A senior and varsity standout, Courtney McDermott has built a reputation not just for her versatility across the defensive line, but for the quiet, resilient character she brings to the program every day.

“Although it may not be a specific memory or accomplishment, I am proud of the way I have handled everything over the years,” McDermott said. “I’ve faced a few rough patches along the way, but instead of giving up, I chose to grow stronger, learn from them, and keep pushing forward.”

That mindset was shaped, in part, by those who came before her. McDermott points to Jordan Hahn, a former Wildcat captain, as a defining influence during her early years in the program.

“Jordan Hahn, our captain my sophomore year, left an impression on me because she always showed up and worked the hardest and never once complained,” McDermott said. “She showed me what it meant to be a leader and how a positive attitude changes everything.”

McDermott has since taken that lesson to heart — and into the community. She volunteers at a local elementary school, where the next generation of Wildcats looks to her with wide eyes and big dreams.

“My favorite part of representing my school as an athlete is the positive impact it has on others,” she said. “Working at the elementary school in town, I’m constantly surrounded by kids who ask about soccer and our program, and many of them dream about the day they get to play high school soccer themselves. Seeing their excitement and aspirations reminds me how meaningful it is to serve as a role model, and I truly think that’s something special.”

Her mother, in particular, passed along a lesson that has traveled with McDermott from childhood all the way to the varsity pitch.

“Although my mom has shared many words of wisdom, one lesson has always stayed with me,” McDermott said. “Since I was a child, she has reminded me to treat everyone with kindness, no matter how they may have wronged me, because while I can’t control what others do, I can always control how I choose to respond.”