Tracking Back

Soccer standouts reflect on their final season 

by Tony Moore

Marissa Kunkle ’13

Picture of Marissa Kunkle

has played soccer her whole life, and a spot on the Dickinson squad wasn’t hard for her to foresee. “I always knew I’d pursue soccer through my college career,” she says. “I just never saw myself being able to hang up the jersey and the cleats one last time.”

Kunkle’s collegiate career has been laden with achievements: She was named second-team National Soccer Coaches of America All-Mid-Atlantic Region in 2010 and 2011, second-team All-Centennial Conference (CC) in 2010 and first-team All-CC in 2011.

Helping her accumulate these honors have been her 18 goals, 11 assists and 47 total points over the last three seasons. In 2010, Kunkle helped Dickinson earn a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. “My individual successes don’t amount to the same excitement as for what we accomplished that year,” she says. “Having success through the tournament is one of my favorite memories, and knowing my sister Ashley [’11] experienced that with me makes it even better.”

While she and the team have had three great years together, the 2012 season will be special for Kunkle. “It’s my senior year, and I want this team to have another successful season,” she says. “I want us to have fun together on and off the field and enjoy every minute of it.” 


Sung Woo Kim ’13

Picture of Sung Woo Kim

"A lot of boys in Korea are crazy about soccer,” says Seoul’s Sung Woo Kim ’13, and he was certainly one of them growing up. “My father and older brother loved soccer, and we would play together whenever time allowed.” In more ways than one, Seoul is a world away from Carlisle, Pa., where Kim plays midfield for the Red Devils, but his lifelong love of soccer made the move to Dickinson seem like the obvious next step to take.

“I didn’t want to stop playing soccer when I went to college, and I wanted to play competitively,” he says.

It was in the thick of competition in the 2011 season that Kim achieved what every player dreams of growing up in the sport: scoring a game-winning goal, in this case against Muhlenberg College. “It felt amazing to score a goal that secured the team’s place in the conference tournament,” he says.
Meanwhile, Kim has settled into the Dickinson community. “I am getting a wonderful education and experience, and I’m meeting amazing people,” he says, noting of his teammates, “I’m very grateful to be on the field with such talented players.”



Published October 1, 2012