Index of Sports Press Releases

Mar. 23, 2009

Junior college transfer joins Tiger women’s soccer team

Dale Roden

MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan University women’s soccer coach Dale Roden has already signed six incoming freshman for his 2009 recruiting class and, Monday, he announced that he was adding another talented recruit that already has college experience.

Heather Kopecky, a versatile, athletic transfer from Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore., has signed a Letter of Intent to join the Tigers this fall. Kopecky, who can play both midfield and defense, will have junior eligibility.

Heather Kopecky

Roden is excited to add Kopecky to his recruiting class because she brings a unique fusion of talent and college experience to Dakota Wesleyan. He thinks she has the potential to not only fit into the Tigers’ game plan, but she could play a number of prominent roles.

“Heather possesses a load of experience, which will enable us to explore various approaches to our style of play,” Roden said. “Due to her individual strengths and her success at the junior college level, we feel that she is a very unique student-athlete.

At TVCC, Kopecky was an All-Region midfielder as a sophomore in 2008. She scored nine goals and added seven assists and she proved her athleticism by winning the team’s “Fitness Test Olympics” twice. Kopecky’s college coach was Ryan Masingill.

A Boise, Idaho, native, Kopecky also had a great prep career at Capital High School. She helped the Eagles finish third in the state tournament three years in a row, and she was an All-Area 5A Honorable Mention selection as a senior. Kopecky also serve as team captain on her club team, the Idaho Rush, and Roden said he can envision that her leadership skills will benefit DWU.

“(Kopecky) is driven and result-oriented,” Roden said. “Those student-athletes possess the ability to challenge those around them to become better through their example.”

At Dakota Wesleyan, Kopecky plans to major in secondary education. She is the daughter of Jay Rightnowar and Kelly Kopecky of Boise.