IU East presented soccer opportunity Shelbyville senior could not pass up

An opportunity presented itself to Ellie Simpson that she could not turn down.

The senior was at a Ball State soccer camp with the Shelbyville High School girls soccer team last summer and the Indiana University East coach wanted a conversation with her.

“I wasn’t thinking anything, just playing how I normally play,” said Simpson. “My school coach came up and said this coach is really interested in you.”

Simpson did not take the conversation seriously. She quickly realized that was a mistake.

“(IU East head coach Shane Meridith) talked to me after the game and said he really wanted me to come play for him and how he had this scholarship,” recalled Simpson. “I went to the school and loved it and said I wanted to play.”

Simpson verbally committed in the fall and recently made that commitment official with a signing ceremony in the Golden Bear Room at Shelbyville High School.

The daughter of Derek and Amanda Simpson has not yet decided on a major but she is excited to know her soccer career will continue at the Richmond-based university.

A four-year stalwart with the Shelbyville soccer program, the Golden Bears won 42 games over her career. A defensive leader, she scored two goals and had three assists over the last two seasons when the team went 25-9.

IU East finished 5-7-6 last season without a senior on the roster. Simpson is part of a large recruiting class that is expected to bolster the program.

“There are 11 freshmen coming in,” said Simpson. “It’s a big class that (coach Meridith) has high hopes for.”

Simpson is currently training with her club soccer team and embracing being a one-sport athlete now that her high school basketball career is complete.

“I am grinding soccer now every day,” she admitted knowing the college soccer student-athlete routine will be more challenging.

“I think it will be a big transition just because how the practices are,” said Simpson. “I think it will be a lot tougher at IU East.

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