Comeback kid Aalbue boosts
Grace College to national title
By Bobby Narang
J.J. Aalbue always believed in her team.
The junior forward at Grace College, in Winona Lake, Ind., recognized that its talent and chemistry could lead to a special season.
“I knew coming into the season we had a pretty good team,” said the former Wheaton Warrenville South Tiger. “We played well the season before.”
She was spot-on in her evaluation. In 2020, the Lancers finished second as the top seed at the National Christian College Athletic Association's in 2020. In 2021, Grace made program history by defeating Ottawa 2-1 on Dec. 4 to win the national title.
Aalbue scored the winning goal and was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.
“Right toward the end of the season, we were really playing well, and I was at the top of my game,” Aalbue said. “We’ve honestly been through a lot this fall, just a lot of adversity from injuries, issues with COVID and a pretty difficult schedule.
“But all the pieces came together at the right time. I think sticking together as a team and focusing on how to overcame all of it together helped us. We came together in the NCCAA tournament.”
For several months, Aalbue questioned whether she would be along for the ride with her teammates. They included her sister Kimberly, a junior defender who was 10th on the team with 1,207 minutes, Wheaton Academy graduate Rebecca Steininger and Wheaton North alum Izzy Fenn.
After earning First Team All-Crossroads League and First Team NCCAA All-American honors following her first two seasons, J.J. suffered a potentially season-ending injury in March. Soon enough she received the bad news: torn right ACL.
“I landed funny in an 11-v-11 scrimmage, and they told me I would be out about six to nine months,” Aalbue said. “I didn’t think I would be able to play this fall. This summer through my injury, I had a time where I felt I did something wrong to deserve to have all my plans ruined for the season.
“It was hard to realize that I wasn’t going to play at first, but once I started seeing recovery going pretty quickly and my knee felt good, I decided to go for it.
“After going through all the rehab and work all summer and through half of the fall season, I realized, based on my recovery, that I could play this season.
“Everything moved so fast. My knee felt ready to go for it. Maybe that’s why I was so thankful to play this year. Once I knew I could play, I wanted to go out with a bang. I know I have more (rehab) to go, but this last week or so of the season I started feeling better.”
Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said he witnessed Aalbue’s toughness early in her high school career.
“She always was a strong kid,” he said. “The way technology is and way you can recover depending on the severity is different these days, so I knew it was only a matter of time before she would be back on her feet again.
“She’s self-motivated, plays for a greater thing than herself, which led her to coming back early and doing what she could for the team.
“What makes her special is her internal fortitude and strength. Coming back from the injury is a case in point. She came back so quickly and to play at that level in a short course of time is incredible. She has a great personality and is a great leader. She leads by example.”
This season, Aalbue played in 12 games and started eight. She scored eight goals and registered four assists in 795 minutes. She saved her best moments for the big stage, scoring the eventual winning goal in the 37th minute against Ottawa to give the Lancers (15-7-1) a 2-0 lead.
“The goal came on a long ball served in from our own half,” she said. “I was posting-up on girl, trying to get the second ball after one of my teammates headed it on. I realized I had her on my back, so I could turn. Once I was free in the box, I focused on putting the ball in the net.
“Later on, when the game ended, I didn’t realize the significance of it. It allowed us to go up pretty early in the game, so getting those two early goals were important.”
Grace head coach Michael Voss said he was not shocked by Aalbue’s quick return to the pitch.
“It’s not surprising that J.J. recovered so well,” Voss said. “She has always put in the work. She has been so completely diligent in every way through the recovery process.
“It’s been amazing to see her grow spiritually through the process as well. She has been a total encouragement to the team as she has recovered.
“She’s very positive with her words and attitude, living life, smiling through it all. Every day she has pushed herself at the right moments building her game every step of the way. … She peaked right at the end and played her best soccer of the year the whole week. It’s rewarding to see someone so humble get awards. It’s well deserved.”
Since leading the program to its first national title, Aalbue was among 15 Lancers to be named an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete, the most honorees on one team in the nation. Sister Kimberly joined her on the list. Eldest sister Elizabeth was the first sibling to attend Grace College before her sisters followed her.
In due time, Aalbue’s parents followed their daughters to Winona Lake. In a way, J.J.’s path to the small college almost seemed preordained.
“I honestly only looked at Grace,” J.J. said of the school with a fall enrollment of 1,919 students. “It seemed like a no-brainer. Now my family moved here last summer right around July. It’s definitely a lot easier having my (parents) here. I can go home on the weekends. They’re only five minutes away.”
