FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, September 23, 2016 Lubieniecki leaves it all on the field, in the classroom in 4-year career with ‘Jackets
One of the Yellowjackets’ most technically-gifted players on the field, and one of the university’s brightest students off of it, senior Dana Lubieniecki is completing her career as a four-year starter this fall with MSUB’s women’s soccer team. MSUB SPORTS – A crunching tackle from behind brought Montana State University Billings women’s soccer freshman midfielder Alexa Iacolucci to the turf in an early season home match against the University of Mary, and the immediate whistle from the referee signaled a golden scoring chance for the Yellowjackets less than four minutes into the game. Occurring on the left side of the field just outside the goal box, the freshman took one look at senior Dana Lubieniecki and knew immediately what was going through the captain’s mind. As both players stood over the ball, with a defensive wall of Marauders lined up 10 yards away, the ‘Jackets knew this one was Lubieniecki’s for the taking. “After Alexa got fouled, I saw where the ball was lined up and for some reason I had a lot of confidence,” Lubieniecki said as she recalled the play. “I looked where the ball was set and then looked at the upper-90 in the far post and thought to myself, ‘I’m hitting it right there.’”
A second whistle from the referee signaled Lubieniecki to put the ball back into play, and a third almost instantaneously signaled her picture-perfect shot had wound up in the back of the net for a goal. Curling a right-footed strike over the wall and UM’s goalkeeper, Lubieniecki’s aim was true as the side netting attached to the right goal post at Yellowjacket Field gave way to her second goal of the season.
Lubieniecki (10) and teammates celebrate after her free-kick goal against Mary on Sept. 10 at Yellowjacket Field.
Two weeks later, Lubieniecki struck again, this time creating a chance on a give-and-go with junior Kylee Wolfe in another home match on Sept. 23. Taking a one-time chance on a pass from Wolfe at the top of the box, Lubieniecki again put perfect touch on a high shot that got over the Wolves’ keeper but stayed low enough to kiss the bottom of the crossbar as it found the back of the net. After scoring what have been two of the most impressive goals for the team this season, the humble senior showed little emotional reaction in the way of celebration. Scoring goals and converting top-class finishes are often times the only thing that brings players like Lubieniecki into the spotlight. But it’s what the four-year starter and all-conference midfielder does outside of finding the net that reflects her true value for the team. One of the most technically gifted players for the Yellowjackets, Lubieniecki’s creativity, distribution, and awareness in several different midfield roles throughout her career are the things that have garnered the most respect from teammates and opponents alike. With six career goals to her name, Lubieniecki has already topped her previous season-high of two goals with three this season. When she does find the net, she’s quick to deflect the attention and give credit to the players around her. “I’ve always seen myself more of an assistor than a goal scorer,” said Lubieniecki, who also has four career assists for the ‘Jackets.
