Another Year, Another Journey

Natalie Kuhlenberg #8

AHHH! It really seems like just yesterday that I was a freshman. They say that your high school and college years will pass you by, well they are FLYYINNG BY!! I never would have expected college to turn out the way it did for me. I was just excited to be able to play with my fellow Incarnate weirdoes Teeny, Molly, and Jodi.  Being a freshman, in 2011, we made it to the semifinals of the GLVC where we knocked off NKU which was such an amazing moment for us. Then making it to the finals and just losing in shoot outs! The GLVC Championship was so close we could taste it and I never thought I would be a part of something so amazing. Then we made our sixth appearance in the NCAA tournament which was an awesome opportunity as well. However, it was on to the next year 2012, my sophomore year. Coming into the season I could tell during the summer everyone put in their best efforts to train, because everyone was hungry for our season and wanted to make it back to the championship round and win. As always though, it was just looking at THE NEXT GAME. However, the season ended short for me as I tore my ACL in one of our pre-season games just the game after Sam Martinez one of our seniors had torn hers. As I was upset for maybe a day, I remember I was about to be walking into the locker room and Dave pulled me aside to tell me that I was going to be okay and I need to be strong for the team! And that’s what I did. Even though I was not on the field you can bet I was there on the sidelines cheering my team on and it was incredible to watch our team get the GLVC Championship my sophomore year. We got to host because of our awesome season. WE FINALLY GOT THE CHANCE. This team battled our way to get there. And even had another appearance in the NCAA game, hosting, in the Tsunami rain our team kept plugging away.

Next thing you know it, it was my junior year. Coming off an ACL injury I knew I had to work extra hard during the summer. Our team was hungry yet again for our season and wanted to get back to that GLVC finals round again. This next season, my junior year 2013, we made history! My sister was actually a freshmen this past season and so amazing to have her experience this with me!  Thanks to our amazing seniors and the strength of this team we went out with a BANG. Another amazing moment in my life that I cannot thank this team enough for, and I was able to be apart on and off the field. Another bonus was that we made it to the NCAA sweet 16 to have a match up with Grand Valley. In the blistering cold we battled and although calls didn’t maybe go our way and injuries had happened, we kept pushing through it. To say we made it to that round of the tournament was so awesome and we will work our hardest to get there again.

Now finally I can get to this upcoming season! Sorry for the long history post! Technically I am still a junior in soccer. Everyone loves to remind me. However, I am going to treat it as if I don’t have another season left! As it is the beginning of July we have had a couple months already to train. I can see everyone working hard with our off season workouts, doing those fitness tests, and strengthening our bodies to prevent injuries!  In our summer league games, I can see everyone being put in different positions, but it is nice to see that our team is going to be able to be versatile. I can still see that same fire that we have had the past three seasons and I cannot wait to get after it in August. We lost 7 amazing seniors and are now gaining some great incoming freshmen. It may be a year where people are being put in different positions to figure everything out, but there is one thing that will be there, our hunger. I know that as seniors (yes I am calling myself that) and the juniors and now sophomores we have that determination to get back to that championship round! I have never been with a team that has worked well together no matter what and has supported each other in every way. I am excited to see new faces and have them be a part of this amazing experience I have had the honor to be a part of.  As always this season will be a grind especially when we have such a big target on our backs. But we will come together as a team and will find a way to win. Just need to keep focusing on that next game and we will get there. I have a favorite quote that pertains to our team “The harder the struggle, the glorious the triumph”. This will always be in the back of my mind each pre-season test we take, and season tests we will face as well. Our team will find a way to grind through it and I cannot wait for this upcoming season! So stay tuned for another amazing season and come support the Lady Hawks!

Natalie Kuhlenberg (Kuhls)
Senior (redshirt junior) Lady Hawk

Getting to Know: Greubel, Lil Nurn, Mason!

Catchin' Up With Lindy!

Lindwedel #4

And another year is finishing up! I can't believe I am just a few weeks away from finishing my sophomore year. It has been a blast to say the least. We won our second GLVC championship and we were in the sweet sixteen of the national tournament. It has been a year I will never forget. We've been supported constantly by our families, fellow students, and boosters! Our boosters allowed us to get our brand new turf stadium, endless pasta meals to "carb up" for games, and our championship jackets and rings! We are one lucky group of girls.

This past weekend we finished our successful 2014 spring season! It was a gradual process of getting back into things outside, but being fit helped a lot. I remember our first spring practice outside. We were pretty rusty with our touch on the ball but man, were we running around like energizer bunnies! One thing I love about our team is our energy. Whether it be talking about what needs to happen next on the field, what we're having for dinner, or what funny thing happened to one of us…the energy is contagious.

