UConn junior forward Rachel Hill away from a Syracuse defender during the Huskies’ game at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Connecticut on Sept. 3. 2015. (Jason Jiang/The Daily Campus)
Rachel Hill is a junior forward on the No. 20 UConn women’s soccer team. She leads Huskies in goals scored and assists in the 2015 season, and was named the preseason conference offensive player of the year.
Kyle Constable: What are your pregame rituals?
Rachel Hill: I always eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich. That’s one. I don’t know, I really don’t have that many. I mean, I listen to music. Nothing specific, really. Nothing really. I’m not too into that stuff, I guess. Just get focused.
What do you do to get focused?
I don’t really talk a lot before games, so the freshmen thought I’d be like mad or something. But I wasn’t mad, just focusing.
What is your favorite moment in your sports career?
Probably going to the U-20 World Cup last summer. That was a lot of fun.
Tell me more about that.
It was just a crazy experience. First, getting cut from the roster and then someone getting hurt and getting called up, it’s just like ‒ I don’t know – it’s just like really crazy. I was set on going to (UConn women’s soccer) preseason, and then all of a sudden I’m like, ‘Nope, not going to preseason anymore. I’m leaving in like a week or so’ – the excitement came upon me then. The experience there is something I’ll never forget. Just the competitive level is so high, competing against all the different countries. It is pretty cool, speaking different languages on the field.
Who is the most hated team you play against?
Both of the Florida teams give us trouble, especially with them coming up this weekend.
We’ll call it a tie between USF and UCF.
Yeah.
What’s your favorite sports team?
I honestly don’t follow sports that much. … Whenever the (U.S. national women’s soccer team) plays, I always watch.
Favorite player on the women’s team?
Alex Morgan.
If you had to play a sport other than soccer, what would it be?
I think I would go back to track and field.
What did you do in track and field?
Triple jump, long jump, 4×100-meter relay, high jump, I did hurdles. I basically did everything through high school, but I like the triple jump the most.
The big question: Messi or Ronaldo?
The better player? I’d say Messi. I enjoy watching him more, I guess. But Ronaldo’s looks – can’t pass that up.
What your favorite class you’ve taken so far at UConn?
I’m in Introduction to Sport Management now. I’m really enjoying that, because I finally narrowed down to a major. Everything else before was just so random. I wasn’t really interested in much of it.
Do you have a favorite professor?
Dr. (Joseph) Cooper, I really like him a lot.
What’s your favorite thing to do on campus?
I enjoy going to the men’s soccer games. … They have a great team put together. It’s fun to watch.
Who is your favorite musician or artist?
I’m really not big on music. Whatever my roommate or my friends are listening to, I just listen to (as well).
So, what are you listening to right now?
There’s a lot of Fetty Wap. Country every now and then thrown in.
Favorite movie?
That’s tough. “Rudy,” I love “Rudy.”
Favorite TV show?
I like “Prison Break,” but obviously that’s like kind of a throwback.
Favorite social media?
Instagram.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
Greece would be cool.
Why Greece?
It just looks beautiful. Going to the islands there, I think would be amazing.
What’s your dream job?
I’d love to be a professional soccer player. That’d be nice.
How do you see that happening?
After college, I would enter my name in the draft and see what happens there. Getting on the women’s national team would be awesome, but it’s a little bit out there. Playing overseas, even, I think would be fun.
Kyle Constable is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at kyle.constable@uconn.edu. He tweets @KyleConstable.
