Nov. 10, 2016
By Joanne Norell
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame women’s soccer defender Shannon Hendricks didn’t start the season on the back line. A sophomore walk-on from Granger, Indiana, the local product began the season as a key reserve midfielder, but has developed into a key piece of Notre Dame’s defensive strategy, starting the last 10 matches at left back for the Irish. The back line has played a significant role in Notre Dame’s scant goals against average, allowing just nine goals on the season as the Irish head into NCAA Championship play at 7 p.m. ET Friday against SIU Edwardsville at Alumni Stadium. Hendricks recently sat down for the most recent edition of Ten Questions.
Ten Questions with Shannon.Hendricks
1. What’s it been like to come into a starter’s role?
It’s been good. You work to get on the field and it’s very fun being out there, especially being on the left and having Gilly (Ginny McGowan) next to me. I played up top and in the midfield mostly during the beginning part of the season, so coming back and having her and (Kaela Little) leading and giving me direction has awesome. And having (assistant coach Dawn Siergiej) doing what she does and breaking down film and giving us little things to work on has been really good learning experience.
2. As someone from the area, what made you choose Notre Dame and to stay in town?
Everywhere I looked I just compared back to here, and I had two older siblings that went here, and nowhere was as good as Notre Dame. It was an easy choice.
3. What is your favorite thing to do outside of soccer?
I love spending time on the lake, skiing, swimming, just hanging out. My grandma lives on Birch Lake (in Michigan), so we go up there a lot during the summer.
4. If you could play any other sport, what would it be?
Probably basketball, maybe hockey. Definitely a team sport. They’re just really competitive and fast-paced.
5. What is your favorite class?
I took a history seminar last year that was on the presidents, and that was by far my favorite class so far. It was broken up so each week was a new president and we’d read a book or an article on them and talk about their character and success as a president and researched to see if there was any correlation between the two, so that was really interesting.
6. Who is your funniest teammate?
There’s a lot of them, so picking one is hard. Katie Uhler is pretty funny; Chalk (Ann Marie Niro) is pretty funny.
7. What’s your favorite pizza topping?
Pepperoni. Keep it simple.
8. What has been the best team moment this year?
Winning the ACC, for sure. After the Miami game, it went from one person to the next and then we all found out and were jumping and screaming. It was so much fun.
9. What is your dream vacation?
I’d love to go to South America sometime, just to explore. I think Brazil would be really cool.
10. Who is your favorite athlete?
I love the Cubs and would say that any Cubs player is my favorite athlete. I’ve grown up going to games with my dad and I was screaming last week when they won the World Series. My dog’s name is Addison Clark, which are the two streets Wrigley Field is on.
-ND-