Simone Kolander is the girlfriend of Xavier University men’s basketball player J.P. Macura. Kolander is also an athlete herself, she played four years on the University of Minnesota women’s soccer team. She also excelled off the field and was a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award.
Kolander continued to pursue her athletic career after graduating from Minnesota and has had opportunities to play in the NWSL.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. She Played Soccer At The University of Minnesota
She’s a home grown talent and had an exceptional career for the Golden Gophers. Simone served as co-captain during both her junior and senior seasons. She was also named to several all-conference teams and won back-to-back Big Ten Forward of the year awards in 2015 and 2016. Over the course of her four-year career at Minnesota, she played in 86 games and scored 28 goals.
Her accolades were equally impressive at the high school level. Simone led Lakeville North High School to three state tournament appearances, three section championships and two conference championships. Her trophy case is also filled with several all-conference and all-metro awards. She finished her prep career as one of the most decorated soccer players in Minnesota history.
2. J.P. & Simone Are High School Sweethearts
They both were athletes at Lakeville North and grew up together in the suburbs of Minneapolis. Simone is one year older than J.P. She began her collegiate career at Minnesota in 2013, while J.P. didn’t arrive at Xavier until the 2014-15 season.
Now that Simone has graduated, it’s unsure where she is currently living and if her and J.P. are in a long distance relationship. Simone first appeared on J.P.’s Instagram timeline in 2014.
3. Simone Has Two Brothers & An Adorable Husky
According to her Minnesota bio, Simone has two brothers, Austin and Drew. She is the daughter of Natalie and Chad Kolander. The family lives Lakeview, a suburb of Minneapolis and they have the perfect dog for the cold northern weather. Koda is an adorable Siberian Husky with two different colored eyes. The pup is frequently featured on Simone’s Instagram timeline.
Besides basketball, Simone also ran track for Lakeville North. Her other extracurricular activities include competing in DECA and singing in choir. She has also competed and placed in District and State competitions for public speaking and sports marketing.
4. She Is A Very Good Singer
Simone participated in choir throughout high school and has a strong passion for vocals. On Nov. 20, 2016 she took center stage at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and sang the national anthem before the start of a Minnesota Vikings game.
It doesn’t appear that Simone wants to sing professionally. None of her social media accounts contain any videos or pictures of her singing, with the exception of the national anthem at the Vikings game. In 2016 she posted a picture on Instagram of her balancing a soccer ball on her foot while on stage. The caption read: “Head’s in the game but my heart’s in the song.”
5. Simone Excels In The Classroom & In The Community
Being a nominee for the Senior CLASS Award also includes academic success and a strong presence in the community. Simone graduated with a degree in communications from Minnesota and had a 3.38 GPA. She was also named to the Academic All-Big 10 team and to the dean’s list. Outside of the classroom, she interned at KSTP in Minneapolis and received hands-on training in the television industry.
She also gives back to the community. Kolander has volunteered with several local organizations including the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital, Girls and Women in Sport Conference, HopeKids, Feed My Starving Children, Science Museum of Minnesota, Sanneh Foundation, and local elementary schools.
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