Nell Dwyer ’24 is a sophomore at Hobart and William Smith College, where she is a starting defender on the soccer team. From Amherst, Massachusetts, she was a four-year Senior at Hotchkiss and played on Girls Varsity Soccer all four years. She received All-State honors her Upper Mid and Senior years, was a Western New England All-Star three times, and was First-Team All-NEPSAC as a Lower Mid. At HWS, Dwyer started all 25 games as a freshman. She was named Liberty League Rookie of the Week six times and scored three game winning goals in the NCAA tournament.
How did you get involved in soccer?
My parents introduced soccer to me at a very young age. In their eyes, it was very important for my siblings, Darcy ’25 and Hudson ’28, and me to participate in sports, as they believe sports teach us lessons for life. Therefore, growing up we all tried basically every sport available, and I liked soccer the most.
Why did you decide to come to Hotchkiss?
As cliché as it sounds, I knew Hotchkiss would help me become the best person I could be. I knew that it would provide me opportunities and force me to grow socially, academically, and athletically in ways I would never have available to me if I had stayed at my public school.
What were some of your most memorable moments at Hotchkiss?
I loved brunch with my sister, Darcy, every Sunday. We had a tradition of “family brunch,” which was always a space where we could spend time together and catch up. I loved spending time in nature: swimming in the lake, going on walks in the woods, and fishing with friends are some of my favorite memories. I also loved spending time with everyone in my grade. Even if it was just at the Dining Hall, or sitting at Senior couches in between classes, I feel grateful for our time together and miss those moments.
What was your college recruitment process like?
My commitment process was a long and difficult, but rewarding, one. It made me constantly consider my worth as a soccer player and, in many ways, as a person. The process helped me learn a lot about myself and what matters most to me. I further developed my conversational skills through constant emailing and phone calls. I also strengthened my resilience and my time management.
What are some of the biggest differences between high school and college soccer?
Going into college soccer, especially as a D3 athlete, I thought playing high school and club soccer would have prepared me to balance academics and athletics. Hotchkiss and club soccer helped my transition, but it was not as fluid as I had expected. In the fall, with film, recovery, practice, and lift, my days are mainly consumed by soccer, whereas in high school, there was more of a balance between athletics and academics. I have definitely developed skills to help manage everything, but I was surprised during my freshman year by soccer’s time commitment.
How is soccer going in college?
Soccer is going great. I love my teammates, and I feel like I have made some of my best friends for life. Being able to go to Las Vegas last year to compete in the national championship was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Growing up, I always dreamed of playing college sports, and it feels incredibly full circle and gratifying to be a college athlete. This fall, I got injured and missed four games, but I am back playing and am very excited for the rest of the season.
What are some of your goals for the rest of college and beyond?
After my freshman year, we had a massive coaching change. The woman who recruited me, who had been the head of the William Smith soccer program for 45 years, retired; so did our head assistant coach. We have two new coaches whom I enjoy working with. The next few years are definitely rebuilding years for us, as we graduated serious talent last year and will be losing a lot of talent in our Senior class. Over the next few years, as we look to rebuild, I look forward to supporting our new coaches and being a part of the new William Smith soccer legacy.
