In The Nest: Isabelle Gilmore
Medical Mutual
9/25/2024
Isabelle Gilmore has made an impact on the BGSU program since the day she arrived in Northwest Ohio. The team's Newcomer of the Year as the Falcons won the MAC championship in 2021, she has been named to the MAC's All-Tournament Team on multiple occasions, and was an all-league first-team selection last season. This year, she has been on the field for nearly every minute of the first eight matches, as the Falcons are off to a 5-2-1 start, including a 2-0-0 record in league play.
Q: When did you start playing soccer, and what is your earliest soccer-related memory?
Gilmore: I was probably three years old. My older sister and my brother both played soccer, and my parents got me started in a local club early. A lot of my really good memories involved traveling to tournaments. In middle school, my sister played in the same club as I did, and a lot of others had older sisters in the organization as well, so we were known as ‘the bigs’ and the littles.’
Q: You played several sports in high school, including basketball and lacrosse in addition to soccer. When and how did you decide that soccer was the sport you wanted to play?
Gilmore: Honestly, it was a tough decision. I also played hockey growing up, but soccer was just different. It was fun to play the other sports, but from a young age I think I knew it was soccer. I feel like the other sports helped me become a better soccer player in terms of awareness and decision-making skills. Also, my sister played soccer in college, and I saw how much fun she had, so it was something I always dreamed of doing as well.
Q: Your father was a college hockey standout who played professionally. What kind of impact did he have on your development as an athlete?
Gilmore: He obviously knew what it took to become an athlete at a high level, and I think he instilled that in me and my siblings. He was a walk-on at Michigan State, and ended up being, I believe, an assistant captain and an Academic All-American, so I think he instilled the things like a work ethic, taking nothing for granted, everything has to be earned.
Q: When and how did you first become aware of BGSU women's soccer?
Gilmore: I went to an ID camp in Grand Rapids, near my hometown, and a lot of college coaches were there. One of those coaches was Cian McDonald, who was an assistant coach at BG at the time. I was kind of shy when it came to talking to coaches, and my dad had this thing where he’d say, “We’re not going home until you talk to this many coaches.” I talked to Cian, and he told me about an ID camp that BG was hosting, so I came to that camp. I had never been to BG before, but I just fell in love with the campus and the coaches. All of the players I met were just so awesome, and they couldn’t say enough good things about this place. That was the summer between my sophomore and junior years, and I committed to BGSU in September or October of that year.
Q: You kind of answered this already, but what made you decide you wanted to come to BG?
Gilmore: In addition to what I already said about the players, coaches and community, I liked the location. It’s about two hours away from my hometown. I’m a homebody, but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. This enabled me to do that, but it was still close enough that my family could come see me play.
Q: You made an impact immediately here at BG, as you were named the team’s Newcomer of the Year. You started 19 of the 21 matches, including every match down the stretch as the Falcons won eight of the last nine games vs. MAC teams, with the last two coming in the MAC Tournament. What are some of your favorite memories of that 2021 season?
Gilmore: There are so many great memories from that season. I was really close with Kenna White and Makenzie Ortman, and before every game day, they would cook me spaghetti and meatballs, and that is definitely one of my favorite memories. And then, obviously, winning the MAC Tournament was really special. It was the fourth championship in a row, but I wasn’t on those first three teams, so it was very special to help the seniors get that ‘four-peat.’ And, we had a target on our backs, so it was cool to meet and exceed expectations.
Q: The championship game that year was a 3-0 win (over Kent State). What were your feelings late in the game, knowing you were on your way to winning a title?
Gilmore: It was almost like having a huge weight taken off of your shoulders, being up by three goals late in the game. All of the hard work that started in July and August paid off. Getting that reward, and getting to hold that trophy, especially in a home game, was really special. The community really rallied behind us, and it was such a great feeling to have President Rogers and so many people from the school and the community supporting us.
Q: You played nearly every game as a sophomore, and you were on the field for every second of the first 13 matches last season, before missing four games due to injury. What was it like to be on the bench for those four matches?
Gilmore: You see the game from a completely different perspective, which is nice to have. Luckily, I was able to come back at the end of the year and play in another game, but I did feel that the time I was unable to play helped me tremendously. I got to make connections with some of the other players who were injured, and I could see the things that took place on the field from a different perspective. And, the girls who stepped in while I was out all played great.