As a prep player, J.J. came alive in her junior season. She earned Chicagoland Soccer all-state honors.
“A late-career transformation changed Aalbue into a completely different player,” wrote Chicagoland Soccer contributor Patrick McGavin. “She evolved into a dynamic attacker who showed a brilliant finishing touch and a striking ability to create separation from defenders. She generated quality touches and optimal scoring chances to collect 15 goals and 14 assists for a Class 3A regional finalist.”
The DuKane Conference Player of the Year was a four-time Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match and led Wheaton Warrenville South to a 14-5-2 record and titles in two regular-season tournaments.
Aalbue made an immediate impression on the college game. She led Grace in scoring with 17 goals and 18 assists. Her helper total set a school record. She was Crossroads League’s Newcomer of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year as an all-conference performer. She was an NAIA honorable mention All-American and the second player from Grace to be named NCCAA Player of the Year.
Callipari said he’s not surprised at Aalbue’s college success. He saw her next-level talent, and even noted it wouldn’t be out of the realm for her to play professionally.
“In high school, J.J. didn’t play her senior year because she graduated early,” he said of his home-schooled star. “She was such a gifted player. She played at a different level than everybody else.
“What she did in preparation for that (junior) season was amazing. She took the game on her shoulders all the time, especially in the final third. We played her in so many roles, but I liked her around the final third to take advantage of opportunities.
“I kid her all the time because I really think she’s capable of looking at Europe to play, if she would like to do something like that. We will definitely have that conversation going forward.”
Aalbue, who started playing soccer at five years old, said she’s been humbled and thankful for all the awards and team success over her collegiate career.
“I think the awards are an honor, but is the ultimate testament to how hard the team worked and pushed me to be in a position to succeed,” she said.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to play soccer. I always wanted to play in college. I stuck with it and when the opportunity presented it, I went for it. I knew I wanted to stay around my family.
“I think it’s exciting to keep getting better and growing. Having most of the fall season off allowed me to focus on developing different areas of my game, even beyond soccer and in my life.
“Being away from soccer made me focus on my faith. There were times I personally didn’t think we were going to do it. As a team, we went through so much, but kept grinding it out and remained faithful and joyful.”
Grace College to national title
By Bobby Narang
J.J. Aalbue always believed in her team.
The junior forward at Grace College, in Winona Lake, Ind., recognized that its talent and chemistry could lead to a special season.
“I knew coming into the season we had a pretty good team,” said the former Wheaton Warrenville South Tiger. “We played well the season before.”
She was spot-on in her evaluation. In 2020, the Lancers finished second as the top seed at the National Christian College Athletic Association's in 2020. In 2021, Grace made program history by defeating Ottawa 2-1 on Dec. 4 to win the national title.
Aalbue scored the winning goal and was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.
“Right toward the end of the season, we were really playing well, and I was at the top of my game,” Aalbue said. “We’ve honestly been through a lot this fall, just a lot of adversity from injuries, issues with COVID and a pretty difficult schedule.
“But all the pieces came together at the right time. I think sticking together as a team and focusing on how to overcame all of it together helped us. We came together in the NCCAA tournament.”
For several months, Aalbue questioned whether she would be along for the ride with her teammates. They included her sister Kimberly, a junior defender who was 10th on the team with 1,207 minutes, Wheaton Academy graduate Rebecca Steininger and Wheaton North alum Izzy Fenn.
After earning First Team All-Crossroads League and First Team NCCAA All-American honors following her first two seasons, J.J. suffered a potentially season-ending injury in March. Soon enough she received the bad news: torn right ACL.
“I landed funny in an 11-v-11 scrimmage, and they told me I would be out about six to nine months,” Aalbue said. “I didn’t think I would be able to play this fall. This summer through my injury, I had a time where I felt I did something wrong to deserve to have all my plans ruined for the season.
“It was hard to realize that I wasn’t going to play at first, but once I started seeing recovery going pretty quickly and my knee felt good, I decided to go for it.
“After going through all the rehab and work all summer and through half of the fall season, I realized, based on my recovery, that I could play this season.
“Everything moved so fast. My knee felt ready to go for it. Maybe that’s why I was so thankful to play this year. Once I knew I could play, I wanted to go out with a bang. I know I have more (rehab) to go, but this last week or so of the season I started feeling better.”
Wheaton Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said he witnessed Aalbue’s toughness early in her high school career.
