Columbus North senior Allison Kolhouse is The Republic Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She is pictured at the BCSC Soccer Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025 in Columbus, Indiana.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Allison Kolhouse proved to be a valuable piece to the Columbus North girls soccer team this year.
The Bull Dog senior scored eight goals and assisted on six goals, all while being the staple of the back line defensively. Kolhouse has earned The Republic Girls Soccer Player of the Year for the second straight year.
“I had a really strong junior year, so I was really hoping to follow up on that and continue that,” Kolhouse said. “I think I did a really good job continuing to score, but then I was also able to add to that and get more assists this year, which is not something I’ve gotten previously.”
Without Rachel Merritt to handle corner kicks due to graduation last year, Kolhouse and the Bull Dogs leaned big onto junior teammate Avery Baker to do plenty of the corner kicks this season. North goalkeeper coach Jeff Butcher helped out with the set pieces.
“He helped work with Avery to make her kicks more consistent, and then I was able to watch in practice,” Kolhouse said. “It’s just a lot of practice and seeing where they would go, and see what I can do to get on the end of them.”
Kolhouse still was valuable during set pieces. Her 6-foot stature once again proved to be a benefit to the team and a headache to the opposition. She also had the advantage on many 50-50 balls. Even when teams would focus on Kolhouse for the corner kicks and free kicks, it gave her other teammates the opportunity to score.
After the season, Kolhouse earned many postseason accolades. She was named to All-District 4 and honorable mention All-State by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association and was an All-Conference Indiana selection.
“Allison played a huge role in transforming how we approached set pieces and corners. Her height and athleticism gave us a real advantage in the air, something we hadn’t consistently had in previous seasons,” North coach David Young said. “Because of her presence, we were able to design and execute set piece strategies that made us far more dangerous offensively. She demanded attention from defenders, which often created space and opportunities for others, as well.”
“Beyond just her physical impact, Allison took ownership of that part of our game. She worked on her timing, positioning and communication to make sure our team was organized and confident on every restart,” he added. “Her ability to win balls in the air, both offensively and defensively, completely changed our approach to corners and free kicks. She turned those moments into real scoring threats, and that’s something that will be hard to replace next season.”
Being a senior captain for the Bull Dogs this year, Kolhouse was the leader and established communication during practices and in games.
“I really pride myself on the fact that people look up to me on this program, and being a captain, I think it is an example of it,” she said. “I think that there’s a lot of leaders on the team, and being a captain doesn’t make me the big leader or only leader, it makes me one of them and it means a lot to me. Setting a good example is a big part of that and showing players that you can be friendly and you can be harsh sometimes when you need to be just so you could be a good player, and I hope I’m someone they look up to.”
“Allison has been an exceptional leader both on and off the field,” Young added. “On the field, she sets the standard with her work ethic, competitiveness and composure, always giving 100% in practice and games and holding her teammates accountable in a positive way. She leads by example, showing the younger players what it means to prepare, to play with intensity and to respect the game.”
Kolhouse has gotten soccer interest from several Division-III and NAIA schools. She has also applied to Division-I schools for her academics. She is planning to study biomedical engineering.
Kolhouse hopes to play soccer at the next level, but wants to emphasize her academics first. She has a 3.988 GPA and is in the top 20% in her class. If she decides on attending a Division-I school, she will try out for its club team or play intramurals.
“I applied early to most of my schools, and then I have interest from other schools,” she said. “I’ve been talking to quite a few, but I think none of them have been the right academic, and I value the academic and making sure they have my desired program and majors. I want to make sure I keep that in mind as I search for the right school.”
One big thing Kolhouse will miss being at North is the atmosphere and all the friends she made through her four years with the program.
“This group is so close,” Kolhouse said. “Everyone is friends with almost everyone, and I think it’s just fun to come out here and play. It’s practice, you’re running, but it’s fun, and just seeing these people all around me that I enjoy talking to that I enjoy playing with, and just coming out here and doing something good for you while having a good time as a player is also important.”
If it is the end of the road for her competitive soccer career, Kolhouse enjoyed having soccer play a big part of her life thus far.
“It’s also taught me a lot about myself, and perseverance and working hard,” she said. “It gives you a broader reach. You get to meet people on your teams, and that’s very important. I like it just to be able to see everyone run off the field, and it’s given me a lot of friends that I’ll keep throughout the years. It keeps me active. It’s a fun way to stay active.”
Kolhouse will leave a large void on the team for next year.
“The lasting impression Allison leaves on our program is her unwavering commitment to excellence and her ability to lift everyone around her,” Young said. “She set the tone every single day through her attitude, effort and leadership. What I’ll miss most about Allison is her presence, the way she could steady the team in tough moments, inspire others to work harder and bring energy and positivity no matter the situation. She’s the kind of player and person every coach hopes to have, someone who not only makes the team better, but makes our culture better.”
The Republic 2025 All-Area Girls Soccer team
Allison Kolhouse, Columbus North: The senior recorded eight goals and six assists and led a defense that allowed only 20 goals in 19 games.
Avery Baker, Columbus North: The junior scored seven goals and led the Bull Dogs with nine assists.
Grace Bethuram, Columbus North: The sophomore led the Bull Dogs with 10 goals and had seven assists.
Grace Merritt, Columbus North: The junior had two goals and one assist from her midfield position.
Danika Hoehn, Columbus North: The junior posted 33 saves, seven shutouts and a 1.33 goals-against average.
Brooklyn Pendleton, Columbus North: The senior had three goals and one assist and helped lead a defense that allowed only 20 goals in 19 games.
Gabby Spurgeon, Columbus North: The senior had two assists and helped lead a defense that allowed only 20 goals in 19 games.
Rachel Fulp, Columbus North: The junior recorded eight goals and eight assists.
Evelin Lopez, Columbus North: The junior had four goals and four assists from her midfield position.
Sophie Glick, Columbus East: The senior led the Olympians with 10 goals and six assists.
Morgan Scott, Columbus East: The senior had three goals and two assists and led the Olympians defense from her center back position.
Allison Blee, Brown County: The sophomore led the Eagles with eight goals and had three assists.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Jordyn Nicols, Grace Van Zuiten, Alivia Vitale. Columbus East: Natasha Armstrong, Emma Christie, Bree Hatcher, Cadence Zeser. Columbus North: Hayden Bigler, Emerson Chambers, Lily Ryan, Riley Sims. Hauser: Kennedy Konradi, Addy Russell. Jennings County: Mookky Ratcliff, Delaynee Ritz. Trinity Lutheran: Laynie Barnes, Lila Jung.
