Despite being one of the top players at his position in the region, Wisconsin senior defensive midfielder Noah Goerlitz lives in obscurity.

“It kind of comes with the position … as long as you have the respect of your teammates, I think that’s more important than getting in the press,” Goerlitz said. “I’d rather play a good game and have my teammates appreciate it than play a bad game and happen to get a goal and get in the paper.”

While Goerlitz’s stat line may not feature loads of goals (0 in his career), assists (7), or even shots (14), the Neenah, Wis., native has anchored the Badger defense over the past three seasons, starting 51 matches.

“You know how valuable Noah [Goerlitz] is when he’s not on the field,” head coach Jeff Rohrman said. “That’s when you learn what an impact he has and just what he brings. Because when he’s not with us, we’re not the same team. We’re just not as connected, not as unified, and just clearly not the same quality of team as we are with him in there.”

Things weren’t as rosy for Goerlitz four years ago coming out of high school.

“Well I’m from Neenah, which isn’t exactly known as a hotbed for soccer,” Goerlitz said. “You don’t really get looked at by any major universities.”

Wisconsin wasn’t exactly hot on Goerlitz’s recruiting trail by any stretch of the imagination. He had to call then-UW coach Kalekeni Banda and convince the coach to watch Goerlitz play when the Rockets came to Madison. Banda must have liked what he saw, because after asking Goerlitz to train with the team in the fall of 2001, the Badgers made an extra roster spot for Goerlitz. Prior to that, it appeared he would have to wait until the spring season and try out again.

“It’s a neat story with regard to how he’s gotten to where he is because he was pretty much a walk-on type player here and has grown and developed into clearly one of the key guys in our midfield and one of the most respected and well-liked guys that we have on the team,” Rohrman said.

After seeing time in 14 matches as a freshman, Goerlitz assumed a larger role after Banda was fired and Rohrman took the helm.

“He’s just solid and consistent and steady, and that’s something that we saw early on and certainly it’s what kind of defines Noah (Goerlitz) as one of his greatest strengths,” Rohrman said.

In a power conference like the Big Ten that features a physical brand of soccer, the 5-foot-9, 145-pound Goerlitz has played against players and marked forwards that are typically much larger than him.

“Well, that’s something I’ve dealt with my whole career,” Goerlitz said. “I think, especially when you’re a smaller guy … you can’t play small. I’m a small guy, but you have to play as big as you can. You know you’re going to get hit, but that’s just part of the game.”

At his size, Goerlitz has had to rely on solid fundamentals and an unmatched work ethic — he frequently can be found after practice taking extra free kicks.

“I think more than anything Noah (Goerlitz) is technically pretty sharp,” Rohrman said. “He’s able to keep the ball, possess it, he’s got good ideas when he does get it and he’s a tireless worker. He’s got an engine that doesn’t stop and more than anything that is an infectious quality that you hope impacts other players around him.”

That drive has paid off, as Goerlitz earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season and was named a tri-captain for this year’s squad. As a captain, Goerlitz tries to set an example for a young Wisconsin team.

“I think one of the biggest things is to set a good example and kind of show the younger guys what’s our direction, where we want the program to be,” Goerlitz said. “Coach (Rohrman) has been working with us a lot, making sure we have the right attitude, we come hard. I think the biggest thing is setting a good example for everybody else.”

Goerlitz hopes that his play will leave an impression on his teammates and fans alike.

“I guess I’d want to be remembered as someone who gave it their all every game,” Goerlitz said. “Regardless of somebody’s skill, I think you have to respect someone who goes hard every game.”

Though Goerlitz says he is hoping that the team will be able to make a run at the NCAA tournament, whenever Wisconsin’s season ends it will mark the end of a gritty career. Next year, when Goerlitz will move on to graduate school, the Badgers will be forced to search for a new rock at defensive midfielder.

“He’s the heart of our midfield, and I’ve said that for the last two years … he’s going to be missed, he’s certainly going to be missed in this program,” Rohrman said.