Freshman midfielder Allison Jorden decided on her own to come to IU.
Both of her parents attended IU and her father Tim played Hoosier football from 1985 to 1989.
But that didn’t sway her.
Jorden’s parents made it clear to her that it was solely her decision where to continue her playing career.
And she still decided to come to IU.
“Both of my parents went here, my dad played football here, and I have a lot of family in the Midwest,” Jorden said. “So that was a little bit of a draw. But I really didn’t have to compromise on anything by choosing Indiana.”
Jorden has continued her family’s legacy of participating in athletics at IU. Her father enjoyed a five-year career in the NFL as a tight end following his days as a Hoosier.
While Jorden knew of her father’s past athletic achievements at IU during her recruitment period, she is now able to better relate to his experiences as a student-athlete since her arrival on campus.
“It’s so cool to walk into the weight room and think that my dad was here however many years ago doing the same exact thing,” Jorden said. “Now that I’m here, I appreciate the experience a lot more than I did.”
Jorden also valued the educational opportunities IU presented to her. IU Coach Amy Berbary has placed an emphasis on academics for the women’s soccer team since arriving in 2013.
The team has won the Herbert Cup, awarded to the IU athletic team with the highest GPA, in three of the last four semesters, including in spring 2016.
Like her father, who graduated from IU with a finance degree, Jorden said the Kelley School of Business was another big reason why coming to Bloomington made sense for her.
“I’m interested in business, so having Kelley here was a huge plus,” Jorden said. “I think it’s really important to be on a team that has a coach and teammates that believe in academics and the importance of getting your college degree first and playing soccer second. I was comfortable coming here knowing that I wouldn’t have to sacrifice any academic standings to play soccer.”
On the pitch, Jorden has been an impact player for the Hoosiers this season. She is one of three freshmen to appear in each of the team’s 13 games and is the only freshman to have scored this season.
That goal came in a critical match for the team, too, as a header by Jorden helped IU defeat Wisconsin 3-2 on Sept. 25 for the Hoosiers’ first home Big Ten win in almost two years.
“It was great to be a part of that win, and I’m glad I could help contribute to it,” Jorden said. “I think that I’ve hit my stride as a player a little bit because of the coaching I’ve received here. I’ve seen a lot of improvement in myself because of the people around me making me better.”
No one was more relieved to see Jorden score her first collegiate goal than Berbary, who knew Jorden’s moment to score would arrive eventually.
“She has been knocking on the door and finally got herself one. She has been so good in the air for us,” Berbary said. “She found a way to break free from her coverage, which is something we’ve been working a lot on.”
The positive start to her collegiate career has reinforced Jorden’s belief that she made the right decision to continue her playing career. Not only has Jorden excelled on the field so far, but she has also been able to carry on a family tradition.
“I love the school, the atmosphere, the coaches and the soccer program,” Jorden said. “It was completely my choice where I went to school. I chose IU because I loved it, not because my parents did, but we ended up loving the same thing.”
