The thanksgivings were plentiful around the Peacock household this year, now that one member of the family has taken the next step toward fulfilling a long-held dream of playing Division I soccer.

Quinn Peacock, a 5-foot-2 dynamo who helped Sentinel High to a fourth-place finish at last month's Class AA state tournament, has accepted admissions to Montana and will join the Griz soccer program in the fall.

"My whole life it's been a goal to play for a Division I soccer team," said Peacock, who didn't know until more recently that it was the Division I program in her hometown that would become her objective.

"Once I got to high school I started to realize how much I like Missoula, even though I've lived here my whole life."

Montana signed 10 players to National Letters of Intent last week: a goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.

Peacock, who will join Alexa Coyle as the only Montanans on the roster, will play either forward or midfielder at the next level.

"Quinn is a sparkplug type of player and has the potential to entertain and develop into something very good for us," said coach Chris Citowicki, who guided the Grizzlies to a Big Sky title and NCAA tournament appearance in his first season.

"I'm sure she will rise to the occasion and add a lot to this program. We can't wait to get her here next fall."

In the first 25 years of the Montana soccer program, the Grizzlies have had just a dozen players from Missoula who have played in a match. There hasn't been a letterwinner from town since Stephanie Carl in 2013.

Instead of looking at that as a burden, as a weight of expectations, Peacock embraces the idea.

"I wouldn't put it in the category of added pressure. I would say it's more added support," said Peacock, who was voted all-conference as a sophomore, all-state as a junior and senior and has three times been named academic all-state.

"All of my coaches, from Strikers to Sentinel, they have all been so supportive of me. It's going to be really fun to play in front of all the people who helped me get to this point."

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