MOORHEAD, Minn. – A group of 10 seniors serves as the foundation for MSU Moorhead soccer in 2023 with captains Grace Heying, Ava Kieser and Madeline Etter operating as the anchors of a tight-knit Dragon corps. 
 
Each of the 10 seniors (and the entire roster overall) showcase the wide variety of backgrounds, upbringings and personalities on Christie Kopietz's squad. Together, these tributaries flow towards a collective confluence that is MSUM soccer. From their humble beginnings as true freshmen or incoming transfer, Heying, Kieser and Etter have been champions in growing and building a cohesive team culture. The results of their efforts have no doubt been successful as the trio continues to lead a veteran Dragons team through NSIC play. 

However, it has not come without its challenges and mistakes, but the veteran-laden Dragons continue to learn and evolve from those challenges. MSUM's captains have continued to showcase the heart of the program and its diverse make-up.
 
The Build
 
Etter and Heying came to MSUM alongside a stacked class of true freshman in 2020. Heying, a Buffalo, Minn., native, says that the goal to champion a positive team culture was top of mind for every freshman that season. In part, it helped create the culture seen on and off the pitch today.
 
"I think that when we were freshmen, we all came together and we made it our mission to change the culture of the team. We wanted to make this a place where the next freshman group would come in and would feel welcomed," said Heying. "We're all rooting for each other and then the next class would come in and we would start to bond with them and root for them, too. When you start to create those bonds, like freshman year, it just made it easier to build chemistry. We all had the goal of making this program more positive."
 
Etter did not have to travel far to find the program that fit her needs. Born and raised in Moorhead, Etter saw that MSUM checked all of her boxes for a school she wanted to attend. It just happened to be in her own backyard. Being a Dragon allowed Etter to stay close to family, including a sister that attends North Dakota State and a pair of brothers who still attend Moorhead High School. 
 
"There was a lot of factors like school, athletics, family, friends. For the school aspect, I'm an elementary education major, and there is no better school than MSUM. That was kind of a no brainer. Soccer wise, when I visited and met the team, the culture was just something I'd never seen before. It was just so welcoming and an experience I wanted to be part of. That and my parents have been able to come to each game and it means a lot to me to see them on the sidelines and support me the last four years," she said. "Everyone is so welcoming, and each individual comes with open arms. Our first year here was coming back from COVID. There were all the stipulations and we had nothing better to do, so we built a bond right away. Each individual is empathetic and we listen to each other and built a friendship that turned into a family."
 
The outlier is Kieser, who did not initially commit to play soccer for the Dragons. Kieser, a native of Plano, Texas, played her freshman campaign at Coker University in South Carolina before transferring further north. She joined the team during the 2021 season, Heying and Etter's sophomore seasons. Kieser says she did not even tour MSUM before signing on with the soccer program and made the move thanks to her parents, who are originally from Canada. 
 
"The first thing that really kind of molded us together is the fact that the people who have been here from the beginning, were really welcoming. It also helps that Christie [Kopietz] has been here all three years because coaches often come and go as well. Christie has had a foundation of building team chemistry before you step on the field. Because we work so hard on having a bond with each other, we do have a group that is really well put together," said Kieser. "I would say that's what's bonded us the most because we've been through really hard seasons together. Two years ago, we had a really tough season and I think what got us through that was supporting each other."
 
The captains are just a small illustration of the variety of upbringings the soccer roster has to offer. In the senior class alone, MSUM bolsters student-athletes from Minnesota, South Dakota, Texas, Colorado and Germany. The trio feels that this diverse range of individuals has helped create a unique experience throughout their time at MSUM. 


 
"I love that we're all from different places. I think that is the driving factor in our relationship with each other. We're all so different and it's really fun to learn new things from each other. I know Simone [Lewald] and I will talk about things and other girls will be like, 'What are you talking about?' and we'll just say it's a Texas thing," said Kieser. "That is one of the best parts about our senior class because we're all from different places and it kind of fosters a curiosity sometimes. I also think it just creates more of a welcoming environment for other girls to come in from other places, like now, we have freshmen from Oregon. We're always learning about each other because of that."
 
