University of Delaware Athletics
From Rebuild to Resurgence: Senior Defender Constanze Viehmann Reflects on Her Journey with Delaware Women’s Soccer
10/17/2025 1:21:00 PM | Women's Soccer
NEWARK, Del. – As senior defender Constanze Viehmann prepares for her final home game at Grant Stadium this Sunday against Liberty, the University of Delaware women's soccer team stands as a symbol of transformation and resilience.
The 2025 Fightin' Blue Hens have reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2019, are on the verge of securing a Conference USA Tournament berth in their inaugural season, and have built a foundation that points to long-term success.
It's a stark contrast to where the program stood three years ago, when Viehmann arrived from Landenburg, Germany. Delaware ended her freshman season in 2022 with a 2-11-5 record and was in search of a new head coach.
During her recruiting process, the defender worked with an agency that would connect her to programs across the country. Her connection with former Blue Hen midfielder Laura Fluegge, who is also from Germany, is one of the reasons why she chose to play at Delaware.
"The coaching staff connected me to Laura Fluegge," Viehmann said. "We texted each other and she helped me make a decision. I felt like if I went somewhere with a German player on the team, that can help with transition better. Laura really helped me get adjusted."
She adds that the athletic facilities, such as the Whitney Athletics Complex, along with playing on grass were a big benefit as well, as that is the surface she prefers to play on.
The coaching vacancy led to the hiring of head coach Kelly Lawrence ahead of Viehmann's sophomore year - a turning point for both her and the program.
"Coach Lawrence is from England, from a European country," Viehmann said. So, I was hoping the play on the field would be more possession based. I feel much more comfortable with her type of playing style. She also played center back. She always says that I remind her of herself. I feel like I'm appreciated and I don't have to hide my play. I'm also convinced that defense wins you games."
Off the field, team chemistry has played a crucial role in Delaware's rise. The team has created an environment where everybody feels comfortable.
"We had talks about how we could change the program and how our environment would get better too. Coach was very proactive and focused on that and it's something that we as a senior class wanted to change. I hope that we've done a good job at changing the environment."
Her leadership and role helped the senior team admirably calls "Conny" earn the title of team captain this season, alongside sophomore Gabby Riley and junior Willa Pratt.
The thought of being team captain was nerve wrecking. But, with how teammates Kyla Burns and Carly Binn led the program last year, it gave her the confidence to help lead the 2025 campaign.
"At first, I didn't want to be a captain," Viehmann said. "I was scared because it is a big step for me. Kyla Burns and Carly Binn were my best friends and they did such a great job last year leading the team. So, I took them as my role models and became a great captain for this team. It is an honor to lead this team and help young players to grow. I've enjoyed doing that a lot."
On the field, the Blue Hens' improvements are especially evident in their offensive production and their resilience.
"This year it seems like we have the strength on the attacking side of the ball now," Viehmann said. "We really used our opportunities this year to score a lot of goals. As a whole, this team seemed like it really improved over the past three years that I've been here. There's this belief that we can come back if we concede a goal."
The team has made that belief reality on multiple occasions, including comeback draws against NM State—where Viehmann scored the equalizer—and a 2-2 result at Towson after trailing 2-0 at halftime.
"We're really competitive and never give up. When we concede a goal, the team believes we can come back from it and win the game. If we play up to our potential, we are the best team in the league. If we can start being consistent, I think we can beat everyone in the league."
Entering Sunday's home finale, Viehmann has played in 61 games with 57 starts on UD's backline, logging more than 4,500 minutes. As her senior season winds down, and the last home game of her career approaches, the emotional weight of the moment is beginning to set in.
"It will definitely be emotional. Now is the time where it starts to get real. The games before I thought 'oh, I'll come back, I have another game'. But now, I'm realizing this will be my last year and it's sad because I had such a great time here. It's kind of bittersweet. I'm not sure if I'm ready to move on yet because soccer is such an important part of my life and I love this team and this school. I'm going to miss it a lot."
Viehmann is considering continuing her soccer career after graduation. Viehmann would be the fifth Blue Hen to play professionally, joining former teammates Kyla Burns, Paige Kenton, Caitlin St. Leger and Sara D'Appolonia.
"I'm definitely thinking about playing overseas after I graduate. I'm just in between what I want to do. I want to recover from the season and see what opportunities I have. I've talked with my dad about it last year about maybe playing soccer a little bit more. It feels like once you stop playing, it's so hard to get back into it. But, my focus is also on school. I definitely want to try graduate school and get my masters."
No matter what the future holds, Viehmann takes pride in the mark she and her fellow seniors have left on the program.
"It feels like we can leave Delaware knowing we did something right, even if we don't win the championship this year. We at least still had an impact to be better, and this program can grow into something that's very big. And I hope we created a better team environment where everyone feels comfortable no matter what class they're in."
