The text message that eventually determined the upcoming four years of Lauren Anderson’s life came in the wee hours of the morning on June 15, 2023. “I think it was about 3 a.m.,” Anderson said.
The message was from University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer coach, Dr. Krissy Turner. That was only a few short hours after the window officially opened for colleges to start the recruiting process for players from the Class of 2025.
Turner’s message made it very clear to Anderson, now a Springstead High School senior, that the Quakers were very interested. Immediately, Penn jumped to the top of the list in Anderson’s eyes. And the pecking order never changed, although several schools — Old Dominion and Florida Gulf Coast, to name a few — tried to jump into the picture.
Anderson has verbally committed to Penn and has already been accepted to the prestigious Ivy League university. The Ivy League operates differently than other Division I colleges in that its members can not offer athletic scholarships. Instead, aid is based on financial need and the incoming student’s academic abilities, with athletic accomplishments also getting consideration. Anderson will get the equivalent of a scholarship. She’ll officially sign her letter of intent during an official visit to Penn’s Philadelphia campus in February.
“With the type of education they offer, I knew I couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that,” said Anderson who carries a 4.2 average in advanced classes at Springstead.
Anderson hasn’t decided on a college major yet, but she believes she wants to go into Psychology. Anderson’s athletic path is more certain. She’s known that she wanted to play soccer for Penn ever since a tour of the campus in August of 2023.
“I looked around the campus and it was amazing,” Anderson said. “I loved the coaches immediately. They’re super welcoming and full of energy. They really expressed that they wanted me. I knew right away that’s where I wanted to be.”
Penn’s coaches first spotted Anderson when they came to watch a practice session of the Tampa Bay United club team, which plays in the highly-regarded Elite Club National League (ECLN). Anderson has been with Tampa Bay United for five years. Tampa Bay United is coached by Tricia Taliferro, who previously was a college head coach at the University of Miami and the University of Illinois.
“It’s been a great experience and I’ve played against players that have gone onto big-time colleges,” Anderson said.
“(Penn assistant coach Fred King) was the first one from the Penn staff to come out to one of our practices,” Taliaferro said. “The first player he asked about was Lauren. I said, ‘You’ve got a good eye because she’s a special player and a special person.’ She’s the kind of player she is because of her character and she’s intrinsically motivated with a great work ethic and a very high soccer I.Q.”
Anderson played at Springstead as a freshman, sophomore and junior. But she elected to pass up her senior high school season to focus on her club team. “I just didn’t think it was worth the risk of getting injured,” Anderson said. “When you’re playing with less experienced players, they can be unpredictable and that can be dangerous.”
Although the rides to and from Tampa can be grueling, Anderson has excelled with Tampa Bay United as a defender. She has twice been chosen as an ECNL Girls Southeast All-Conference selection and played in the ECNL Girls Conference Cup in California this past summer.
At Penn, Anderson expects to be part of a building process under Turner, who was hired by Penn in 2022. Prior to that, Turner coached at Monmouth University in New Jersey, where she won eight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season championships in her final nine seasons at the school.
“Penn will be life changing for Lauren,” Taliaferro said. “I mean, the education speaks for itself. I was praying that’s where Lauren would want to go and that they would want her. It’s a perfect fit for Lauren. I’ve known Krissy for a long time and I know she’ll take good care of Lauren and Lauren will bring a lot to the table for the school and the soccer program.”
Penn was 2-8-6 overall and 1-3 in the Ivy League last season. But Anderson, who is part of a stellar five-player recruiting class for Penn, believes she’s stepping into the right place at the right time.
“With the coaches that are there and the players coming in with me, I think there’s going to be a big upswing over the next few years,” Anderson said. “I feel like I’m going to be part of something very good.”
![Lauren Anderson (red jersey) in action during a Tampa Bay United home game. [Credit: Jane Becker]](https://www.hernandosun.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Untitled-5.jpg)