Saxony Lutheran's Brune signs to extend soccer career at Division I Troy

It says a lot that on a soccer team good enough to win a state championship even without her, Maddie Brune is the cream of the crop.

After missing much of her junior season with a medial collateral ligament tear in her knee and ahead of what she expects to be a bounce-back senior campaign, Brune signed on Wednesday at Saxony Lutheran High School to continue her soccer career at Troy (Ala.) University.

"They're getting a stud," Saxony coach Garrett Fritsche said. "She's an all-around player. She's got IQ out of this world and her ability and skill -- so often you get a smart kid who isn't athletic or an athletic kid who doesn't quite get the game, but she gets both. That's going to be great for Troy and I see her being a big part of their program in the next four years."

For Brune, Wednesday was an opportunity to honor her long-time verbal commitment to the Trojans and seal her future at a school she fell in love with.

"I'm super excited and everything, but I'm also a little nervous," Brune said. "I know college athletics is nothing like what I've done in high school or club, and I know it's going to be a challenge mentally, emotionally and physically as well. I'm up for that challenge and ready to see what the future holds. I couldn't be more happy than where I'm at today.

Saxony Lutheran's Maddie Brune, left, talks with Brianna Mueller during halftime of the Class 1 District 1 championship Thursday, May 21, 2015 in Perryville, Missouri.Glenn Landberg

"They always say you have that feeling when you get on a campus. There's not one thing I can perfectly describe, but just the student atmosphere, the coaches and the players. It's down south and I love the South. It's a beautiful, beautiful school."

Brune's commitment to Troy dates back before her injury, but she said the unwavering commitment has been mutual -- something that's not always the case in the cutthroat world of college recruiting.

"[The injury] definitely made me really nervous," Brune said. "I was afraid that I wouldn't come back as good as I was before, but they supported me through the entire thing and they were not worried at all. I think I have come back stronger than I was before."

A midfielder for the Crusaders, Brune will slide back and play center back for the Trojans, but it's not an unfamiliar role. In fact, it's the position she's always played with her Elite Clubs National League side St. Louis Scott Gallagher. The ECNL is the highest level of competition currently available at the youth level for girls in this country, and her experiences with the club went a long way to shaping her into a player that earned a Division I scholarship.

In fact, it was through SLSG that Troy found Brune.

"I have been traveling up to St. Louis to play for St. Louis Scott Gallagher the past two years and have gone to a bunch of exposure tournaments," Brune said. "They saw me in Florida in a tournament there and they were interested so I just pursued it and fell in love with the school."

It's extremely difficult to get a Division I soccer scholarship without club experience, and Brune was able to get hers with one of the most historic youth programs in the country. The senior called the training and competition with SLSG "out of this world" and critical to her development.

"It's extremely important," Fritsche said. "Club teams face a lot of good players all the time, whether it's in practice against their own team or in tournaments. You can just tell club players usually have a little bit of an advantage."

Fritsche is excited, though, at the prospect of high school soccer for Brune this spring. Last season was Fritsche's first at Saxony Lutheran, and his time with Brune on the field was cut short. Now it's hard for him to not dream about the possibilities of taking a title-winning squad and inserting an elite center midfielder.

"I've been excited ever since she really got back running last summer," Fritsche said. "I've been anxious to see how she comes out, which I know she's going to be awesome. It wasn't much fun watching her on the bench all the time, but she was one of the most important players on the bench and really helped me coach. But it's exciting getting her back on the field this year."

Troy went 14-4-2 to finish second in the Sun Belt conference last season. Brune will be joining forces with her SLSG teammate Kate Lorenz. The recruiting class also includes two players from Sweden, one of which has earned call-ups to her country's U-19 national team.