9/24/2021 Lexi Larson 3 min read
Written by Lexi Larson
Kennedy Berschel was always in love with soccer. So much so that Berschel would say she “wanted to major in soccer” when she was younger. While she isn’t majoring in soccer on paper, Berschel proudly plays for the Illinois women’s soccer team while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Berschel is a sophomore from Bensenville, Illinois. As a kid, she never had an interest in toys typically targeted towards girls; her interest was always in building and constructing with LEGOs. In this way, engineering seemed well-suited to fit her interests. However, she also wanted to play for a top 10 school. She chose Illinois for its perfect combination of an impressive engineering program and a great soccer team.
Berschel said that when she joined the soccer team, she really felt like she had found a new home. She had nothing but great things to say about the team and each of her teammates. While the time commitment to soccer and an engineering degree is very demanding, she said, it is not unmanageable.
“From practicing daily, with one or two games a week, plus travel, you do have to be on top of your game – literally – to balance everything,” she said. Luckily, student athletes have access to Demirjian Park, one of Berschel’s favorite places at Illinois. The new home of the soccer team that opened earlier this year, the student-athlete hub has places to study, eat, practice, film practice sessions, and more.
Outside of soccer, Berschel is involved with Engineering Ambassadors, which teaches its members to educate others about what engineering is. She said she appreciates that EA “promotes the idea that you don’t have to be above-and-beyond smart to be an engineer.”
Berschel is a huge fan of the physics courses offered at UIUC – specifically, Professor Tim Stelzer, who Berschel has had for both Physics 211 and Physics 212 and who “gives great real-world examples.”
Berschel is not sure when she will graduate, due to COVID’s effect on athletes’ years of eligibility; she is considering the potential of a fifth year at Illinois. However, she does still have a few ideas of what her post-graduation plans could look like. Her dream is to play pro soccer if the opportunity arose. Otherwise, she has always loved the idea of being an engineer at Disney.
Berschel said one of her favorite things about being an Illini is that she turned her whole family – originally Hawkeyes – into Illinois fans.