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24 CAVALIER CORNER Swanson and the Cavaliers received the pledge from Spaanstra to join the program and she did so a semester early, enrolling in the spring of 2018 and going through spring training with a group of players coming off an appearance in the round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament — the 13th straight for the Cavaliers at the time. Despite entering the program as the No. 7-ranked player nationally and a two- time high school All-American, it was a move that helped Spaanstra acclimate to the college environment, learn the Virginia system and get to know her teammates. "Enrolling early at UVA was one of the best decisions I could have made for my- self, both academically and soccer-wise," Spaanstra said. "I was able to enroll in the spring semester of 2018 and begin taking classes. I was also able to train with the team and not lose a year of eligibility. The extra spring semester allowed me to get acclimated to the team, learn their style of play and get to work with the coaching staff. "On top of that, I was able to start taking classes to learn how to balance academics with soccer so I would be more prepared once the season rolled around. Knowing I was able to take 15 credits also prepared me to gradu- ate a semester early for the upcoming NWSL Draft, a dream of mine from a young age. "Being able to form these connections with the team and coaches allowed me to feel more comfortable and confident once the fall semester started. I was able to ad- just to the collegiate level much earlier than I would have coming in during the fall." That first season, Spaanstra made an im- mediate impact as she earned third-team All-ACC and first-team all-region honors. She was named to the ACC All-Tournament team and was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Freshman Team. Spaanstra started all 21 matches she played that year and tied for the team lead in goals scored and assists, tallying 9 goals and 6 assists for a team-leading 24 points. Two of those goals were game-winners, while 4 of her 6 assists came on game-winning goals. While it's easy to look at the stats and believe things just flowed for her as a fresh- man, Spaanstra said that wasn't the case, but pointed to a 5-1 win over Wake Forest as the game where things fell into place for her. In that match, she scored the opening goal and assisted on the fourth goal. "Adjusting to the collegiate level wasn't as easy for me as it might have been for oth- ers," Spaanstra said. "Initially, I would try to do too much on the ball, always feeling as though I had to be the one to do everything. ENCORE PERFORMANCE Alexa Spaanstra Is Focused On Making The Most Out Of Her Fifth Season With The Virginia Women's Soccer Team Spaanstra has amassed 29 goals and 29 assists in a sterling UVA career that has spanned 84 games and includes a College Cup appearance and the 2021 ACC regular-season champion- ship. She has earned All-ACC honors four times and is a three- time all-region selection. (Photo courtesy UVA) BY BILL BUNTING W hen head coach Steve Swanson was putting together the recruiting class for the 2018-19 academic year, a player he had seen a few years earlier while out on the road scouting stuck in his head. That player was Alexa Spaanstra, now a rising fifth-year on the Virginia women's soccer team. "When I first saw Alexa play, it was during her freshman year in high school on her club team, the Michigan Hawks," Swanson said. "At the time, I came back and told our assistants that I just watched the best prospect in the country at her age group. Four years later when she graduated from high school, I felt the exact same way and so did our coaching staff. "Not only was Alexa an exceptional athlete with a rare combination of speed, explo- siveness, agility and stamina, but she possessed great dribbling and finishing skills and a defensive presence. As coaches, we all felt Alexa would thrive playing at Klöckner Stadium where there is plenty of room to run and exploit space."