By Leslie Talley

For freshman Mackenzie Fowler, playing soccer is as foundational as breathing. "I've always been around soccer. My parents said they put a soccer ball in my crib when I was a baby, so it was only expected I joined a team when I was old enough," stated Fowler. And join a team she did.

After many ups and downs in her soccer career, Fowler wound up at Judson University. "The way I came to be here at Judson is actually a pretty crazy story," Mackenzie reminisces. "I was active in everything and was beyond excited for my senior year. But, my senior year was horrible..."

Fowler proceeds to reveal that after suffering a terrible car accident, she had to miss school for a stint. As if that wasn't bad enough, six weeks later, she missed two weeks of school as a result of sickness. After a long road to recovery, Fowler planned on attending a school in Dallas, Texas, to pursue her passion of soccer. Due to a miscommunication for recruiting with the school, she removed herself from the situation and faced looking at other options.

"I was so upset; I had played soccer my entire life. I decided it was time to move on and not play anymore. I was really down on myself, and life. It really wasn't a good situation," Fowler admits. "Then, on the day of my high school graduation, I got an email from Diego asking me to come up to Judson, tryout, and see what happens. I fell in love, and here I am."

All throughout her fourteen years of life, soccer, and everything else, Mackenzie reveres her mom as her top role model. "She hasn't had an easy life and struggles daily with her Multiple Sclerosis, but she's always there for me. No matter what happened, I never went without anything. She always made sure I had what I needed." This unwavering support is a major component to Fowler's perseverance and success.

Fowler states that it is difficult managing both school and sports. "It's really all about time management," she reveals. With the little free-time she has, she and her friends always find something fun to do. Mackenzie praises the soccer team's relationships with one another and claims it makes the team's atmosphere much stronger as a whole. "I love my soccer team! I don't know if I'd be able to be so far away had it not been for this team," she exclaims.