The
nation's finest high school seniors may have signed up with top soccer
programs at Florida, Notre Dame, Stanford, UNC and Portland, but several
other national caliber players highlight the classes signed by schools
ready to chase a national championship. The schools listed in this
article (Part 2) have recruiting classes that may wind up in our Top 10
Recruiting Classes for 1999. All of these programs have two things in
common: each signed a national team (U-18) player and each signed at
least one high school All-American.
Although
most of these programs have recruited well historically, Michigan and
Harvard have earned their first ever recruiting ranking of any kind from
Soccer Buzz while both California and Penn State will receive their
first National recruit ranking. Texas A&M and Virginia make the Top
10 for the second straight season while Washington could improve on last
year's ranking of #12 (see Rookie Attack for 1998's Final Soccer Buzz
Recruit Rankings and keep visiting Buzz until our 1999 rankings are
released in June.)
(Note:
The 1999 Recruiting Series is a five-part look at the best recruits and
annual college signings in 1999 for women's soccer. The series will
culminate with the official Soccer Buzz Recruiting Rankings which will
include the best classes Nationally as well as Regionally. The following
details are highlights of the signings to date and our official "ranking"
will be made once the entire series is completed to allow for late
player signings). Check
out all the 1999 recruits using our comprehensive database in
Rookie Attack.
DIVIDING
THE WEALTH
Harvard Coach
Tim Wheaton continues to prove the Ivy schools can compete with
the best athletic programs in the nation. The Crimson pulled in an
impressive list of recruits that rivals other top programs such as
Portland, Notre Dame and Florida. US U-18 team players Beth Totman
(F, NY) and Amy Cooper (M, MD) headline Harvard's new recruits
and are joined by fellow NSCAA All-American Caitlin Butler (F,
MA). Along with Totman and Butler, Harvard signed a third state player
of the year in Katie Urbanic (D, MN). Wheaton found great club
talent by signing Orly Ripmaster (M, CO, Colorado Rush) and Cheryl
Gunther (G, NY, Northport Piranhas). Harvard may have found a hidden
gem when Joey Yenne (F, MN) inked with the Crimson as Henne has
previously been a national pool player. Coach Wheaton has one of the
most balanced groups of 1999 and will look immediately for these
freshmen to contribute in the Fall as several seniors graduate from the
program. This Harvard class just missed a Top 5 ranking for incoming
recruits.
Texas
A&M One
of the smallest groups of new signees is also one of the best. Texas A&M
pulled in four of the most talented high schoolers with Jessica
Martin (M, TX), Martha Moore (D, TX), Heather Ragsdale
(F, TX) and Andrea Starnes (M, TX). While all four hail from
Texas, only Starnes lacks national team experience. Coach Guerrieri's
biggest find is arguably Martha Moore, an All American on the U-18
national team and also a member of the Klein Challenge Soccer Club. The
Aggies' class should keep A&M in the Top 25 and help challenge again
for the Big 12 title. A&M follows 1998's #7 Ranked Class with
another class destined for a Top 10 ranking.
California Keeping
up with PAC 10 sister school Stanford, California followed a
tremendously successful 1998 soccer season with a nationally ranked
recruiting class as well. The top freshman is consensus All-American
Laura Schott (F, OR). Schott is a US U-18 team player and the
Oregon Player of the Year. A pool of California players rounds out the
remainder of the class including Amie Salfen (F/M), Brittany
Kirk (F/M), and Kim Stocklmeir (D). The player that pushes
this class to the top is the transfer of Portland striker Regina
Holan who gives Coach Kevin Boyd another national youth pool
player. The Bears end up with an impressive group of goal scorers as
nine newcomers are offensive players, including one Arizona recruit,
Krysti Whalen.
"We more than exceeded our goals with this recruiting class,"
said Boyd. "We added the offensive talent we needed, a quality
defender and a ton of speed."
Virginia The
Cavaliers made the best of their four roster spots with two Parade
All-Americans and U-18 team players, Brooke Stastny (D, MD) and
Kelly Worden (M, TX). Coach April Heinrichs also added
talented striker Alyssa Benitez, the Florida Player of the Year.
In-state product Meredith Rhodes (Braddock Road Elite) is the
final signee for the Hoos in what amounts to a small, but rich group of
new talent for Heinrichs who loses only two starters from her 1998
squad.
"This is a strong group of four very talented ladies," said
Heinrichs. "All four have extensive experience at both the high
school level as well as in regional and national team experience."
Washington One
of the most versatile signees in the nation is Hope Solo (WA)
who can stand in goal or strike up front. A two-time Parade All-American
and a member of the US U-18 team, Solo joins just two other recruits for
Coach Lesle Gallimore. Joining the Huskies are Regional ODP team
members, Vanessa Pierce (D, WA) and Meghan McKinstry (M,
CO). Though small in numbers, Washington's class is big in potential and
brings another quality group of recruits to the PAC 10. The Huskies lose
only two roster players from '98 and will be shooting for a fifth NCAA
bid in the last six years.
