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An Inside Look at Signee Mollie Pathman

DURHAM, N.C.- The Duke women's soccer program has added one of its top recruiting classes under the direction of Head Coach Robbie Church.  This spring GoDuke.com will be taking a closer look at each of the 2010 incoming freshmen.

First up is Mollie Pathman, who is a native of Durham, N.C., and attends Durham Academy.  She is a 5-3 forward who is one of the top scorers in the nation.  Pathman is already planning on studying medicine at Duke.

Check out the highlights, newspaper articles, photo gallery and bio of Pathman linked on the article. more

Brooks & Jones Called Into U20 Camp

CHICAGO, ILL. - Tar Heels Amber Brooks and Courtney Jones have been called into the U20 National Team Training Camp beginning next week. The U-20 team will play against two Women's Professional Soccer clubs.

Coach Jillian Ellis will be without several regulars due to school commitments, but will give a look to several players as she continues to formulate a roster that will take part in the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Germany this summer. 24 players will train with the U.S. Women's Under-20 National Team in Gainesville, Fla. March 14-21.

The U.S. U-20s will face the host University of Florida on Monday, March 15 at 5:30 p.m. and take on the Boston Breakers on Wednesday, March 17 at 3 p.m. Both of those matches will take place at UF. The U.S. U-20s will finish the schedule of scrimmages against the Atlanta Beat at Flagler College on Friday, March 19 at 7 p.m. more

Former Assistant Chad Miller Named Head Coach at Western Carolina

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina University Director of Athletics Chip Smith today announced the hiring of former Catamount assistant Chad Miller as the program's head women's soccer coach. Miller returns to Cullowhee after spending the past season as the head coach at Catawba College in Salisbury, his second stint as a head coach after guiding the Pfeiffer University program for seven seasons.

Miller replaces former head coach Tammy DeCesare, for whom he spent three seasons on the sidelines with in Cullowhee before taking the head job at Catawba. He is also just the third head coach in the Catamount program's following DeCesare (2005-09), who took the head coaching job at Coastal Carolina, and Debbie Hensley, who led the program from its inception in 1999 through the 2004 season.

"Chad brings a great deal of head coaching experience and a familiarity of WCU and Catamount Soccer to the program," said Smith. "He has been part of the successful development of women's soccer at Western Carolina and will continue that tradition, both athletically and academically."  more

Tammy DeCesare Accepts Coastal Carolina Head Coaching Position

Cullowhee, N.C. - Tammy DeCesare resigned from the Catamount women's soccer program and has accepted the head coaching position at Coastal Carolina University. DeCesare spent five seasons with the Catamounts and compiled a 58-36-13 career mark with two Southern Conference tournament titles and NCAA tournament berths.

The search for DeCesare's replacement will begin immediately.

"I would like to thank Chip Smith, Fred Cantler and Dr. Jennifer Brown for allowing me the opportunity to build a strong program here at Western Carolina University," said DeCesare. "I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish here during my tenure. It has been my pleasure to work with these tremendous student-athletes and be a part of their great accomplishments on the field and in the classroom. I will miss the Western Carolina family and am confident that WCU soccer will continue to be an elite program in women's soccer."

Also, first-year WCU assistant coach Yon Struble also turned in his resignation effective on February 25. Struble has been named the head coach at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., and will assume those duties on March 1.  more
 

2009 College Schedules

Wake Forest Begins Preparing for 2009 Season

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest women's soccer team began its preparation for the 2009 season with a pair of practices on Thursday at the Spry Stadium practice fields.

"I was pleasantly surprised with our first day of practice," head coach Tony da Luz said. "We had our fitness tests yesterday and had a good showing from everybody. There were a lot of personal bests. The play that we had this morning and this afternoon was quality. There were some surprises from some of the young players so I'm happy for the first day."

After practicing for an hour and a half on Thursday morning, the team went through a two hour training session in the afternoon.

"We're trying to emphasize that we want to be an attacking team," da Luz said. "We want to hold the ball as long as possible and pick our chances to attack. We played a different formation last year, so it's an adjustment. There will be new personnel in different places, so there's a lot we have to iron out."  more

Blue Devils Have Successful Opening Practice

DURHAM, N.C. - Head Coach Robbie Church and the Duke women's soccer team opened practice for the 2009 season on Saturday morning at the turf field on the campus of Duke University.  The Blue Devils performed testing, while also running through drills. 

The Blue Devils will feature another practice on Saturday evening and three more days of practices before traveling to Asheville, N.C., for team bonding and practice for three days.

