The Carroll women's soccer program was just entering the its sixth season when Cassidy Merrick (Sanders) stepped onto campus. It was a young program that had seen little success. By the time she closed out her career, she would lead them to the NAIA Top-25 and permanently etch her name on the Carroll record book.

Merrick was a hometown product, she helped lead Helena High to a state championship in 2002 and earn First-Team All-State honors for the Bengals. 

When she began her career, head coach Mark Hiemenz was coming off of a first season in which the Saints compiled just four wins en route to a 4-7-4 record. She immediately seized control of the midfield and earned the starting spot as a freshman. She set the school record for assists with 10 and earned All-Region honors as the Saints went 11-6-1 and earned the first-ever trip to the NAIA Regional tournament. 

She had a big impact her freshman year but showed improvement her sophomore season. She broke her single-season record for assists racking up 11 and added three goals. The team went 14-7 to earn a No. 25 rank in the NAIA national polls after playing in the regional final. She closed the year with All-Region and Honorable Mention All-American honors. 

During her junior campaign, she again set the record for assists, this time with 15 and as a junior, broke the career mark, a record she still holds. She also added five goals. She was again named to the All-Region team and named Honorable Mention All-American.

The team went 14-4-1 and again played in the regional final. The Saints closed the season ranked No. 19 in the NAIA.

During her senior year, the Saints went 13-6-1 and advanced to the NAIA National tournament final sight in Olathe, Kansas, for the first time in School History. 

Merrick tallied eight assists on the year and racked up a career-high six goals on the season. In the final game of her career, she assisted on the Saints only goal as Carroll fell to Lee University (Tenn.) in the NAIA round of 16. 

She closed her career with a stunning 44 assists, Jenni Annicchiarico is second on the list with 27. 

Merrick also closed her career with 14 goals which ranks 16th on the Carroll all-time list. 

After graduating with a degree in accounting she earned her CPA and now works as an Assurance Manager for Atherton & Associates, LLP in Modesto, California. 

She married Drew Sanders in 2012 and they have two children.

Merrick will be honored with the other inductees in at the Hall of Fame brunch Saturday Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are still available for purchase here.