The fall season can’t come soon enough for Dartmouth star Allie Winstanley

Allie Winstanley had a breakout season back in 2019 for Dartmouth College. As a freshman, Winstanley hit the ground running for the Big Green and led the Ivy League in goals (10) and points (25). Surprisingly, she didn’t make first team All-Ivy League but did get second team honors. When asked if that she felt slighted by that, Allie told BGN, “First let me start by saying I was honored to receive Second Team All-Ivy as a freshman. In the 2019 season many of my points came from outside of the Ivy League games. We played some really tough non-conference games and to that end likely did not factor into the decision around All-Ivy awards.”

“In general, while recognition from these special awards is nice, it is not what motivates me. This is a team sport and I am motivated when our team comes together, implements what we have been practicing and plays its best. Regardless of the outcome of the game, leaving it all on the field as a unit is motivation to be even better in practices and games the next week.”

For Winstanley, who was also received United Soccer Coaches First Team All-Region honors in 2019, and Dartmouth, they will not return to action until the fall as the Ivy League did not come back for the NCAA‘s spring season. “I will be a junior and the success I experienced as a freshman seems very much in the rearview mirror,” she said. “Time to focus on the future. I am confident in our team and coaching staff. There is so much talent on this team, including two new grades of players that have not yet had the chance to play in conference games. Fall 2021 cannot come soon enough and we will be ready.”

While the team’s ability to work together has been limited due to COVID-19 restrictions, Allie’s made sure to continue to work on her game. “I was able to train in the fall, but will be off-campus in the winter and spring, so I have been doing a lot of training on my own,” she explained. “I have been working on strength and speed at Stadium Performance in Dedham MA along with other D1 athletes across many sports.

“I’ve also been joining in on some pick-up soccer at Compete in Norwood MA with other D1 women’s soccer players in the area – including some of my peers playing for other Ivy League schools. It’s not the same as being with my team, but it is keeping me in shape and giving me solid touches on the ball. Despite not being together as an entire team, the coaching staff at Dartmouth has done an excellent job at keeping the team focused on 2021 through regular team Zoom meetings.”

It was a combination of soccer and school that initially led the Concord, Massachusetts native to choose Dartmouth. Allie said, “I committed to play at Dartmouth during the winter of my sophomore year. Leading up to that decision I was meeting with other schools in various leagues. In the end I chose the decision to play in the Ivy League and at Dartmouth because it had the balance between athletics and academics I was looking for.”

“In particular, I chose Dartmouth because of its location, I love the outdoors and I love Hanover. Hanover and its surrounding towns have some of the most beautiful places to explore. The community is also extremely strong at Dartmouth, and the connections that I made with the players and coaches during my visit ensured me that Dartmouth was the right choice.”

Not long after committing to Dartmouth during her sophomore year of high school, Winstanley also made another big life decision. She travelled to Costa Rica that following summer with one of her good friends, who now plays soccer at Boston University. “We were part of a program called Woza Soccer that hosted soccer service trips to destinations around the world,” she recalled. “The game of soccer has given me so much and as cliche as it might sound, I wanted to be a small part of providing that opportunity to soccer players who might not have access – especially the girls.

“We coached daily clinics, played in pickup games with locals and made connections through the beautiful game of soccer. It was pretty amazing how a common love for something can bring people of all backgrounds together.”

When she’s not starring on the soccer pitch, helping grow the game, or focusing on Ivy League academics, Allie enjoys baking and signing, according to her Dartmouth bio. “I think I might need to update my bio. Not much of a singer as I was in high school, but I still love to bake,” she said. “I worked in a small bakery during one summer in high school and I really enjoyed my time there.”

“My favorite thing to bake are cookies – but on the off chance my trainers see this, I have been experimenting with healthier ingredients and recipes – I’ll just leave it at that.”

This fall, it will be Ivy League defenses that are getting cooked by Dartmouth’s Allie Winstanley.