When she does strike, it tends to be at the moments that matter most. While it may have been the least spectacular of her three goals this season, it was Lubieniecki’s first goal of the year that carried the most personal meaning. Playing in her home town of Lakewood, Colo., on Sept. 1, the Bear Creek High School graduate scored MSUB’s first goal of the season as her parents, family, and friends looked on. Her celebration was by no means flashy, but she couldn’t help but force a one-of-a-kind grin. After all, that was where the legacy she is now leaving as one of the most memorable Yellowjackets, began. TRADING As FOR DINNER “I think my record is about 360 juggles,” said Lubieniecki, recalling the time she spent tuning her skills in the backyard with her sisters Jenna and Kara. Sharon and Gene Lubieniecki looked on as their daughters took a liking to the game of soccer, believing that sports provided a platform to build character and leadership. Both parents introduced the game to their daughters, serving as youth coaches and learning the game along with their children. Though inexperienced with the nuances of the game, the Lubienieckis preached a humble philosophy to Dana and her sisters. Scoring goals and other individual achievements were not followed with a reward; rather the youngest in the family learned to see the result as payoff for the work surrounding it. Beyond the field however, academics always stood as the most important focus of Lubieniecki’s development. On her way to becoming a three-time academic all-GNAC pick, the emphasis her parents put on her education is Dana (right) with her sister and Kari Foreman reflected in her 3.83 grade point average while in MSUB’s health and (center) as youth players. human performance program. Part of Lubieniecki’s incentive for maintaining her grades throughout middle school and high school was a special deal put forth by her parents. “If we got straight As for a semester, then we got to pick a place to go out to dinner,” Lubieniecki said. “We almost never went out to dinner so that was a big deal for us.” A two-time member of MSUB’s Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society, academic all-region pick in 2015, and the vice president of the athletic department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Lubieniecki has naturally put academics at the forefront of her priorities for as long as she can remember. While her parents ensured the focus was on her studies, Lubieniecki honed a set of technical skills that turned her into a promising college prospect. When the soccer books her parents read were no longer enough to keep teaching Lubieniecki new skills, she joined the Colorado Rush Soccer Club and made the second division Swoosh team around her 11-year-old year. “That club was awesome, and taught me pretty much everything else about soccer,” Lubieniecki said. “It put me in a great position to get recruited.” Under the direction of head coach Jami Kummer, Lubieniecki and her club teammates hit the road for showcases designed to put college prospects in touch with coaches. It was at a showcase that Lubieniecki caught the eye of MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak, who credits her development at the club level for getting her fit for the college game. “Every time I went to see her play she was getting better and better, and what really impressed me were her (technical)
skills,” Krakowiak said. “Her soccer I.Q. is very good, she reads the game really well, and she is very calm on the ball. She definitely stood out on her team in the recruiting process, and she was playing really well against good teams.” Lubieniecki’s initial interest in MSUB was sparked through a close family friend, Kari Foreman, who had already begun her career as a player with the Yellowjackets. Watching her sister excel and pursue a college career of her own also inspired the youngest Lubieniecki to do the same, and she made up her mind about MSUB after her recruiting visit during her junior year. “I really enjoyed my recruiting trip, and I really liked the atmosphere of the school,” Lubieniecki said. “I felt I could really get to know the professors and advisors, which is something I had always wanted in a school. The whole team was really nice to me on the trip, and it seemed all-around like my best option.”
Lubieniecki (right-center) poses with her youth Colorado Rush team after a tournament game.
A KNACK FOR COMING THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH “When Dana speaks, you can really see that the other players listen. She is also a perfect example of how we want players to carry themselves off the field. She is very responsible, and is a great mentor to the younger players.” – MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak on senior Dana Lubieniecki. Senior Day 2014 had arrived, and the Yellowjackets were well on their way to making the GNAC Championship tournament for the first time since the 2012 season. The team entered its match against Western Oregon on Oct. 25 having won two games in-a-row, and was looking to send its graduating players off with a memorable finish at home. Gathering in a pass from then-freshman Jessica Spang in the 28th minute, Lubieniecki turned and curled a left-footed shot into the back of the net to score what wound-up being the game-winning goal. “That was a huge moment, because I think it was my first GNAC goal,” Lubieniecki recalled. “It wasn’t even the fact that I scored, but it was for the seniors
