38:38
so filled with joy to be a part of this team and to be a part of this program
38:41
and to have spent my four years here that it's sad.
38:44
It's sad to think about and to see and to have it all kind of wrap up.
38:48
But it's also so amazing. You know,
38:51
the tears come because I had such an amazing experience
38:54
and to have something so special that
38:57
it hurts to say goodbye so badly you know
39:00
it's it's been amazing it's been an amazing career and we've talked about recruiting
39:03
process and my journey and all that stuff never in a million years would I have
39:06
suspected to be here to be in the position I am and to be competing on this
39:10
team and it's been it's been amazing it's gonna be an emotional emotional uh
39:15
walk though I am I got a bone to pick with our gymnastics team though.
39:20
Three of my roommates are gymnasts. I spend a lot of time with the gymnastics
39:24
team, love them, love those girls, some of my favorite people in the entire world.
39:29
But they scheduled something for the day, so they won't be there.
39:32
So I'm really mad at their coach.
39:34
But other than that, it will be a good night, I think. And we play Ohio,
39:38
so it seems fitting as an Ohio girl.
39:42
No, I mean, I remember my senior night, and not to put anything on it,
39:46
I remember I think my worst game of my college career was played on my senior night.
39:49
And I think so much of it is because you're thinking of the emotions and it
39:52
is so hard to say goodbye and like flipping that switch
39:55
so I'll be like oh and now I have to compete like because you
39:59
give your whole heart to a school and everything it represents
40:01
I know like honestly I still like I'm a year removed now from college athletics
40:07
just scary but like I find myself checking Iowa's timeline and being a little
40:12
remiss about like life and like I I know my time there is done and I've you
40:16
know that's the best thing but like
40:19
it's hard not to feel that way when it's a program you gave your whole heart and soul to.
40:23
So I think the biggest thing I can tell you is someone that had their senior
40:26
night last year is like, let the tears flow. It's okay.
40:30
I remember like trying to hold it in and be like, I'm not going to cry.
40:33
I'm not going to cry, but it's, it's good to cry.
40:36
It's just crying now. I mean, cause it's, it is emotional.
40:40
And so I think just like soaking those moments in, and I think the best part
40:44
is like, I do like that they've moved senior night so early because like,
40:47
that's not your last time on the field. And you know that.
40:50
And that adds a whole other weight. But there is something really emotional about it.
40:54
And you've given your heart, your soul, your blood, your sweat,
40:57
your tears, everything in this program.
40:58
And so it's a good way of honoring you instead of saying goodbye.
41:01
And so that's the best way to think about it.
41:03
Oh, yeah. I think it adds a level of emotion. It was going to be emotional for
41:06
me no matter what, because I mean, I bawled my eyes out in my high school and
41:10
like I just there was there was never a doubt I was going to cry.
41:14
But adds a level of emotion after my injury and being faced with the conversations
41:19
of retirement and just how draining my summer was with it and everything that's gone on with it.
41:25
I'm just happy to be here, that I get this night. I get to walk.
41:28
I get to wear the jersey still. I get to play.
41:32
Because as silly as it is, it is these little moments that mean so much to me.
41:36
I love playing soccer. I love the game aspect.
41:39
But when you're faced with this level of retirement or that conversation,
41:43
in the back of my head, I'm thinking, like, what about my senior night?
41:48
Like, what about these little moments come along with this season that you get to hold on to?
41:54
And to be able to go and to have this moment and to be able to be healthy and
41:58
to be able to compete and to be able to still play soccer,
42:01
I think it adds a level of emotion for me personally that comes along with it
42:05
in addition to it being an emotional day period because, like I said,
42:10
I'm not ready to grow up. I'm not ready to say goodbye. Yeah.
42:13
Yeah, it'll be some interesting pictures, I think. I don't think any of these
42:16
will be postable or turn out well at all.
42:21
I'm going to need a crocodile tear picture for you to be my new profile picture. So just so you know.
42:28
I am not a pretty crier. I mean, it's ugly.
42:31
I mean, I'm really nervous, actually, because if they post any of these,
42:35
I'm done for. I know it already.
42:38
I don't even know. I wonder what jersey we're going to wear. because if we wear
42:41
white too then I really can't wear any makeup I was
42:44
like mascara just running I mean I don't
42:47
know like personally if Michigan State soccer were to post it
42:50
like I will be reposting so big life fans need
42:52
to know if Jordan Ugly cried I will be your source of
42:55
media information I will literally buy photoshop
42:59
or facetune or whatever and you'll see the Michigan State
43:02
version of it and then you'll see me and they won't even look
43:05
similar at all and I won't care oh my god
43:08
real well i am so looking forward
43:11
next week to hearing how your special day goes i can't
43:14
wait for the program to honor you for such an amazing impact that you have and
43:17
i know it'll be beyond special and something you'll forever cherish so i'm sending
43:22
so much love to you from sweden to enjoy this night i know all of our listeners
43:25
are so happy senior day jordan we will talk all about it next week and for everyone else soccer on.