After weeks of touring colleges and long discussions with coaches, junior Fiona McCormick resonated with the community at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. A week after her visit, on Sept. 30, 2024, McCormick announced her commitment to play Division I soccer and further her academic career at Pepperdine University.
McCormick has a longstanding passion for soccer ever since her two older brothers inspired her to play. She continued improving her skills and decided to take soccer seriously at a young age when she realized she had a lot of potential.
“I was playing a year up when I was 8 or 9,” McCormick said. “I had to go to practice every day, but I loved it. I never lost interest in it and never stopped loving it.”
For McCormick, the recruitment process was overwhelming and nerve-wracking since many colleges reached out to her with interest in recruiting her.
“On June 15th, I had a lot of schools reaching out. I had to make sure I was calling back and setting up times to chat. During this time, I had playoffs and nationals for my club team,” McCormick said.
The process of finding the perfect college did not take long for McCormick. When she found Pepperdine, she knew she found the right place.
“I could really see myself there, enjoying it, and I loved the community so much. Obviously the location – it’s in Malibu, which is close to home, and it’s by the beach,” McCormick said. “You can tell when a school is meant for you, and that’s what I felt.”
McCormick practices five days a week, consisting of training, lifting, games and scrimmages. The commitment level is significant, but her passion for soccer and dedication keeps her moving.
“Nothing else gets me out of bed in the morning than having training that day, or having a game that day. I’m always so excited for it,” McCormick said. “It’s very time consuming, but it’s all worth it. I love doing it.”
In addition to her dedication to the sport, McCormick also believes that many aspects of her soccer and team skills led Pepperdine to have interest in her.
“As captain of my team, I think my leadership skills, my mental and physical aspects of the game and my technical and tactical skills contributed to making me stand out – a combination of things that would make a good leader and captain,” McCormick said.
The environment McCormick’steammates created played a factor in her enjoyment. She noted that a crucial part of her soccer success is due to them.
“Every single day when I show up to training, they make my days better and are with me through ups and downs, and we’re laughing and competing against each other, so I couldn’t have done it without them,” McCormick said.
Through her commitment to Pepperdine, McCormick hopes to eventually play professional soccer and continue her journey with the sport.
“Throughout my college experience, I want to develop as an athlete and a person,” McCormick said.
Being a junior, McCormick looks forward to her time at Pepperdine and wants to continue growing her skills during her senior year.
“(I want to) keep developing as a player in all aspects of my game, whether that’s mentally, physically, technically and my psychological understanding of the game,” McCormick said.