By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After a standout soccer career at Washburn Rural, Mackinly Rohn has picked up where she left off to start her college career for Washburn University.
After earning All-Centennial League, All-City and All-Class 6A recognition for Brian Hensyel at Rural, Rohn has played a key role for Davy Phillips' Ichabods this fall in a 3-1 start to the season.
Freshman Mackinly Rohn (24) is congratulated by her Washburn teammates, including former Washburn Rural teammate Belle Kennedy (12) after Rohn scored her first collegiate goal in Sunday's 4-1 win over Wayne State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Rohn, a 5-foot-7 forward, has played in all four games with two starts for WU, scoring her first collegiate goal in Sunday's 4-1 home win over Wayne State and leading the Ichabods with four assists, including three in Friday's 4-0 home win over Southwest Minnesota State and another assist in Sunday's victory.
Rohn's three assists against Southwest Minnesota State tied a school record for single-game assists.
"I would say I'm super grateful and I've just tried to work as hard as I can and do whatever I can to help the team out and help us succeed,'' Rohn said of her start to the '23 season.
Rohn didn't know exactly what to expect entering her rookie year for the Ichabods, but said she just wanted to make she did everything she could to be a contributor for WU.
"I was just thinking I wanted to do my best every day at practice, cheer on the team, be positive and be a team player,'' Rohn said. "I just try to keep my head up, keep my energy up and keep myself accountable.''
"I wouldn't say I'm surprised,'' Phillips said about Rohn's early performance. "I obviously recruited her for a reason -- she's good. She's been providing some really good service for us without question.''
Adding to Rohn's enjoyment this season is the fact that she's surrounded by former Washburn Rural teammates at Washburn, with four Rural graduates on the Ichabods' roster.
Belle Kennedy (5-3 midfielder) and Hunter McWilliams (5-7 midfielder) are both sophomores at WU, with Kennedy earning All-MIAA third-team honors last season, while Hailey Beck (6-0 goalkeeper) is a freshman.
All four have saw action in the early going for the Ichabods.
"I love having my old teammates from high school together,'' Rohn said. "We've got that chemistry and we just cheer each other on and it's awesome to have that.''
Phillips said it's not a concidence that he recruited all four Junior Blues to come to Washburn.
"They're good players, to be honest,'' Phillips said. "Rural has good players and I'm after good players period, wherever they come from. But it is nice having them in town and we get a supporter's section with it.
"Anytime you can get good players and cheeks in the seats, it's a win.''
The Ichabods will return to action on Friday at Emporia State.
