by Addie Chester is no stranger to scoring goals.
The senior Ball State soccer player went to nearby Delta High School and scored 201 goals in her four years as an Eagle, which is currently the third-most ever in the state’s history.
After two years with Louisville — where she recorded two goals in 2023 — she then began playing for Indy Eleven. That summer, Chester scored four goals and led them with a team-high six assists. This helped them capture a league title.
Currently, she’s in her second year with Ball State. In 2024, she led the team with 10 goals, and was named as a First Team All-MAC (Mid-American Conference) representative. She has opened 2025 with six goals (top 25 in the NCAA), and last week, she was fourth in the country for goals per game (now at 16th).
She’s already racked up two MAC Player of the Week awards this year in just three weeks.
Again, she’s used to scoring for whatever team she represents while on the pitch. But she doesn’t care about the mark one bit.
“I really try not to think about it because then the goals stop coming,” Chester said. “I just try to have fun. It’s also a reminder that non-conference games don’t mean much. Goals outside of the MAC do nothing for us.”
Behind Chester — and overall solid play from the team — Ball State is 4-2-1 in its first seven games. On Sunday, Sept. 16, the Cardinals topped newly joined MAC team UMass 1-0 in the Minutemen’s first MAC contest of any sport.
Before the season began, the Cardinals set a goal of winning the conference. This first game was a step in the right direction, according to first-year Ball State head coach Andy Stoots.
“Momentum in sports is key,” he said. “Specifically, to go on the road and play in a new place and come away with a win is huge.”
While Chester leads the Red and White in goals, she’s also tied for the most assists on the team (two) and has recorded two game-winning shots. But to Stoots, it’s not just her playstyle and talent that make her the athlete she is. It’s how she interacts with her teammates and leads them on and off the field.
“I’m not surprised as much because she’s a very good player,” Stoots said. “But beyond her job as a very good player, she’s doing an excellent job in a lot of other ways, too. Her leadership, training habits, all of those sorts of things. When players do all of those other pieces, it’s not really a surprise when their performance matches what they put in.”
Chester said she usually takes the fall to recover between games and practices much more often. But throughout the rest of the year, the grind to get better is at the top of her to-do list.
“If I skip out on individual finishing, I tend to get rusty pretty quickly,” she said. “When I score, I know I’ve put in some time to get there.”
But to her, the time spent practicing the sport she’s played since she was a kid is just a small part of the journey. The people around her make her better, and she believes this year’s Ball State roster has played a huge role in the early achievements.
“I don’t know. I think the big thing for me is the relationships and the people around me,” Chester said. “If I’m not close with the people around me and I’m not comfortable, I don’t have as much success. Just really investing in the team and having run rather than scoring goals, I tend to find more success.”
The season has started well for both Chester and the Cardinals, but according to Stoots, this is just the beginning.
The first MAC win was positive to the Ball State coach, but he said the next game is even more important as the Cardinals host Central Michigan Thursday, Sept. 18, at Briner Sports Complex. The start time is set for 4 p.m.
“There are a lot of things we’ve liked. But ultimately, for us to continue to be the best we can be, there are some things we have to keep going with and improve on,” Stoots said. “I think we’re happy, but when you get done with one game and look towards the next, records are what they are.
“We’ve had some good performances and really good wins, especially some tough road wins, but it’s about turning the page and facing the next challenge.”
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu, zachcarter039@gmail.com or via X @ZachCarter85.
