Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Finally Healthy, Stroebel Looks to Elevate Northwestern Offense
8/23/2025 11:33:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Mary Stroebel hardly celebrated her first career goal during Northwestern women's soccer's 2-0 victory over Loyola Chicago on Aug. 14.
It wasn't a matter of taking the moment for granted or a lack of preparation for the quickfire jubilation. The redshirt first-year forward had long discussed her preferred celebration with her teammates.
But after Stroebel got on the end of Selma Sol Sigurjonsdottir's cross and headed in 41st minute tally — the Wildcats' first goal of the 2025 campaign — the Cedarburg, Wis., native began a nonchalant stroll back to the Loyola Soccer Park midfield line.
"I kind of blacked out after I scored and wish I celebrated more," Stroebel said. "Selma played a great ball, and I saw the keeper seemed too far forward and headed it in. I was a little shocked and just kind of walked back as everyone came to hug me. My brothers gave me a hard time for not celebrating enough, but that's okay."
Less than three minutes elapsed between Stroebel's entry to the match as a substitute and her goal that ultimately became the game-winner. While the instant impact encapsulated coach Michael Moynihan's desire for energy off the bench, the moment proved years in the making for the forward.
"As soon as I felt the pop, I was like 'There it goes again,'" Stroebel said. "I didn't even cry. I just hit the floor. I was mad. It feels like the longest nine months of your life."
The timeline placed the nine-month milestone — the typical guideline for a return to play from an ACL tear — in the final stages of the 2024 season. So, Stroebel and the Northwestern staff decided she would take a redshirt year.
Initially, Stroebel sought comfort in her family. With seven older siblings who competed in collegiate athletics, many in Stroebel's family had gone through the same recovery process before. She soon found a support system in her Wildcat family. Team members sent her heartfelt messages ahead of her surgery and Moynihan provided consistent reassurance.
"ACLs are such a huge thing in girls sports and can completely derail someone's athletic career," Stroebel said. "But I knew I had a coach along with my family that was backing me the entire time and not pushing me to come back early and possibly reinjure myself."
The Stroebel family's athletic pedigree not only helped keep the forward grounded during a lengthy recovery process — her siblings instilled a competitive fervor that made Stroebel an elite multi-sport athlete.
Whether it was tackle football in the backyard or pickup basketball, the Stroebel siblings never took it easy on one another. Stroebel quipped that games often ended in shed tears, but it was all in good fun.
"I would credit every single thing in my athletic career to my siblings," Stroebel said. "They've been the greatest gift in my life. My six brothers and my sister probably were the hardest on me growing up, but I couldn't be more grateful for it. They never gave me the easy out and always made sure I was the toughest one out there."
Just as she always did when competing with her siblings, Stroebel never took a play off, regardless of the sport. That included powerpuff football, where she suffered her first torn ACL. That injury caused Stroebel to miss her junior season of high school soccer, but it also gave her a new perspective.
Up to that point, Stroebel was undecided on which collegiate sport she wanted to pursue. She had interest on the basketball court in addition to the pitch, but when she went so long without soccer, Stroebel knew she couldn't give it up. She committed to Northwestern in January 2023, just months after the Wildcats made a run to the Third Round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Eighteen months later, Stroebel reported for her first preseason with Northwestern. While she couldn't take part in on-field activities, her teammates watched in awe as Stroebel attacked the rehabilitation process. In January she was cleared for non-contact drills, and Stroebel soon ramped up her regimen to work at game speed.
"Her work speaks for itself," sophomore forward Kennedy Roesch said. "We've seen her on the practice ground, just day in and day out, scoring goals and being really aggressive. It's really hard coming in as a freshman and having an injury. It's daunting."
While her current role encompasses providing an offensive spark in spurts off the bench, Stroebel said she'll do whatever is necessary to help the team win games this season. Stroebel is one of three Wildcat scorers in the team's first three games and aspires to help the program push back into the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Come Sunday night, she'll be in the rotation in an official game at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for the first time. As she prepares for Northwestern's home opener, Stroebel said she's reflecting on lessons learned during an arduous recovery period.
"Being on [the sideline] for so long gave me the perspective of 'Wait, these girls are amazing, and I'm so blessed to be here, even sitting on the bench and being able to cheer on everyone," she said. "Obviously I want to play and contribute, but it just made me realize I need to make the most of my experience here and contribute as much as I can to the team in any way I can."
