Addison Roemer has excelled in her first soccer season at American, guiding the team through a year of ups, downs and long travel days, all from the goal.
Roemer, from Leesburg, Virginia, started soccer at the age of four. She played for Riverside High School, where she was named to the All-Region Second Team in 2023, and her club TSJ FC Virginia.
While D.C. is a convenient distance away from Leesburg, the short trip from home isn’t why she picked American. It was the day she toured that made the admittedly shy Roemer fall in love with the program.
“On my tour I got to be in the locker room before a game and the atmosphere was instantly welcoming,” Roemer said. “Everyone was coming up to me asking where I was from, it made me feel like I belonged.”
Roemer made her debut against George Washington University on Aug. 15, where she led the team to a 1-1 draw. She faced 11 shots, with 2 on target.
In the weeks that followed, the Eagles went into College Park, Maryland, and stunned the Terrapins with a decisive 2-0 win. Roemer won the Patriot League Women’s Goalkeeper of the Week after saving all 4 shots on target.
“That game was my favorite of the season,” Roemer said. “You could feel everyone’s excitement on the bus ride back.”
The Eagles went on to win their next three games, with wins against Binghamton University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and University of Richmond. In those three weeks, Roemer made 11 saves and added the Patriot League Rookie of the Week to her honors.
“I couldn’t have had those clean sheets without my backline,” Roemer added. “They’re seriously like a brick wall.”
Roemer's instant place on the team should not come as a surprise to anyone who knows the strength of the AU women’s soccer program. Assistant head coach Katie Greenberg emphasized that every player who comes to American should be ready to play right away.
“That quality is what makes our program so competitive,” Greenberg said. “Addison comes from an incredibly competitive club environment, and that stood out immediately in practice.”
Senior keeper Julia Kato started all 16 games of her freshman season. Roemer credits her, junior Tamera Taylor-Moore and junior Elle McClary for helping her settle in.
“Goalkeeper training is fun and helpful here,” Roemer said. “I’ve gotten great pointers from my teammates in helping me settle in. My positioning has gotten much better.”
Roemer split time with Kato in between the sticks in Patriot League play, with each player on the field for about 45 minutes a game.
This season, American played their home games at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown due to the construction of the Meltzer Center and the resurfacing of the Reeves Field grass. While Greenberg made sure to emphasize how great it was to have the SoccerPlex as a home field, she knew it was difficult for the team.
“It’s been challenging to work around, but our team adapted well,” Greenberg said. “But, we are certainly looking forward to the completion of the Meltzer Center and the resurfacing of Reeves Field.”
For Roemer, it’s been a season of growth and adaptation playing away from American. But if this season is any indication, there will be much more to hear about Addison in the future.
“This season was a good thing to build upon,” Roemer said. “I love this team, and I’m already looking forward to next year.”
This article was edited by Penelope Jennings, Delaney Hoke and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks, Sabine Kanter-Huchting and Nicole Kariuki.
