Taylor Schad, record-setting Kiel girls soccer alum, transfers to Wisconsin from Marquette

Former Kiel Raiders girls soccer standout Taylor Schad will be making the switch from the Marquette Golden Eagles women's program to that of the Wisconsin Badgers.

Schad entered the transfer portal following her freshman season at Marquette with the uncertainty of the Golden Eagles coaching situation.

Wisconsin announced the transfer on X, formerly known as Twitter, Thursday evening.

"As soon as the season ended I knew there would be a coaching change," Schad said. "It was kind of scary but I put my name in the transfer portal to see what was out there."

Split between Iowa and Wisconsin, Schad ended up choosing the Badgers based upon the program's history of helping players reach the professional ranks.

"I didn't expect a coaching change, or ever transferring," Schad said. "I thought I'd be at Marquette all four years. I ended up, possibly, at a higher level program."

Schad says the fact Wisconsin has had eight players drafted by the National Women's Soccer League, including current United State Women's National Team star Rose Lavelle played a big part in choosing the Badgers.

"By picking Wisconsin I'm getting a very high level of soccer," Schad said. "I wasn't leaving Marquette for any program without a high level of play."

She hopes to join the ranks of professional players, be it domestically or abroad.

"I definitely think (playing professionally) overseas is attainable," Schad said.

More Taylor Schad: After rebounding from two torn ACLs with record-setting season, Kiel's Taylor Schad commits to Marquette soccer

Given the rivalry between the two schools, Schad admitted it'll be a bit odd playing her former teammates twice a year.

"We play them every spring and every fall so it'll definitely be weird," Schad said. "I spent a semester with them and formed relationships so its weird transferring to the rival school."

More Kiel girls soccer: 'They'll be legends': Kiel girls soccer wins first state championship in school's almost 100-year history

Schad, who suffered a pair of serious knee injuries while in high school, committed to Marquette in the summer before her senior year at Kiel after having broken the state single-season record for goals (83) as well as points (193) as a junior.

She'd end up scoring 144 goals in her high school career before helping Kiel win its first-ever state championship in any sport, when the Raiders defeated Cedar Grove-Belgium in the WIAA Division 4 state title game her senior year.

Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Kiel alum Taylor Schad transfers from Marquette to Wisconsin women's soccer