When you talk about the perfect pairing between player and program, there might be few betters fits than Sammy Mueller and Northwestern.

And that’s not to diminish Mueller’s four standout years at Virginia. She was one of the most dynamic players in the country for the Cavaliers, but when the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the remainder of her senior season last spring, Mueller entered the transfer portal to further her academic and athletic careers.

That’s when Kelly Amonte Hiller came calling.

“Academics, for me, have always been important,” Mueller said. “I had an undergraduate business degree from Virginia and was planning on moving on and starting a job. The opportunity to compete again was too good to pass up on.”

Mueller, who has an interest in real estate development, will earn her Master’s in project management with a real estate specialization at Northwestern, a school from which her older sister, Ally, graduated in 2018. Ally Mueller played for Amonte Hiller and helped reconnect her sister to the Wildcats’ coach once she hit the portal.

“Her sister played for us, and we absolutely love the family,” Amonte Hiller said. “They have an incredible familiarity with our team and staff. I think that definitely was a leg up for her in the recruiting process.”

Mueller said she chose Northwestern from a group of four finalists.

Both sisters were recruited to play at Northwestern when they were dominating at Hackley School in Tarrytown, N.Y. Ally Mueller, a defender, chose Northwestern and the Big Ten. That atmosphere was enticing to Sammy Mueller, but at the time, she didn’t want to just follow suit.

“In hindsight, it would’ve been great to follow in her footsteps and play with her, but at the time, I kind of just wanted to carve my own path,” she said. “I just had a great feel for Virginia when I visited.”

At Virginia, she piled up the accolades. In 2017, she was the ACC Freshman of the Year. A year later, she was named to the All-ACC first team and was an IWLCA third-team All-American. She was an IWLCA first-team All-American in 2019.

The numbers she posted at Virginia are eye-popping, even when considering she only played eight games in 2020. In 69 games (67 starts), Mueller scored 165 goals with 50 assists, corralled 171 ground balls, caused 84 turnovers and secured 204 draws. It’s not an exaggeration to say she’s been one of the most complete players in the country for much of the past four years.

Yet, somehow, she’s flown relatively under the radar. In national conversations about postseason awards and other recognition, few mention Mueller as a serious candidate. That didn’t bother her.

“I don’t really care about the spotlight that much,” she said. “I’d much rather have my team be in the spotlight for winning. I’d much rather be on a great team that is making those title runs.”

If making a titles run is the goal, Mueller probably couldn’t have stepped into a better situation for her fifth year of collegiate lacrosse.

The Wildcats ended 2020 ranked ninth in the Nike/USL Top 20 with a 4-2 record. The nation’s most potent offense, Northwestern dropped 21.57 goals per game — two full goals better than North Carolina at No. 2. Megan Kinna and Lindsay McKone will return to the offense as the two other fifth-year players on the team.

Northwestern’s struggles came defensively, an area where Mueller excels as a true two-way middie. Not to mention how she’ll also help sure up the draw circle, where Brennan Dwyer was the team’s primary threat.

“I think Sammy is just so dynamic,” Amonte Hiller said. “She’s an excellent defender. She’s great on the draw circle. She’s so dynamic on the offensive end.

“I think she’s a warrior on the field. She did literally so much for Virginia. She really just pushed her body and gave everything she could. We play a little bit of a different style than Virginia. We really push the pace quite a bit.”

Despite her value on the defensive side, Mueller said she most enjoys offense. The creativity, quick thinking and pure joy of scoring or setting up a teammate make that her favorite place on the field.

“When the offense is flowing and working together, it’s so fun to be a part of,” she said. “It’s kind of like chess. There’s a mental side to it.”

Even with that aforementioned warrior’s mentality, Mueller gives off a relaxed, mature vibe. On the field, she’s the rare competitor who can play intensely while also grounding the team to focus on the task at hand.

“She’s that cool competitor,” Amonte Hiller said. “She’s very calm. She stays calm no matter the situation. When you can have that sense of calm on the field, you can perform under pressure situations.”

Mueller didn’t pick up lacrosse until she was in fifth grade, when her uncle gave her and her sister their first sticks. She never took it too seriously and played for a middle school rec team in Pelham, N.Y. Club soccer and AAU basketball were her true passions, and she envisioned collegiate careers in those sports.

Then she realized lacrosse combined the best aspects of both sports into one. Since then, she’s set ablaze every lacrosse field she’s stepped on.

Next up? Ryan Fieldhouse in Evanston.