Upperclassmen kick Gophers soccer into Big Ten's upper class

Before the season, Simone Kolander and her fellow upperclassmen crafted a set of standards for the Gophers soccer team. Players would be expected to eat properly, arrive on time for every practice, spend extra time working on skills and go to bed early.

The most critical of the new rules, Kolander knew, would be challenging to carry out. "We told ourselves, 'No complaining,' " the junior forward said. "In the past, if someone did something wrong, people would just get upset and complain behind their back. It can be hard to go up to someone and talk to them and work out the issue. But all great teams have that kind of communication."

With that philosophy in place, the Gophers have had little to complain about. Their 11-3-3 record has earned them a No. 19 ranking — the first time in five years they have cracked the nation's top 25 — and they are tied for second with Penn State in the Big Ten with a 6-2-1 mark heading into Friday's game at No. 12 Rutgers.

Kolander has set the tone on the field as well, scoring 10 goals this season and topping the Big Ten with six game-winners. The Gophers also have benefited from the rapid integration of a freshman class rich with Minnesotans, three of whom play vital roles for a team on pace for its best season since 2010.

After suggesting to her players that attention to detail could pay major dividends, fourth-year coach Stefanie Golan said their dedication has been impressive.

"It's one thing for it to be dictated from the coaches," Golan said. "But we have a great group of upperclassmen who have taken ownership of it.

"They're very hungry to help this program get back to the NCAA tournament, win a Big Ten championship and take those steps forward. They feel like they can make an impact on the culture of the program long-term, not just in the short term. They take that very seriously, and you're seeing the results of that."

The Gophers were predicted to finish sixth in the Big Ten this season. Golan thought they were capable of a top-four league finish, given what they had and what they were adding.

The team's strong, experienced junior class includes five players — Kolander, Josee Stiever, Ashley Pafko, Rashida Beal and goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs — who started last season and accounted for nearly half of the team's points. Sophomore Rachel McCloskey made the Big Ten all-freshman team last season with three goals in 14 games before she was injured.

They were supplemented by six freshmen, five of whom played on the same Twin Cities club team last year. April Bockin of Eden Prairie and Molly Fiedler of Eagan are starters, and Bockin is tied for the team lead with four assists. Emily Heslin of Woodbury has played in all 17 games.

Golan was counting on the rookies to help right away, and she said the team's success would hinge on making them feel comfortable as quickly as possible. Kolander and her fellow upperclassmen followed their pledge to communicate openly, becoming teachers and mentors for their young teammates.

"They didn't just say things," Bockin said. "They've shown us what to do to be successful at this level. We really look up to them. Everyone has bought into the team atmosphere."

Golan said she has seen Kolander and other veterans grow in other ways, too. Rather than simply setting goals this season, the coach asked her players to consider the small daily habits that provide the foundation for championships.

She believed they were mature enough to recognize how vital those habits were, to this season and to the future. With players who rewarded her faith, she — and they — are eager to see what happens next.

"If we do the little things right, the big things will happen on their own," Kolander said. "It's important for our seniors and juniors to lead the way. If we're giving the underclassmen the right message about what this program is all about, then they're going to follow in our footsteps. That's how you build."

Rachel Blount • 612-673-4389