Connected For Life

“No shots, no service, no goals.” “First five seconds.” 

Mantras like these, coined by Maryland’s women’s soccer coach Meghan Ryan Nemzer, have been cemented in the minds of her players Katie Coyle, Sydney Urban, and Lauren Wrigley for years. The relationship between the three New Jersey-based Terps and Coach Nemzer is deep-rooted, spanning all the way back to when Nemzer coached their middle school club team. 

“I’ve had the privilege to coach [Katie, Sydney, and Lauren] since they were 12 years old,” Nezmer said. “I was able to see them through all the way to their college experience. They’re [some of the] most competitive people that I've coached for a very long time.” 

After beginning their college careers at other high-level Division I programs, the three elite soccer players transferred to Maryland to reunite with their old coach. Across the eight-plus-year connection between the four of them, a lot has changed for the players, but as Coach Nemzer points out, a lot has stayed the same. 

“[Katie] Coyle has always been my wrecking ball in the backline, Lauren Wrigley has been the exact same way since she was 13 years old, very goal-oriented and driven, and Sydney Urban has always loved the game and [understood] how to connect with players,” Nemzer said. “It’s really fun to see how they blossomed when they went away, but I’m obviously happy that they’re back.”

And the players also feel the same sense of continuity in Coach Nemzer. 

“She hasn’t changed,” noted Coyle, a 2023 transfer from Notre Dame. 

Beyond just mantras, the trio is constantly reminded of their club soccer days with the similar drills and lessons that Nemzer integrates into Maryland’s practices. 

A major element of all three of their transfer decisions stemmed back to knowing what to expect when playing for Coach Nemzer. 

“I looked at other schools and I saw what other programs had to offer, but in the back of my mind, there were a lot of guarantees with our relationship,” said Wrigley, who transferred from UNC-Chapel Hill earlier this year. “I understood exactly what she was asking of me and exactly what would be expected of me if I came here.” 

On Nemzer’s end, bringing these players to Maryland meant a known quantity in playing style and personality. The coach has been very pleased with their integration into the Terp program. 

“They're pros, they love the game, they're leaders on the field, they're great teammates,” Nemzer said. “I feel like they're also an extension of myself because they've heard my vocab [and] they know what the expectations are.”

The players highlighted Coach Nemzer’s significant influence on their soccer fundamentals. 

“Growing up with her as a coach really set the foundation of who I am as a player,” Wrigley said. “[She helped me learn] the language…and tactical side of the game.” 

Coyle even hears past snippets of feedback and advice from Nemzer while she’s practicing, like having a little soccer coach advising her on her shoulder. 

“I know exactly what [Coach] Meg’s going to say when I get off the field,” Coyle said. 

Wrigley also described Nezmer as a role model and someone she admired in her adolescence. 

“She’s given me a lot of confidence in my ability to be passionate about things,” Wrigley said. “Growing up, you don’t see a lot of people, specifically females, [really caring] about things; it’s almost like you get shut down for it. But seeing her passion [for soccer and coaching] gave me a gateway into being that type of person myself.”

Nemzer began her tenure as Maryland’s head coach in 2022, the same year Sydney Urban transferred from the University of Florida to Maryland. This opportunity to have a familiar face in an entirely new DI program was important for both of them and even better with the additions of Coyle and Wrigley this season. 

“I didn’t think I was going to have the privilege to coach them again,” Nemzer said. “So the transition for me as a coach has been easier because of them coming back home.”

Beyond the on-the-field dynamic, the trio and Coach Nemzer enjoy the off-the-field benefits of all being back together in the same place. Urban explained the benefits of having Nemzer as a coach in college compared to in her younger years. 

“I feel like college is different because it’s more of an all-encompassing situation: you eat, sleep, and breathe here,” Urban said. “It’s a broader relationship that’s more than just soccer.”

Wrigley echoed these sentiments, emphasizing a greater sense of closeness and friendship achieved by reuniting with Coach Nemzer in college. 

“She’s more than just a coach to me, she’s also a friend. I can go to her and talk to her about anything.”

It’s clear how happy Nemzer is to coach Coyle, Urban, and Wrigley again, especially as part of Maryland’s soccer program. 

“You know, they committed to Maryland, they committed to myself and my coaching staff and we take that very seriously,” Nemzer said. “So I'm excited to see them achieve their goals.”

Fighting back tears, Nemzer explained how proud she is to continue to be part of these players’ journeys.

“To come full circle and know that we are going to be connected for life, and obviously over the next few years, just fills my heart with pure joy,” Nemzer said. “I am so proud of the young women they’ve become. They are truly my family and I feel like I got a piece back when they came home.”