Geneva's Fallon to continue academics, soccer at Thiel College
· Yahoo Sports
When Thiel College made a coaching change its soccer program, Julia Fallon wasn’t quite sure what her status with the program would be.
“I was originally recruited by coach [Carl] Dei Cas,” the recent Geneva graduate said. “But when coach [Zack] Walters got promoted, I became more nervous and was turned away from the thought of playing soccer at Thiel.”
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But Fallon said Walters put her mind at ease by arranging a phone call.
“I’m so glad I agreed because I immediately loved what he had to offer me,” she said. “I felt more confident, if anything, because he answered all of my questions and then some.
“Not only did he make me feel like I could be apart of the team, and he continues to encourage me work hard so I can arrive prepared in the fall.”
So, it’s full-steam ahead for Fallon and Thiel for academics and soccer in the fall.
“It was the first school where I truly felt like I could see myself being,” she said. “I visited four other universities and heavily considered continuing my education at Kent State Ashtabula, where I took CCP courses throughout high school.”
Last season, the Tomcats went 0-17 overall, 0-11 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
Walters was promoted to Director of Soccer, and will continue to serve as head coach of the Thiel men’s soccer program while also leading the women’s program and assuming an expanded leadership role overseeing all aspects of the College’s soccer operations.
Walters was named interim women’s soccer head coach in February.
At Geneva, Fallon, who plans on studying criminal justice and psychology, was a two-year captain, and earned MVP honors in the 2024 season.
Fallon said she will miss summer camps with her former teammates.
“We went to Gannon University two years, and my senior year, we went to Penn State,” she said. “They were my most favorite memories. You lived, breathed and slept soccer for a whole week.”
At the same time, Fallon said she’s looking forward to the next phase in her life.
“I’m excited to be independent and get an opportunity for all of these new experiences,” she said.
Fallon values the importance of both academics and athletics
“I plan to do well by getting good grades and continue to stay on the dean’s list, and be an athlete who strives to make an impact,” Fallon said. “I need to prepare myself for the intensity of being a college athlete by strength and fitness training.”
She said it’s takes a lot to be a successful student-athlete.
“I’m still learning effective time management skills, but keeping my schedule written out and organized has helped me most,” Fallon said. “Sometimes you have to stay up late after games-practices even when you feel exhausted to get in all the studying you can before that test in the morning.”
Fallon said she was a scholar-athlete all four years, maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average, and earning awards for 3.5 or higher GPA.
Whatever life brings her in the future, Fallon said she learned many lessons in her time at Geneva.
“The biggest thing is to stay true to myself,” she said. “Do things for me, not for others, or fall into peer pressure, and to have confidence in my choices and to trust myself. I can go with confidence knowing all I can do is try my best, and to give it all I have.”