Girls soccer: Cook County All-Area captain Zimmerman’s play on the pitch as perfect as her ACT score
It really is not a surprise to see Fremd senior Gwen Zimmerman at the top of the 2026 Daily Herald Cook County All-Area girls soccer team.
The Northwestern-bound Vikings star was arguably the best player in the MSL and all around the area this season, as witnessed by her being the No. 1 vote-getter in her section to earn a third consecutive all-state honor.
Gwen Zimmerman. What a player, what a captain, what a person, said her coach Steve Keller.
The four-year star carried the weight of her side each time she pulled on the No. 24 shirt for the Vikings. Zimmerman epitomized everything that was needed to be first class on the field: tenacity, grit, heart, work ethic, work rate, and, of course, quality.
Zimmerman was the easy choice to be the captain of the Cook All-Area team.
"Gwen is a once in a lifetime player that Fremd was fortunate to have come through its halls, and soccer and sports is just half it," Keller said.
"(She) is an even more incredible person. She leads both on the field and off, in the classroom, hallways, was a straight-A student, with a perfect 36 ACT score, plus a scholarship to attend and play at Northwestern to study pediatric medicine."
"I am overwhelmed to hear that I'll be the All-Area captain this year," said Zimmerman, who was the MSL West Player of the Year this spring.
"(There) are so many really good players in the area, and the honor speaks a lot to coach Keller, our coaching staff, and, of course my teammates, who have all become such a big part of my life."
Zimmerman is the ultimate hybrid player, and it is hard to imagine any player around that can play any position, any time, at an elite level.
The Vikings captain has played all across the field during her time with the program. She's been deployed as an attacking midfielder at the 8, or defensive-mid at the 6 up top, or even along the backline to form a marvelous central partnership with her All-Area teammate Erika D'Angelo.
"(Gwen) played as our striker and was devastating with her great speed, and the last three seasons she mainly played in the midfield, and was the glue to the team," said Keller.
"At times, she would put the team on her back and carried us to a win."
If one was to examine a scouting report on Zimmerman, it would likely point to her dynamic box-to-box play, tireless work rate, terrific passing range, explosive ball carrier skills, superb spacial positioning, and an aggressive tackling and pressing machine that will transition play in an instant.
Zimmerman burst on the scene to score 17 goals in her rookie season, and would finish with 59 and 22 assists, while helping the Vikings win 63 games.
A three-sport star, Zimmerman is a two-time state qualifier in track, and was a running back and defensive lineman on Fremd’s 2024 flag football state championship team.
In addition, Zimmerman spent two weeks last year playing for the under-19 Wales National Team, playing a full 90 minutes in all three matches in Swansea, Wales. She recently was named to the Wales 2027 women's World Cup qualifying roster.
"(It) was all just an amazing experience, and obviously something that I will never forget," said Zimmerman, who was eligible to play due to her grandparents both born in Wales.
Zimmerman, who is expected to play as a center-back at Northwestern, will keep herself in match shape before reporting to the Wildcats in early July by playing for River Light FC of the USL Women's League.
"There are so many great memories that I'll be taking with me,“ Zimmerman said. ”Playing for coach Keller might be the best. (And) the team camaraderie, advancing to the supersectional final, and especially the friendships with this senior group that has become so close during our four years together."