The Milwaukee Athletic Department is beginning a new series on its website entitled: "Built By MKE". The series will feature former student-athletes and updates on where they are now and what they have been doing since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
 
The individual features will also include a short bio of their time as a Panther as well as a question-and-answer session touching on numerous topics with the variety of alumni from all sports and time periods.
 
The first entry in the series is former Milwaukee women's soccer player Vienna Behnke .
 
Behnke was key part of a successful stretch in the recent history of the Milwaukee women's soccer program, playing from 2011 through 2014 – a time that saw the Panthers claim three Horizon League regular-season titles and appear in the NCAA Tournament on three occasions.
 
Her freshmen season came in the record-setting 2011 campaign, a year that saw the Panthers set a school record with 19 victories. She became a regular starter as a sophomore, eventually making 49 starts in her 65 career appearances in Milwaukee. She played numerous roles position-wise, finishing her college tenure with 14 points, netting five goals while adding four assists. She recorded 45 shot attempts and a pair of game-winners – including one at the end of her junior season that clinched MKE the league title in a 1-0 win and helped her to Horizon League Player of the Week honors.
 
Behnke has been playing professionally for the past four seasons, spending her soccer career overseas to-date with Haukar in Iceland. She has enjoyed a very successful 2020 season to this point, recently ranked second in the league with eight goals in 10 appearances.
 
*What is the name and league of the team you are currently playing for?
"I play for Knattspyrnufélagið Haukar, which translates to Hawks FC, in Iceland. We are currently in the Lengjudeildin league."
 
*What did you go to school for at UWM and what was your final year in school?
"I graduated from UWM with a bachelor's degree in psychology in the spring of 2014. I earned a master's degree in psychology - behavioral analysis, with emphasis in neuroscience, in the spring of 2016. I played soccer for UWM for four years: 2011-2014."
 
*Tell us a little about your path to get to where you are since leaving UWM?
"After UWM, I went to open tryouts for two NWSL teams: the Western New York Flash (now the North Carolina Courage) and the Chicago Red Stars. I played with the Chicago Red Stars Reserves in 2016, with the hope of cracking into the NWSL roster. The opportunity never came, so I hired an agent to look for opportunities overseas. After turning down a couple of offers in unstable countries, I signed a contract with Haukar in Iceland for the 2017 season, which ran from March to October. I started every game for Haukar in 2017, missed the 2018 season because of two back surgeries, then rejoined Haukar for the second half of 2019 and now for the entire 2020 season."
 
*What was the biggest adjustment playing overseas?
"The Icelandic language is difficult to master (I'm still learning), and I had to adjust to the style of play. European soccer appreciates technical and tactical players, where the U.S. model places a higher value on strength, speed, and overall athleticism. Teams in Europe also have a larger age gap among players. In the U.S., high school and college allow for only a four- or five-year age difference. In Europe, the club structure allows the first team to call up players from the youth teams if they can contribute. On my team, we have players as young as 16 and as old as 30."
 
*What do you enjoy with your current free time?
"I often do Bible studies in my free time or watch other soccer games. Going to public pools and hot tubs is a popular social activity here. On our days off, I enjoy exploring Iceland's natural wonders like waterfalls, volcanoes, hot springs, etc."
 
*What are your favorite memories looking back at your time at UWM?
"Scoring my first goal at UWM is a special memory. Our strong senior class had given us a comfortable lead against UWGB, and the last few goals of the game were scored by freshmen, myself included. It felt like a symbolic passing of the torch to the younger players.
 
Winning a first-round game in the NCAA tournament in 2011 is a great memory, too. We were nationally ranked and got to host the match. It was the first time UWM had won a NCAA tournament game! Other highlights include winning three straight Horizon League Tournament titles. The 2013 title game against Oakland ended in dramatic fashion when we scored twice in the last four minutes to win 4-3!"
 
*What did you learn as a Panther that has helped you the most in your career?
"To love the game of soccer for everything that it is. Coaches will change, teammates will graduate, and scoring streaks will end. Loving the physical and mental demands of the game, the creativity and toughness expressed on the field, and the personal strength a player develops through training and competing are what the game is all about. Love for the game itself and its ability to traverse cultures and conflicts. My time at UWM taught me not to focus on the little things that might frustrate me, but to continue to train and play my absolute hardest out of respect for the game and everything it has to offer."
 
*What are your future plans short and long term?
"My short-term plan is to continue to play professional soccer for as long as I can. It is the best job in the world! As all athletes do, I know retirement looms large, and I'm sure my body will tell me it's time long before my head and heart accept it. So for now, I'm enjoying the season, and taking it one season at a time. My long-term plan is to return to school to get my doctorate degree in behavioral neuroscience. I want to continue my studies that focus on the cerebellum's role in autism spectrum disorders."