Nov 18, 2024 By Jonathan Guth 4 min read

Molly Kubistek has found her “home away from home.”

The Peters Township junior will continue her academic and soccer careers at the University of Cincinnati.

Kubistek, who plays keeper for her club and high school teams, fell in love with the school and the city of Cincinnati following her visit on Aug. 31.

“I really liked all the schools and coaches that recruited me, but the culture and the city were amazing,” Kubistek said. “Cincinnati is similar to Pittsburgh with the bridges and the river. The campus is close to the city, but not in the heart of it, so you are in your own little area. I connected a lot with the keeper coach (Olivia Silverman) at Cincinnati, and she made me feel wanted.”

It didn’t take Kubistek long to make her decision following her trip to the “Queen City,” as she committed Sept. 2.

Kubistek’s path to playing in the Big 12 began prior to her attending elementary school, as she participated in the Peters Township Grasshopper program where she learned the basics.

Kubistek decided to try her hand at goalkeeper in a match where her team needed someone. After finding success at the position, Kubistek started to take the position seriously as a high school freshman.

“I wasn’t sure about playing keeper when I tried it at first, but I got used to it and have loved it ever since,” Kubistek. “I also am tall (5-10) and have some athletic ability to get up, which is helpful when you play keeper, but being able to know where the ball is going to go and react is a huge part of playing keeper.

“You also need to have good communication skills with your teammates and you can’t get too down on yourself if you give up a goal. You also can’t get too excited if you make a save.”

Kubistek isn’t sure if she will get much playing time during her first year as a member of the Bearcats, but she will be patient and prepare herself for when the time comes.

“I know I’m probably not going to start as a freshman, but not too many players, especially keepers, get to start right away,” Kubistek said. “I want to get as much playing time as I can, but if I have to wait, that’s fine. I know I will need to prove myself before I get the chance. I am excited for the challenge.”

Kubistek plays for the Riverhounds Academy during club season, and credits the opportunity to go to showcases and tournaments with helping her to get recruited by multiple colleges and universities, as the amount of coaches and scouts range in the 100s during club matches. One or two college coaches or recruiters may attend a high school match, but that is usually during the postseason and not a given.

“I started with Beadling but the opportunity to play on any club team is instrumental in getting recruited,” Kubistek said. “It is awesome to play with my high school team, and we are so close, but it is a little more high risk in club because everyone is working so hard to get noticed by as many colleges and universities as they can.

“I love my club and high school teams. It is also awesome to play for the Riverhounds because they have had so many girls move on to play for top-level universities and even on national teams, which is an inspiration for me. I hope I can do the same for girls that come after me.”

Kubistek said she started to really take soccer seriously around her freshman year. She is committed to her studies, and is excited to still have the rest of her junior year and her senior season to compete with and against some of her closest friends before heading towards the banks of the Ohio River.

“I want to say, ‘thank you,’ to all my parents, coaches and teammates for supporting me throughout my journey,” Kubistek said. “My mom is my best friend and biggest fan. She jumped over the barrier to see me on the field after we won the WPIAL championship this year.”