Sophomore forward Samiah Shell celebrates a goal during Washington's match against New Mexico State at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Wash. on September 1, 2024.
Samiah Shell is already a champion.
This time, she’s just looking to do it in another sport.
“Ever since I could walk, I was on skates,” Shell said, who spent most of her childhood inside the now-shuttered Auburn Skate Connection. “I made it to nationals [for inline roller skating] and got first place when I was six, second place when I was seven, and then first place again when I was eight.”
But in the midst of a mini-dynasty, Shell suddenly had enough.
Looking to follow in her brother's footsteps, who embarked on a soccer career that took him all the way to Saint Martin's University in Lacey, Wash., Shell took up the sport on a whim.
The decision paid dividends.
The all-time leader in goals scored with Auburn Riverside High School, Shell has been a pivotal member of the Washington women’s soccer team’s success this season — recording five goals and three assists in 17 games. The sophomore midfielder ranks second on the Huskies in total points with 13.
You’re forgiven if you didn’t see this coming.
Because of the 1,710 minutes available in her freshman campaign, Shell played in just 306 of them — registering just five shots and not much else.
Sophomore forward Samiah Shell dribbles the ball during Washington's game against Purdue on Sept. 26, 2024 at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
But even in her limited playing time, head coach Nicole Van Dyke saw a spark.
“At the end of her freshman year, that’s really when she started to shine,” Van Dyke said. “She started to make more of an impact in training sessions, she was getting more opportunities in front of goal. And the last game of the season against [Washington State], the Apple Cup game, she was roasting players on the flanks. Just had this tremendous amount of confidence and belief through her game.”
Shell may not necessarily agree.
The sophomore is quick to concede that it was a difficult mental transition to the collegiate level. She had spent most of her life as the leading scorer for her club and high school, but was joining a program where everyone had seemingly done the same for their respective teams.
“Coming in as a freshman, everyone on this team is so good,” Shell said. “We’re all Division I athletes, we’re all the best players on our club team, so just staying confident in myself and my abilities was what I needed to work on.”
Shell added: “Mentally, going through the process of accepting it’s my freshman year, I may not play a lot, I’m not scoring goals, it’s okay. Just understanding that it’s okay as a person and a player to be where I was because I knew I had bigger things ahead of me.”
It came quicker than she may have imagined. Against No. 10 Santa Clara — the fourth match of Washington’s season — junior defender Riley Brown found Shell in the box in the 74th minute, who took a touch to the left to create separation before firing across the frame for the equalizer and her first career goal.
“That was probably the most fun moment of my career,” Shell said. “Once I realized it went in, I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome.’ We’re obviously all freaking out and cheering, and it was a really great experience. When I watch the video, I still get goosebumps because that feeling just means so much to me.”
It’s a moment made all the more meaningful by Washington assistant coach Raphael Cox’s presence on the sideline, who was there for so many goals during his coaching stint with the Rainier Valley Slammers — Shell’s middle school club soccer team. Together, they advanced to the United States’ Youth Soccer Far West Presidents Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah, which Shell said was “the furthest our club group ever got.”
Sophomore forward Samiah Shell celebrates after scoring a goal during Washington's match against Michigan on Oct. 10, 2024 at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
In the six years since, Shell doesn’t think his coaching style hasn’t changed much.
“He’s literally the same, he’s an amazing person and he’s an amazing coach,” Shell said. “His energy and his ability to coach is just always uplifting. It’s always something I can count on if I ever need tough criticism, because he can give that to you, or words of wisdom, because he’s an amazing coach and I’m really grateful to not only grow up with him as a coach. But to be at the collegiate level with him, it’s kind of like a full circle moment.”
A year later, Cox joined the Washington men’s soccer team as a volunteer assistant coach, helping the team reach three straight NCAA quarterfinal appearances. In his final season, Washington made the College Cup Final, where it met Clemson.
The match ended with a 2-0 loss for the Huskies.
But it inadvertently recruited one of his future top scorers in the process.
“I never really watched college soccer until that game,” Shell said, who also took an unofficial visit to Arizona. “Even though it was the men's program, I just felt a lot of pride from the team and seeing that UW families flew out all the way to support them. It was a really great feeling seeing players play at that level. I could just see myself at the program, because I just felt very prideful about it. It gives me a perspective that the women's program could potentially be there as well.”
Washington has set itself up well, winning 10 matches and seven in conference play — the first time it's done so since 2019. But solidifying a berth to the NCAA Tournament will likely require a deep run in this weekend’s conference tournament, where it’ll first meet No. 17 Iowa at 4:30 p.m. Pacific on Saturday in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The match will air Big Ten Plus.
It’s the first step in her journey to becoming a champion, again.
And maybe recruit a few more local kids along the way.
“It definitely means a lot to me,” Shell said, when asked about representing her state school. “To be a local playing for UW and being able to go to the Big Ten Tournament our first year in the Big Ten is super awesome. Just being able to represent where I’m from, because I feel there are very few kids from Auburn, Wash. who go to a Division I school and get the opportunity to play in front of the country… I’m very proud to be where I am right now.”
Reach Sports Editor Ty Gilstrap at sports@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @ty_gilstrap
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