Q: You were named to the All-MAC First Team despite missing those four games, and you were able to return for the MAC Tournament semifinals, but the season ended in that semifinal round. I know you are always motivated every time you take the field, but did losing in the semifinals give you a little extra motivation for this season?
Gilmore: Definitely. That loss stung for sure. That was a very tough game, and it definitely gives us a more motivation because we don’t want to feel that way again. We want to win the MAC, we want to win the MAC Tournament, and we want to get back to the winning ways that were instilled in this program by previous teams. But, like I said, nothing is given and everything is earned.
Q: You were recruited by Coach (Matt) Fannon and his staff, and you played your first three seasons under Coach (Jimmy) Walker and his staff. Now, Chris Fox is the head coach of the Falcons. What have the coaching transitions been like for you?
Gilmore: I’ve been so blessed to have three coaching staffs that I’ve had the opportunity to talk to and gain experience with. The transition (to Coach Fox and the current staff) has been great. I haven’t changed my game completely; I’m pretty defensive-minded, and I think the difference is now I get a lot more touches on the ball. But, I can’t thank Coach Fannon’s staff for recruiting me to come here, and I can’t thank Jimmy and his staff enough for everything they did to help me develop into the player that I am. And, my teammates have been so awesome. I think they are what has made the transition to a new staff and a new system so easy. We took to the new style very quickly, and it’s really easy to do that when everyone around you is on the same page.
Q: You are a business administration major at BGSU, with a specialization in business analytics and management. What made you decide to study in that field, and what are your career goals after college?
Gilmore: My dad and my brother are into finance, and I never loved all of those numbers and formulas. But, I took a coding class in my sophomore year, and I found it pretty easy. I know those classes can be tough, but I thought it was really cool that I got it, and it made sense in my head. That’s kind of why I went the data analytics route. I want to be in a leadership position at some point in my career, so I thought that would be a good major to learn how to lead, and to learn about successful managers and leaders, and styles that would help my in the future.
Q: Who inspired or encouraged you the most athletically growing up?
Gilmore: My entire family. My dad, as we mentioned, was a college athlete, and my mom’s very athletic as well. She’s a runner, and I’m not quite as much of a runner myself. My siblings as well … it was kind of an expectation in our family to be physically active. And, I’ve always had a competitive side, so I think they all did a great job of feeding into that.
Q: How would you describe your style of play?
Gilmore: I’m pretty defensive-minded. I definitely need to work on my shooting (laughs), but I feel like I get the most excited when I’m making big tackles and breaking up plays.
Q: Do you have any pre-game superstitions or routines?
Gilmore: I actually don’t really have any superstitions. I like classical music, or slower music, so I’ll listen to some music like that. I know that might seem kind of weird; I know a lot of players like to listen to hype music, but I’d rather be in a calm headspace when I’m about to play.
Q: What is your go-to restaurant and/or meal?
Gilmore: I go to Juniper a lot here in BG, and I would say my go-to meal is the ABC melt without mustard at Juniper – with fries, of course.
Q: Where is your favorite place on campus and why?
Gilmore: Probably the business building. I have a lot of my classes there. It’s a new building, and I love the big windows and the natural light. It’s a nice place to be, and a good place to study.
Q: Who is the funniest player on the team?
Gilmore: There are a lot of very funny players on the team. Jaden Frigerio – I’m around her all the time, and she always cracks me up. Unkie (Alaina Uncapher) is hilarious. Lex White is a very good TikTok dancer, and always has the team laughing when she’s doing those.
Q: Describe Coach Fox in one word, or a few words.
Gilmore: I would say determined, very passionate and very organized.
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a part of the BGSU women's soccer program?
Gilmore: It feels like family. It’s a home away from home. Like I said, I’m a homebody, and right away, everyone took me in, and it was like I had built-in best friends here. I’m very thankful for that.
Q: What are your goals, both personally and for the team, this season?
Gilmore: Obviously, the top goals are to win the MAC and make an NCAA appearance, and I would love to get a win in the NCAA. But, obviously we need to take that day by day and game by game. Personally, being in the back line, I want to help us get clean sheets, and as a leader I want to help my teammates out and be the voice for them.
