PROVO — In the back of their minds, BYU head soccer coach Jennifer Rockwood and assistant coach Chris Watkins have known the month of November 2003 would come — and with it, the end of the storied college career of Aleisha Cramer Rose.
Even Rose herself calls it "so weird," adding that the conclusion "has kind of snuck up on me."
Before becoming a four-year fixture for the Cougars on the field, she came to BYU as the 1999 national high school player of the year, the country's top prep recruit and a heralded protege of the U.S. National Team program.
"BYU isn't like North Carolina," she said, comparing the Cougars to one of several national soccer powers. "But I knew that coming in."
Rockwood said Rose's impact was felt from the start — and through this, her senior season. "Her experience, her notoriety, once she got here her example on and off the field and her overall character," Rockwood said. "You're not going to meet many young women with the character of Aleisha on and off the field."
Unless the Cougars can make an unprecedented but hoped-for run to December's College Cup (soccer's equivalent of the Final Four), Rose will end her career in November as BYU's all-time career assist leader who should finish with nearly 30 goals scored and triple-digit points. Not bad for a midfielder - more of a defender and a distributor playing a quarterback-type role in mostly initiating the Cougar attack rather than finishing it off near the net.
"She's around the ball nearly every possession," said Watkins, noting that a 95 percent "completion" rate on pin-point passing and multi-match stretches of no turnovers committed are not uncommon for Rose.
All this from a 5-foot-10, slender player who eschews the limelight, doesn't rely on brute force or an over-aggressive style and looks and sounds far different from what one might envision as a prototypical soccer standout.
"Off the field, she looks like the average co-ed on campus," said Watkins, adding that "she's so confident with the ball and so deceptive in a possessive way that she can escape situations that so many other people can't get out of."
Watkins remembers when, early in Rose's freshman season, the Cougars were playing national powerhouse Santa Clara, and the Cougars' young standout was assigned to mark Ally Wagner, herself the top prep player and top national recruit a year ahead of Rose and who since is a national-team starter.
"Aleisha was consistently dominating the ball and escaping every situation," he recalled of the match-long one-on-one pairing with Wagner. "That was the day we knew we had something special."
Rose earned Mountain West Conference freshman-of-the-year honors her first year and MWC player-of-the-year accolades the next. In addition to the multiple all-conference and all-region awards, Rose has been named to All-America lists each of her first three seasons. A preseason All-American pick this fall, she is one of 15 female candidates for the Hermann Trophy, given to the top Division I player.
Rose has stepped up as a senior this fall after a junior year "where she had a lot of things on her plate," said Rockwood, clicking off her player's offseason marriage, rehabbing a nagging injury and severing the few final ties to the national team.
"She came in with a new attitude this season," the Cougars' coach said, mindful mostly of a preseason match at No. 14 Kentucky. "You sensed she really wanted to win that game . . . You could see her pick up her level of play, you could see her starting to go forward."
Rose not only scored the game-tying goal but also assisted on the game-winner in the 2-1 victory. "Aleisha's not one to celebrate much after a goal, but it was fun to see her raise to that level, get excited about a big game, score the goal and celebrate the goal — you could just tell how badly she really wanted to win that game."
Rose is hesitant to underscore any personal highlights while playing in Provo. "It's more with the people that I've met and the friendships I've made."
Rockwood says Rose's influence will be lasting long after her final game. "Aleisha's played at the highest level, and she's brought some of that to our team and to our players," she said, "and so she's been a great role model."
Said Rose: "Hopefully I've left something behind ... I hope I've left an impression on the upcoming players."
E-mail: taylor@desnews.com