Heying says that while those differences can potentially create a rift between parts of the team, but MSUM uses the opportunity to listen and hear different viewpoints and opinions. "I feel there is a baseline of respect that we all have for one another. You're not always going to agree with what your teammates have to say, but at the end of the day, your teammates are family," she said. "We spend so much time together that it's like walking into the locker room and all my sisters are in there, you know? Respecting where people came from and then holding space for opinions to be heard is the best way that you can kind of mash everybody together."
 
Etter's perspective showcases that even the differences in MSUM's roster help write the program's current story. "With everyone being from different parts of the country and from the world, that's what brings us together and bonds us. We all have different friend groups, but we come together, collectively, to get to the same goal. We are starting a new story together, I feel," she said. 
 
The Ascent
 
Heying, Kieser and Etter have all showcased their leadership abilities in different ways throughout their careers. Heying self-described herself as a lead by example sort of athlete while Kieser and Etter are more vocal on and off the field. However, the three have taken qualities from previous captains and implemented them into their leadership styles. This has allowed the Dragons to ascend off the field as a unit, but also in-game as well. 
 
"For me, I think it's hard work. I always wanted to see a captain that I knew was going to bring their all to practice and was doing the workouts outside of being with the team. I think that proves that they have a quality that's worth following," said Heying. "Also, people that are overall positive individuals and have good attitudes make great leaders. I feel I want to always have a positive outlook on things."
 
Kieser says that captains always need to be willing to do the little things that sometimes go unnoticed. "They're always the people that are willing to do the things that no one else wants to do. They have the grit and they're willing to dig deep in the last five minutes of a game and rally everyone together. I've always loved that about captains because that's the person you can trust to keep things going," she said. "It is a hard work thing. When I see captains doing amazing things on the field that inspires me. I want to be able to do that for other people."
 
In Etter's opinion, captains need to be organized with a mind for the game in which they play. "I think the two big things would be organization and then also being a vocal leader and making the changes on the field that you need to. Not everyone will be able to step up and say that we need a formation change or some of those strategic moves in a game," Etter said. "Being organized and vocal with a good soccer IQ is a big quality I think captains should have."
 
Each captain has honed in on those specific skills to make a trio that is truly unique and versatile. The results show this as MSUM has taken several leaps forward on the pitch from 2022 to this season. The three captains feel that has stemmed from a mindset change within the team as well as a renewed sense of confidence in their level of play.


 
"I think in previous years, we've always been successful, but our results don't show that we've always had the hunger and the ability. This year, we're starting to see that turn around and that has to do with the girls that stayed in town in the summer," said Etter. "There's a lot of local freshmen and I'm local, we have a couple other local girls and staying in town and playing on a club team together this summer built a lot of chemistry going into the fall."
 
Kieser says the MSUM class of nine freshmen in 2023 have helped breed a competitive spirit across the entire team. "Honestly, we weren't satisfied with how our season ended last year. That feeling of not being satisfied lit a fire under us to really get the work done next season," she said, noting that offseason workouts increased in intensity. "When freshmen come in, it brings a new level of competition because they're willing to do anything to get this spot that you've had for maybe the last two, three years. It pushes us and I think having freshmen that are willing to compete with us, along with sophomores and juniors, makes us compete that much more. It's really exciting to see."
 
Heying says the gravity of being a senior and going through the 'lasts' of being a collegiate student-athlete has also moved the needle forward for MSUM. "For pretty much all of us, this is our last time we'll be on the soccer field together," said Heying, who adds that an offseason commitment to weight and cardio training elevated the Dragons entering the fall. "It was the shortest amount of time that we've had the whole team pass the fitness test. So already we knew everyone was willing to put in the work and come into the season ready to go. We've put in so much time and effort and we just want to go out on a high note."
 
