For the most part, freshman athletes are used primarily for the scout team, to prepare the starters for the next weeks' games. Most freshman athletes rarely get to see the field as they usually are committed to learning the game and adjusting to its speed. However, this was not the case for sophomore Katy Meuer last year.

Last season, Meuer appeared in 15 matches for the Wisconsin women, starting two of those games. She quickly tallied her first career assist in the team's fourth game and scored her first career goal against in-state rival University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

So far this season, Meuer has appeared in all 12 of Wisconsin's games. Although she has yet to tally a point, she has been a constant defensive threat on the field.

"The first couple games last year was really getting up to speed and up to the tempo," Meuer said. "It was demanding for me as a freshman. I came to a team that expected me to be up to a certain level and I needed to play quicker and work a lot on my personal skills to be able to compete with the girls on this team and play with some of the best players in the country."

Katy Meuer comes from a family with deep Wisconsin roots. Her father Kelly played for the Wisconsin men's soccer team; her uncles, Rob and Jeff Andringa, played for the UW hockey team; and her older sister Molly played for the women's soccer team.

When it came to soccer advice, Katy didn't have to look outside her own family.

"My dad always taught me when I was really little by just playing around in the backyard and things like that," Meuer said. "My sister helped me to have a focus and to know that I always could go to her when I was struggling and she would be there to help me. [Molly] really helped me break into this team as well because I could train with her and she could tell me what I was doing right."

With the strong defensive corps of Jessica Ring, Natalie Horner, and Ann Eshun, time on the defensive front is limited. However, due to her hard work, grit and determination, Meuer has played her way into the rotation and has been a big part of Wisconsin's stingy defense.

"[Katy] has been really strong off the bench," said Wisconsin head coach Dean Duerst. "You need that spark plug coming in to help pick your team up and that's what Katy brings to us."

On the field, Meuer's determination and competitive attitude have helped Wisconsin to three shutout victories. Off the field, she still exhibits that gritty and competitive persona.

"On the field, she's very competitive. She's a very good player and really likes to get in and tackle hard and is very aggressive. She's really fun to watch and great to learn from," said high school teammate Megan Strohm. "Off the field, she loves to have a good time and is also very competitive off the field in the little things she does."

Whether it be stymieing defenders on the field or being the vocal cheerleader on the bench, Meuer always comes to play with the extreme focus instated by her father and sister. She has come to Wisconsin to turn the team into one of the best in the country and turn herself into a complete soccer player.

"I play the best when I am very focused and I have had a good warm up with good touches on the ball and finish really well when we do our drills before the game," Meuer said. "I just want to play the best I can everyday and turn Wisconsin into one of the best teams in the country. We are a really good team and when we are all on the same page, we can play with anybody."