Photographed by Riley S.
If You’re Reading This, You’ll Never Walk Alone
In 2025, we went 10-0 in the Big East conference and enjoyed one of our most successful seasons. After that season, we lost a lot of players; 8 of our 11 starters either transferred or graduated. Which meant we were left to rebuild the team.
Through the Spring of 2026, we saw a lot of promise from our younger players and felt confident going into 2026 that we would have the ability to pull off a good season. The level of success has been set very high for us. Obviously, coming off a perfect record, the pressure to repeat in conference was immense.
The non-conference portion of our season went about how we expected; we won or tied the games we should and lost a couple we were probably slated to lose. Heading into the conference, I think we all felt we could finish 1st or 2nd in the league.
Our first match v. Xavier exposed our backline, and we ended up conceding 4 goals; on the bright side, we scored 3 goals and, despite the loss, felt positive about the overall performance of the group. Xavier celebrated like they had won the conference after that game. It didn’t feel great.
Our next test would be Marquette, a team we beat 5-0 last season. We tied 0-0. Another disappointing result before we were slated to travel to Villanova, who were having an unbeaten season.
In the Villanova match, we conceded a goal early but got back in control of play, creating multiple chances to even the game. However, partway through the match, we lost our captain and center back, Kaya Hanson, to what we would later find out was a broken leg.
As conference play wore on, it was one injury after another-concussions, ankle sprains, mental health, illness; I don’t think there was an injury or illness we didn’t encounter during the season. And in the end, we did not make our conference tournament, and our season ended in October.
It would be very easy to focus on all the negative that happened during this season, and in the middle of it, there were times when giving up seemed like the easiest solution.
However, strength and character are not built in the cushions of the couch. It is in getting up again and again, despite how many times we’ve been knocked down, that we can truly determine who we are.
There is a quote I hang onto when I am in the middle of difficult circumstances: “When you are walking through hell, keep going.” This quote is widely attributed to Winston Churchill. To me, it is the heart of perseverance and resilience. We can recognize the hardships in our lives, and we can choose; we can wallow in the cushions of our couches, or we can choose to get up and continue to walk on.
For me, and I hope for the women I coach-I hope they choose the latter. And I hope they know they do not walk alone. You are never alone---even when you are walking through hell---you have your teammates, your classmates, your family, your teachers and coaches walking beside you to befriend you.
A song sung at Liverpool matches by Gerry and the Pacemakers captures these qualities of perseverance and togetherness I think we all long for and desire. If you have a chance to listen to it, I think you will be moved:
https://youtu.be/OV5_LQArLa0?si=rxEfdFUW7IFgTWbJ
“You’ll Never Walk Alone”
When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high.
And don’t be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There’s a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
For your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone
Coach Naomi Meiburger, Associate Head Coach of Women’s Soccer
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