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Dalhousie Agricultural Campus provided a package that Erin Higgins just couldn’t pass up.

The combination of being able to study for a Bachelor of Science degree at home while playing soccer for coach Jackie Fitt-Ryan led the 17-year-old Onslow resident to recently commit to the Rams this Fall.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Higgins, a fullback, said. “Jackie is a great coach so I’m excited to play for her and it’s just good to be able to stay home, go to school and play soccer.”

Higgins is the latest recruit to commit to the team ahead of September’s new semester. Striker Kaileigh Langille, a 17-year-old Stellarton resident, was also recently added, helping to bolster the Rams’ attack.

As excited as Higgins is to open a new chapter in both her athletic and academic life, the Rams may be even more so. A solid defender, who has most recently played for both Trevor Gordon’s Cobequid Cougars high school program and Ryan’s XFC Under-18 girls club team, Higgins also has an offensive upside to her game.

“She likes to move forward, which we all appreciate,” Ryan, who also coached Higgins over the winter in a senior women’s league in Stellarton, said. “She is talented and I know she can come in here and contribute right away.”

And not a moment too soon. This Fall, the Rams will be without the services of last season’s MVP Emily Merks, who also claimed the school’s female athlete of the year award. The defender and academic all-Canadian kept the Rams’ back line stabilized all season, providing the team a springboard to mount an attack.

“Erin has some big shoes to fill but I think she can slide into that position really well,” Ryan said. “She is quick and has the ability to play at the back but be an attacker as well.”

Along with her defensive skill and offensive prowess, Higgins also brings a wealth of experience to the Rams. She has been playing the game since she was an eight-year-old and helped the Cougars to a Northumberland region title last fall. She also helped XFC to an appearance at the provincial championships and she hopes to use her soccer knowledge to help the Rams improve on their 3-8-1 (W-L-T) record which slotted them sixth among seven teams in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association.

“I just want to come in, work hard and help the team do well,” Higgins said.

There were no shortage of possibilities open to Higgins for her post secondary studies, but getting a quality education at home while continuing to play soccer was almost a no-brainer.

“Dal ACwas always an option for me in my mind,” Higgins said. “Jackie told me a lot about it and she really helped me make my decision.”