Jami Kranich graduated from Villanova University with a BA with a concentration in Sociology. She was the star Goalkeeper for the Varsity Women's Soccer Team. While at Villanova, she amassed a total of 269 saves over her career. Her awards include 2012 Third Team All-BIG East Selection as well as 2012 Big East preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.

U.S. Soccer

Jami was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team roster for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the fall of 2012. She traveled to Japan with the squad and was a part of the U.S. travel squad for a pair of exhibition games in Japan in preparation for World Cup play.

Post-Grad Life

Jami, while number 1 in LRT's hearts, wears # 2 on her jersey for the Boston Breakers where she was drafted out of college in March of 2014.

2aDays: Can you give our readers an idea of what your recruiting process was like?

Jami: I started my recruiting process the fall of my sophomore year. I was playing in some club tournaments with my CFC team and also playing with the Region 1 team. I started visiting schools around the same time. I actually only visited three schools: Penn State, Providence, and Villanova. Villanova was the last school I visited and I loved it. I verbally committed to Villanova while I was at a tournament in Florida. The head coach at Villanova at the time called me and asked if I wanted to go to school there and of course I said yes. It was one of the most exciting moments in my life.

2aDays: What advice do you have for high school recruits looking to play competitively in college?

Jami: There are a few things that kids can do to prepare for a competitive level in college. If possible, it helps to play on a good club team where the competitive nature is already there. By playing on a good team, you can get better by surrounding yourself with good players. Not only does playing on a good team allow you to get better, but it also allows you to get seen by a lot of college coaches at tournaments. I also strongly recommend joining a gym and doing a strength and conditioning program. One attribute that I strongly believe in is hard work. It's the easiest thing to do if you want to do it and it's a trait that a lot of coaches notice in a player. If your plan doesn't work out, just keep working hard and something else great will fall into place.

2aDays: What has the transition been like going from Division 1 soccer to professional soccer?

Jami: It was a huge jump going from D1 to professional soccer. I went from being the oldest on my Villanova team to being the youngest by 10 years on my team in Boston. I was playing with 30-year-old women who had been in and out with the national team and who had been playing professionally for a long time. The level of play takes a huge leap up. Everything is faster and more intense. Soccer goes from being your priority in school to your life, job, and income at the professional level. It took a few weeks for me to get used to the level of play. It is still the most challenging soccer I have ever played and although it can be frustrating at times, I love it.

2aDays: If you had the chance to go back, would you? And if yes, what drew you in during the recruiting process?

Jami: College soccer was a great experience. You develop this intense pride for your school and work to win every game. Although Villanova has a competitive soccer program, while I was there we did not have a winning record. In my opinion it was still a great experience because it allowed me to develop as a player. We weren't the best team in the Big East and we had to grind to compete in games. When we won it was great, and when we didn't there was always something to learn like, what you could change to maybe save that goal that went in. I would definitely go back to college soccer. The recruiting process was stressful at times, but it's just because your future is up in the air. Once you find the right fit for where you want to be in school, the rest is a breeze.

2aDays: Would you have used LRT if you were a high school recruit to learn more about programs and the coaches there?

Jami: I think LRT is a good resource for kids looking into colleges. With players giving feedback about their experiences at a certain program, it gives you a view into what college soccer at this school would be like. If I were a high school recruit I would look at LRT to see what the program and coaches were like.

Photo courtesy of: GoalNation

* Originally published on July 9, 2015, by Keirsten Sires