Getting to know Josilyn Cordes, Lumen’s Athlete of the Week

Josilyn Cordes, or Josi for short, is a second-year player on the women’s soccer team from Byron, Minn. She is currently a sophomore and is majoring in dietetics. Cordes plays the position of attacking midfield and has high hopes for her team this season. 

Soccer has been an important part of Cordes’ life ever since she was a kid. She began playing club soccer around the age of five and hasn’t stopped since. She continued to play from her youth into her teens and spent four years playing at Byron High School. With soccer being a staple in her life, Josi had no doubt that she wanted to play at a collegiate level. 

During her senior year of high school Scott Pirnstill, the head coach of women’s soccer, attended a few her games in hopes of recruiting her for the team. As a follow up to meeting Scott at her games, Cordes participated in a few overnight stays at Viterbo to help her get to know both the school and the team better before committing. She knew she had a decision to make as her senior year neared an end, but after getting to know the team and learning about the deictics program Viterbo offered, she was sold. 

Cordes moved to Viterbo on August 8, 2020. Shortly after she arrived, she began preparing for the season. Under typical circumstances, the team would host a summer camp to help introduce the freshman, but due to COVID-19, it was cancelled, and she was thrown straight into the game. The team started playing twice a day and without time to adjust, and she felt overwhelmed. Although she had no idea what to expect, she found comfort in knowing that her teammates felt the same way. She quickly grew close to the other girls as they all found a way to adjust.  

While Cordes has been on a handful of soccer teams throughout her life, playing at Viterbo has been her favorite experience by far. One of her favorite things is the bond she has created with the other girls here. Whether she is sharing a bus or a field with them, she knows they will create memories that last a lifetime. She is also a fan of getting to travel to cities throughout the season. 

With the many of the trials and tribulations of going to school during a pandemic behind her, Cordes is excited for the season ahead of her. She feels a lot more pressure with the season moving at a faster pace than the year before and the added pressure of being a sophomore. She is satisfied with her decision to come to Viterbo and will do what it takes to make it all work. 

The women’s soccer team has had a successful season so far with eight wins behind them. Cordes feels her team is very strong this year and that there is a good chance they will make it to the national tournament. Each member is working hard to stay healthy this year to keep their strong season going. The women’s soccer team has one last home game this season on October 21 at 3:00 p.m. against Morningside University located at the Viterbo Outdoor Athletic Complex. Cordes and her tight-knit team are a group of athletes you won’t want to miss.