MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — Mount Vernon Township High School rising senior Lauren Mattmiller has found her next home, committing to Kaskaskia College to continue her soccer career after graduation. Before trading the orange and black for the Blue Devils, Mattmiller has one final season to help continue a steady climb for the Lady Rams.
Mattmiller has been a varsity presence throughout Mount Vernon’s improvement over the past three seasons. After the Lady Rams finished 6-12-1 during her freshman campaign, Mount Vernon improved to 10-13 her sophomore year before breaking through with an 11-9 record last season.
For Mattmiller, earning the opportunity to continue playing beyond high school makes those years of work carry even more meaning.
“Knowing that all the work I’ve put into soccer has earned me the opportunity to continue playing at the college level means so much to me. There have definitely been times when the hard work, long practices, and sacrifices were difficult, but it has all been worth it. Getting the opportunity to play at the next level is something I’ve always wanted, and I’m really proud of myself for not giving up and continuing to push myself. I’m extremely grateful to my family, coaches, teammates, and everyone who has supported me along the way,” said Mattmiller.
Mattmiller’s impact during that turnaround has extended beyond scoring. She has appeared in 48 varsity matches over three seasons, recording 10 goals and five assists for 25 career points.
Her biggest offensive season came as a freshman, when she scored six goals in 13 appearances. She followed with two goals and two assists as a sophomore and matched those totals during her junior campaign.
Mattmiller’s value to Mount Vernon has become especially noticeable on the defensive side of the ball. After recording 23 steals as a sophomore, she totaled 79 as a junior, establishing herself as a disruptive presence capable of winning possessions back for the Lady Rams.
That defensive mentality has become an important part of the player Mattmiller has developed into.
“Being aggressive defensively is a big part of how I play. I never want to give up on a play, and I’m always looking for an opportunity to win the ball back and help my team. I take a lot of pride in being someone my teammates can count on defensively, whether that’s getting a steal or putting pressure on the other team. Recording 79 steals last season was something I was really proud of, but what means the most to me is knowing that those plays helped my team. I love being able to make a difference defensively and do whatever I can to help my team succeed,” said Mattmiller.
Her development has coincided with Mount Vernon’s growth as a program. The Lady Rams improved their win total in each of Mattmiller’s first three seasons, culminating with their first winning record of her high school career during the 2025-26 season.
Now entering her senior year, Mattmiller has an opportunity to help push the program another step forward while taking on a larger leadership role.
“I think a huge part of the change within our program was the mindset and work ethic we developed as a team. Coach Mark stepped into the MVTHS program as a coach during my sophomore year, and he really pushed all of us to reach our hardest limits. He always saw so much potential in us and pushed us to believe in ourselves and what we could accomplish. Going from six wins my freshman year to 11 wins and a winning record last season shows how much this program has grown. For my senior year, I want us to continue growing as a team, compete at the highest level we can, and make the most of our last season together. I want us to push each other, believe in ourselves, and finish the season knowing we gave everything we had,” said Mattmiller.
Once her Mount Vernon career concludes, Mattmiller will make the short trip to Centralia to join Kaskaskia College. The Blue Devils are coming off a 10-6-1 campaign in 2025-26, finishing with a .618 winning percentage.
Kaskaskia also provides Mattmiller an opportunity to join an established junior college program with a history of developing players for the next level. The Blue Devils have produced numerous all-region selections and players who have continued their careers at four-year institutions.
The program has also found success away from the field, earning NJCAA All-Academic Team recognition with a 3.33 cumulative team GPA.
Those factors helped Mattmiller determine Kaskaskia was where she wanted the next chapter of her career to begin.
“What really stood out to me about Kaskaskia was that they have the program I want to major in, so I knew I would be able to continue pursuing my education while also playing the sport I love. The coach also made me feel so welcomed throughout the recruiting process, which made me feel like Kaskaskia was somewhere I could really see myself. I’m also really excited about the opportunity to play alongside such great players and continue developing with a great program. The more I learned about Kaskaskia and the team, the more I realized it was the right place for me to continue both my education and my soccer career,” said Mattmiller.
With her future in the sport secured, Mattmiller now focuses on how she can give the Lady Rams her best season to date. Her final opportunity in the orange and black comes with a chance to leave the Lady Rams soccer program in an even stronger position than she found it.