Laura Friedrich and Stella Maris Strohman didn’t have to travel very far for college. In fact, the two freshmen really didn’t have to travel at all.

Friedrich and Strohman, both Ames natives, decided to stay close to home when it came to their college decision and where they would continue their soccer careers.

“I grew up here and I always kind of looked up to the Iowa State women’s soccer team, so it’s something that I always wanted to do,” Friedrich said. “It was like a dream come true when they offered me a position here. I always wanted to go to Iowa State.”

Like Friedrich, Strohman’s decision to play for the Cyclones was an easy one. The chance to play for her hometown university was too good to pass up.

“It wasn’t hard for me at all,” Strohman said of the decision to attend Iowa State. “I absolutely love this school and it’s a really great community to be in and be a part of.”

Neither player really gave much thought to continuing their academic and soccer careers anywhere else. Staying close to home has provided the two freshmen with plenty of family and friends in the stands to cheer them on.

In fact, the duo said they have even seen past coaches and their old teachers in the stands to cheer on the Cyclones.

“It’s really awesome to see my old teachers here and people that don’t usually support the team to be out here,” Strohman said. “Just because they know us they come out and support the whole team. That’s really awesome to me.”

While the duo has enjoyed their brief time as Cyclones so far, it hasn’t come without its challenges. As freshmen, they’ve had to adjust to a whole new brand of soccer where everything happens a little bit faster.

“It’s challenging at times, but that just comes with the level of play and the speed of play,” Friedrich said. “That’s just different when you get to this level.”

Another challenge has been trying to find playing time. Playing for a Big 12 school provides fewer playing opportunities than if they would have decided to play at a different level or smaller Division-I school.

Also being from an Iowa high school where the level of competition is lower than some parts of the country, Strohman and Friedrich haven’t faced the same caliber opponents that other players may have faced previously in their career.

This means they have had to work extra hard to catch up and progress to the proper level of play for a Division-I athlete.

For now, the freshmen are working on their skills and progressing so that they can have an impact down the line for the Cyclones.

“Its going to be a lot of hard work and them taking a couple steps back to move forward, but if they’re willing to put that work in there will be a reward in the end,” said ISU coach Tony Minatta.