Sept. 6, 2008
Editor’s Note: It didn’t take University of Iowa freshman Alyssa Cosnek long to make an impact for the soccer program. Cosnek started the season-opener against Drake University on Aug. 23 and scored the first two goals for the Hawkeyes during a 4-0 victory. Cosnek is from Aliquippa, Pa., and hawkeyesports.com caught up with her before the team left for this weekend’s trip to California.
Question No. 1: Last year at this time you hadn’t even attended your high school’s homecoming dance. Now you have two collegiate goals, including a game-winner. How does that feel?
AC: It’s amazing. I honestly had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know if I was going to play or not against Drake. I was just ready to give it my all…if I scored two goals, I scored two goals. I tried to do whatever I could to help the team out.
Question No. 2: How did you think your first college soccer match would play out?
AC: I knew I would probably be really nervous, which I was, but I was also very excited to get out there. More than anything I had a drive to get back out there and play.
Question No. 3: The University of Iowa has 14 field hockey players from the state of Pennsylvania, but you’re the lone soccer player. How did you find your way to Iowa City and what were the major selling points for you to sign here?
AC: When I visited the campus (last September) I loved it. It was completely different than any other campus I had seen before. Iowa also has a full pharmacy program, which I was looking for, so now I don’t have to transfer anywhere. When I met the soccer team I loved all the girls and all of my first impressions were great.
Question No. 4: What have been some of your most pleasant surprises so far during your brief college career?
AC: I like the setup with how the classes go. All my classes are finished in the morning. I also like the athletic seminar they have us attend. It’s a class where we learn different things and keep ourselves organized. I go twice a week — on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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“Obviously everyone wants to win, so we want to come out and give it our all and try to win as many games as we can and go as far as we can. I would like to make it to the NCAA playoffs. That’s a main goal — the Big Ten Tournament first, then the NCAA Tournament.”
UI soccer freshman
Alyssa Cosnek |
Question No. 5: The UI media guide lists one of your hobbies as cutting grass. Have you hung up any advertising fliers around town yet?
AC: I cut grass for elderly people during the summer in my neighborhood with a push-mower. I just kind of mow the grass for people around the neighborhood. It’s something I do, so I guess you could call it a hobby.
Question No. 6: Where do you want this program to be at the end of this season and your career?
AC: Obviously everyone wants to win, so we want to come out and give it our all and try to win as many games as we can and go as far as we can. I would like to make it to the NCAA playoffs. That’s a main goal — the Big Ten Tournament first, then the NCAA Tournament.
Question No. 7: The 2008 freshman recruiting class was ranked No. 55 by soccerbuzz.com. How have the nine first-year players fit into the Hawkeye system?
AC: We all get along great. We communicate well on the field and we all get along well. There are no conflicts — it’s amazing.
Question No. 8: If you could play any other sport at the University of Iowa, what would it be and why?
AC: I did gymnastics and track at home, so it would have to be one of those two — probably track. It’s not very close to how much I like soccer, though. I ran the 100-meter dash, 200 dash and 4×100 relay in high school.
Question No. 9: Why did you choose pharmacy as a major? What are your long-term goals?
AC: The pharmacy school here is six years, so I hope to finish in six years. I like the courses I have to take — at least now — and I have always enjoyed chemistry.
Question No. 10: As a young, aspiring athlete, what were your dreams?
AC: My main goal was to play Division I soccer. My parents have always supported me in whatever I wanted to do. They drove me to tournaments and they took me to practices that were an hour away.
Question No. 11: Who were some of the role models you looked up to while growing up?
AC: My two older brothers. They played college soccer, too, at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. I always liked watching them play soccer in high school and club teams and I went to some of their college games and just kind of always looked up to them.
Question No. 12: How did growing up with two soccer-playing brothers develop your competitiveness?
AC: They always encouraged me and they never just let me win at soccer. We always had fun together. We lived really close to the high school, so it was walking distance to play. We would go to the high school field and play or just kick around in our front yard.