Hannah Goralnick '19 Recruiting Profile

I've been playing soccer since I was 4 1/2 -- I come from an athletic, highly  committed family, so it was inevitable that I would play a sport. My mom played Div 1 volleyball, my dad was a three sport athlete in HS and is a Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, and my twin brother plays for the US Soccer Development Academy team at Minnesota Thunder Academy.  So there is a lot of support for me in my commitment and passion for soccer. I strive to be the best player that I can be -- despite the fact that my physical size is a little less than I would have hoped for with a twin that is 6' tall. I work really hard to get better at my sport; working with a tactical/technical trainer 1-2 days a week, with a strength and conditioning coach 2-4 days a week, and watching professional soccer every weekend. I'm used to being incredibly busy all the time with my sport yet still maintaining high grades. When people tell me about the challenge of being a college athlete, I'm not as worried about the schedule and time commitment as I am that I will find a coach that believes in me as much as my club coach.

I am a strong student that sets high standards for myself academically and athletically. My goal is to graduate with a 3.9 or better and attend a college that will let me see playing time as a freshman and also pursue my professional dream of becoming a NICU nurse. When I was born 4 weeks early, I was 3lbs and 15oz so my first week was spent in a NICU. I want to be a nurse because I want to work to help babies and children like myself. So I am looking for a school with a good nursing program.

I am also looking for a larger school in TN, NC, SC, KY or VA with a strong soccer program, with a coach who will help me continue to develop as a player. I have grown so much in the past year, moving from an ECNL team with a coach who made me miserable to a lower division, but more committed, team with a coach that pushes me to excel at the game I love. The school that I hope to play at will  play possession style soccer that builds from the back through the midfield instead of just playing direct. Direct is a tactic that is useful, but I want to be engaged in the play.  I play all defensive positions; my primary position is as holding or defensive midfielder.

Knowing that my size is not an advantage, I've worked to be very strong and agile. My current squat max is 145 lbs. (my body weight is 125lbs). My goal is to get to 1 and 1/2 times my body weight -- 187.5 - before my junior year and 2x my body weight by end of my senior year. 

I believe I’ll be a good addition to any program because: I am coachable, supportive of my team mates, a funny, caring person and I really, really love to play soccer!