Playing in her first game for Iowa State, senior forward Jo Hinks made quite an impact by scoring four goals.

“It was a good way to start, but I knew it would get harder, and it did,” Hinks said about her first game of Cyclone competition in the fall of 1996.

During the 1996 season, which was ISU’s inaugural varsity season for women’s soccer, Hinks was ISU’s leading scorer.

She recorded a total of 26 points, including 55 shots-on-goal and 13 goals, and she started every game.

This season she also kicked off the season right.

So far this fall, Hinks has scored five points, has taken nine shots-on-goal, and has booted the ball beyond the opposition’s goalie once.

Originally from Burlington, Canada, Hinks started her collegiate career at Florida International University. She played there for two years before transferring to ISU. At FIU, she was the team’s leading scorer both years and was a two-time first team all-conference pick. Being in the spotlight is nothing new to Hinks.

“The soccer program at Iowa State is better [than at FIU],” Hinks said about her decision to transfer. “The coaching is better — I like the way things are run.”

Hinks has been a major playing factor during her two seasons here.

She said while here, she has seen much improvement in the Cyclone program, especially in recruiting young talent.

With this last season of eligibility, Hinks has set a personal goal to make it her best season, and a team goal of making it to conference play in San Antonio.

Hinks said she would like to play soccer beyond college, depending on her opportunities, “but now I’m concentrating on graduating.”

Hinks is a sociology major and is minoring in criminal justice.

While at Lord Elgin High School, she was named female athlete of the year and participated in soccer and basketball.

“Sports in general teach you about life,” Hinks said. “Athletes sacrifice a lot, but that helps in life.”

While in Canada she said her high school team was “average,” but she played on club and provincial teams, both of which won nationals for Canada.

Starting soccer at age six, Hinks said she continued because of good soccer coaches “I just liked playing soccer,” she said.

And athletic ability seems to be a norm in Hinks family.

Her 15-year-old sister plays soccer and hockey and her 24-year-old brother currently plays hockey for a farm team in Utah, where he has recently been drafted by the NHL.

Hinks enjoys playing soccer in the United States.

She said there is more opposition, and soccer has more of a following.

She added that soccer is a good route to go to get Canadians to come to the Unites States.

Next year the Cyclones will not have Hinks to lead the team in scoring, but they will have many young players to continue to build the program she helped to start.