Jillian Saunders '24 Recruiting Profile

My name is Jillian Saunders and soccer has always been a huge passion of mine. I've been playing non-stop since age 5 and have always looked forward to pushing myself to new limits and being the best I can on the field. I love everything about soccer. I love testing my limitations on and off the field and never giving up, even if the odds are against us. I love playing alongside my friends and teammates, creating beautiful plays and celebrating together. I love being tested and pressured by coaches during practice and on the field, constantly being pushed to new limits. At some point in my soccer journey, I realized that I never wanted to stop playing, and how I needed to start standing out in order to play to the best of my ability. Working out also became a new passion of mine. I started eating healthier, weight lifting, running, competing in obstacle races and challenging myself. 

Academically, I’ve also always known what I’m interested in and started striving towards that goal. Growing up, my family was always on the move, either exercising, traveling or trying new things. With both my parents in the healthcare field, I felt a strong connection to helping others, specifically animals. High school has given me the unique ability to take courses like AP Biology and AP Environmental, which just expands my interest in Biology and how our world works. From such a young age, I’ve always known and had specific interests and motivation for my goals. I’ve had many different experiences, and have been able to challenge myself to new things, and now I know exactly what I want and what my college dreams are.