SPOTLIGHT: The Heartbeat of Aggie Soccer

Mikaela Harvey's journey to Texas A&M started with a soccer camp several years ago.

Both Coach Guerrieri and Harvey remember it well, mostly because of the burnt orange gear Harvey sported to the camp.

"I'm from Austin, so I loved UT and thought that was the school I wanted to go to," recalled Harvey. "I came to A&M Soccer Camp when I was 11 and wanted to be that girl who was going to wear UT stuff and rub it in everyone's face."

Fortunately for Guerrieri and Aggie Soccer, Harvey's camp experience changed things drastically. The gear changed from burnt orange to maroon, and the rest is history.

"I ended up buying an Aggie sweatshirt following the camp because I loved it so much," Harvey added. "I went home and wore it every day for weeks. Ever since then, I was a Texas A&M fan. To this day, I have a special feeling whenever I come back to College Station."

Harvey was a bigtime get for Aggie Soccer. She has enjoyed a great deal of success throughout her career. That success includes a wealth of experience playing for the United States. She was a member of the U.S. Under-14, Under-18 and Under-20 teams. The Under-20 team claimed the CONCACAF Women's Championship in 2015. Harvey played a crucial role for that squad.
   

With the CONCACAF U20 Championship came the chance for Harvey to play in the World Cup. Harvey declined, however, electing to remain at Texas A&M. Why? Well, her love of A&M was the deciding factor.

"I only have four years here and didn't want to miss any of that experience," Harvey admitted. "I've had such an amazing time here that I didn't want to look back and miss some of the best times of my life. If National Team and World Cup opportunities are possible in my future, that's something I'll definitely look into. The timing wasn't right, and the feeling wasn't right. In the end, it was a pretty easy decision to stay."

Harvey has a laundry list of impressive experiences, stats, honors and awards. Coach Guerrieri knows, however, there is a lot more to Harvey's impact on Aggie Soccer than awards and stats.

"Miki is one of the toughest young ladies you will ever meet," said Guerrieri. "Her inner drive and high standards have driven our team, and the many achievements of the team since 2014."

This year's senior class started their Aggie careers in style. They were a big part of Texas A&M's first-ever College Cup team back in 2014. Harvey played in 21 matches that season with eight starts. Since then, she has been a fixture in the A&M starting 11.
 

She controls the game from the midfield position. She's a capable goal scorer. Her vision and creativity make her a great distributor, as well. Even more important, though, is her leadership and toughness. She leads with competitiveness and fire. Because of that, teams try to get in her head. They try to be extra physical with her. Coach G knows that No. 77 is the focal point on scouting reports.

"She is known to be the heartbeat of the team," Guerrieri confirmed. "Because of that, teams pound on her all game long hoping to knock her off the ball or get her to retaliate against the constant abuse."

It's nothing new for Harvey, though. She has dealt with it for much of her career. She understands that while her competitiveness is a driving force for her, it's also something teams try to take advantage of.

"I've always had that fiery personality on the field," affirmed Harvey. "Even in high school, people always tried to get me angry and riled up to try to impact my play."

Last season was not easy for the fiery competitor that Harvey is. With a ton of injuries and many different lineups, the Aggies struggled at times in 2016. It was a challenging season to go through, especially with the lofty standards this program has. To Harvey and her teammates, though, it may have been a blessing in disguise.
 

"Mentally we grew so much last year," Harvey declared. "Going through that made us even more excited for 2017."

This is a big year for Harvey and her teammates. Expectations have been as high as ever in Aggieland. Harvey understands that a talented senior class is a big reason for the expectations and optimism. With those expectations comes a big responsibility, especially for those in their final year at A&M.

"I've been working really hard my entire life to get where I want to be," Harvey confessed. "Now that I'm a senior, I can help so many people. The fact that I'm regarded as a leader on this team gives me confidence and happiness, because I know I'm doing my job and the hard work is paying off."

There are similarities between the 2014 College Cup team and the 2017 squad. 2014 had a large and very talented group of seniors to lead the way. This year's senior class is not as big, but the talent and leadership is present, even after a season-ending injury for Haley Pounds. This year's group of four seniors has played a significant role in the program for the entirety of their careers.
    

The senior class comparison between 2014 and 2017 is not lost on Harvey or her fellow seniors. They understand what drove the 2014 team to success, and these seniors want to lead the way to similar success now. A Senior Day win over Vanderbilt this past Sunday marked nine wins in a row for the Aggies. It was fitting for this year's team to produce a tough and gritty win on Senior Day, a day which celebrated a tough and gritty 2017 senior class. 

"It's a bittersweet feeling," Harvey remarked after the final home conference game of her Aggie career. "My four years here have been amazing." 
 

Harvey's career in Aggieland might be coming to a close, but Aggie Soccer is in position to accomplish some special things yet this year. Harvey is ready for the challenge.  

"We had nine amazing and hard-working seniors in 2014," agreed Harvey. "They were a huge reason why we made it to the College Cup, because they were so dedicated to the program. Now that we're seniors, there's bigger pressure on us. I see similar levels of skill and work ethic. What I saw in our team during my freshman year is very similar to what I see in my senior year."

Whatever happens in the rest of the 2017 campaign, Harvey's contributions to Texas A&M and Aggie Soccer cannot be ignored.

"I'm incredibly proud of the kind of player and person she is," concluded Guerrieri. "She has great faith, love for family and a passion for our game. She's an inspiration for little girls and soccer fans who love to see true passion on the field."