Three years ago Millikin’s Athletic Department added a new member to the team, Kate McArthur, Head Women’s Soccer Coach.

Like many sports at Millikin, the motto “Bleed Blue” is almost imbedded in athlete’s heads when going through various workouts, but the Millikin’s Women’s Soccer program bleeds a little bit more than blue. Every season, the women’s soccer team picks a theme that they live by for the entire season. “This season the girls came up with the theme ‘That One Thing,’” McArthur said.

“That One Thing” is a constant reminder to the team of that one goal they’ve set for the season, and that is to get a banner in the Millikin gymnasium. Not just any banner, a banner that says the Millikin Women’s Soccer team are conference champions. This has not yet been done in the history of the soccer program here at Millikin. McArthur stressed the importance of breaking barriers and changing the perception of the team as “Underdogs.”

Early in the season, Millikin had a match against Westminster and came out on top with a 2-0 victory. The irony of it all is, the last two seasons Millikin’s Women Soccer team had never beaten Westminster and this year they did. Fans could almost feel the energy watching the girls warm up together as one.

Senior Jenna Eaker likes how much McArthur has contributed to the program the last three seasons. “She’s always able to connect with us and understand us as a player,” Eaker said. But it doesn’t stop there, Senior Katie Bartuch added “We’re super united, and coach pushes us to our limits. She actually makes it fun to come to practice.”

A pattern formed watching this team. It was clear the only thing that matter to this team along with beating rival Illinois Wesleyan. “It took me almost two years to come up with a new motto for our program,” said Coach McArthur. “We Seek Excellence, We Live Goodness”.

The Millikin Women’s Soccer team plays Saturday September 24 at 2 p.m. against Maranatha Baptist University at Frank M. Lindsay Field, Decatur IL.