VERMILLION, S.D. — South Dakota senior Katelyn Floysand has spent half of her soccer career balancing the present and the future. The Cottage Grove, Minnesota, native is a defender on the soccer team and a certified nursing assistant at the Sanford Care Center of Vermillion.
 
As a medical biology major, Floysand is on a pre-med track and hopes to attend medical school following graduation. Getting a job in the medical field is something she is hopeful will give her an advantage.
 
"A lot of medical schools look at what you've done with patient care, knowing that you know a health care setting," Floysand said. "They want to know that you're familiar working with nurses, residents and have a grasp on the communication aspect."
 
Floysand picks up shifts when she can during the season, but gets the bulk of her hours during the offseason and summer.
 
"I got the job my sophomore year," Floysand added. "I was at the job fair on campus and saw the care center. They provided training and were really flexible."
 
As they say, the rest is history. Floysand has found a career field she wants to be part of and a setting that is allowing her to get hands-on training in the process.
 
Floysand believes playing soccer at the collegiate level will help her in the medical field.
 
"At the top, it helps with teamwork," Floysand said. "As a doctor, you are working with nurses, staff and patients. That leads to communication. If you don't communicate, if you're not on the same page as your teammates, it won't be the fluid motion that soccer is. People call it a fluid mosaic.
 
"Adapting to how a certain player plays, is like adapting to how a doctor treats patients."
 
Floysand and the Coyotes are set to host a pair of games on the Dakota Days weekend starting with Summit League favorite Denver at 11 a.m. Friday.
 
The Pioneers boast last season's defensive player of the year in Makenzie Bothner, the freshman of the year in Hannah Adler and the goalkeeper of the year in Brittany Wilson. Denver enters Friday's contest 5-7-1 overall and 1-1-0 in Summit League play.
 
Friday's contest is the designated Pink Out, with any fan arriving wearing pink clothing getting into the gates for just $1.
 
Sunday's contest is a noon kickoff against Oral Roberts, who carries the reigning offensive player of the year in the Summit League, Lexi Jones. The Golden Eagles enter the weekend 4-7-1 overall and 1-0-0 in the league.
 
"I think we are right on the edge of our breakthrough moment," Floysand added. "I'm hoping the floodgates open and the goals start coming. We have been working so hard and playing so well.
 
"We just need to get that final piece of the puzzle and we'll rock it."