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Fourth-year Soccer Mountie Erin Cecchetto chose ���� for its strong academic programs, small campus, and the opportunity to continue playing soccer.

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From Brooklyn, NS, Cecchetto began playing soccer when she was four. Her father played university soccer and encouraged her to start playing, coaching her along the way. She played for West Hants and then started U-10 with Valley United, where she played throughout high school while attending King’s-Edgehill School. This past summer she played with Codiac First Touch in Moncton.

“Soccer was always something my dad and I did together,” she says. “I played lots of sports, but soccer was what I was most passionate about.”

Cecchetto also played hockey, track & field, biathalon, and she rode horses.

A walk-on with the Mounties, she worked her way up from a red-shirt her first two years to becoming a starter this past year.

“I was never the most skilled player on the field,” she says. “But I always worked hard and tried to use my speed to my advantage.”

Cecchetto was recently named Athlete of the Week for her senior night performance vs. UNB. She is the only graduating senior on this year’s squad.

“This whole season has been really rewarding,” she says. “Getting a starting spot was something I never took for granted. I was grateful every time and it pushed me to continue working hard. I know there are other girls in the same position and I hope I can inspire them to do the same.”

Along with varsity soccer, Cecchetto is also on the executive for Right to Play and is a student athletic therapist for women’s basketball. She says being a student-athlete has taught her a lot about time management and finding a balance.

“I care a lot about my academics and they come first,” she says. “But I am also passionate about soccer and this experience allowed me to learn how to find a balance and excel at both.”

A biology major, Cecchetto plans to apply to chiropractic school after graduation.