Growing up in Amherst, soccer was everything to Nell Dwyer. She fell in love with the game, constantly trying to improve and set herself apart. Now, as a student athlete at Amherst College, Dwyer’s hard work earned her an invitation to play for the USA Division 3 Women’s Soccer Team for the upcoming Brazil Tour.
President of USA Sports Tours & Events, Ron Smith, helped to formulate the roster, which includes 17 women’s players who hail from nine different schools and 12 different home states. Dwyer stood out to Smith when he was recruiting for the 2025 squad, making her an easy choice to add to this year’s group.
Up until this spring, Dwyer attended Hobart and William Smith for her first two seasons of collegiate soccer, with her teammate Ruth Hotaling making the trip last year. When Dwyer found out she made this year’s squad, the decision to say yes was a no-brainer.
“I love myself, and I believe in myself, but I never necessarily thought that I [could make it],” Dwyers said. “I understand that I’m not a national team player — and that’s completely okay. And this is obviously not the national team, but I didn’t know that there were opportunities like this outside of playing on the national team.”
Throughout her first two years at the Division III level, Dwyer has proven to be one of the better players on the field at all times. As a sophomore this past fall, she was named a team captain while also earning All-Liberty League second team honors.
That followed up an impressive freshman campaign where she started 25 games and scored three game-winning goals in the 2024 NCAA Division III tournament en route to the national championship game.
In Brazil, the USA squad is set to take on Brazilian professional teams in a total of four matches, while experiencing educational, cultural and social aspects of Brazilian life
through city, school, and sports club visits.
“I think it’ll hopefully, really show me some things I need to work on, while at the same time improving my game,” Dwyer said. “I’m sure I’ll learn from the players on my team, the players we’re playing against and it’ll improve my fitness. I think it’ll just be great for me overall, just in terms of getting ready for the fall.”
Playing on big stages has never been a problem for Dwyer, who has always been challenging herself ever since growing up in Hampshire County. Prior to her high school days, Dwyer even played on boys travel teams to give her a high level of competition.
Once she reached high school, Dwyer decided to attend The Hotchkiss School, a boarding school in Salisbury, Conn., for her final three years before college. Along the way, she’s continued to seek out how to improve, never settling for anything but her best.
An example came in Dwyer’s childhood, when her father, Tom, pointed out that she relied too heavily on her dominant right foot. Taking his advice, she began practicing almost exclusively with her left until it became her primary foot.
The drive to never settle, along with Dwyer’s versatility, made her a perfect fit for Team USA. Although her main position is at center back, she’s ready to play any position or role that the team asks of her.
“You kind of develop a knack for how to play with people that you don’t have a personal connection with already,” Dwyer said. “… I feel comfortable playing in a three-back, a four-back and playing holding mid… Anywhere in any sort of defensive formation works well for me.”
With her recent transfer, Dwyer will be representing the town of Amherst as well as her country, making sure to bring some Mammoths merch to Brazil to exchange with her opponents.
After attending boarding school throughout most of high school and a college over five hours from her hometown, making the return to Amherst has been a welcome change.
“It’s really nice to be able to spend more time with [my family],” Dwyer said. “My dad works at Amherst College, so I see him in [places like] the dining hall. And I think, for some kids, it would be like their worst nightmare, but for me, it’s been really nice.”
Before her first time suiting up in the Mammoths purple this fall, Dwyer is set on making her trip to Brazil one she’ll remember fondly. The team heads down south on Monday, May 25, and returns on Wednesday, June 3.
While in Rio, the team will be staying on Copacabana Beach and touring the Christ the Redeemer Statue, Sugar Loaf Mountain and the Maracana Stadium on top of their four matches.
“This is an amazing opportunity for me, and I just want to soak up all the memories,” Dwyer said. “Try to be as present as I can, and just go with the flow of, ‘Okay, I messed up in a game. That’s okay, just go to the next one.’ Just take everything in stride.”
