When Kenzie MacMillan walks into a room, people notice.
Her laugh cuts through the noise, her energy fills the space and her presence has a way of steadying everyone around her. Even when an injury sidelined her for nearly a year, teammates still felt her impact.
The Boise State midfielder for women’s soccer built her career on more than minutes played or goals scored. She’s become known for her bright energy, the kind that uplifts everyone around her and emphasizes the importance of togetherness.
“I’ve learned I can do more than I thought I could,” MacMillan said. “Especially with injury last year — just loving to gain more support, appreciating the experience and the amount of resources I have at my disposal, whether it be a nutritionist or strength coach. The people around me really showed their true colors.”
Soccer has been part of MacMillan’s life since she was three years old. Growing up in Southern California, she excelled early and never looked back, driven by supportive parents and a competitive fire that grew as she did.
Her longtime teammate and close friend, Teryn Newkirk, remembers how intertwined their families were through youth soccer.
“Kenzie’s always been one of the most selfless people I know,” Newkirk said. “She’s always putting other people before herself. You can count on her in any situation.”
MacMillan’s maturity carried her through the ups and downs of her career as a Bronco, especially through the biggest challenge she faced last year.
In Spring 2024, MacMillan suffered a serious knee injury that kept her out for almost a year. Despite this, she found herself rallying the team together in a leadership role from the sidelines.
“Injuries build character,” she said. “It made me step back and look at what I’ve been through and what I needed to be better at. From the first day, I knew I wanted to come back and play my last year. That time built me up as a person for sure.”
The program felt her absence deeply. Cindy Connor, who grew up playing against MacMillan in California before becoming her teammate at Boise State, noticed the difference on the field right away.
“You could just feel like she wasn’t there,” Connor said. “Kenzie’s always the last one on the bus, always hyping people up in the locker room. Without her, it was different. She just brings people together.”
Even injured, MacMillan’s personality carried through. Teammates highlighted her quick wit and laugh that could liven up the locker room. Connor mentioned the “go-get-it” mindset MacMillan brings to the table, noting she is not only a strongly motivated player for the team but a morale builder, too.
When she makes her appearance on the pitch, she plays strong and competitively. Over her career at Boise State, she’s played in more than 60 matches, scoring 10 goals and adding 8 assists — numbers reflective of her finishing touch and ability to create opportunities for her teammates.
One of her strongest performances came in a 1-0 victory over Idaho State when she scored the game’s only goal to secure the win. Earlier this season, she buried a penalty against Utah Tech to put Boise State ahead 2-0, a moment illustrating her composure under pressure.
Whether it’s creating space, drawing in defenders or taking control late in close matches, MacMillan steps up when her team needs her most.
To MacMillan, leadership isn’t something that can be tallied in a box score or delivered in a speech. For her, it means showing up the same way every day.
“I hope they see me as the energy I bring every day,” she said. “Making sure I can brighten someone’s face, making sure I’m there for my teammates.”
MacMillan found ways to lead her teammates while balancing the weight of the game and her personal life. Newkirk said MacMillan balanced the demands of soccer with the relationships that mattered most. “Last year, when she was injured, it was a different role,” Newkirk said. “She was still a senior, and everyone looked up to her. Even from the sideline, she was leading by example.”
Off the field, her world looks a little different.
MacMillan is drawn to Idaho’s outdoors. She loves wakeboarding, going on hikes and attending concerts. Friends describe her as approachable, outgoing and someone who never shies away from finding humor in the moment.
Her outgoing nature is also shaping her future. Once she graduates with her business administration degree in December, she plans to step off the pitch and into sales or property management, careers that let her connect with people face-to-face.
“I like talking to people, not being stuck behind a computer,” she said. “That’s always been my strength, and I want to continue that.”
The mark she leaves within Boise State athletics won’t be measured by her performances or statistics. It lives in the stories her teammates tell and the energy she brings into every situation.
“She’s the kind of person who makes everyone around her better,” Newkirk said. “That’s what’s going to make her successful in whatever she does.”