It wasn't a matter of taking the moment for granted or a lack of preparation for the quickfire jubilation. The redshirt first-year forward had long discussed her preferred celebration with her teammates.
But after Stroebel got on the end of Selma Sol Sigurjonsdottir's cross and headed in 41st minute tally — the Wildcats' first goal of the 2025 campaign — the Cedarburg, Wis., native began a nonchalant stroll back to the Loyola Soccer Park midfield line.
"I kind of blacked out after I scored and wish I celebrated more," Stroebel said. "Selma played a great ball, and I saw the keeper seemed too far forward and headed it in. I was a little shocked and just kind of walked back as everyone came to hug me. My brothers gave me a hard time for not celebrating enough, but that's okay."
Less than three minutes elapsed between Stroebel's entry to the match as a substitute and her goal that ultimately became the game-winner. While the instant impact encapsulated coach Michael Moynihan's desire for energy off the bench, the moment proved years in the making for the forward.
Stroebel didn't take the field during her true first-year campaign in 2024. She sustained a torn ACL, her second in as many years, in her senior basketball season at Cedarburg High School. Stroebel slammed the hardwood in agony as a familiar feeling of doubt crept in.Let 'em know, @MaryStroebel ?? pic.twitter.com/OXRPY2CLgg
— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) August 15, 2025
"As soon as I felt the pop, I was like 'There it goes again,'" Stroebel said. "I didn't even cry. I just hit the floor. I was mad. It feels like the longest nine months of your life."
The timeline placed the nine-month milestone — the typical guideline for a return to play from an ACL tear — in the final stages of the 2024 season. So, Stroebel and the Northwestern staff decided she would take a redshirt year.
Initially, Stroebel sought comfort in her family. With seven older siblings who competed in collegiate athletics, many in Stroebel's family had gone through the same recovery process before. She soon found a support system in her Wildcat family. Team members sent her heartfelt messages ahead of her surgery and Moynihan provided consistent reassurance.
"ACLs are such a huge thing in girls sports and can completely derail someone's athletic career," Stroebel said. "But I knew I had a coach along with my family that was backing me the entire time and not pushing me to come back early and possibly reinjure myself."
The Stroebel family's athletic pedigree not only helped keep the forward grounded during a lengthy recovery process — her siblings instilled a competitive fervor that made Stroebel an elite multi-sport athlete.
Whether it was tackle football in the backyard or pickup basketball, the Stroebel siblings never took it easy on one another. Stroebel quipped that games often ended in shed tears, but it was all in good fun.
"I would credit every single thing in my athletic career to my siblings," Stroebel said. "They've been the greatest gift in my life. My six brothers and my sister probably were the hardest on me growing up, but I couldn't be more grateful for it. They never gave me the easy out and always made sure I was the toughest one out there."
Just as she always did when competing with her siblings, Stroebel never took a play off, regardless of the sport. That included powerpuff football, where she suffered her first torn ACL. That injury caused Stroebel to miss her junior season of high school soccer, but it also gave her a new perspective.
Up to that point, Stroebel was undecided on which collegiate sport she wanted to pursue. She had interest on the basketball court in addition to the pitch, but when she went so long without soccer, Stroebel knew she couldn't give it up. She committed to Northwestern in January 2023, just months after the Wildcats made a run to the Third Round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Eighteen months later, Stroebel reported for her first preseason with Northwestern. While she couldn't take part in on-field activities, her teammates watched in awe as Stroebel attacked the rehabilitation process. In January she was cleared for non-contact drills, and Stroebel soon ramped up her regimen to work at game speed.
"Her work speaks for itself," sophomore forward Kennedy Roesch said. "We've seen her on the practice ground, just day in and day out, scoring goals and being really aggressive. It's really hard coming in as a freshman and having an injury. It's daunting."
While her current role encompasses providing an offensive spark in spurts off the bench, Stroebel said she'll do whatever is necessary to help the team win games this season. Stroebel is one of three Wildcat scorers in the team's first three games and aspires to help the program push back into the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Come Sunday night, she'll be in the rotation in an official game at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for the first time. As she prepares for Northwestern's home opener, Stroebel said she's reflecting on lessons learned during an arduous recovery period.
"Being on [the sideline] for so long gave me the perspective of 'Wait, these girls are amazing, and I'm so blessed to be here, even sitting on the bench and being able to cheer on everyone," she said. "Obviously I want to play and contribute, but it just made me realize I need to make the most of my experience here and contribute as much as I can to the team in any way I can."
Players Mentioned
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