For most student athletes, freshman year consists of quietly watching from the sidelines and running drills with the second team in the hope of breaking into the starting lineup the following season. But for UW women’s goalkeeper Stefani Szczechowski, freshman year has meant shutting out Indiana in the conference opener and heading into her second week of Big Ten play with a 5-3-1 record.

Szczechowski’s freshman season has also meant facing the pressure of replacing Kelly Conway, Wisconsin’s career leader in saves (385) and games played (89).

“Honestly, the first game I was a little scared,” Szczechowski said. “But once I got comfortable with the new college surroundings, I think that with every game I learn and grow.”

Thus far, Szczechowski has met the challenge, allowing just ten goals in her first nine games to post an impressive 1.10 goals against average. Szczechowski currently stands just one goal off the pace Conway set last season in the final year of her record-setting career. Through nine games, Conway had allowed nine goals in 2002. She finished with 26 goals allowed in 25 games.

Szczechowski’s Big Ten numbers are even more impressive. After the opening weekend of conference play, Szczechowski has allowed just one goal against Big Ten opponents to post a 0.54 GAA in conference games. In 10 Big Ten contests last season, Conway surrendered 14 goals and recorded a 1.35 GAA.

“It’s kind of exciting watching [Szczechowski],” head coach Dean Duerst said. “It reminds me of someone like a Kelly Conway when she was in her first year.”

Conway, like most freshman starters, had to compete for the starting job. Szczechowski, however, enjoyed the unique position of instantly topping the depth chart as a freshman.

“She wanted to come in and fight and battle for the starting spot,” Duerst said. “She just didn’t have to do that as much. She was kind of put into the position right away.”

Szczechowski’s ball skills and mobility made an immediate impact on the Wisconsin coaching staff.

“She’s very comfortable with the ball at her feet, she can distribute well on the passes and her ability to come and get the loose things that are played in behind our defense — that’s what impressed us,” Duerst said.

The talented goalkeeper’s passing ability may have developed during her freshman year of high school, when she earned an All-State honorable mention as a forward.

“Freshman year in high school, the senior captain was a goalie,” Szczechowski said. “I was a pretty good field player, so I ended up playing center mid and forward. I actually had seven goals. It was pretty fun.”

After a successful freshman year at forward, Szczechowski transferred to Ladywood High School, where she returned to goalkeeper and earned All-State first-team honors three consecutive seasons.

“Forward was fun, but getting to goalkeeper I felt that I was home again,” Szczechowski said.

Back in the net, where she had played since she was three years old, Szczechowski led Ladywood High to its first district and regional championships and to the state semifinal.

“I definitely gained a lot of experience,” Szczechowski said. “I had to take on a new role of leadership, and that role has really helped play over to the college game.”

The experience she gained in high school has eased Szczechowski’s transition to college soccer and allowed the freshman standout to excel early in her collegiate career.

“The biggest thing with younger players is experience,” Duerst said. “In professional soccer, the best keepers are well into their thirties. One of the things we as a coaching staff want is for [Szczechowski] to keep learning, and that’s one thing she’s shown very well: to learn from mistakes, to learn in training how to carry that into game performance.”

Though Szczechowski was immediately elevated to the starting role, she has remained humble, recognizing the continual need for improvement.

“She’s a quiet personality,” Duerst said. “She’s a very good student. She’s disciplined in practice, works hard, keeps pushing herself to try to improve.”

Like her predecessor, Szczechowski will have to grow into her role as the season progresses.

“Kelly Conway developed into her personality and presence out there,” Duerst said. “[Szczechowski] is still learning how to do that and gaining incredible experience in that process.”

However, an aggressive save in the team’s recent loss to Purdue has put Szczechowski’s development on hold. After receiving a red card for using her hands outside the penalty area to stop a Purdue breakaway, Szczechowski will serve a one-game suspension Friday when the Badgers take on Michigan. Her absence may loosen her hold on the starting job.

“She’s starting to get competition now from a couple other keepers,” Duerst said. “She won’t be playing Friday, so we’ll see how they do.”

Szczechowski will now get her chance to watch from the sidelines, but she hopes her red card will not leave her running drills with the second team in the hope of regaining her spot in the starting lineup.