Stolzenburg helps Messiah to national crown

by Eric Keppeler Grand Island Dispatch, March 17, 2006 Savannah Stolzenburg developed a taste for success on the soccer field during a standout four-year career at Grand Island High School. So it was hardly surprising that her good fortune should continue at the next level when she moved on to Messiah College, just outside Harrisburg, Pa. The junior midfielder played a key role in helping Messiah win the Division III national championship after a 1-0 win over The College of New Jersey in the finals last November. Messiah finished the season 22-0-1 and was the top-ranked D-III team in the country after claiming its first national title. “It was so exciting,” Stolzenburg said. “We went to the Final Four last year, too, and we had no seniors, so everybody was back. We were the only team to make it back to the Final Four, and to win it was truly incredible.” Stolzenburg was a mainstay for coach Peter Prozik at Grand Island. A league all-star while helping the Vikings dominate the Niagara Frontier League, she helped the Vikings as a senior to the first of four consecutive state Final Four appearances. That brush with success provided a solid foundation, but she knew she had to raise her game even more in college.

Former Grand Island Vikings soccer standout Savannah Stolzenburg played a key role in helping Messiah College to its first-ever Division III championship.

“It’s a lot more intense in college,” Stolzenburg said. “In high school, soccer was just what you did ever since you were young. In college, it’s almost like a job – there’s always training or some other kind of team activity. It’s more of a commitment.”

One of the reasons she chose Messiah was that school’s own tradition of success. Ever since head coach Scott Frey took over the reins in 2001, the team has become a consistent contender – making the Final Four in three of the last four seasons before finally winning it in 2005.

This season, Stolzenburg had four goals and two assists for 10 points in a balanced Messiah offense. But it was her defense that had more of an impact as Messiah surrendered just seven goals all season long.

Just like the old days with Vikings.

“It actually reminded me a lot of Grand Island – that’s one of the reasons I decided to go there,” Stolzenburg said. “A lot of athletes will go to Division I colleges that maybe aren’t that strong. But I wanted to go to a place that had a strong program and a good chance to win.”

Stolzenburg took perhaps a week off after winning the national championship, but she’s already hard at work in training for next season.

The team will lose six players to graduation, including three starters, but Stolzenburg likes her team’s chances of going back to the Final Four and repeating as national champs.

“I think we’re a contender every year,” Stolzenburg said. “This program is always good, and that’s because the recruiting has been good. And winning a national championship is a great recruiting tool – people want to come here. So we lose some players, but we’re always adding talented players to the mix.”