Falcon Focus is a weekly piece highlighting one of our many outstanding student-athletes at UW-River Falls. These Falcons share their personal journeys that brought them to the University, insights into their teams, and a few of their personal interests.

Abby, can you provide a glimpse into your season and what the team is focused on for the remainder of your games?
The remainder of the games we are focused on winning out. The start of our WIAC season is not what we thought it would be and so we're looking at making the right passes, scoring when we have the chance, and winning out.

What sort of leadership role have you had to assume being one of the seniors on the team this year?
There's the on the field stuff but more important leadership things have happened off the field. It's really helping our freshmen learn the ropes or showing them our team routine. If there are events, not just telling them to go to the events but making sure that I am at them too. It shows that we're all in it together.

Your team is extremely close both on and off the field. How did you all build such a strong bond with one another?
We do so much together. When we're in season it's really easy because we are together all the time. But even out of season we do a lot together. Not just team bonding things like a spaghetti dinner but also going to events on campus together or just going to the library to study together as a group. It's more stuff that every day friends would do in college.

This is your second year playing on your new field and being in the new locker room. What impact are the new facilities having on your program?
It's so exciting! It gives you a really good feeling before your game when you are with teammates in a really nice space getting ready to go out there and compete. It helps your morale and gives you a really positive feeling as a team.

This past summer you had an internship experience with a non-profit organization called the One Love Foundation and also served as a facilitator for a workshop the athletics department recently hosted through that organization. Can you share some information about One Love and why their mission is so important to you?
One Love is an organization founded in the memory of Yeardley Love after she unfortunately passed away due to being the victim of domestic violence. Her family founded the organization to engage young people to take a stand against domestic violence and change the stigmas associated with it. I took part in the workshop last year and wanted to get involved after that because I never want that to happen to anyone else, no matter what relationship someone is involved in. I thought if I got involved I could provide help to people I come in contact with and it could be a chain effect in a positive way.

What music do you listen to pregame?
Our team does the Cupid Shuffle before every game and the seniors all do The Wobble together.

What advice to you have for the underclassmen?
Just enjoy it. I got caught up really early on in being mad about not winning a game or not scoring. But in all honesty those are all memories that I will have with my teammates. I'm not going to look back now on anything and be mad because those are times that I can't get back. Especially since my time is coming to a close. Even with this season not being what I had hoped for, I am still getting to play and I get to play with my best friends. It's still a lot of fun.

Going through the recruiting and college selection process, why did you pick UW-River Falls?
Actually I didn't think I was even going to go to college. Then I was supposed to go to UNLV and I quit soccer entirely. Both of my parents went here though and they sort of took the approach of 'Oh you're totally going to UWRF.' My uncle basically filled out all of my paperwork for me and that's how I ended up here. Then when I got here I thought 'Well I guess I'll play soccer.' It wasn't a typical recruiting experience that you hear about. I had also met Coach McKuras once during my senior year. He just seemed easy going and I wanted a fun experience.
 
What are your plans after you graduate? 
I'm leaning on moving to China to teach English for a while. It's not set quite yet but that is where I think I am going at first. My dream would be to work for a non-profit. I thought I would do something like event planning or major fund development for a non-profit. But I'm doing my capstone and after learning about it I don't think that is the route I want to go. I think more activism and doing more of the ground work out in communities is where I see myself.
 

What is your favorite…
Ice cream?   Ben & Jerry's Half Baked
Spot on campus?  Falcon Center
Class? Public Policy
Movie?   The Wizard of Oz
Food?   Cheesy Potatoes
Holiday?   Halloween
TV Show?   Glee
Thing to do off the field with your teammates? Just hangout
 
What is the best or worst purchase you have ever made?
The best purchase would be my Hulu account. I got it to watch Broad City and then forgot to delete it. But now I remember I can watch so many other shows. I really got into Jersey Shore again, which is horrible.

What would you name a boat if you had one?
I would get a Crestliner because we had one when I was a kid and I would name it Crestliner.

Do you have any other talents away from soccer?
I like to think I'm artistic.
 
Dogs or cats? Dogs
Coffee or tea? Coffee
Cheeseburger or pizza? If it's a plain cheeseburger then the pizza, but if I can put anything I want on the burger then it wins.
Hunter or gatherer? Hunter
Beyonce or Jay-Z? Beyoncé