For Mary Doell, the path to Dordt University wasn't one she could have planned. Looking back, though, it feels like every step prepared her for the opportunity she has today.

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After spending the past three years as a teacher while staying connected to coaching, Doell officially joined the Dordt women's soccer staff on June 1. The wait between interviewing during the spring and arriving in Sioux Center seemed long, but it only heightened her excitement to return to the sport she has loved her entire life.

"I was really looking forward to coaching again and being around soccer every day," Doell said. "It was a long wait, but it's been exciting to finally get started."

Doell reunites with head coach Payton Chitwood, someone who has played a significant role throughout her soccer journey. The two first met during her high school recruiting process before she eventually transferred to Warner University to play for Chitwood. After finishing her playing career, she served as his graduate assistant while earning her master's degree.

When Chitwood called about the opening at Dordt, Doell believed it was the opportunity she had been praying for.

"I kept feeling God pulling me back toward coaching," she said. "I looked at other jobs, but none of them felt right. I just kept praying that if there was an opportunity He wanted me to pursue, He would make it obvious. That's exactly what happened."

While Doell brings experience as both a player and coach, what excites her most isn't drawing up training sessions or preparing game plans. It's the opportunity to invest in the lives of Dordt's student-athletes.

Having experienced the pressures of collegiate athletics herself, she hopes to be someone her players can rely on both on and off the field.

"I struggled in college with putting my worth in soccer," Doell said. "Coach Chitwood and his wife, Nikki, were people I could go to during those times. Being able to be that person for our players is something I'm really excited about. I think God has given me this opportunity to serve."

That servant mindset aligns perfectly with what attracted her to Dordt.

"The community here is amazing," Doell said. "Everyone is so kind and intentional. The players genuinely care about each other, and we love Jesus here. That's something that stands out immediately."

Although she has only been on campus for a month, Doell has already been impressed with the culture surrounding the Defender women's soccer program. She followed the team's success from afar last season, including its run to the conference tournament championship match, and believes the program is building something special.

"I think we have a winning mentality," Doell said. "Coach Chitwood has done a great job establishing that culture. We're becoming more competitive every day because we want to reach the national tournament. That process starts now, and I'm excited to be part of it."

As an assistant coach, Doell's primary responsibilities will include recruiting while also working closely with Dordt's forwards during the season. As a former attacking player herself, she enjoys teaching the finer points of creating and finishing scoring opportunities.

"My philosophy is simple," she said with a smile. "Be around the ball. My dad always told me to be a hawk—anticipate where the ball is going and get there first. If the ball is in the box, go finish the play."

For now, the summer months have provided a quieter introduction to college coaching than she expected. With many student-athletes away from campus, Doell has spent much of her first month preparing for the busy fall season.

"It's definitely quieter than I imagined," she admitted. "But I know once everyone gets back, things are going to pick up quickly."

And she can't wait.

Whether recruiting future Defenders, helping develop goal scorers, or mentoring student-athletes through life's challenges, Doell believes she has found the place where she is supposed to be.

"It's an opportunity to coach, to serve, and to help young women grow," she said. "I'm super excited about what's ahead."