On April 7, junior Callie Schmidt announced her commitment to play soccer at Colby College via Instagram.
From a young age, Schmidt knew playing soccer at the collegiate level was a long-term goal. “I grew up surrounded by the sport. It would not be fulfilling to go to college and not play soccer,” said Schmidt.
She began playing soccer for the Westfield recreational teams and advanced to playing for their travel teams in first grade. Following that, she joined the Players Development Academy club team and stayed there for 10 years. Just last year, Schmidt switched teams and now plays for the Ukrainian Philadelphia Nationals, located in Philadelphia, PA.
The upcoming 2025 high school season will mark Schmidt’s fourth year playing for the WHS varsity team. In the 2024 season, the team won the Group 4 state championship and Schmidt said, “A big goal for the 2025 season is winning states again.”
For both Schmidt’s club team and high school team, she plays as a key asset to the defensive unit. Occasionally, Schmidt rotates into the WHS midfield, but her primary position is center-back. Senior 2025 co-captain Audra Toth said, “Callie is an awesome teammate to play with. She is smart and strategic with how she defends, so you can always count on her not to make erratic decisions, which is important as a defensive player when a team is relying on you.”
Colby College is a liberal arts college in Waterville, ME. The prestigious school has an acceptance rate of 7.6%. Colby College is a part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference and competes in the NCAA Division III. After the 2024 season, Colby College is ranked No. 6 in the NESCAC conference and No. 15 in Division III.
While deciding on a school, Schmidt said, “Early on I was talking to other Division I schools, but the roster limit for the NCAA took away some of those options. Ultimately, I knew I wanted to go to a school that challenged me academically and athletically. I started talking to other NESCAC schools, but I really connected with the Colby coaches.”
Going into the 2025 high school season, Schmidt said, “I want us to do as well as we can as a team. We have a lot of good returning players, and we were a pretty young team last season. We have to make sure everyone puts in the work and has the motivation to go far and be successful as a team.”