The Future
 
While Heying, Kieser and Etter have no doubt left an imprint on the MSUM soccer program, it is what they will do next that will make the largest impact. Heying is currently applying to medical school, having taken the MCAT this past summer, with the hopes of working in cardiac surgery or endocrinology. The biochemistry and biotechnology major has been able to balance the difficult studies along with soccer, but it did not come without its challenges. 
 
"It wasn't easy. There's a lot of times where I thought I'd probably bitten off a little bit more than I can chew, " said Heying. "I have a full schedule because it just keeps me on task and doesn't give me a lot of extra time to just sit around. But now, going into my senior year, I put myself in a position where I only had three classes left to take. My schedule this fall has been easier than the past, but it's allowed me more time to like enjoy being a student-athlete."
 
Heying says she finished her primary application to medical school this summer and has moved into the secondary applications. She says the lighter class load this semester has given her more time to write medical school essays and applications. 


 
Kieser has moved into the second part of her higher education journey, having been accepted into MSUM's speech, language and pathology graduate program.  She credits the student-athlete regiment as helpful as she navigates the graduate degree process. 
 
"It's almost a blessing in disguise, because being a student-athlete forces me to have good time management," says Kieser, who added that she is still trying to find the balance of graduate school and being a student-athlete. Kieser says she was never the best student in high school and even considered not attending college in the first place. 
 
"I never actually really liked school at all and there was a point where I didn't think I was going to go to college. Obviously, I went for soccer in the first place in South Carolina and it was through that transfer process that I really dug down and tried to figure out what I wanted to do," she said. "I was always interested in occupational therapy and I had a job at an OT office. I found that, at that job, I was watching the SLP more than the occupational therapist. I knew the work involved would be a lot and since I was not the best student to begin with, it was a little bit daunting to me. I found an interest in it and I am passionate about it and now I really love school. SLPs are really important and there's such a demand for them. I have peace knowing that I'm doing something that like is going to help people."
 
Etter begins her student teaching journey in the spring. The elementary education major is spending the fall in the classroom that she will eventually teach in come the spring semester. Etter says her decision to choose her major was challenging, but she ultimately sided with her instinct. 
 
"My junior year of high school, I tore my ACL and went through physical therapy and surgery. I had my head set on physical therapy and that really interested me, but I also was thinking about elementary education. I had to ask myself: which one would I be better at? Which one would I be happier with?" she said. "I picked the elementary education route and it's been amazing. I got into a classroom, started teaching and started observing more and I knew I made the right choice. I just love it."
 
As for soccer, all three captains noted that focus is the key to success throughout the remainder of 2023. Kieser says the Dragons need to look at what's in front of them rather than what the future may hold. "I think how we're going to be able to continue to move forward is being present and not thinking too far ahead," she said. "In the past, we've had some issues have thinking about games that are down the road on the schedule. We're in the present moment only thinking about the opponent in front of us.I think that's how we're going to be able to find more success."
 
All three captains were asked what they wanted to be remembered for after they play their final minutes as a Dragon. Heying states she wants to be known as someone who promoted a positive team culture. 
 
"I want the lasting impact to be that the positive culture that my teammates and I have worked to build thus far would continue for the next group of girls and that it would continue to come through this team," she said. "I think it just makes it so much better when you can walk into the locker room and know that your teammates are going to have your back and everyone has a good experience."
 
Kieser wants her hard work and grit to be remembered and adopted by future Dragons. "I just want to be remembered as someone who left everything out on the field and completely emptied the tank every single time," she said. "I don't ever want there to be a moment where I would question if I did my best."
 
The Moorhead native Etter concluded by asking herself the same three questions she has asked for nearly four years. "I remember going into my freshman year, I read this book and it asked: After your four years, what do you want your legacy to be?" Etter said. "I wrote it down in my phone and I would look back on it sometimes. The things I asked myself were: Are you a good teammate? Were you approachable? Did you give your all every game? And I believe I have."
 
The Dragons face off with Concordia, St. Paul and Winona State at home this weekend. Action begins on Friday against the Golden Bears at 3 p.m.