PARIS — University of Iowa graduate Cloé Lacasse (‘14) is preparing for her Olympic debut with the Canadian women’s national team on July 25 against New Zealand at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne, France.
“Growing up, the only way I would ever see women’s soccer players was the Olympic Games,” said Lacasse. “That is what makes it so special. It is kind of a full circle.”
Lacasse is among the top players in program history, tying for first in career points (112) and ranking second for both goals (46) and assists (26). Lacasse also leads Iowa in career shots (306) and was Iowa’s scoring leader all four years, leading her teams to back-to-back Big Ten Tournament Title appearances in 2013 and 2014.
“Iowa felt a lot like home to me,” said Lacasse. “Iowa City felt like my hometown of Sudbury with blue collar roots and four seasons, and I wanted a Big Ten experience.”
Lacasse plays professionally for Arsenal W.F.C in London, where she tallied three goals through eight starts and 13 substitutions last season. Lacasse was player of the year for 2023 at her previous stop in the top Portuguese league for S.L. Benifica.
From 2014-2018, Lacasse got her professional start with IBV in Iceland. She made her debut with the national team at age 28 in November of 2021. Lacasse says the winding road to Paris has been one worth taking.
“I wouldn’t say college soccer is always the clear path,” said Lacasse. “A lot of players believe they can play professionally at an elite level right from the get-go, but it is definitely a big step. I didn’t start by playing for Arsenal, I climbed my way up.
“For me, Iowa was super important because it gave me the building blocks to being a professional soccer player. They taught me about nutrition, strength and conditioning, recovery and all of those things which I didn’t have an understanding of prior to going there. It was very beneficial for me to have that experience at a Big Ten school like Iowa.”
Lacasse’s teams posted a combined 55-24-8 record (.687), the winningest four-year stretch in program history. She experienced both the final seasons under Head Coach Ron Rainey and the debut of Head Coach Dave DiIanni in 2014. Like Lacasse, DiIanni is Canadian.
“Something that is cool about Coach DiIanni is that, even though I only played with him for one season, he has stayed in touch,” said Lacasse. “He texts me very frequently to find out how the team is looking. Something very cool about universities in the United States is that they keep connections with their alumni.”
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Under Coach DiIanni, Iowa has reached the Big Ten Tournament title game three times, winning the conference tournament twice and reaching the NCAA Tournament three times.
“Coach DiIanni wants you to know you were a part of them getting better, winning conference titles, and so on. My class was very successful, and I think that helped the program take another leap forward. They’ve only been getting better and better throughout the years. It has been cool to see.”
Now Lacasse looks to defend her nation’s gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
“My international career came very late,” said Lacasse. “I have the experience of a veteran player, however I also have a rookie mentality, because a lot of these things are firsts.
“I have the luxury of playing with a lot of freedom, but I have also played in Champions League games in front of massive crowds with some of the most talented players in the world. So it is cool to have both those perspectives, and I think it is something unique I can bring to this team.”
Lacasse is the first Hawkeye Soccer product to compete at the Olympic Games. Previous experience with the national team includes the 2022 Concaf Championships in Mexico and the 2023 FIFA World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
“We aren’t only the national team for soccer this time, but we are part of a full representation of the country across these sports,” said Lacasse. “It is cool to be a part of a complete team with all sorts of sports and be around all sorts of athletes and learn about their journeys, as well.”
Something the journey has taught Lacasse:
“I would just say to take your risks. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Don’t be afraid to fail. When I was younger, I tended to want to be perfect and always show our best foot forward. I think it is also important for the growth of younger players to take chances and make mistakes, because that is what is going to make you so much better and unique.”
The Canadian women’s national team is also slated for Group Stage games against France on July 28 at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard and Columbia on July 21 at Stade de Nice in Nice, France.
Quarterfinal matches are slated for Aug. 3 and the semifinals take place on Aug. 6 at various stadiums. The bronze medal match is scheduled for Aug. 9 at Stade de Lyon in Décines-Charpieu, France. The Olympic gold will be contested on Aug. 10 at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Photos courtesy of Canada Soccer and Audrey Magny