Moses Lake's Jessie Green headed to New Mexico Highlands University

Jessie Green (white) competes for the SSC Shadow Elite.

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| May 16, 2014 6:05 AM

MOSES LAKE - After years of hard work, Moses Lake's Jessie Green will be playing soccer at the collegiate level.

Green recently signed her letter of intent to play at New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) in Las Vegas, NM.

"I'm really excited," she said. "It wasn't as ... I don't want to say it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be because it was because of all the practicing and driving and the hours and hours but ... I don't know it was just crazy that it actually happened to me."

Despite being a Moses Lake native, Green would commute to Spokane to play for the SSC Shadow Elite. As a member of the Shadow and Washington's Olympic Development Program (ODP), Green was able to showcase her talents for college scouts.

Before committing to New Mexico Highlands, Green planned on attending Portland State University. However, expenses and miscommunication left her without a spot on the team and no scholarship funds.

Green tapped into her pool of coaches who directed her to Cowgirl head coach Justin Wagar.

Wagar let Green know that the team was looking for a defender, her position, and that the school could offer her a partial scholarship.

Most of Green's expenses will be taken care of from her athletic scholarship, Western Undergraduate Exchange Scholarship and Success in New Mexico Scholarship.

Green looks to contribute right away to a Cowgirl team that finished fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with a 9-7-2 overall record last season.

NMHU advanced to the RMAC Soccer Tournament before losing in the opening round to Regis University, 2-0.

"It all depends on who plays the best and that's not ever really been an issue," Green said. "My coaches have always made us ... Whoever's playing the best is going to play. Not who's been with the team the longest."

Green credits her success to her coaches Jen Lee, Nick Wallace and Dan Philp.

Lee, who is the owner of Crossfit Four Pillars in Moses Lake where Green trains often, has over 15 years of coaching experience and played for the University of Georgia.

"Without her and Nick Wallace I feel like I wouldn't even be anywhere close to where I'm at," Green said. "She's sort of guided me through all of it."

Green isn't nervous about traveling all the way to New Mexico for school and soccer, but she will miss her family.

"I think the hardest thing probably is just, I don't know, kind of being on my own," she said. "Which I don't think I'll have a problem with. It'll just be weird and family, not being able to see my baby sister, my baby brothers 'cause I'm the oldest."

Green wanted to thank all of her former coaches and family members, especially her Grandmother Joan.