If someone were watch a practice I think the first word out of their mouth to describe our team is competitive. Our team is committed to compete. We are constantly wanting to do better and expecting more from ourselves. The atmosphere at practice is fun, but never laid back! We're ready to get better and build confidence. In reality, there is nothing to lose. Spring season is the time to improve both as a team and individually. I really feel like we took advantage of learning new roles and formations to better prepare us for the Fall.

Now, we're headed into summer! Some of us will be busy working or taking classes at home. However, all of us will be focused on the Fall. It's crazy to say, but we really do all have the same mindset. Preseason is a huge test; not only is it physical but mental. Spring helped many players build their confidence and knowledge of each role. Now, we have the mindset to stay fit and master our position. I'm more than excited to get home, spend time with family and friends, and make some money, but I think we're all pumped for the Fall! We have a whole new batch of really talented freshman coming in and like usual, we have targets on our back. Our team has what it takes to make history and I can't wait to make that happen come August.

Taylor Lindwedel
Sophomore Lady Hawk

Spring Season Begins!

Markway #9

Our 2014 spring season officially began today and we started off the season with a great practice coming off of spring break. With the weather turning around, we will be able to take advantage of our new Jack Mckenzie field and go to goal! The team has been waiting for this since our last game in Duluth and today I could tell everyone was excited and happy to be playing again.

One word that describes this 2014 Lady Hawk team is, competitive. Since the new year, although we have been stuck inside, we have competed in futsal games and fitness tests and now we are able to take this competitiveness onto the field. The competitiveness and chemistry will allow our team to adjust to new roles and opportunities. Returning freshmen, sophomores, and juniors have stepped up and will continue to step up filling the positions needed to help our team have a successful spring season.

Our first spring game is this Saturday against the University of Missouri St. Louis at our home field. This is exciting because we will be able to grow as a team and work on ourselves individually. We will also be able to see how we have improved over the off season from all the hard work we have put in this winter. This team knows what it takes to be a championship team and I cannot wait to compete for another championship next fall.

Haylye Markway
Sophomore Captain Lady Hawk

Winter Conditioning Phase Complete!

2013 GLVC Championship Rings!

The Quincy Lady Hawks received their GLVC Championship Rings! Women's Soccer finished 18-1-4, Undefeated Regular Season, GLVC Regular Season Champions, GLVC Tournament Champions, and made their eight consecutive NCAA Tournament advancing to the Sweet 16.

Close up of the 2012 and 2013 GLVC Championship Rings...

"It's a great day to be a Hawk!"

2013 Lady Hawk Team Awards!

Our 2013 Awards Banquet was Saturday February 22.
Lady Hawk Team Award Winners
Most Valuable Player - Jodi Chapie
Best Attacker - Jaclyn Mastroianni
Best Midfielder - Kristine Vogt
Best Defender - Sam Martinez
Most Improved - Kayla Nurnberger
Best Newcomer - Maddy Kuhlenberg
Best Student-Athlete - Caroline Basler

2014 Winter Off-Season: The Lady Hawks Are Back!

2013 GLVC Champions!

QUWS Advances to Regional Final

2013 Senior Day!

On the Road with the Lady Hawks!

QUWS 2013

2013 Lady Hawk Preseason!

First Week Complete!

Maddie Torretta

It seems like just yesterday I was moving in as a freshman so nervous to start my first preseason and my new life in college.  However, now I am a senior going through all of this for the fourth time and getting ready for my final season on the field as a Lady Hawk.  As we finish up our first week of preseason I can say that I cannot wait for games to start and for this team to try to accomplish things no Quincy team has every done.

Preseason is never easy, especially with fitness testing and two a days, but the whole team came in super fit and ready to play.  We pushed our way through all NINE cones, the dreaded two mile, and our 18-30’s just within the first 3 days.

Needless to say ice baths every night became a must, but we all made it through and got an even bigger surprise come Sunday. Our field was ready!!!   We have been working on our technical skills and finishing, our fitness and one v ones, and our tactics.  Everything is just so much easier on this new field that never has a bad hop.  Our passes are crisp and right where we intend them to go and our shots hitting the back of the net like we anticipate they should.  With this new field we believe as a team we can accomplish so much more than we ever have before.

Not only have we been training hard on the field, but getting to know each other off the field as well.  We have 6 awesome new freshmen that are so excited to start their college careers and as seniors we are trying to show them the way the Lady Hawks do things around here.  We all know that the only way to win anything in this league is to be close as a team and work together both on and off the field.

I am so excited for this season and as seniors we believe our team has a chance to go all the way this year.  We set our goals high for ourselves knowing that if we play to our potential everything is possible.  This year we not only hope to make it back to the GLVC championship game but to bring home another trophy (or two).

Tomorrow night for the first time we will get to show everyone how great this team can be on this field with our first preseason game against Hannibal.  HERE WE GO!!!!!

Maddie Torretta
Senior Lady Hawk

NEW - Jack Mackenzie Field