When Merel Van Dongen joined the Alabama soccer team from Amsterdam, Netherlands last year, she had to adjust to American culture, the life of a college student and regularly speaking English.
But she had no problem adjusting to life on the field. Van Dongen scored three goals and three assists, earned SEC All-Freshman honors and was named SEC Freshman of the Year.
Van Dongen’s story is hardly unique to the UA soccer team recently under head coach Todd Bramble. Ten girls will be looking to make the same impact this year.
“We’re already forming a team, which is really good,” Van Dongen said. “Sometimes freshmen need time to get used to everything, but they’re totally part of the team. Everyone is. We’re on the same page. They know how we like to play; they know what to do on the field. I’m really positive about our freshmen.”
Before Van Dongen, it was Pia Rijsdijk, another Dutch player who came in and had early success. Rijsdijk scored five goals and had seven assists her freshman year and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team.
“A lot of it falls back on us being able to get the most talented players, the ones that are ready,” Bramble said. “Freshmen all come in at different places. Some of them have a long way to go, are sort of in over their head. Some of them need a month. Some of them are ready to go right from the start.”
This year there is a large group from which the next star freshman could come. Bramble signed nine players on national signing day and added a 10th later in March.
Bramble once again signed a player from Europe, adding Mia Jahr from Norway. Van Dongen and senior midfielder Molly Atherton said Jahr is already making a good impression.
“Mia has done well since she’s been here,” Atherton said. “It’s probably the most she’s trained in her life, but she’s really gotten into it and made a difference. We’re looking forward to having her.”
Atherton said there is a lot that goes into being able to contribute right away.
“First of all you have to be fit. That’s the main thing,” she said. “And second of all you just have to come in and know that you want to start and you want to fight for a starting position right when you get here. You can’t come in and think, ‘Oh I’m the youngest, I may not get on the field.’ You’ve got to come in and want it.”
Bramble noted two early adds that have a chance to make a difference. Auburn Mercer and Jordan Meyer both enrolled in January, which gave them an early advantage and put them on the fast track to starting this weekend’s season opener.
“By the time that they’ve played with us all spring and even played in our two preseason games here, they’ve played 10 college games already before they’ll start against Wake Forest on Sunday in their first real game as a freshman,” Bramble said. “That’s a huge advantage for players like that.”
