The sense of community within the Department of Athletics and the entire College has been instrumental to Rose’s first year at Saint Mary’s. The passion of her professors in the classroom blends seamlessly with the drive and love of soccer shared by her coaches and her teammates.

“Academically, I was a bit worried about the transition from high school to college, but I very much appreciate the approachability of every single one of my professors,” she said. “If there are any concepts that you don’t understand, the professors make clear their availability and are more than willing to meet and assist in any way they can. I also appreciate the love and enthusiasm that the professors have for their particular subject.”

On the pitch, Rose had one of the best freshman seasons in program history. A Second Team All-MIAA honoree, she scored 12 goals and added four assists for a 28-point season. Her single-season goal tally was the most in over a decade for a member of the Saint Mary’s soccer program. Rose attributes both her and her team’s success to the culture her teammates and coaches have built at Saint Mary’s.

“From day one, the upperclasswomen and coaching staff created a very welcoming environment for all of us. From then on, the team just got closer and closer, and having a team like that is extremely valuable. Having such a close team motivates the players on the team to work for each other. It motivates us all to stay accountable with school work. It motivates us to get out of bed for early practices. It allows us to stay on the same page in high pressure games. A close team also has allowed me to meet some of my best friends here. I love going to practice every day to work hard but to also just spend time with some really amazing people.”  

For Rose, every aspect of her Saint Mary’s experience is putting her on a path for achieving her goals on and off the pitch. Her liberal arts education paired with her focus on earning a degree in business will give her the ability to relate with and connect to a large range of topics and people throughout her future.  

“We are surrounded by people who want us to succeed. As a team, we are pushed by our coaches to improve, motivated by our teammates, supported by our athletic training staff, and encouraged by our fellow Belles and professors - it’s truly a great culture.”