Dripping Springs Soccer Star Headed to College One Year Early

By Paula Klauss

Reporting Texas TV

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas– A Dripping Springs High School senior is headed to the fighting Irish. However, she is doing all of this one year early. 

Ellie Hodsden isn’t just a star forward on her high school soccer team – this Dripping Springs student is graduating following her junior year after being recruited to play at her dream school – Notre Dame.

Hodsden has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old. Her lifelong goal was to commit to a school to play soccer. 

“My parents expected it honestly, but they were hesitant to let me go off on my own a year early,” said Hodsden. 

Thankfully, Hodsden has eight siblings and several have played at the collegiate level. With the help of her academic counselors, she was able to graduate early to fulfill her dream. 

“It was kind of all I wanted. So they mentioned graduating early so I decided that that might be what’s best for me and then I had to take two summer classes and heavier loads my senior year,” Hodsden said. 

Graduating early means Hodsden will be the youngest player on her college team, but her coach says she can handle it after having an amazing sophomore season of 52 goals and 13 assists.

“Ellie is a special girl because of who she is as a person. She has the charisma to meet new friends and instantly feel like you’ve known her for forever,” said Bailee Perrine. “If you have watched her play, you can tell that there is something different between her and the other player. 

Perrine also highlighted how she controls the ball fast and is able to keep it  close to her feet. Scoring it is like second nature to her according to her coach. 

Hodsden grew up playing soccer with her older sister Taylor, who also plays on the team.

“When we got to the age that we split and we weren’t on the same team anymore it was so weird for us and then coming into high school we got to play together again and it was so special,” said Taylor Hodsden.

Although Hodsden got injured this past summer, she is on the road to recovery. In the meantime, she enjoys helping her teammates warm up and get ready for the game.

“I tore my ACL and meniscus and a couple other things in my right knee so I had to get surgery. I had that on July 7 this past summer and then ever since then I’ve been in PT every week,” Hodsden said. 

She is seven months into recovery and started to lift with her dad again every morning. 

“I also make sure to fuel my body properly and focus on protein and carb heavy meals. As an athlete that is the most important thing you can do since that is the foundation for everything,” said Hodsden. “I also feel like that is a huge reason as to why my recovery has gone so well because I am taking care of my body in other ways.” 

Hodsden is headed to South Bend, Indiana, in June to start training.

“I’m really excited to get back on the field in general, but just like the competitive environment. It’s really exciting for me,” Hodsden said.