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"The competition is high in every game in the Big Ten," Dalrymple said. "Everyone is kind of at the same level, so every game is a battle, and when you come out on top it feels that much greater. " Selecting Iowa was easier because Dalrymple had a connection to Rainey, who coached her on Olympic development teams. "I felt comfortable with him as a coach, so coming to Iowa felt like a no-brainer, " Dalrymple said. "I'm glad with the decision." So are the Hawkeyes. During her first three seasons, Dalrymple played in 55 games with 28 starts. She scored eight goals with seven assists (23 points), and her first Big Ten goal — in the eighth minute against Michigan State on Oct. 2, 2011, in Iowa City — is a highlight. It was a game-winner during a 1-0 shutout of the Spartans, and it gave her bragging rights with her father, the MSU graduate. "Aſter that goal, I knew I could keep doing good things for the team," Dalrymple said. And what was her father's reaction? "He was really proud of me. He's an Iowa fan now, " " Dalrymple said with a laugh. "I think he has more Iowa shirts now than he has Michigan State. Dalrymple is not only converting goals, she is also converting fans. As a youngster, Dalrymple's parents encouraged her to get a feel for a variety of activities, and soccer quickly became the preference. "I was better at it than I was at other sports," she said. "That made me like it more. It was more fun, so I stuck with it." Better and presumably faster than most of her peers. Dalrymple's speed and quickness allows her to track down balls others think are impossible to reach. She is known for beating defenders, getting to the end line, and dishing off assists. "We want to be talking about her scoring seven, eight, nine goals during the Big Ten season," Rainey said. Sprinkle in a dose of high energy and it adds up to Dalrymple. "I like to use my speed to attack people, " she said. "The outside midfielder position is a great fit because I'm an energetic player and I like to be on the attack. I have an attacking mindset and I want to get to the goal and provide other people with chances to score, or take it myself. " Dalrymple was named team offensive MVP following her sophomore season (32 shots, eight points); she is a two-time selection as academic All-Big Ten. This season she has scored six goals with three assists for 15 points and four game-winners. 43 Dana Dalrymple competes against Eastern Illinois on Aug. 17 at the Iowa Soccer Complex. (Photo by Darren Miller) "Dana brings a lot to the table both as an athlete and as a student," Rainey said. "When somebody takes care of things in the classroom, it frees their mind to come to practice and work hard. Dana is a hard worker — she treats practice like it is a game, so she is a great role model for the freshmen coming in, as well as the sophomores and juniors." Dalrymple is pursuing a double major in journalism and art with a minor in anthropology; she graduates in spring 2013. When her days at the UI are finished, Dalrymple envisions a return to Cincinnati in pursuit of a career in photo-journalism. She completed a summer internship with Cincy, a magazine for business professionals, and now appears hooked on the vocation. "It was a good experience, and I'm excited to go down that path," Dalrymple said. Hundreds of minutes of sprinting on a soccer field remain before Dalrymple trades her cleats for a camera. A run deep into the month of November would be an ideal conclusion. It would also be unprecedented.