"It was great," commented Church on today's first practice.  "I was very happy and we had unbelievable energy out here today all the way through.  Starting with our testing, into our technical work and then finishing up in our four-v-four games in our competition.  I think our girls did a fantastic job.  I thought they were really focused as it was a long and choppy practice how it was set up.  I thought we were focused, we had great energy and leadership from our seniors.  They did a fantastic job." more

Renkin Named To CAA Silver Anniversary Squad

8/04/2009

RICHMOND, Va. – Former UNC Wilmington standout midfielder Kelly Renkin has been named to the Colonial Athletic Association’s women’s soccer silver anniversary squad, league officials announced Tuesday.

“This is a tremendous honor for Kelly,” said UNCW Head Coach Paul Cairney, the 2008 CAA Coach-of-the-Year. “Kelly was a one of the most competitive players I have been around, and that competitiveness helped her become one of the greatest players in league history. As with any individual honor, Kelly’s teammates share in this accomplishment with her.”

A native of Midlothian, Va., Renkin was a four-year starter for the Seahawks (2005-08) who finished her career as the program’s all-time leader in game-winning goals (13) and in the top five of the school’s all-time points (73), goals (29) and assists (15) charts. The Clover Hill graduate was a three-time First-Team All-CAA and two-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Southeast Region selection, Renkin was recognized as the Thomas V. Moseley award winner as UNCW’s top female student-athlete for the 2008-09 season after leading the Seahawks in scoring (6 G, 3A) on their way to a second-place tie in the CAA regular-season standings.

As part of its 25^th Anniversary celebration in 2009-10, the CAA is recognizing Silver Anniversary teams in 21 championship sports.  The teams are selected by a panel of current and former head coaches in the conference. more

Spartans add Nitang Jones

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro has added Nitang Jones to its incoming women’s soccer class, coach Eddie Radwanski announced Tuesday.

Jones, a 5-2 midfielder/forward from Raleigh, NC, is a three-time North Carolina High School Athletic Association all-state player for coach Paul Dinkenor at Leesville Road High School, the top-ranked team in the state. Jones helped lead the Pride to a NCHSAA 4A state championship in 2008 and was named the MVP of the title game.

On the club level, Jones played for CASL Elite for four years, helping the squad to a State Cup championship in 2007 and USYS Region III Premiere League East championships in 2006 and 2007. CASL Elite also won a USL Super Y-League championship in 2005 and was the runner-up in 2006.

Jones was a member of the SYL ODP national camp in 2006 and 2007 and the South Atlantic Regional Super Y-League ODP team in 2005 and 2006. more

Michael Crane Named Duke Assistant Coach

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University Women’s Soccer Head Coach Robbie Church announced on Wednesday the addition of Michael Crane as an assistant coach in charge of the goalkeepers.
“First of all, we’re indebted to Nate Kipp with the work he did with our goalkeepers for the last three years, but we’re very, very excited to have Michael Crane come in and join our program,” said Church.  “He brings a wealth of experience at a very young age.”
Crane, who is a 2009 graduate of the University of Indianapolis, Ind., received a degree in exercise science/pre-physical therapy this spring.  He has been the Zionsville Youth Soccer Association head coach since 2008, while serving as the assistant director of the SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School since 2006, along with being a goalkeeper for the Akron and Indianapolis men’s soccer programs the last four years.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to join a program and a coaching staff with so much success and national recognition,” said Crane.  “Duke University and the women’s soccer program has produced some of nations top athletes and I am excited to contribute to its success.  I look forward to working with Robbie, Billy, and Carla and helping Duke women’s soccer to continue to be successful on the national level.” more
 

Dorrance Announces Nine Woman Recruiting Class

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina women's soccer program officially announced a cadre of nine scholarship and recruited non-scholarship prospective student-athletes who will join the Tar Heel program in August 2009. This group will look to help replace the loss of four valuable seniors from Carolina's 2008 NCAA championship team.

Carolina is losing two starters, one co-starter and a valuable reserve from the '08 team - senior midfield starters Yael Averbuch and Allie Long, senior goalkeeping co-starter Anna Rodenbough and reserve forward Mandy Moraca.

Joining Carolina this fall will be Megan Brigman of Laurinburg, N.C.; Lucy Bronze of Northumberland, England (Ainwick Dirstrict); Amber Brooks of New Hope, Pa.; Hannah Daly of Stateline, Nev.; Kristine Welsh-Loveman of Wellesley, Mass.; Barkley Minton of Raleigh, N.C.; Ranee Premji of Calgary, Alberta; Alyssa Rich of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Kylie Watt of Valatie, N.Y.  more

Blue Devils Release 2009 Schedule

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke Women’s Soccer Head Coach Robbie Church released the 2009 women’s soccer schedule on Friday, which includes matches against 12 squads who advanced to the NCAA College Cup in 2008. The Blue Devils return 7-of-11 starters and 15 letterwinners in all from a squad that collected a 15-6-3 record last year and advanced their second-straight quarterfinals of the NCAA College Cup.

“We are excited about our schedule and think it is a great cross-section of games,” said Church. “It should prepare us very well for ACC and hopefully NCAA Tournament play down the road.”