“She always was a strong kid,” he said. “The way technology is and way you can recover depending on the severity is different these days, so I knew it was only a matter of time before she would be back on her feet again.
“She’s self-motivated, plays for a greater thing than herself, which led her to coming back early and doing what she could for the team.
“What makes her special is her internal fortitude and strength. Coming back from the injury is a case in point. She came back so quickly and to play at that level in a short course of time is incredible. She has a great personality and is a great leader. She leads by example.”
This season, Aalbue played in 12 games and started eight. She scored eight goals and registered four assists in 795 minutes. She saved her best moments for the big stage, scoring the eventual winning goal in the 37th minute against Ottawa to give the Lancers (15-7-1) a 2-0 lead.
“The goal came on a long ball served in from our own half,” she said. “I was posting-up on girl, trying to get the second ball after one of my teammates headed it on. I realized I had her on my back, so I could turn. Once I was free in the box, I focused on putting the ball in the net.
“Later on, when the game ended, I didn’t realize the significance of it. It allowed us to go up pretty early in the game, so getting those two early goals were important.”
Grace head coach Michael Voss said he was not shocked by Aalbue’s quick return to the pitch.
“It’s not surprising that J.J. recovered so well,” Voss said. “She has always put in the work. She has been so completely diligent in every way through the recovery process.
“It’s been amazing to see her grow spiritually through the process as well. She has been a total encouragement to the team as she has recovered.
“She’s very positive with her words and attitude, living life, smiling through it all. Every day she has pushed herself at the right moments building her game every step of the way. … She peaked right at the end and played her best soccer of the year the whole week. It’s rewarding to see someone so humble get awards. It’s well deserved.”
Since leading the program to its first national title, Aalbue was among 15 Lancers to be named an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete, the most honorees on one team in the nation. Sister Kimberly joined her on the list. Eldest sister Elizabeth was the first sibling to attend Grace College before her sisters followed her.
In due time, Aalbue’s parents followed their daughters to Winona Lake. In a way, J.J.’s path to the small college almost seemed preordained.
“I honestly only looked at Grace,” J.J. said of the school with a fall enrollment of 1,919 students. “It seemed like a no-brainer. Now my family moved here last summer right around July. It’s definitely a lot easier having my (parents) here. I can go home on the weekends. They’re only five minutes away.”
As a prep player, J.J. came alive in her junior season. She earned Chicagoland Soccer all-state honors.
“A late-career transformation changed Aalbue into a completely different player,” wrote Chicagoland Soccer contributor Patrick McGavin. “She evolved into a dynamic attacker who showed a brilliant finishing touch and a striking ability to create separation from defenders. She generated quality touches and optimal scoring chances to collect 15 goals and 14 assists for a Class 3A regional finalist.”
The DuKane Conference Player of the Year was a four-time Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match and led Wheaton Warrenville South to a 14-5-2 record and titles in two regular-season tournaments.
Aalbue made an immediate impression on the college game. She led Grace in scoring with 17 goals and 18 assists. Her helper total set a school record. She was Crossroads League’s Newcomer of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year as an all-conference performer. She was an NAIA honorable mention All-American and the second player from Grace to be named NCCAA Player of the Year.
Callipari said he’s not surprised at Aalbue’s college success. He saw her next-level talent, and even noted it wouldn’t be out of the realm for her to play professionally.
“In high school, J.J. didn’t play her senior year because she graduated early,” he said of his home-schooled star. “She was such a gifted player. She played at a different level than everybody else.
“What she did in preparation for that (junior) season was amazing. She took the game on her shoulders all the time, especially in the final third. We played her in so many roles, but I liked her around the final third to take advantage of opportunities.
“I kid her all the time because I really think she’s capable of looking at Europe to play, if she would like to do something like that. We will definitely have that conversation going forward.”
Aalbue, who started playing soccer at five years old, said she’s been humbled and thankful for all the awards and team success over her collegiate career.
“I think the awards are an honor, but is the ultimate testament to how hard the team worked and pushed me to be in a position to succeed,” she said.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to play soccer. I always wanted to play in college. I stuck with it and when the opportunity presented it, I went for it. I knew I wanted to stay around my family.
“I think it’s exciting to keep getting better and growing. Having most of the fall season off allowed me to focus on developing different areas of my game, even beyond soccer and in my life.
“Being away from soccer made me focus on my faith. There were times I personally didn’t think we were going to do it. As a team, we went through so much, but kept grinding it out and remained faithful and joyful.”