In Play(er) of the Week, our goal is to highlight outstanding athletes or moments from games that deserve extra attention.

Molly Brumbach ’26 is a captain and goalkeeper on the Wesleyan women’s soccer team from Montclair, N.J. Brumbach has held down the Cardinals’ stellar defense all year and just this past week recorded three consecutive shutouts to propel Wesleyan to the Little Three title for the first time since 2019. Brumbach recorded five saves against no. 2 Amherst on Saturday, Oct. 5 to hold them scoreless in a 0–0 draw and then one week later anchored a 1–0 win against no. 15 Williams to claim the title. In between these two, she also recorded six saves in a 1–0 win against Trinity on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Her six shutouts are tied for the NESCAC lead this season, and for her performances, Brumbach was awarded the NESCAC Player of the Week Award. The Argus recently sat down to talk with Brumbach about her season.

The Argus: When did you start playing soccer?

Molly Brumbach: I started playing soccer when I was really little. It’s a big thing in my town to just put your kid into the local soccer team. I was probably like four or five.

A: Why did you choose to become a goalkeeper?

MB: I played goalkeeper and forward since I was like four or five. I split time between both. And then when I was a freshman in high school, I was told to pick between the two. And I really wanted to go to college for soccer, so I just decided to stick with goalkeeper because it’s a more specialized position. 

A: Were you better at goalkeeper than you were at forward?

MB: I was a lot taller than the other kids, so it was fun for me to play up top because I would get a lot of goals. But I always liked goalkeeper a little bit more. 

A: When did you know you wanted to play soccer in college?

MB: Since I was little, I knew I wanted to play soccer in college. In high school, I think I got more of the reality of fully committing to Division I [DI] or DIII, and having more room to explore other things and having the spring open was a big plus for me, because I also play music so I wanted to do that.

A: Did any of your siblings or parents play sports in college?

MB: Oh no, I’m the first athlete in all of my family, actually. 

A: What was the recruiting process like for you, and why did you ultimately decide upon Wes?

MB: Wesleyan is a big-name school in my town. I’m from Montclair, N.J., so I always knew about Wesleyan, and I was, as I said before, in the performing arts in high school, so I had a bunch of friends come here and love it. And then the recruiting process was pretty simple because it happened in [COVID-19], so it was mostly highlight reels and stuff like that. But luckily, it was a good match, and I thought it would be a good fit for me, academically and athletically. 

A: What do you think makes Wesleyan women’s soccer special?

MB: I love the team so much. We are all really close friends, which I think is really special. In club [soccer], you don’t always get that because everyone’s working on themselves and going different paths in college. But when you’re settled into one, it’s like you’re taking a breath, and I think everyone here really enjoys the process of being able to hang out together every day and have a really supportive network. 

A: How do you think you’ve changed as a player since freshman year?

MB: I was really nervous freshman year, I think as everyone was. I luckily had a [master’s] starter [Sarah Hammond ’22 MA ’23] who guided me into that position and we would split my freshman year. So I think I was put in a really lucky spot. But I think just having faith in the players around you and the people you’re playing with having faith in you changes your game a lot as well.

A: What has been your favorite memory of the team so far?

MB: Probably Trinity [NESCAC] Quarterfinals last year. We won in penalties. It was eighth round penalties, which is a long process. Famously, I didn’t know that we won on time so there’s a funny video. So that was my favorite moment. 

A: This is your second NESCAC Player of the Week honor during your career here. How does it feel to receive this accolade for the second time?

MB: It feels great. I feel very honored and nice to know that it’s a consistent progression. 

A: You recorded six even shutouts this season, and the team is undefeated. What is your mindset going into each game that allows you to continue to perform at such a high level?

MB: I find a lot of comfort in routine so my routine before each game is the same thing. I think during warmups you have to turn on and focus on what’s right in front of you. Our coach says a lot, “You can’t change anything at this point in time, school-wise or socially, so just focus on what’s in front of you.” And that’s a good method for me. 

A: As the postseason approaches and the pressure increases, how are you going to prepare mentally, and how are you going to help the team prepare?

MB: Personally, I want to make sure that I’m prioritizing my social life and academics as much as I am soccer. I think during tournament season, it can get really intense with just wanting to perform for soccer. I think if I can balance that well, that would be my individual goal. And then as a team, I think I want to just make sure that everyone’s heads are in a good spot. It’s really easy to take stress out on everyone else around you. It’s important to keep spirits high. So I think that we can keep everyone’s heads straight and to a team goal of wanting to get as far as we can. 

A: As an upperclassman approaching senior year, what advice would you give to your freshman self?

MB: I would just say have fun with it. I think Wesleyan is a huge bubble, and it can get really overwhelming because it can feel very small when you’re here. Know that the world is bigger. I wish some of the stress off myself as a player and a student here in my freshman year, and I would have enjoyed it a bit more.

Georgia Adams can be reached at gadams@wesleyan.edu.

Erin Byerly can be reached at ebyerly@wesleyan.edu. 

Ethan Lee can be reached at ejlee@wesleyan.edu.