by Alyssa Brosious
BEREA, OHIO - For the past three years, Berea High graduate and Baldwin-Wallace College senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference sweeper Stephanie Geiger has been a team leader both on and off the field. Entering her senior season, Geiger hopes to take that role to the next level and lead the Yellow Jackets to the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference title.
Taking the role of a leader is nothing new to Geiger, who showed her ability to lead at Berea High School, a place where she led the Lady Braves for three years as a team captain.
"It was difficult for the first year, being a sophomore and being a captain," said Geiger, who has helped to lead the Yellow Jackets to 28 victories in her first three years. "Trying to earn respect and trust from the upperclassmen was difficult because I was so young. Then, when I began playing at BW, it came a bit easier because I was more experienced in that role. I just want to help the team be successful however possible."
"Stephanie leads every day by-example," said ninth-year B-W Head Coach Reid Ayers, who owns more men's and women's soccer wins than any other coach in school history. "When she steps onto the pitch, you know she is a team leader and one of the best players on the field by the way she plays and by the way she carries herself."
"She can control a game from start to finish by her ability, talent and leadership," continued Ayers. "Stephanie sees the entire field and can do everything we ask of her, which is to run the midfield and middle back, control the tempo and score when necessary, especially when we run our set pieces (plays on offense). We feel that she is one of the best Division III players in the country."
Not only was Geiger a captain at Berea, she also was a member of the All-Pioneer Conference team as a freshman and sophomore, an All-Southwestern Conference selection as a junior and senior as well as an All-Greater Cleveland pick as a senior.
"I couldn't have done it without the support of my team - having them be there for me on and off the field," said, Geiger who earned four varsity letters at Berea. "It's not a one-man team, its eleven people out on the field at a time. I don't have a good game unless they have a good game."
When her career concluded at Berea, Geiger already knew that she wanted to play for a school like B-W -- an NCAA Division III school compared to either an NCAA Division I or II program.
"I didn't want the feel of a Division I or a Division II school, playing for money," said Geiger, who plans to attend graduate school next fall with career intentions of being an anesthesiologist. "I didn't want it to be a job. I love the game and I'm glad I can say that I still love the game. A lot of players I know went of to Division I and Division II schools and played for money and they hate it now. They end up quitting. I wanted a more relaxed, smaller school."
At B-W, Geiger has played in 57 career games, has taken 46 shots, scored seven goals and assisted on two others for 16 career points and moved from a forward/ midfield spot back to sweeper because that is where she can best help her team.
Geiger entered B-W her freshman year with a criminal justice and chemistry double-major with intentions on forensic science and investigation That has since changed to anesthesiology. On the field, she defied the trend of the freshman student-athlete being too inexperienced by participating in all 18 games at midfield and earning her first varsity letter. She scored three times for six points - good for third on the team.
"You hit that freshman wall where it's more of a mental game than anything else coming in," recalled Geiger, who was named "Rookie of the Year," at the conclusion of the season. "To get over that hurdle of 'I'm a freshman' and sometimes you get frustrated during games and can't handle the pressure. It's hard to get over that."
The rising star went on to play in all 20 games her sophomore year. For her efforts in helping the Yellow Jackets to an 11-6-3 season and earning her second varsity letter, Geiger was named first-team All-OAC.
Ayers had this to say about his, at the time, talented up-and-coming player.
"She came in unfit, and not sure what college soccer was like," said Ayers, who is heavily involved in the Olympic Development Program (ODP), "but she is an incredibly hard worker and was growing as a player and a leader each day. Once she understood what was expected of her to be successful and to be a team leader, Stephanie has grown into a top-knotch player, student and team leader. We are very proud of her."
After making a few statements on the field as a freshman and a sophomore, Geiger's natural leadership ability continued to blossom.
"She's transformed into a huge leader," said senior teammate and defender Tyler Fridley, who joined Geiger last fall as both an Academic All-OAC and ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-District IV student-athlete. "She cares about the team. There is no one else I'd rather have backing me up at sweeper."
Entering her upperclassmen years on the women's soccer team, Geiger played in all 19 games, starting 18 at defender and tallied five points on two goals and one assist. She took 15 shots and both her goals were game-winners.
"I feel like I couldn't have done it without the coaching staff and the players," Geiger comments about her third varsity letter, Academic All-District IV honors, her second straight first-team All-OAC and her third-team NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) All-Great Lakes Region awards. "If it were singles tennis or golf it would be different, but as a defense as a whole, we have a good group of hardworking players. When people see me have a good game, they also see 10 other people have a good game."
While she is humbled by her success, her coach has no problem spreading the praise she deserves.
"She's a special player - a program changer for us," believes Ayers. "She's the most decorated player I've seen since I've been here, and she deserves each and every accolade."
Geiger became the secretary of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), was on the Dean's List, studied abroad, and is about to enter her senior season with the Yellow Jackets.
"It's difficult [to keep my sanity]," said Geiger jokingly of all her activities and schedule. "It's a lot of time management and knowing your priorities and saying 'no' to certain things you know you can't do if you have work to do that night. Responsibility comes with the territory."
Although academically committed, Geiger holds the title on the soccer field as "one of the best ever to play at B-W."
"I feel like that's an over-statement. I have big shoes to fill, so I wouldn't exactly put me at that high of a standard, but it's nice to have others think of me like that," said a humbled Geiger.
It isn't just spectators that pinned Geiger with the title, and Fridley feels the same way.
"Steph is one of the best to play at B-W," said Fridley. "It is as simple as that. She's an amazing player."
"She's one of the players, if the team gets split up in practice, you don't want to have to play against her," continued Fridley. "You want her on your team."
"I agree wholeheartedly with Tyler," said sophomore forward Brittany Thomas. "Being a forward, I occassionally have to go up against Steph in practice. She's just good at every aspect and skill. I'd much rather be on her team than play against her."
Going in to her senior year, Geiger has surreal feelings toward her college soccer career winding down.
"I can't believe this will be my fourth year of playing soccer at the College," said Geiger. "It doesn't seem like it's real."
"I'm excited for the off-the-field bonding that we have and just spending time together as a team. I will miss that time as much as the games. I have developed so many close friendships here at B-W. That is a blessing that I can continue long after my soccer career is over."
Geiger's senior campaign begins on Tuesday when the Yellow Jackets host Adrian (Mich.) College in the first game of a women's and men's doubleheader at The George Finnie Stadium in Berea. She has well-defined goals for the season.
"We can't ever seem to get past Wilmington, so that is one of our big pushes this year, said Geiger. "We want to beat Wilmington (at home on Halloween at 1:00 p.m.), win the OAC championship and earn a berth in the NCAA Division III National Tournament. We have a solid nucleus of returning veterans and an outstanding recruiting class."
Following its game against Adrian, the B-W women travel to Erie, Pennsylvania on Sept. 5-6 to play at the annual Penn State Behrend College Tournament and then return for a home game against Oberlin College on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Finnie Stadium.
FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail atkruple@bw.edu or Asst. SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access BW athletics information at www.BWyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics.
