Player Spotlight: Hannah Rossner is blazing a trail

LANSING, Mich. - When Hannah Rossner decided to transfer from Spring Arbor University and continue her college soccer career elsewhere, she called up her high school club coach, Sam Sibilski.

"It was then I could see God moving in my life," she says, "because Sam just so happened to be the new head women's coach at Great Lakes!" Rossner soon after became the first women's soccer player to sign for the 2020 season, and she has had a massive impact on the program from the word go.

"I felt the joy I once had for the sport I love come flooding back, knowing I was going to be playing for my favorite coach again who made the sport so fun for me in the first place."

A local product from Parma, then Jackson, Rossner played soccer her entire childhood, playing for current women's coach Sam Sibilski at Rush Soccer in Jackson. She initially attended Spring Arbor after high school, but has found her "home away from home" at Great Lakes. She made herself at home right away, anchoring a Great Lakes back line that allowed an average of fewer than two goals per game. The team shook off a pair of season-opening losses to close the year on a streak of five games without a loss. GLCC seemed poise to make a run in the regional tournament, but the season was shortened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

After college, Rossner plans on being an elementary school teacher. "I hope to inspire kids," she says, "and show them how fun learning should be at a young age." She does anticipate, however, that soccer will "stay a part of my life in some form" beyond college.

In the meantime, despite the shortened first season for the program, Rossner and her team are looking ahead to next season, thinking they have a chance to do something special. "I think I speak for everyone when I say 'banner up,'" Rossner says. "I think our goal as a team is to really make a statement for women's sports at Great Lakes."