Sequim’s Heidi Vereide is among the second wave of players from the NWAC champion Peninsula College women’s soccer team who are moving on to play at the next level.
Vereide, a red-shirt freshman who graduated from Sequim High in 2015, will earn her associate of arts degree at Peninsula this spring and has three years of eligibility remaining to play for Colorado Christian University, a Division II program located in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver, Colo.
She plans to major in business.
“There is no one main reason I picked this school — it was really multiple little things that led up to me choosing it over the other options,” Vereide said.
”The girls on the team were awesome and I felt like the style of play was something I would fit in well with. I also liked the coaching staff. The location (Denver) is perfect because I get to have the foothills just 15 minutes from campus while at the same time experience the city life, which will be a first for me. My parents were especially supportive in my decision to attend CCU and having their support means a lot.”
Vereide signed her letter of intent in March, as did Pirate teammates Bri Vallente of Waikoloa, Hawaii, and Bailie Zuber, of Carson City, Nev.
Vallente will continue her collegiate soccer career at California State East Bay, a Division II university near San Francisco, Calif., and Zuber will see her next action at the University of Colorado, a Division II program in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Signing earlier this winter on National Signing Day (Feb. 1) were Audrey Barham and Kennady Whitehead, both of Sparks, Nev., and Hoku Afong, of Waianae, Hawaii. Barham and Whitehead will both attend the University of Nevada–Reno, a Division I soccer program, and Afong will play for California Baptist University, a Division II school.
“This class has been one of the mentally toughest groups I have coached,” Pirate head coach Kanyon Anderson said. “They responded to every challenge and they deserve the success they have gotten. I am proud of all of these players and know that the programs they are headed to will feel the same way.”
“We have had six sign so far and several more are waiting to make their final decisions in the (this) week,” Anderson said.
Vereide said she had a number of highlights in her two seasons at Peninsula — her first goal, an NWAC title and simply getting a chance to play in a program she looked up to.
“Being able to play at PC was a highlight in itself,” Vereide said. “As a local, I attended many youth soccer camps at PC and I looked up to the college players as role models. I wanted to be just like them. Getting the opportunity to realize that dream has been amazing.”
The Pirates fell in the semifinals to Highline in Vereide’s red-shirt freshman season, then rebounded to take the title in two overtimes against Highline in 2016.
“Being a member of the team when we fell short in 2015 really added to the fire to see us claim the trophy this year,” she said. “When we did, it was an amazing moment celebrating with my teammates.”
Vereide scored her first collegiate goal on Sept. 17, 2016, in a 6-0 against Skagit Valley.
“It wasn’t a game winner, but my teammates celebrated it like it was,” Vereide said. “It was a good shot that I’m not sure I could repeat. I took it from the outside of the box on the left and it made it in the upper right corner of the goal. I doubt I’ll ever forget that moment when it went in.”
“As I move forward, I am excited to see what the future holds and I’m optimistic that I will enjoy Colorado and CCU just as much as I have enjoyed my time at Peninsula,” she said.
