University of Minnesota Athletics
The Sensational Six
10/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Be There for Senior Night on Friday!
From the moment they have stepped foot at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, to their Senior Night this Friday, the 2017 senior class has let their play do the talking.
The six that make up the 2017 senior class have all taken different roads to get where they are today. From Sydney Squires scoring two goals in her first action, to waiting and growing to become a starter like Megan Koenig.
The 2017 senior class has won 49 games, along with 26 Big Ten games, and after Friday, will have played in 402 games in their careers combined.
"The fact that we have six of them, and all six of them contribute significant minutes on the field, speaks to the consistency of their work rate over the course of time," head coach Stefanie Golan said. "I think they were very, very committed to wanting this program to be great and wanting a role in creating that."
The numbers back up this Gophers class, they have won 66.5 percent of their games in their four years of soccer, the best winning percentage since the 2011 class that won over 67 percent of their games. Maddie Gaffney and Tori Burnett have helped draw 168 offside calls in their streak of 61 straight games in the starting lineup.
"I think the special thing about this group is from day one they have been willing to do whatever it takes for the team," associate head coach Krystle Seidel said. "I think is a reason why they are as successful as they are."
"Julianna Gernes is a perfect example of doing whatever it takes for the team," Golan said. "She went from not always being invested when the team wasn't together, and always having to play her way up to where everyone else was, to this year, where she took a step back and just absolutely committed to it and the team. She came in a step ahead of where we had ever seen her. That is just a part of how special this class was, they didn't wait until it was too late."
The Gophers hard work finally came to full circle last season when they Gophers were able to capture the Big Ten regular season and tournament title for the first time in school history. Yet it would not have seemed like this class could always win a Big Ten title.
"This class really has progressed, you look at Tori, team captain this year, that's a kid who came in and her freshman year, cried a lot because of the frustration of feeling inadequate and feeling behind," Golan explained. "And here she is as this mature leader for the team, not just a significant player but a significant leader. So, to go from where she was as a freshman to that is just incredible."
"Tori and Maddie Gaffney were so hard on themselves when they came in, but it showed how much they cared," added Seidel. "We knew that that was something that we could correct but we loved that they had the fire and cared enough to make those changes to be better when they were losing games."
Although the 2017 class was the second class that Golan and Seidel signed together, it is the first class that they fully recruited together. Seidel has been with the Gophers program for nine seasons, with Golan keeping her on the staff when she started in 2012. They agree that one of the best traits this group has is their competitiveness.
"They will all tell you, if you're doing something competitive; Julianna and Megan are someone you want on your team because they're scrappy," Seidel said. "It doesn't matter if you're competing in the weight room or on the field, that's how they are consistently. There is Kellie McGahn, who had a high ankle sprain one day, taped it up, and had a great performance that lead to an unbelievable goal against a top-25 rated team. Of course there is Sydney who competes in her own way; she always finds a way to have confidence and power through anything she sets her mind to."
"I would put those six in the top of our group when it comes to competitiveness with everything they do in life," Seidel said.
Golan and Seidel say that it isn't just their play that has left a mark on this program, but it is how they interact with one another day in and day out.
"I think I'll miss their unity and their willingness to branch up and down," Seidel said. "I'm hoping that's something that will be left here as part of their legacy because I think all of them made a conscious effort to get to know every one of their teammates."
The other piece I'm going to miss is, the tail end of the season, and they're still excited to be here, they're still excited to come out and compete," Golan added. "They made it fun, they made it fun to be competitive and looked forward to it. As a coaching staff, we knew that we could count on that group of six to drive that in everything that we did and they have not let their foot off the gas which is incredible."
As much as the coaches have seen the players progress, Golan says that this class has also taught her some things over these past four years.
"I think what this class has taught me more than anything else is to stick with kids and to continue to fuel your belief in them when they don't necessarily see it in themselves," Golan said. "Our commitment to them goes a long way towards them being able to reach their full potential. I think that that belief and that investment in them as individuals and as a class as a whole, has gone a long way with this group."
Emotions will be set high this Friday when they Gophers take on Ohio State, but the coaches believe that this class will go out and do what they do best, compete.
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Watch senior tribute videos of the six Gopher seniors. All six videos will be available before Friday's game at 6:00 p.m.
Megan Koenig has had an unforgettable experience at Minnesota. Hear about her experiences and check out senior night this Friday 👇 pic.twitter.com/vA5EWwCJHR
-- Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) October 19, 2017
The #Gophers will celebrate the six seniors this Friday against Ohio State. Sydney Squires, is next up during this week long series 👇 pic.twitter.com/qsp8X4GDpY
-- Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) October 18, 2017
The #Gophers will celebrate the six seniors this Friday against Ohio State. Senior defender Tori Burnett starts our week long series 👇 pic.twitter.com/HsjSvZAqRO
-- Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) October 16, 2017
Maddie Gaffney has started the last 61 games for the #Gophers stellar back line. Watch her reflect back before Senior Day tomorrow. 👇 pic.twitter.com/DkWyQ7wlEV
- Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) October 19, 2017
Julianna Gernes has been one of the biggest impact players for the #Gophers this season. Watch her reflect back before Senior Day tonight!👇 pic.twitter.com/2kRLMjzXPy
- Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) October 20, 2017
Kellie McGahn wraps up our senior video week with her touching reflection on her career. Come celebrate all six seniors tonight at ELR! pic.twitter.com/Tdri8nZv9T
- Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) October 20, 2017
