Dani Herubin didn’t plan on a collegiate soccer career. In fact, she gave up that dream before ever graduating high school.

Her friends called her crazy; they said she would play again. And now that she is, she couldn’t be happier.

“When I chose not to play, my whole [club] team thought I was crazy,” Herubin said. “They got so excited when they found out I was coming back to [play] soccer.”

Herubin was invited to walk onto the Crimson Tide this past spring after playing for Alabama’s club team.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Herubin said. “Obviously I love the game. It’s been great to compete and play with the team. The team was so welcoming.”

Coach Todd Bramble said Herubin didn’t expect his phone call. He said it shook up all of her plans.

“The phone call that she got from me took her by surprise,” Bramble said. “I don’t think she was expecting to hear from us at that point.”

Herubin, a junior majoring in chemical engineering, decided her sophomore year of high school that she wanted to be a regular student.

So far, this season has seen a lot of her. The first-year walk-on made her collegiate start in September against Denver. Herubin scored her first goal just before halftime at the Georgia game. She also helped assist the game-winning goal against the Bulldogs.

“It’s been great to actually have a positive impact and show that I can play at this level,” Herubin said.

The Crimson Tide will host Texas A&M Friday and Kentucky Sunday, which will also be the Power of Pink game for the Crimson Tide.