At a first glance, Colorado Mesa University senior Keely Wieczorek, who stands at just 5 feet, 3 inches tall; one might not think much of her. However, a glance at the record books would show that she is the most decorated goalkeeper in Maverick women's soccer history.
"Obviously being short and a goalkeeper is a bit of an oxymoron, but it's something that I've really learned to embrace." Wieczorek said. "When I was younger, my dad told me, 'Make it undeniable,' so I really made sure I was perfecting my craft and doing all the little things."
At CMU she made herself undeniable, both in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and in the nation.
Hailing from Camas, Washington, Wieczorek earned all-American honors in 2025. She comes from a very athletic and competitive family. Her father Ted played minor league baseball for the Single-A Auburn Astros while her mother Linnea played tennis.
Keely first played soccer at the age of eight and after a while, a good family friend suggested to her parents that she could be a great goalkeeper.
"My dad was like, 'nah, that's crazy,'" Wieczorek said, "but I really got into it, and my parents were really supportive of that."
As she got older, she knew that playing at the collegiate level was in the cards. After going on a few visits, she discovered CMU and fell in love with the supportive athletic community.
"Mesa was definitely the place I knew I wanted to be right when I stepped on campus," Wieczorek said, "I always knew I wanted to be at a school that valued its athletics."
Current Maverick head coach Jody Lingafeldt was brought in to lead the program in the summer of 2024, just before Wieczorek's sophomore season. The first thing she was impressed with was her confidence.
"It enters the door before her, and it's not an arrogance at all," Lingafeldt said. "She knows what she wants, and she's going to get it."
With the supportive community and family behind her, Wieczorek has thrived between the sticks.
She is a 9-time RMAC Goalkeeper of the Week and a 2-time RMAC Goalkeeper of the Year. Earlier this season, she set the school record for goalkeeper wins (55) and just tied the conference record for career shutouts (44) on Wednesday night.
However, it was 2025 when she went from a great goalkeeper to one of the best in the nation.
Wieczorek set single-season school and RMAC records for goals against average (0.263), save percentage (.914), shutouts (15), consecutive shutouts (12) and held a shutout streak for a record 1159 minutes and 27 seconds.
She also led the nation in both goals against average and save percentage.
Wieczorek credits her mindset as her biggest strength as the confidence she has allows her to be bold and fearless between the sticks.
"You don't want to play like somebody you're not," she said. "That was a big piece that I tried to embrace in college and I think that's come from being smaller and knowing that I have to make myself big."
"She really just fears nothing and wins everything, including spike ball, ping pong, and you name it." Lingafeldt continued. "She absolutely crushes it, and that is a mentality that you can't teach."
While Wieczorek racked up all the awards, the Mav defenders were just as pivotal to those achievements as she was.
"I think the chemistry that I've had with my backline over the past four years has really been a big piece as to why we've been so successful," Wieczorek said. "All the awards are just as much theirs as they are mine."
While she is not been as dominant as she was last season, Wieczorek is still just as valuable to the team off the field as she is on it.
"She's dealing with a lot of adversity with getting scored on and she's handling it the best she can." Lingafeldt said about the senior who is allowing less than a goal per game.
"If you are having a bad day, she's going to be the first one who consults you," Lingafeldt continued. "She keeps the freshmen happy all the way up to the seniors."
While the accolades certainly jump off the page, Wieczorek's leadership and fearlessness have made an even bigger impact on the team's success.
During Wieczorek's time at CMU, the Mavs have made three straight NCAA tournament appearances while winning a 2023 RMAC Tournament and a 2025 RMAC Regular Season crown.
"She's truly the epitome of leaving the place better than she found it when she got here." Lingafeldt said.
Following her soccer career, Wieczorek intends to become a firefighter and use her fearlessness she used in net to save lives.
"It makes sense why she wants to be a firefighter after her college career," Lingafeldt said. "She's going to be the one that runs right through that door when the building's on fire."
