Sept. 26, 2002

Missouri wasn't an option.

As Erica Pusch pondered which college soccer program to join, MU wasn't on the shortlist. It was a two-hour drive on I-70 from her home in St. Louis, but she had never pictured herself at Missouri.

Until she came on her visit.

Pusch, an honorable mention All-State player on St. Joseph Academy's state championship soccer team as a junior, went on that visit and her decision became a lot easier.

She became so set on attending school at MU that the only other school she visited was Iowa State, which "didn't even compare." She canceled the rest of her visits.

She didn't go see Santa Clara, the 2001 national champion and perennial power.

"When I went on my visit, the coaches, the girls, the entire staff and just everyone ... you just get that feeling that's where you need to be," Pusch said.

She was sold on how she fit into the team, the direction of the program and how she got along with the players.

"This is a growing team, and it's growing really fast," Pusch said. "It's getting so much better each year. Dramatically better. I just want to be a part of that, and help the team get to [the next] level."

Pusch was considering Illinois, Iowa State, Indiana and Santa Clara. She wanted to attend a Midwestern school that was close to home, one that offered a good pre-med program and a team that was on the rise.

Missouri was a perfect fit.

"I just wanted my parents to be able to come see me play," Pusch said. "They've been there for me since I started playing soccer, and that was a really important thing for me."

Bryan Blitz, Missouri's coach since the team began play in 1996, made it a priority to get Pusch.

"She's genetically gifted, but it's her work ethic, it's her character, it's who she is," Blitz said. "She's so tenacious and it really lifts our group, and that's what stood out about her most."

It helped that Pusch fit what he was looking for in his recruiting class. He wanted someone who could help spread the field, make opponents try to cover a larger space. He needed someone who could use speed to get open and cross balls into the box.

Pusch plays the right side of the midfield in MU's 3-4-3 formation. In that position, Pusch said she feels she can get really involved in the game.

"Right wing is kind of different because you always have to get really involved in the attack," Pusch said. "When we're on attack, we say the wingers become the fourth forward. Then when we're on defense, we become the fourth defender."

She also fell in love with Missouri's style of play.

"It's really skillful, lots of passing, real tactical," Pusch said. "It's not just kick-it-around-the-field like a lot of teams are."

Pusch leads the team in shooting percentage with six shots and five of those on net. She also scored in overtime in the season opener to defeat No. 23 Illinois.

Blitz said he's looking for Pusch to be dangerous, to score more goals and to help out the offense by getting onto the end of more crosses.

As a high school senior captain, Pusch led her team to state and national championships, and was named to the All-State and All-Midwest teams.

She also was captain and an All-State field hockey player and was a member of the U-16 Junior Olympic field hockey team

Pusch knew she had to make a choice between the sports and decided before her junior year she wanted to play soccer. Although she said she misses field hockey, Pusch doesn't regret her choice.

Pusch will be in action this weekend as MU opens the Big 12 Conference season against No. 18 Nebraska at 7 p.m. on Friday at Audrey J. Walton Stadium.

"I definitely made a great decision for myself," she said.