Setting The Standard

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State head soccer coach Nick Zimmerman is no stranger to professional culture. After all, he was drafted by the New York Red Bulls and spent six years playing professionally before a career-ending injury. Now, Zimmerman is focused on bringing that same standard to Starkville.

"First and foremost, it is my responsibility to try and be the standard every single day. Whether that be on the field, in the office, at weights," Zimmerman said. "I think a lot of it is making sure that you understand what is expected, and you then demonstrate it so that you are the one that ultimately shows them the way."

Since he was promoted to the head coach's chair, renewing the sense of professionalism and accountability has been a top priority. It's something Zimmerman wants to see instilled from top to bottom, from the players with aspirations of reaching the next level to those who may be redshirting their first season.

"The standard is clear and defined. It doesn't change from day to day, it doesn't waiver," Zimmerman said. "You make sure that what you stand for is black and white, and there's no gray areas in between."

Zimmerman's professional career began with the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. He was later selected by the Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft. He played with Carolina Railhawks FC in the NASL, earning NASL Best XI honors in 2012 and finishing second in the Golden Boot race. His professional career concluded with the Wilmington Hammerheads in the USL in 2015. Across four different organizations, he had the chance to see what it takes to succeed at the professional level.

"I played in every league here in the country, starting at MLS, NASL, and USL," he said of his playing experience. "I got a chance to learn from some really, really good players, but also be in environments that showed me what it takes as well as the sacrifice that goes along with it."

Zimmerman has brought in 10 new players for the current recruiting cycle, including seven from high school and three transfers. Each player has bought into Zimmerman's professional approach and is ready to help build on the program's recent success. Many of them have seen the way players before them transformed the program on their way to the next level.

MSU alum and Angel City FC rookie Macey Hodge played under Zimmerman for five years before making the jump to the NWSL. She acknowledged that Zimmerman played a pivotal role in her development.

"He poured into me so much over five years. I couldn't be more thankful not only for a coach, but a mentor like him," Hodge said. "Nick has not only developed me as a player, but as a person. He instilled some core values in me that have enabled me to be successful."

For a player who stepped away from the game for a year, Hodge had to work harder than most to get back to elite competition. That dedication landed her a coveted NWSL roster spot under the bright lights of Los Angeles, California. Although she's almost 2,000 miles from Starkville, elements of the program will be with her for as long as she plays.

"Something that I'll never let go of is the work rate and the blue-collar mentality that we always had in college," she said. "I really think that mentality they instilled in me, I'll have forever. It's going to be a testament to who I am as a player moving forward."

Initially, Hodge had not plans to turn pro after graduating from Mississippi State, but the culture she embraced ultimately shaped her into a midfielder of professional caliber. When the opportunity came calling, it was a chance to chase a dream.

"I would say the first two years of my career at State, I had no intentions of going the professional route," she added. "I was there more to find my love for the sport again and to just get a degree, so, I think it's even cooler seeing how the staff and the program developed me into a player that was able to transition into the NWSL, which I'm so thankful for."

Along with Hodge, four other players from the Bulldogs' 2024 SEC Championship squad have signed professional contracts. While Zimmerman acknowledges the sheer amount of talent departing, he is optimistic that those players laid a foundation will propel a new squad to take the next step and continue to push the program further ahead.

And for those who have graduated, they're still doing their part for the program in a new way. They're prime examples of what a player can become by becoming a Bulldog, and Zimmerman holds them up in recruiting conversations as he draws in the next crop of talent.

"I also use my own experiences, and I think that's the most powerful thing," he said. "I can sit across the table from a recruit's family and say, 'I lived the dream that your daughter wants to have, but I also know what it takes.'"

Mississippi State University Athletics

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