Sanna Rein enters her third season as a defender for the College of Saint Rose women’s soccer team, fresh from playing summer league for the New York Shockers while rooting for her home country of Finland in the Women’s Euro Championship.
“I think I watched every game,” said Rein. “It was amazing to see Wembley being sold out and that all the eyes were on the women’s game. It makes me very, very happy to see.”
Her Finnish team went 0-3 in the tournament, failing to make the knockout round. The competition was fierce and the soccer world watched as the host team England won the tournament in spectacular fashion, beating powerhouse Germany 2-1 in overtime.
On the Saint Rose pitch, Rein has a knack for fabulous finishes.
“When I was younger I used to play center midfielder most of the time, so I might have a little bit of that attacker instinct,” she said. “I like to be an option on the corners or any set pieces, that is definitely one of my strengths.”
The 5-foot-8 second-team All-American finished last season with four goals and two assists last year. During her freshman season in 2019, she scored three goals with two assists. Three of her career goals were game-winners.
Rein’s off-season was a busy one.
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The New York Shockers, playing out of Afrim’s Sports Park in Colonie, and featuring the region’s top soccer players, play in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). After the WPSL season finished in early July, Rein went back home to Finland for two weeks and returned to the Capital Region just a few days ago, only to find herself once again trying to acclimate herself to upstate New York weather. The Golden Knights officially started practice for the 2022 season on Tuesday.
“It gets way hotter and more humid here than back home, but it’s nice. I think I’m way more adjusted to it now than my freshman year,” Rein said.
The College of Saint Rose women’s soccer program is ranked second in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason National Poll. Rein is one of eight starters and 27 returning players from the 2021 team that earned the NE-10 Tournament Championship, the NCAA East Region Championship, and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game. The Golden Knights lost in the final to the 2022 pre-season top-ranked Grand Valley State of Allendale, Michigan, in double overtime.
“I think it’s a good challenge to be recognized,” Rein said. “But I think for us to keep moving forward, we need to take each and every game as its own, do the work and make it happen. We need to focus on the little steps first so we can achieve the big goal.”
Her advice to newcomers working hard for playing time: Be confident that your hard work will pay off. And look for mentors.
“Throughout my career I have been fortunate to have a close role model playing with me who can teach me in daily practice. I was very fortunate that I was playing on a women’s team from a young age and I saw all those super-motivated athletic and strong women every day,” Rein said. “And of course Coach Laurie (Darling Gutheil) has been a big role model to me all this for three years and she’s a person I look up to.”
Former Saint Rose soccer star Morgan Burchhardt of Burnt Hills, who is now an assistant coach under Darling Gutheil, is one of those who guided Rein early in her career. She continues to be an inspiration.
“Morgan is a terrific role model for the new freshmen. She has a great experience and knows a little bit of the player’s perspective as well,” she said. “We are so lucky to have her.”