New Friars player makes commitment

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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:18AM

After spending two years as a full-time club player, Bridget Hillsman plans on coming out for Fenwick’s team when preseason practice begins next month.

Hillsman said she has already contacted coach Rob Watson about her decision. The move should give the Friars a spark considering the junior from Elmhurst recently made a verbal commitment to play college soccer at St. Louis University. Hillsman, who plays club with Eclipse Select, is a midfielder during the club season, but could play anywhere from midfield to forward for the Friars.

“I really wanted to play the past couple of years, but with club, it did not work out,” Hillsman said. “This year, I’ll be able to play high school.”

Hillsman chose the Billikens over Marquette, Providence and Villanova in November. She committed to St. Louis under coach Tim Champion, but Champion was relieved of his duties in December after 16 seasons as the program’s only women’s soccer coach. Kat Mertz, an assistant coach at Texas, was named St. Louis’ new coach on Feb. 3.

St. Louis (4-9-6, 3-5-1 Atlantic 10) has only one Illinois player on its current roster, freshman defender-midfielder Mary Wright of Waubonsie Valley.

“St. Louis’ soccer program has a great history,” Hillsman said. “It is one of the best historically in the country. Academically, it has all the things I’m interested in. I love the location and the atmosphere is neat.”

Hillsman said she would like to pursue a career in the medical field, perhaps in speech pathology or as a physician’s assistant.

She said she has watched only a few Fenwick games each of the past two years as a club player, but eventually missed playing with her classmates.

“All the girls I will play with know I’ll play this year,” Hillsman said. “They are as excited playing with me as I am with them.”

With Eclipse, Hillsman traveled all over the country while playing in the Elite Club National League, but during the spring much of the club season is devoted to conditioning, according to Hillsman. She will return to Eclipse after the high school season to prepare for national tournaments over the summer. She said she may miss one showcase event and one National League event while playing for the Friars.