NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. - Often times when there is a coaching change in any sport at the collegiate level, you see current players transfer or recruits back off their commitments. That wasn't the case for Nebraska City's Gabby Behrends as she signed her National Letter of Intent to play soccer for first-year head coach Monica Robinson at Southeast Community College. 

Behrends will join former Pioneer teammate Geraldine Rojas at SCC. Rojas, who signed nearly a year ago to the day with former head coach John Hakari, played a role in Behrends commitment.

Rojas was telling Hakari about Behrends. When Hakari left to take the head job at Dakota Wesleyan, Rojas continued to talk Behrends up to Robinson when she took over the program. And it was then Behrends decided it was a good fit.

"When I went on a tour everyone was accepting and kind," Behrends said. "It felt like home to be honest."

The hometown feeling of the small junior college helped seal the deal for Behrends along with SCC being a "really good school."

SCC is coming off a 3-12 season, but Behrends is still ready to get to campus to take on the next chapter of her athletic career, something that she has been looking forward to for quite some time.

"I'm really excited," Behrends said. “I’ve been waiting for this forever. It's definitely a great opportunity.”