‘Through it all, we watched love grow’
Three days after 21-year-old goalkeeper Mia Hamant passed away from kidney cancer, her teammates stepped onto a St. Louis pitch and captured their second trophy of the year in thrilling shootout fashion.
The gutsy victory encapsulated an emotional and record-breaking season for Husky Women’s Soccer — one that was driven by love and played in honor of Mia.
There’s no playbook, no guidelines, for facing the loss of someone so young and full of life. Head Coach Nicole Van Dyke and her staff “tried to find the balance through their team’s love for soccer and each other” as they navigated the seven months from Mia’s diagnosis in April to her passing in November 2025.
“We learned together that sadness and grief can coexist with joy,” says Coach Van Dyke, who called Mia one of the greatest goalkeepers in Washington’s history. “We tried to show up for each other while pursuing our goals.”
Mia in turn became her teammates’ loudest supporter. Though sidelined for the season, she attended every home game, even when she was sick and exhausted from chemo.
Mia’s friends and teammates lauded her hilarious humor, fierce competitiveness and incredible kindness. She was “a welcoming presence who made you feel you belonged,” goalkeeper Malie Chamberland shared.
“She didn’t want to be treated differently or have us walk on eggshells and be sad. She wanted us to keep living, keep chasing our goals,” her head coach said. “And through it all, we watched love grow. The more it multiplied, the more we played inspired and with purpose.”
That inspiration translated into a historic season and Elite Eight run. Initially projected to finish ninth in the Big Ten, the Huskies ended up securing both regular season and conference tournament titles, ultimately finishing No. 6 in the nation — their highest final ranking in program history.
Mia’s impact extended far beyond the soccer pitch. An outspoken advocate for mental health, she detailed her cancer journey on social media because she felt that “if she could be brave out loud, maybe someone else wouldn’t feel so alone,” Coach Van Dyke recalled at Mia’s Celebration of Life in Alaska Airlines Arena.
Her fight united the UW community. Other teams took up the rallying cry of “playing for Mia”, with student-athletes, coaches, staff, and fans donning orange ribbons, hats, and shirts to show their support and honor her legacy.
“She was special. The kind of special that brings people together and inspires everyone around her,” explained her coach. “She made us better, she made us braver, and more human.”
