How Maryland Women’s Soccer is Improving Culturally

The 2022 Maryland women’s soccer team is looking to continue to improve after a disappointing season, considering the amount of talent on the roster. Head coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer says this year’s team has players who have already been on the national stage, and that could help to change the team’s mindset to one of a champion. Nemzer stated that the biggest cultural shift she is implementing is a championship mindset by going hard every minute of the game. 

Coach Nemzer believes that what it takes is to get 1% better every day, and to lean on upperclassmen to guide the younger players to success on and off the field. Her line of thinking can be compared to Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and “Heat Culture.” The Heat have had their superstar players over the years, but every player on the roster is putting their own interests and stats before the team, regardless of their role. Coach Nemzer is working on putting this mentality into the team, and has gotten some of the top recruits around the country to come to Maryland. The message is simple: why wouldn’t you want to come to a school that is among the best academically in the Big Ten, has an active student body, and has good teams in all sports. The great thing about this team is that it is led by the players holding each other accountable and being exceptional leaders. Coach Nemzer said that she is looking for the “X-factor” kind of person, the one who gives her A game on and off the field. She believes that you cannot make someone turn out to be that way, but that they have to have it coming in. 

Transfers are going to be a big addition to the squad this year, with Liz Beardley coming in from Georgia to strengthen the goalie position. The 2023 recruiting class was number one in the country, and the 2024 recruiting class is said to be around the top twenty. Many of these players are located in the DMV area or up north in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. One of the reasons people are coming to Maryland is the location, which is perfect for jobs and internships in D.C. and the surrounding area. The positive cultural change is also helping draw more recruits to consider Maryland as their top choice. The new kind of leadership, poise, and determination is exactly what recruits and their parents are looking for.

Caroline Koutsos, a senior who was a WCAC champion in 2018 at Good Counsel High School in Olney, MD, is a prime example of someone who has experience of being able to lead and rally the troops when it gets tough. This team will be exciting to watch this upcoming season, and will be having their first scrimmages in early August. The season will start in September, and coming to home games at Ludwig Field will be rowdy courtesy of the Crew.