TICKETS
Click here to secure your seats for the next game.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware women's soccer, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
The 2025 Fightin' Blue Hens have reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2019, are on the verge of securing a Conference USA Tournament berth in their inaugural season, and have built a foundation that points to long-term success.
It's a stark contrast to where the program stood three years ago, when Viehmann arrived from Landenburg, Germany. Delaware ended her freshman season in 2022 with a 2-11-5 record and was in search of a new head coach.
During her recruiting process, the defender worked with an agency that would connect her to programs across the country. Her connection with former Blue Hen midfielder Laura Fluegge, who is also from Germany, is one of the reasons why she chose to play at Delaware.
"The coaching staff connected me to Laura Fluegge," Viehmann said. "We texted each other and she helped me make a decision. I felt like if I went somewhere with a German player on the team, that can help with transition better. Laura really helped me get adjusted."
She adds that the athletic facilities, such as the Whitney Athletics Complex, along with playing on grass were a big benefit as well, as that is the surface she prefers to play on.
The coaching vacancy led to the hiring of head coach Kelly Lawrence ahead of Viehmann's sophomore year - a turning point for both her and the program.
"Coach Lawrence is from England, from a European country," Viehmann said. So, I was hoping the play on the field would be more possession based. I feel much more comfortable with her type of playing style. She also played center back. She always says that I remind her of herself. I feel like I'm appreciated and I don't have to hide my play. I'm also convinced that defense wins you games."
Off the field, team chemistry has played a crucial role in Delaware's rise. The team has created an environment where everybody feels comfortable.
"We had talks about how we could change the program and how our environment would get better too. Coach was very proactive and focused on that and it's something that we as a senior class wanted to change. I hope that we've done a good job at changing the environment."
Her leadership and role helped the senior team admirably calls "Conny" earn the title of team captain this season, alongside sophomore Gabby Riley and junior Willa Pratt.
The thought of being team captain was nerve wrecking. But, with how teammates Kyla Burns and Carly Binn led the program last year, it gave her the confidence to help lead the 2025 campaign.
"At first, I didn't want to be a captain," Viehmann said. "I was scared because it is a big step for me. Kyla Burns and Carly Binn were my best friends and they did such a great job last year leading the team. So, I took them as my role models and became a great captain for this team. It is an honor to lead this team and help young players to grow. I've enjoyed doing that a lot."
On the field, the Blue Hens' improvements are especially evident in their offensive production and their resilience.
"This year it seems like we have the strength on the attacking side of the ball now," Viehmann said. "We really used our opportunities this year to score a lot of goals. As a whole, this team seemed like it really improved over the past three years that I've been here. There's this belief that we can come back if we concede a goal."
The team has made that belief reality on multiple occasions, including comeback draws against NM State—where Viehmann scored the equalizer—and a 2-2 result at Towson after trailing 2-0 at halftime.
"We're really competitive and never give up. When we concede a goal, the team believes we can come back from it and win the game. If we play up to our potential, we are the best team in the league. If we can start being consistent, I think we can beat everyone in the league."
Entering Sunday's home finale, Viehmann has played in 61 games with 57 starts on UD's backline, logging more than 4,500 minutes. As her senior season winds down, and the last home game of her career approaches, the emotional weight of the moment is beginning to set in.
"It will definitely be emotional. Now is the time where it starts to get real. The games before I thought 'oh, I'll come back, I have another game'. But now, I'm realizing this will be my last year and it's sad because I had such a great time here. It's kind of bittersweet. I'm not sure if I'm ready to move on yet because soccer is such an important part of my life and I love this team and this school. I'm going to miss it a lot."
Viehmann is considering continuing her soccer career after graduation. Viehmann would be the fifth Blue Hen to play professionally, joining former teammates Kyla Burns, Paige Kenton, Caitlin St. Leger and Sara D'Appolonia.
"I'm definitely thinking about playing overseas after I graduate. I'm just in between what I want to do. I want to recover from the season and see what opportunities I have. I've talked with my dad about it last year about maybe playing soccer a little bit more. It feels like once you stop playing, it's so hard to get back into it. But, my focus is also on school. I definitely want to try graduate school and get my masters."
No matter what the future holds, Viehmann takes pride in the mark she and her fellow seniors have left on the program.
"It feels like we can leave Delaware knowing we did something right, even if we don't win the championship this year. We at least still had an impact to be better, and this program can grow into something that's very big. And I hope we created a better team environment where everyone feels comfortable no matter what class they're in."
TICKETS
Click here to secure your seats for the next game.
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL
For the latest on Delaware women's soccer, follow the Blue Hens on X, Instagram, and like on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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