By Jenny Mosley
College soccer has been in the back of Morgan Staley’s mind since she was a little girl. As she grew older and finally decided on a career path, the idea of being a college athlete seemed to come to a halt.
It wasn’t until Staley took a visit to KU and met women’s head coach Erik Burstein that she
realized her passion could become a reality.
“In a way, he re-instilled the passion I had for the game on my visit because he made me feel like I could not give up soccer,” she said. “And I knew that if he could re-instill something in me as great as my passion that there was something great about this program and I wanted to be a part of that.”
Staley was a part of a freshman class that featured a total of thirteen girls.
As the seasons flew by, Staley became more and more aware that her teammates weren’t passionate about the sport anymore. When her junior season came around this August, Staley was one of three remaining in her class, with no intent of ending her career early.
“Staying has always been an easy decision. Quitting has never crossed my mind. Soccer is something I am so passionate about and something that I enjoy doing so much that I want to be able to do it for as long as I can,” said Staley.
It was that desire and dedication that eventually led Staley to being named one of three captains for the 2016 season.
Her work ethic on the field has earned her a starting position in 31 straight games and placed her on the 2015 NSCAA All-Atlantic Region Third Team.
Staley’s work off the field is worth noting as well. As a biology major, Staley has to dedicate most of her time off the field to schoolwork. She noted that not being able to do certain things because of studying is discouraging, but she believes it will be worth it in the end.
Staley is committed to her major. “My ultimate goal in life is to become a doctor and it has been ever since I can remember, and this is the major needed in order for me to pursue that goal.”
Putting in the extra effort has worked out for Staley so far. She’s a two-time Dean’s List Honoree and a two-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete. She received a D2ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2015.
Although her ultimate goal in life is to become a doctor, right now, Staley is focusing on leading the Golden Bears to their first-ever PSAC Championship come November.