Gauging the arc of the crossing pass as the ball floats toward her in front of the goal, the Tartans' soccer forward darts to her left to create open space away from the NYU defense. Deftly, Kasey Stever gains control of the ball—using her feet, elbows, and body to box out the opposition as she prepares to shoot.
With her back to the goalkeeper and a defender draped on her left hip, Stever pivots to her right and fires, her left leg driving the ball toward the goal.
In making that move at Gesling Stadium, Stever feels pain seize her left ankle. It has been two weeks since it was sprained, which prevented her from even practicing. No matter. When your career numbers rank near the top in 10 Carnegie Mellon offensive categories, and the team needs you to remain in the conference title hunt, you play. Good thing. Her shot is on target as it slices tantalizingly away from the diving netminder for the game-winning score.
The industrial design student has had success in the classroom, too, including being named a presidential scholarship recipient.
Her academic, athletic prowess shouldn't be a surprise. She comes from notable lineage. Her grandfather is Guy Stever, Carnegie Tech president from 1965-72, who happened to be quarterback for his high school football team (which his granddaughter points out went undefeated).
The four-year letter winner is proud of the legacy forged by her grandfather, now 91, noting that he valued athletic competition and played a role in the eventual establishment of the University Athletic Association.
It's a legacy that her grandfather recalls with pride: "In every facet of the university's life, you can see tremendous progress, from the buildings to research and student life. I am very proud to have been a part of Carnegie Mellon's history and think it is just great to have Kasey there."
During this past season, the Tartans made it to the ECAC playoffs. Along the way, the 5'6" senior was the team's co-leading scorer and climbed to third all-time in points, fourth in goals, and sixth in assists while earning second-team All-UAA honors. And she never missed a game, playing in 70 career collegiate contests.
Stever has earned accolades off the pitch, too. As a freelance designer for Novelis Corporation, she helped to design a board game that has received international recognition. Also, she was selected for a highly sought-after summer internship at the architecture/design firm Burt Hill, which has won several prominent design awards.
Her flair is recognizable in her portfolio of media ranging from pastel to pencil to Photoshop. Her projects run the gamut from improved automotive instrument clusters to trend-setting swimwear fashion. "Being an industrial designer means coming up with fun things and telling engineers to make them work," she says, smiling. "It's all about being creative."
Leafing through each page, filled with colorful lines echoing confidence and fluid movement, it's clear that Stever's artistic talent and style of soccer play, in many ways, are the same.
Stever and the net are no strangers.
