Women's Soccer | 4/17/2020 2:44:00 PM

At Rensselaer, we are proud to recognize the student-athletes who are members of the Class of 2020. We thank them for their hard work, dedication and tremendous efforts in representing the Institute in a first-class manner academically and athletically. We wish them well as they continue to complete the semester and become Rensselaer alumni / alumnae. 

While at Rensselaer:
Defense in soccer ... Played 53 games in career ... Two goals and two assists ... Competed in 60H, long jump, high jump, heptathlon and pentathlon in track & field ... Biology major ... Chemistry minor ... Dean's Honor List ... Sole Survivors vice president ... Served as secretary ... National Society of Leadership and Success. 

Favorite sports memory during career?
"My favorite memory from RPI athletics was my trip to Costa Rica with the soccer team. We were able to experience a different style of soccer, work with a local soccer club, play in some crazy weather and most importantly eat a lot of really good food and spend time together as friends and teammates. Trips like that are once in a life time and I am very grateful to have been part of one, and get to play my favorite sport with my favorite people in a new part of the world." - April 2020

What makes Rensselaer so special?
"I believe RPI is special because of the camaraderie among students, and the large number of genuine, friendly people who are doing everything they can to help you succeed. RPI is a challenging school, academically and mentally, with a very strong athletics program and it is remarkable how well everyone coordinates to make sure the students needs are met first and foremost. I have met so many incredible people at RPI from classmates to coaches and I am extremely grateful for the help I have been given along the way." - March 2020

What are your post-graduation plans?
"I plan to spend my next year working full time with both my biology degree and my license as a nurses aid, while applying for medical school. My plan is to become a doctor." - March 2020

From the coaching staff:
"If we awarded an 'Unsung Hero' award Grace would have received it. A quiet but mighty power, she worked her way into the starting lineup her senior year and never looked back. Her body took a toll from the physical nature and amount of running involved in her position but never once did Grace ask for time off. It was actually the exact opposite. When we wanted to give her a rest her response was always a chuckle followed by, "I only have so much time left." We will miss Grace's calm and cool presence both on the field and in life but we are looking forward to everything she is going to accomplish." - March 2020 

"As a multi-sport athlete, Grace's transition from the soccer field to the track as a multi-event athlete has been inspiring to both her coaches and her teammates. Her work ethic and our similar sense of humor made coaching Grace a very enjoyable experience." - March 2020

What others say:
"Grace was an incredible athlete and player. She was always one of the hardest workers and a force wherever she was on the field. She did whatever was needed to help the team succeed." - March 2020

"Grace is another player on our team who does a fantastic job of leading by example. Being an outside defender, she helps to anchor our back line. She played forward in high school and when she got to college she switched positions because it was what the team needed. She put the team above her own interests and we all respect her for doing this." - March 2020

"She deserves a lot more recognition then she gets. Balancing sports and college is hard, but balancing two sports and college is even harder. The amount of dedication and drive that it takes to be in season from August to May in astounding, and I see that drive in her every day. Her dedication to the sports remained the same no matter which season she was in; during the soccer season she would run to help stay in track shape and in the track season she would get touches on the ball to stay in soccer shape. While she competed in 11 seasons for RPI, it still hurt her to not give it her all one last time this spring in track." - April 2020

"Grace Heine was always a dedicated and hard worker at practice as well as a 3-season varsity athlete. I remember she would run up after track practice to take part in our after-practice conditioning sessions. Very inspirational!" - April 2020

"Grace is incredibly fast, and got to show off her impeccable talent and speed this year. She worked incredibly hard to get to where she is today." - April 2020  

All Senior Celebration Series pieces are available by clicking HERE.