ST. JOSEPH, Minn. -- Addison Stephani wasn't even scheduled to play that night, and Steve Kimble wasn't sure he'd be staying for the game.
 
But the standout forward did take the field that winter evening, and the College of Saint Benedict head soccer coach did hang around to watch.
 
That's how Stephani ended up becoming a Bennie.
 
"Our origin story is pretty unique," said Kimble of the senior who leads his team in goals this season. "I was the last coach left at a showcase. It was 9 p.m. and no one else was still around. I debated, but I figured I'd stick around for one last game. I saw this young lady play and I was impressed. But her jersey number didn't match her shorts number, and I couldn't tell who she was. It took some legwork to figure it out."
 
"I wasn't scheduled to play that night," Stephani added. "I was invited to join as a guest for another team at my club that was short a player. I had already applied to a bunch of colleges at that point, including Saint Ben's, but I had no idea where I wanted to go. I was looking for a place with a great soccer program, a competitive nursing major and opportunities to be involved in a lot of different things. Coach Kimble messaged me, and after I looked more into Saint Ben's, I realized it would be my new home."
 
Stephani has thrived at CSB on the soccer field – where the Spring Lake Park High School graduate's six goals this season tie her for sixth most in the MIAC. But she's also excelled in the classroom, where the two-time academic all-conference selection is scheduled to graduate this May with a nursing degree.
 
 
She's also the co-president of the nursing club on campus, has completed the Honors Scholars Program and is part of the 4+1 MSN nursing program.
 
"There's a reason she wound up here," Kimble said. "It's where she's meant to be. Addi is the very definition of a Bennie, with all that entails."
 
But the journey has not always been easy. Shortly into her sophomore season in the fall of 2023, Stephani was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, pain and stiffness in the joints. It's a condition medical sources state more commonly begins to develop between ages 30 and 60. 
 
But it can start earlier than that as well.
 
"This was completely new to me," Stephani recalled. "There's no history of it in my family. It happened right when I moved back to campus that preseason. I started waking up in pain, then it got harder to sleep through it. It took a bunch of doctor appointments to even figure out what was going on."
 
Working through her pain was difficult at times, but not once did Stephani ever consider stepping away from soccer.
 
"It has definitely been a big roller coaster," she said. "Some days were really painful and other days were better. But it made it hard to be the kind of consistent contributor I wanted to be for my team. That's what makes this season so special. I finally feel like I'm back to a point where I'm able to be the player I know I'm capable of being."
 
Stephani was drawn to nursing long before her own diagnosis. 
 
"I always had a passion for learning and helping those around me," she said. "When I was in high school, my grandmother was diagnosed with dementia, and seeing the care she received really opened my eyes to the impact you can have on patients and their families. Helping and connecting with people during some of their hardest moments, that's something I've always wanted to do."
 
Her own experience has only solidified that desire.
 
"As a nurse, you're going to see a lot of patients dealing with chronic pain," said Stephani, who plans to continue her graduate MSN degree in nursing at CSB after graduation. "Now, I have an even stronger perspective on how hard treatment can be and what it's like for someone to go through that. In my own case, it's made me appreciate everything I have that much more. I want to cherish every moment I do get to take part in the things I love."
 
"That's the biggest thing I'd say if I could go back and talk to my freshman self," she said. "Just soak in every single second that you get to be here. Because time flies by."
 
Kimble said the way Stephani has dealt with adversity head-on while still managing to produce at a high level has been an inspiration.
 
"She's never going to quit," he said. "She keeps pushing hard no matter what's going on. Addi is a high-quality player and a high-quality person. She loves this program, and she loves this school. She puts her whole heart into everything she does."
 
And right now, her focus is on helping the Bennies finish her final college season on a high note. After starting the year with a grueling slate that included a couple of nationally ranked opponents, CSB went on to win four-straight games. 
 
The Bennies are currently 3-2 in conference play and sit in fourth place in the conference standings heading into a MIAC matchup at Macalester this Saturday (Oct. 11).
 
The top six teams at the end of the regular season advance to the conference playoffs.
 
"I am so proud of all the hard work my team has put into the season so far," she said. "Our biggest goal right now is to continue picking up as many MIAC wins as possible and making it as far as we can in the playoffs. But no matter what happens, I'm already so happy with the way my senior year is going. Just feeling like I'm able to perform at a high level again for my wonderful teammates has been amazing. I'm so grateful for that."
 
"Going through everything I have only makes me enjoy every step of this journey that much more," she continued. "That's something my dad always told me growing up – enjoy the whole journey, good or bad. I now understand what he was talking about so much more. You can't take anything for granted. You have to make the most of every moment you get."