Coppell High School 2020 graduate Montse Lomeli played defensive midfielder for the Coppell girls soccer team for four years before graduating and attending Northumbria University in Newcastle, United Kingdom. Lomeli plans to major in sports management and play soccer for Northumbria and  for the Newcastle United Premier League, located close to Northumbria. 

Why did you decide on Northumbria University?

For college, I was mainly focused on my major, so I was looking for a school that offered me a major of sports management with a focus on soccer. Northumbria had that option, and a plus to that school is that I was able to play soccer and [have] the [Newcastle United] Premier League in the city, [which] is just a 10 minute walk. The connection with the Premier League team in the school is great so that after college I can go straight there for an internship which is one of my goals in life. 

Did you always want to study abroad? 

At the beginning, I wasn’t really sure where I wanted to study. I was looking for a commitment [in the United States] but I wasn’t interested in the major of all the schools that offered me one there. Once my brother [CHS 2019 graduate and York St. John University soccer player Giovani Lomeli] who is in England right now committed, I started looking to other schools in Spain and England. 

Do you have family or friends in Newcastle?

My brother lives in York which is an hour away, and I know my roommates. Besides them, I only know this other guy  who stayed with me during the Dallas Cup tournament. We were at his house for the week. 

What are your strengths as a player?

I believe I am uplifting as a player. I am hardworking. I like to encourage other players throughout the game and help them get better, which helps me get better as well. Whatever the team or the coach wants to do, I’ll adapt to that. 

How did your club experience with FC Dallas prepare you for this opportunity? 

Being a part of all skilled players and players who committed to [Division I] schools helped me advance my game. My coaches [Matt Veasay and Dan Mariscal] helped me look for schools in England, [and] he mentioned a couple of schools I could look into out of the country. Having multiple coaches help me with the recruitment process was really helpful as well. 

What experience do you have competing against international competition? 

During the FC Dallas club, there was a competition for girls where teams from Africa and other parts of the country came, and I’ve played against those teams. I went to a soccer camp [in 2019] in England and played against their boys academy team, and they were really good for their age. 

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