"We for sure knew in recruiting that we didn't need numbers, we
needed quality," Gallimore concluded. "I feel that all three
of the kids that we signed are impact players."
Michigan Grabbing
three All-Americans, the Wolverines have notched a class among the best
in the nation. The first, Andrea Kayal (D, NJ), is also a US
U-18 player. The other two are Rhode Island Player of the Year, Carly
Williamson (M), and Texan Vicky Whitley (D). Coach Debbie
Belkin didn't stop with these three as three others with regional
ODP experience will join the Wolverines. Amy Sullivant (F, MI)
may be the best of this final group which also includes Abby
Crumpton (F, MI) and Michele Pesiri (M, NY). Belkin's class
of recruits is full of regional ODP talent which has propelled the
Wolverines into our national recruiting rankings for the first time.
Michigan may have nabbed the best recruiting class among Big 10 schools.
Penn
State One
of the top high schoolers in the nation is headed to Penn State.
National Player of the Year (Gatorade), Christie Welsh (F, NY)
gives Coach Patrick Farmer's small class a lot of notoriety.
Welsh alone puts the Lady Lions' class among the nation's best, but
Farmer also signed Megan Mills (NY) and Christy Powdrell
(PA). Mills and Welsh are former members of the same club team, the
Northport Piranhas. After notching a regionally ranked recruiting class
in 1998, Farmer's inking of Welsh and the duo of Mills and Powdrell
should push this recruiting class into the Top 25 for 1999. PSU loses
seven seniors off its Big 10 Tournament and Regular Season championship
squad, but only two were regular starters.
Find
out the remainder of the Top 1999 Recruiting Classes in our next article
featuring the programs likely to be in our Top 25 Recruiting Classes...
check it out on Tuesday, June 4 in Part 3 of Soccer Buzz' 1999
Recruiting Series.
One
of the smallest groups of new signees is also one of the best. Texas A&M
pulled in four of the most talented high schoolers with Jessica
Martin (M, TX), Martha Moore (D, TX), Heather Ragsdale
(F, TX) and Andrea Starnes (M, TX). While all four hail from
Texas, only Starnes lacks national team experience. Coach Guerrieri's
biggest find is arguably Martha Moore, an All American on the U-18
national team and also a member of the Klein Challenge Soccer Club. The
Aggies' class should keep A&M in the Top 25 and help challenge again
for the Big 12 title. A&M follows 1998's #7 Ranked Class with
another class destined for a Top 10 ranking.
Keeping
up with PAC 10 sister school Stanford, California followed a
tremendously successful 1998 soccer season with a nationally ranked
recruiting class as well. The top freshman is consensus All-American
Laura Schott (F, OR). Schott is a US U-18 team player and the
Oregon Player of the Year. A pool of California players rounds out the
remainder of the class including Amie Salfen (F/M), Brittany
Kirk (F/M), and Kim Stocklmeir (D). The player that pushes
this class to the top is the transfer of Portland striker Regina
Holan who gives Coach Kevin Boyd another national youth pool
player. The Bears end up with an impressive group of goal scorers as
nine newcomers are offensive players, including one Arizona recruit,
Krysti Whalen.
Grabbing
three All-Americans, the Wolverines have notched a class among the best
in the nation. The first, Andrea Kayal (D, NJ), is also a US
U-18 player. The other two are Rhode Island Player of the Year, Carly
Williamson (M), and Texan Vicky Whitley (D). Coach Debbie
Belkin didn't stop with these three as three others with regional
ODP experience will join the Wolverines. Amy Sullivant (F, MI)
may be the best of this final group which also includes Abby
Crumpton (F, MI) and Michele Pesiri (M, NY). Belkin's class
of recruits is full of regional ODP talent which has propelled the
Wolverines into our national recruiting rankings for the first time.
Michigan may have nabbed the best recruiting class among Big 10 schools.
One
of the top high schoolers in the nation is headed to Penn State.
National Player of the Year (Gatorade), Christie Welsh (F, NY)
gives Coach Patrick Farmer's small class a lot of notoriety.
Welsh alone puts the Lady Lions' class among the nation's best, but
Farmer also signed Megan Mills (NY) and Christy Powdrell
(PA). Mills and Welsh are former members of the same club team, the
Northport Piranhas. After notching a regionally ranked recruiting class
in 1998, Farmer's inking of Welsh and the duo of Mills and Powdrell
should push this recruiting class into the Top 25 for 1999. PSU loses
seven seniors off its Big 10 Tournament and Regular Season championship
squad, but only two were regular starters.
