MacKenzie Leeder isn’t acting her age.
And that’s a great thing for the Duquesne women’s soccer team.
Leeder, a freshman defender from Mt. Pleasant, has started four of five games for the Dukes (2-2-1) and has played all 90 minutes in the past two matches.
“She’s earned every minute she’s gotten, and she’s very wise beyond her years,” Duquesne coach Al Alvine said. “She’s a really mature kid, very level-headed.”
After Leeder totaled 62 goals and 28 assists while playing mostly midfield at Mt. Pleasant, it’s not a surprise to see her succeed at the next level. But to see it happen so quickly caught her off guard, she said.
“When (Alvine) told me I was starting (in the season opener), I thought I was going to faint on the field,” said Leeder, a three-time All-WPIAL choice and an all-state section as a senior.
“My teammates were so welcoming. They made me feel at home, and I think that made the transition easy. And especially Al, he put a lot of faith in me that I could transition easily, so all of that played a huge role. … The hardest part for me was getting over the nerves.”
Leeder is 5-foot-3 and often matches up against bigger, more experienced players, but her tenacity and physicality are two of her best qualities, Alvine said.
“Technically on the ball she’s very good, and tactically she understands the game,” Alvine said. “But she’s a fighter. She’s a pitbull out there, and that’s what’s really endeared her to the coaches and her teammates.”
Alvine first saw Leeder play when she was a high school sophomore, and the leadership qualities he saw then have carried over. That’s not always a given for even the most talented freshmen defenders.
“(Defenders) have the whole game in front of them, so a big part of their job is giving information to the players in front of them,” Alvine said. “In a lot of cases, (freshmen) are reluctant to do that because they have juniors and seniors playing in front of them, and they’re afraid to overstep their bounds as a freshman. But the reality is those players want that information, and they need that information. So she is more than willing to give it, and it’s good information and relevant to what’s happening in the game, and the byproduct of it is the kids who are playing in front of her respect her ability to do that.”
Several injuries on the back line have forced Leeder to start at center back after opening the season at outside back. Alvine isn’t worried.
“She’s a really versatile kid and a fast learner,” he said. “She has stepped right in, and we haven’t missed a beat. I’ve been super impressed with everything about her.”
Leeder had offers from Akron and Youngstown State and also received interest from Xavier, but she said Duquesne was an easy choice. Her and Alvine “clicked,” she said.
“I just knew Duquesne was my home,” Leeder said. “I’ve always wanted to be in a city. There’s no better campus than Duquesne. The environment was a big factor.
“Building new relationships has been a big thing, just growing up. … It’s definitely a huge transition (from high school).”