Another title for Wheaton Academy Six

It stands to reason that a NCAA championship ring would be bigger than a high school state title ring.

But Taryne Lee wears them both with the same amount of pride.

So do five of her teammates on the Wheaton College women's soccer team -- Hailey Partain, Maria Della Torre, Lauren Lindner, Erin Hodina and Ingrid Erickson.

The six started playing championship-caliber soccer together in 2004, when they won the IHSA Class A championship at Wheaton Academy.

By chance -- it wasn't a package deal -- they all ended up at Wheaton College and have been collecting additional rings ever since.

The Wheaton College women's soccer team is fresh off its third NCAA Division III championship in the last four years. The Thunder outlasted another Christian school, Messiah College, 1-0 over Thanksgiving weekend in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., to finish their season at 27-0.

On Friday, Lee, a sophomore forward, was on her way to view a sample of the newest national championship ring she and her teammates will be receiving. It's her second one from Wheaton College, which also won national titles in 2004 and 2006.

"We met with the ring lady last week," Lee said. "That's pretty fun. The rings we get are a really nice white gold, and a lot of us like wearing them -- maybe not every day, but we do quite a bit."

Lee and her teammates who originated from Wheaton Academy also wear the simple engraved silver bands that they got for winning an IHSA title.

"We'll see each other around campus wearing the two different rings and we'll nod at each other, kind of like, 'Yeah, those rings are pretty cool,' " Lee said. "I'm still on cloud nine just from winning the state title. We were this little school that nobody thought could win. And winning national championships is unbelievable.

"It's just so neat being able to wear both rings right next to each other."

Neat indeed. Not many high school athletes even come close to winning a state championship. And even fewer athletes win it all at the college level.

To do both is almost mind-boggling.

"I could have never imagined something like this could happen," said Partain, a sophomore reserve midfielder. "I mean, winning state in high school was so awesome. It was a really emotional run. And the national championships have been incredible. It's weird to say this, but it's become a part of my college experience. All I know in college so far is national championships.

"This is so rare. I mean, our football team has dreams of winning a regional, and here we are having won two national titles. I'm just so thankful for this."

The "Wheaton Academy Six" are also thankful to be able to continue playing together after their breakout season of brilliance in 2004. Their IHSA title is the first and only state title in the small private Christian school's history.

"That understanding that comes from having played together (in high school) has really helped us (at Wheaton College)," Partain said. "I'm so glad we've been able to keep playing together."

Lee was the last one of the six to choose Wheaton College.

She had full scholarship offers to Division I schools such as San Diego State University and Illinois. But she chose to pay full freight to go to Wheaton College.

"I think my parents would have probably liked it if I had gone to a place like Illinois, where you get everything paid for and you get the shoes and the cleats and everything," Lee said with a laugh. "And the opportunity to play Division I was huge. But as time went on, it became more apparent that Wheaton College was for me."

Lee, like Partain and the rest of the Wheaton Academy Six, believe deeply in living a Christian lifestyle. She says that she wasn't sure she would have fit in at a secular university.

"I did some official campus visits to a few schools, and I just wasn't comfortable with what some of the girls were doing off the field," Lee said. "I could see myself playing soccer at those places, but I kept asking myself, 'If soccer was taken away, like if I blew out my knee or something, would I truly still want to be at those places academically and socially?'

"At first, I didn't want to be another Wheaton Academy student that went to Wheaton College. But now, I'm so glad that I did. It was the right choice for me."

Making good choices -- good Christian choices -- is what Wheaton College is all about.

Partain sees a tie-in with the accomplishments of the soccer team.

"I don't think it's (a coincidence) that two Christian schools were playing for the national title," Partain said of Wheaton and Messiah. "When you go to a Christian school, you're not just a soccer player, you're a Christian soccer player. To us, our values are important and we love our teammates. Our focus isn't just soccer, it's Jesus Christ, and I think when you're living for a higher calling, you can do greater things.

"I'm not saying that it's because we're Christians that we won the last two national titles or that we'll win the next two. But I think that if we keep our focus, God will always be present to bless our team."