Courtesy of Katie Lu

Junior Katie Lu went to visit UPENN to take official commitment pictures over spring break.

After a decade of playing local competitive soccer, junior Katie Lu has verbally accepted an offer from the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) to play the sport for its DI team starting in 2027-28. She made her commitment official on April 13.

Lu began her soccer journey at age 6 after her dad encouraged her to try a team sport. Although she also tried basketball, swimming, tennis, golf, gymnastics and ballet, none of them connected with her the way soccer did. 

Around that time, she joined the American Youth Organization Soccer (AYSO) and began to play club soccer. From there, she switched to De Anza Force in 2016, then Los Gatos United in 2019 and then finally Mountain View Los Altos (MVLA) in 2022 where she currently plays left wing.

“I love playing soccer because it gives me a way to better myself,” Lu said. “I also met so many amazing people along the way and playing with my best friends is one of the best parts.” 

On top of playing for MVLA, Lu played on the SHS varsity soccer team her freshman and sophomore years, before deciding to shift her focus primarily to club soccer in her junior year. Playing only for her club allowed her to concentrate on being recruited by college coaches. However, she hopes to close out her senior year back on the school team.

For Lu, pursuing soccer at the collegiate level has always been her dream. In order to fulfill it, she had been going to showcases, state cups and the Elite Club National League (ECNL) National tournament to stand out to college coaches. 

“The thing I love about showcases is that it gave me exposure to the college scouts while also allowing me to have a fun experience with my closest friends,” Lu said.

Her MVLA team has a history of qualifying for ECNL playoffs, but in 2023 and 2024 they weren’t able to make it past the round of 16 due to weak team chemistry and mental blocks, according to Lu. Motivated to do better, the team practiced relentlessly, and the summer after Lu’s sophomore year, her team broke through, winning the National tournament held in Virginia.

As a result of their success, Lu was scouted by numerous coaches starting early in her sophomore year and began the process of talking seriously to various coaches this June, including those from UCLA, UC San Diego and Harvard. 

Ultimately, it was at the National Selection Game in Phoenix, where UPENN head coach Dr. Krissy Turner saw her play and took an interest. At the National Selection Game, players from across the country are showcased to various scouts. Players are separated by region, with Lu playing in the mid-west region. After watching Lu, Turner sent her an email indicating their interest in her skills. From there, the two began communicating seriously about potential recruitment.

“I chose UPENN because of the amazing coaching staff and the incredible academic and athletic program it has to offer,” Lu said.

Although her efforts paid off, the path to recruitment and playing at the collegiate level wasn’t easy. Balancing school with athletics is one of the biggest struggles for student athletes like Lu. 

Oftentimes, Lu heads straight home after school to finish her work before leaving for practice. Typically, Lu practices an hour and a half three days a week with her team. 

However, just attending club practices wasn’t enough to develop her skills to the Division I level. After changing her position from midfield to winger in 2024 to improve her attacks and one vs. ones, Lu had to work especially hard during her own independent practice to build her skills to what they are today, making her a more multi-talented player.

“Changing positions and finding my confidence was one of the hardest parts of soccer for me,” Lu said. “I worked more outside of just team training so I knew that when the games came, I would be prepared.”

The effort to continue refining her skills doesn’t stop for Lu after her recruitment. She plans to prepare for college soccer as best she can in hopes of pursuing a professional career in the sport, while also taking advantage of academic pathways.

“If a pro pathway does open up while I’m in college I definitely want to take it,” Lu said. “For now, I’m just excited to play soccer at the Ivy League level and continue pursuing my academic career at such a prestigious university.”