Beyond The Team Sheet: Mykaylin Rosenquist

By Sean Collins

Senior Mykaylin Rosenquist, a defender on the Arizona Wildcat soccer team, has started in all 14 games this season. She has also scored a goal and dished out an assist as well.

Q: As a senior with just a few games left, what game sticks out in your head the most as your favorite game?
A: I think looking back, my sophomore year when we beat Utah, I think it was 2-1. We won in the last second of the game and I threw it in and it was a cross off one of our seniors, Susan, who gave it to Shannon and she scored literally the last second and it was probably the coolest thing.

Q: How much does it help you with this team playing with such an experienced back four, with you, Sheaffer, Alexa, Laura’s been here for her second year and Gabby in the goal, how much does that help?
A: It’s definitely very nice. We’re all familiar with each other especially from last year, playing together for most of the season, so it’s nice being familiar with each other’s style of play and knowing what to expect from each other.

Q: And specifically with you and Sheaffer as center backs, how important is your relationship, communicating and anchoring the defense?
A: It’s very important for us to communicate. If we both go for the same ball and don’t talk, or something happens where we don’t know what the other person’s doing and we don’t make it known by communicating, we can get picked apart in the back just because people can be open and we’re just exposed.  So it’s definitely very helpful for us to be communicating back and forth with each other and we usually know each other’s rules anyway so that helps as well too, but it’s important.

Q: How fun has it been for you to work with a coaching staff that likes defense and emphasizes it and works on it so much?
A: It’s been very fun. We definitely get a lot of action and more recognition this year than we’ve gotten in past years, so that’s super nice. I do miss shooting during practice though, because we’re always working on defensive drills, but it’s been awesome to get some recognition in the back and continue to work on it and get better.