Northwestern University Athletics
Brooke Bell a Leader On and Off the Field
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
October 28, 1998
By Andrea Burns
Northwestern Media Services Student-Assistant
Like many freshmen, Northwestern forward Brooke Bell began every game of the 1997 season on the bench.
Unlike many freshmen, Bell was her team's second-leading scorer.
Needless to say, Bell earned a starting role for 1998, after coming off the bench to score eight goals for the Wildcats in '97.
This year Bell leads the 'Cats in scoring, tallying six goals and three assists. She has two game-winning goals, one against Big Ten rival Michigan and another against the Wisconsin-Milwaukee in overtime. She is setting the pace for her teammates, who together have compiled an impressive 10-3-1 record.
"Brooke's a good finisher," said five-year Head Coach Marcia McDermott. "She's great in the air. She's also a better 1-v-1 player this year."
Bell says the Wildcats' first conference matchup, a Sept. 18 overtime win against Michigan State, was a turning point for her.
"It was a game in which you had to just fight past fatigue, where you've already played 90 minutes," Bell said. "I realized you can get past fatigue. I felt confident not just in my abilities but the supporting teammates; we were all united on the field."
Bell has brought great technical speed and strength to the Wildcats' front line.
"She has the ability to make players around her better," McDermott said. "She has added a great deal to our attack, and is a key to goal scoring."
Bell has delighted in playing a critical part in a highly successful season for NU soccer. The Wildcats have been ranked as high as 9th in the nation -- their highest ranking ever -- before falling to Indiana on October 4. They are now ranked 18th nationally, with the third-best Big Ten conference record.
"People are finally realizing that Northwestern has a respectable program and that we're an excellent team," Bell said. "That shows in the rankings. It shows that people notice us and respect us."
Bell, who attended Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, approximately an hour's drive from NU's campus, chose Northwestern over Minnesota, George Mason, Princeton and Wheaton College. She said her decision was quick and painless.
"It was an easy decision because I wanted to stay close to home and I wanted to go to a good school academically," she said.
"When I met the team and met Marcia I knew this was definitely the place for me."
Besides playing a critical role for the Wildcats, Brooke devotes her free time to her Sociology studies and extracurricular activities on campus. She is a member of the Student Athlete Board, a representative committee that takes action on issues affecting Northwestern student-athletes. She is also involved in NU's branch of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Bell considers her team's success the most rewarding aspect of her Northwestern experience.
"The most exciting part is knowing that we're going to be competitive in every game we play, and that if things go our way we should win every game we play."
