Kara Linder defends the Buffs' goal against a visitor from Linder's home state of Nebraska during her sophomore season on Oct. 5, 2007. Now a senior, Linder has been an important player on the women's soccer team since she joined the program. (CU Independent file/Brandon Labadie)
Kara Linder was born and raised in Lincoln, Neb. – a place known as Cornhuskers territory – and dreamt of playing soccer in the Big 12 Conference.
“Growing up, watching Nebraska and seeing what the Big 12 had to offer, I definitely wanted to be a part of it,” said Linder, 21, the Colorado Buffaloes senior goalkeeper.
Her vision for Big 12 play led her to Boulder, which is about 500 miles west of Nebraska’s capital city.
“I always wanted to go out of state,” Linder said, “And being in the Big 12, it was an easy decision.”
Even though she preferred a school across state lines, CU originally wasn’t quite part of the picture for Linder.
“I didn’t even really consider CU until kind of late in my decision process,” Linder said. “I came out here, saw the campus, talked to [head coach] Bill [Hempen] and kind of heard of what the CU program was all about, and thought it was a good fit.”
Linder, who was recently honored as CU’s female athlete of the week for the week of Sept. 14-20, started her soccer career in elementary school with three-on-three competitions. She further developed her skills through club and varsity high school soccer.
Linder said her admiration for Colorado’s scenery, and the campus itself, helped influence her decision to attend CU.
“CU’s a beautiful campus,” Linder said. “It’s just a different atmosphere than what I grew up with, so it’s fun to be out here.”
But whether it was the visage of the Colorado landscape or the activities it nurtures that lured Linder to the Centennial State, it’s been enough to fuel a four-year tenure in Colorado.
Ally Goodman, Colorado’s senior midfielder, is one of Linder’s closest friends. She can attest to how much Linder likes this state.
“She loved the mountains and she enjoyed snowboarding,” Goodman said. “Everything combined made it the perfect place for her.”
The two met freshmen season with the help of another CU soccer player and decided to participate in the orientation process. Since then, their friendship grew on and off the field.
“I am so thankful that she came to Colorado,” Goodman said. “I cannot imagine what my life would be without her.”
Hempen says Linder’s abilities as an athlete have made her a standout player.
“There are some characteristics in a goalkeeper that are always very important,” Hempen said. “I always tell my kids to be good at something. Kara is an excellent shot stopper, her reflexes are so razor sharp. I knew there was something good we could get out of that. She’s obviously very athletic and she has all the things you want in a goalkeeper.”
Goodman also attributes some of Linder’s athletic success to her commitment.
“She cares a ton,” Goodman said. “She does extra work on her own that some people may not be aware of. She has a drive to just be better.”
At 4 p.m. Friday at Prentup Field, the Buffs will attempt to snap a three-game losing streak, the last two of which came in California at the Stanford/NIKE Invitational. The 4-5 Buffs will face the 5-1-2 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second conference test for Linder and Co.
“It’s going to be a huge game,” Linder said. “Nebraska is a really respectable program. They are really dominant in the Big 12.”
Goodman agrees and said, “I’m sure there’s a little bit of fuel in there. Any time we play a Big 12 game, it’s important. This game sets the stage for the rest of the season.”
According to Hempen, this will be the second time Linder will play against Nebraska as last year’s contest saw goalie Kirstin Radlinski protect the goal.
Linder might have additional support Friday when her parents attend the game. For Linder’s parents, her decision to attend CU has been something of a trip.
Literally.
According to Hempen, Linder’s family hardly misses any of her games.
“They get in the car on the weekends and drive from Lincoln over to Boulder,” Hempen said. “They’re fantastic supporters of our team, not just of their daughter, but certainly of the team.”
Linder says her parents have always been very supportive.
“They were extremely excited, just like I was,” Linder said. “You know everyone in Lincoln is a huge ‘Huskers football fan, always a part of that. They we’re definitely really excited for me. Now they are the biggest Buffs soccer fans ever.”
Hempen said that he didn’t believe there was ever any issue with Linder joining Colorado as a Nebraska native, especially considering the two schools’ athletic rivalry.
“Kara is a sweetheart,” Hempen said. “If anybody from Nebraska gives her any grief whatsoever about it for not attending Nebraska, they are doing her an injustice because she’s a good kid.”
Linder’s younger brother, Luke, is a freshman at Nebraska and he’s been bragging about a Cornhuskers victory on the gridiron this year.
“He‘s already calling the Thanksgiving [weekend] football score,” Linder said. “He thinks Nebraska is going to get it. Other than that, he supports me in soccer.”
Emotions aside, kinship usually prevails.
“He wears his Nebraska shirt,” Hempen said, “But he’s rooting for his sister.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Esteban L. Hernandez at Esteban.hernandez@colorado.edu.