that day. You try to do whatever you can to help your team in a game like that, and it’s one that you really want to win for your seniors.” The game-winner against WOU was just one example of Lubieniecki’s ability to come through in the clutch, something she has done time and time again throughout her career. Six of her first seven goals or assists came in games that the ‘Jackets won by a single goal, and her goal against the Wolves on Thursday was the second game-winner of her career. Another defining moment for Lubieniecki was in another dramatic home victory in her sophomore season, when the Yellowjackets found themselves in a 1-0 hole in the second half against Seattle Pacific. After Katlyn Lokay scored in the 67th minute to equalize the score, Lubieniecki helped the ‘Jackets win the game with a long through ball into the box that fellow sophomore Amanda Perri put into the back of the net. “That was the first time we had beat SPU in a few years, and that whole season we had a lot of really great wins,” Lubieniecki said. Though she is the lone four-year senior on the team this season, Lubieniecki has shared the last three seasons with center back and fellow captain Kari Kastelic. The two have formed a leadership bond Lubieniecki strikes the game-winning shot in a 1-0 victory and complement each other through their different positions on the over Western Oregon on Senior Day of her sophomore field. “I am very thankful that Kari transferred to MSUB, and she had season in 2014. a lot of the same ideals that I did about sticking together as a team,” Lubieniecki said on her fellow senior. “We both looked up to similar older players, and that brought us together more when it came to soccer.” Just as Lubieniecki counted on the program’s seniors as mentors when she was a younger player, she has grown into a role now where a very young squad looks up to her in all areas of the game. With five freshmen in MSUB’s starting lineup, including three young players in the midfield unit, Lubieniecki’s guidance has been crucial in helping newcomers get acclimated to the college game. “Dana is good at giving me direction on when to shift over, and to have an upperclassman tell me if I’m out of position is very helpful,” said freshman center midfielder Claire Tevaseu, who stayed with Lubieniecki on her recruiting visit. “It was nice to see a familiar face when I got here in the fall. She was very welcoming when I came on my visit, so it made it a lot easier for me coming into a new team.” Lubieniecki currently plays as an outside midfielder for the ‘Jackets, but her experience in virtually every position at the center of the field makes her an asset for all of the younger players to learn from. Tevaseu was quick to point out Lubieniecki’s technical ability and decision making while on the ball make her a comfortable player to be on the field with. From the senior’s perspective, the potential in players like Tevaseu is an encouraging sight for the team’s future. “I do see a bit of myself in Claire, and I see a lot of potential in her,” Lubieniecki said. “She is a little bit quieter like I was (as a
freshman), but she’s a very skilled player. It took me about a year to get really comfortable and confident in my ability to play at the college level.” LUBIENIECKI’S LEGACY “It just became a habit for me. When I got to college my freshman year, I put more energy into school than I expected to, and the more classes I took the more I realized what I wanted to do. I am happy and thankful for the HHP program; it has made me love school even more.” – Senior Dana Lubieniecki on thriving academically throughout her four years at MSUB. A motor learning class taught by Dr. Russ Lord within MSUB’s HHP department is one that sticks out to Lubieniecki throughout her academic career. It sparked her interest in neurological rehabilitation, and inspired her to pursue her passion for learning about the human body and how to better oneself. “I know that I want to be helping people with therapy, but I haven’t decided whether I’d like to pursue physical or occupational yet,” said Lubieniecki, who will graduate with honors this spring. “I find the brain and the body fascinating. The whole HHP department works really well together, and they all have had a huge impact on me. I’ve loved every class I’ve taken and the way that I have been taught.” Lubieniecki plans to return to Colorado after her senior year, and pursue an internship or other learning opportunity for a year before applying for graduate school. Perhaps what will stick with the program as Lubieniecki’s legacy will be the consistent excellence she has displayed through every aspect of her life. Her equally meticulous dedication to her studies and her craft as a player is a rare combination that Krakowiak agrees is rare to find in a college student. “She’s not too concerned with awards, she cares more about leaving a legacy behind that other players can look up to,” said Krakowiak. “She always puts the team before herself and she will be remembered for being humble and responsible.” Lubieniecki poses with her parents Gene and Sharon after a match at Yellowjacket Field.
Off to a 1-0 start in GNAC play, the ‘Jackets are next in action on Saturday at noon against Concordia University at Yellowjacket Field in Billings. Chances are, in the team’s 11 remaining conference games, Lubieniecki will be counted on multiple times to lift MSUB with a crucial goal or assist on a game-winning strike. The points on the stat sheet will help her garner notoriety among her peers and opponents alike, but that’s never been what the senior is about. Knowing Dana Lubieniecki, she’d be happy to settle for a postgame dinner after Senior Day with her parents, at the restaurant of her choice. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--