After tearing her left ACL in 2022, Caroline Birdsell redshirted her first year of college. Now, she starts on a Big Ten soccer team that is tied for third in the conference.
In her debut game for the Gophers, Birdsell became the first Gophers freshman to score two goals in a single game. She described her play style as intense, hardworking and gritty.
Gophers associate head coach Maya Hayes, who works with the forwards, had few words to describe Birdsell’s potential.
“Limitless,” Hayes said. “Whatever she wants it to be.”
Hayes, who played forward in the National Women’s Soccer League with Sky Blue FC, now Gotham FC, said being a forward comes with scoring goals and being impactful on the opponent’s end of the field.
There is a difference between being listed as a forward and wanting to be a forward, according to Hayes. She said Birdsell strives to be in those impactful moments.
During Birdsell’s early teenage years on the 14-under and 15-under Chicago FC United Girls Academy, she had her own brand of grit on the field. The former coach of Chicago FC United, Fabrice Gautrat compared her to former Manchester City player Carlos Tevez.
Tevez was named a top-60 Premier League player of all time by the New York Times in 2020. Gautrat described Tevez as a pitbull and said Birdsell has the same qualities.
“She has this tenacity about her,” Gautrat said. “She’ll will a goal or will her team to victory.”
Birdsell said one of the best pieces of advice Gautrat taught her was the saying love the grind.
Birdsell said that mantra stuck with her. Some people get overwhelmed maintaining the student-athlete balance, but she said she is grateful to be in the position.
Since arriving in Minneapolis in 2023, Birdsell said she learned to control her anticipation. She realized patience would help her be a better player.
Given it is her first season playing at the Division I level, Birdsell said it was helpful to learn from her older teammates while she was sidelined with her knee injury last year.
“I learned a lot about who’s composed, who likes to get the ball in space versus on their feet more,” Birdsell said. “I took in a lot of information so I came in this year ready to play with them.”
Birdsell said she learned the Gophers’ style of play. She described it as loving to high-press, valuing attacking and relentlessly doing anything to score every goal and win.
Having played 10 games with the Gophers, Birdsell believes the team can be great now and in the long term.
“I think this team can get to the Big Ten tournament and win it, and then succeed in the NCAA tournament,” Birdsell said. “I don’t want this to be the only special year …I want this program to be known nationally.”
Birdsell’s main goal is to improve her right foot use. Alongside using her weak foot, she and Hayes are focusing on understanding that Birdsell’s moments to score will come and honing in on when to use her intensity.
When the sun sets on Birdsell’s Gophers soccer career, she said she wants to continue to kick the ball, regardless of where she ends up.