Liz Bartels saw a little bit of home at a school in Milwaukee.

And it was enough to make one of Nebraska’s top soccer prospects make plans to head north for her college years.

The Omaha Skutt junior verbally committed to Marquette last week, pledging to join one of the top programs in the country.

“It was exactly what I was looking for,” Bartels said. “And I can really see myself there.”

Bartels said she visited for the Golden Eagles' game against national powerhouse Notre Dame for the Big East championship in late October.

She's been hooked ever since.

“That was such a huge game,” she said. “I loved the academics and the soccer program and the atmosphere. All the players and coaches were just so welcoming to me and my family. They made me feel like I was part of the family. They focus on team and unity, too, and that's something that's important to me.”

Their style of play helped, too. Head coach Markus Roeders employs a brand of soccer that Bartels believes will fit her perfectly. She expects to play an attacking midfield position at the next level.

One of the top players in the Midwest, Bartels has traveled extensively and been a part of the U.S. Olympic Development Program Region II team. She helped lead Skutt to its third consecutive state championship last season and was an All-Nebraska selection.

Bartels picked Marquette over SMU, Miami, Notre Dame, Maryland and Florida State. Nebraska offered her as a freshman and features her cousin, sophomore Stacy Bartels, another Skutt standout.

But Liz said that as she grew up she wanted to do something different.

“As I grew older, I kind of matured and wanted to get to another city and grow,” she said. “I love Milwaukee. It reminds me a lot of Omaha.”

As excited as she was about picking Marquette, Bartels said she was just as thrilled to have a decision made.

“The recruiting process was so stressful,” she said. “There was times where I was kind of coming down to a point where I wanted someone to pick for me.”

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