Columbus — Suzie Roginski’s love for soccer began before she could even walk. Watching her older brother play lit the spark that would eventually lead her to the net at Bishop Watterson.
“I would watch my brother play when I was in a stroller still,” Roginski said. “So, it made me want to start playing too.”
Roginski didn’t begin her career in goal. She actually started out as a forward. Her path changed during a club game when the team’s goalkeeper went down with an injury. With no backup available, her coach launched a rapid-fire test, tossing balls at players to see who could handle the role.
“We had a five minute break in the game to see who could play in net,” Roginski recalled. “I was able to catch the ball. So, he gave me gloves, put me in goal, and the rest is history.”
Now a senior, Roginski is on her final ride with Bishop Watterson before taking her talents to the ACC as a Louisville commit in 2026. The Eagles, unbeaten so far in 2025, entered the fall as favorites to repeat as Division II state champions.
Two years ago, this moment would have been hard to imagine for Roginski. As a sophomore, she tore her ACL in a preseason game, sidelining her for the year and putting her behind in the recruiting process heading into junior season.
“The recovery process was difficult mentally, I didn’t know when I would get back to the point I was at,” she explained. “It made me want to prove myself again and really made last year kind of my comeback year.”
For Roginski, the ACL tear was a humbling reality. With limited game film and few opportunities to play, she didn’t immediately draw attention from college coaches, receiving only a handful of emails on the first day of junior year contacts.
It was a reminder that playing collegiately isn’t a guarantee and that the world doesn’t hand you the keys to everything.
“That day was really a light switch on to really focus on this if my dream is to play college soccer. I had to walk in then and really focus on that,” Roginski recalled.
What unfolded was a magical run that culminated in a historic first state championship for the Eagles. Roginski conceded only a single goal throughout the entire playoffs, surrendering it in the title match against North Royalton.
Her defining moment came in the championship’s penalty shootout, where she stopped two of North Royalton’s attempts, helping the Eagles capture that elusive state title. It was the perfect ending to a season of redemption.
“I was able to achieve the highest thing that you can achieve as a high school player, winning a state championship,” she said. “I took this momentum into my club season and went out to prove that I do deserve to play in college.”
For her visit to Louisville, the weather wasn’t ideal: wind howled and rain pounded the ground. Yet Roginski felt in her gut that she belonged. In March, she officially committed to Louisville, putting the final stamp on her comeback and closing the chapter on her journey from ACL injury to collegiate soccer.
Looking back, Roginski sees her journey in the lens of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, a story of struggle, growth, and ultimately, redemption.
“I had everything and I lost it all. When I came back, my coaches had open arms, welcomed me back, and they built me back up,” Roginski recalled. “Just like the father who welcomed his son back after he spent all of his inheritance, Watterson welcomed me back after I lost it all from my injury.”
From the setbacks of a torn ACL to the heights of a state championship and a commitment to Louisville, she’s returned stronger, wiser, and ready for the next chapter. For Roginski, the journey wasn’t just about soccer; it was about finding her way back, embracing the lessons along the path, and stepping confidently into her future.
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