On Nov. 14, high school students across the nation officially signed to their college of choice to continue their athletic and academic careers. Senior Sam Cary will attend the University of Iowa to pursue her dream of playing Division 1 soccer.

“I am excited to start a new chapter of my life. Playing college athletics has always been a dream of mine,” Cary said.

Unlike many athletes on Signing Day, not everyone knows where they are attending until the day of. However, Sam Cary verbally committed in October of her sophomore year.

“It’s nice to get it [the signing] out of the way. Plus, I was able to choose my high school classes that will count towards college credits at Iowa.

Cary has put in long hours of work, but her work ethic has been the ultimate reason for her success. Cary’s presence on and off the field provides the team with a boost of chemistry that not all teams have.

“Sam has the drive to do well. Every game, she expects the best out of her team and herself,” high school coach, Larry Scheller said. ”She is the ultimate leader and her teammates feed off of her positive attitude, which makes the team better”.

In return, her teammates have provided Sam with much support throughout her recruiting process with balancing academics and athletics. With some of her teammates also currently going through the recruiting process, Sam’s teammates have been able to help out with any questions as they go through the process of college signing.

“I felt I could really relate with my other teammates, and help them out with their recruiting choices,” Cary said.

As college soccer approaches, Cary has continued to think about her future. At the University of Iowa, Cary is double majoring in Health and Human Physiology and Journalism and Mass Communications. She also is a high-level soccer referee, who referees at the national high school level.

“I am excited to see where my future takes me,” Cary said.