The Blue Devils kick off the season on August 23 with a non-conference contest against Gardner-Webb. Overall, Duke will feature 13 home contests in 2009 at Koskinen Stadium.

Duke will then head down Tobacco Road to Chapel Hill to compete in the Carolina Classic on Aug. 28 and 30, playing UNC Greensboro and Central Florida. The Blue Devils will then return home to face UNC Wilmington and UNLV before traveling to Florida and hosting Alabama A&M.

The Blue Devils will next host the annual Duke Classic, which will now be sponsored by Nike. The two-day event will feature North Carolina, Auburn and LSU. The classic will be played on September 18 and 20 at Koskinen Stadium, with two games being played on each day. North Carolina and LSU will play in the first game on Sept. 18 followed by Duke versus Auburn. The Tar Heels will take on Auburn on Sunday in the first contest and the Blue Devils and Tigers will conclude the action in the second game. more

Duke Holds Annual Team Banquet

DURHAM, N.C. –  The Duke women’s soccer team held its annual team banquet on Sunday evening to officially wrap up the very successful 2008 campaign, which saw the Blue Devils advance to the NCAA College Cup quarterfinals for the second straight year and win 15 contests. 

A total of six awards were given out on the evening including Newcomer of the Year, Most Inspirational Player, Coaches Award, Most Outstanding Offensive Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Valuable Player.  All awards except for the Coach Award were voted on by the student-athletes. 

Taking home both the Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Offensive Player was junior KayAnne Gummersall.  After suffering from an ankle injury for most of her sophomore season, Gummersall came back strong in 2008 with a team-best 15 goals and 34 points.  She also added four assists and five game-winning goals.  In the ACC stats, Gummersall ranked third in points, tied for third in goals, third in points per game (1.42) and fourth in goals per game (0.62).

Gummersall, a native of Wilmette, Ill., played some of her best soccer at the end of the season as she notched goals in each of the four NCAA College Cup contests, while finishing the year with three multi-goal games.  In the final NCAA stats, Gummersall ranked 59th in points per game (1.42),  41st in goals per game (0.625) and 75th in goals per game (0.522). more

Carolina Tops Player Totals On New Pro League Rosters
 
March 27, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina features the largest alumnae class of players drafted by teams for the inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). Notre Dame is second with 10, with the University of Virginia, Portland and Santa Clara following with seven.
WPS is comprised of seven franchises, which finalized their rosters earlier this week. Each roster contains 18 players on the active list, and up to an additional four listed as "developmental."
Heading the list of teams featuring former Tar Heels is Sky Blue FC (whose home team uniform is ironically Carolina Blue color), the New Jersey/New York franchise, with four. FC Gold Pride of the Bay Area is the only team without former Carolina players. more
 

Seahawks Rebuild Nest With Seven-Player Signing Class

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Three players from the Tar Heel State, three from the Commonwealth of Virginia and one from the Empire State make up the early signing period class for the UNC Wilmington women’s soccer program, head coach Paul Cairney announced.

Forward Johanna Rose (Jacksonville, N.C./White Oak); midfielders Amanda Holmes (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) and Kristal Tucker (Jacksonville, N.C./White Oak);  defenders Lindsey Henry (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge), Jennifer Ludemann (Greensboro, N.C./Wesleyan Christian Academy) and Ali Nagle (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) and goalkeeper Caitlin Hunter (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run) will join the Seahawks as freshmen for the 2009 season.

“We graduated seven seniors from our 2008 squad who all played a role in our success,” said Cairney. “That group is one that is tough to replace. Our 2009 freshmen class will provide depth and competition at every position and complement the outstanding group of players we have returning for the upcoming season.”

The Seahawks finished the 2008 season with a 12-7-1 overall mark and an 8-3 conference record, winning seven of their final eight contests to end the regular season tied for second in the CAA standings and match their highest conference finish in program history. more

Three-time A-10 Champs Have Received Six Commitments For The 2009 Season

Charlotte, NC - The nationally-ranked Charlotte 49ers women's soccer team, which has captured three straight A-10 titles, has received six commitments for 2009. The 49ers, who return 22 letterwinners and 10 starters for Coach John Cullen's first-season, welcome five in-state starts including three state and region ODP players. Jessica Barton of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Carrie Dail of Hubert, North Carolina, Lacey McGowan of Fayetteville, Georgia, Jennifer Nye of Huntersville, North Carolina, Taylor Rovito of Pittsboro, North Carolina and India Winford of Winston-Salem, North Carolina join the 49ers roster.

"We are very excited to add this group to the Charlotte Soccer family," Cullen said. "We believe each of these young players will be tremendous additions to our program on the field, in the classroom and within the community. These players bring many different intangibles and attributes and each has a special uniqueness that we admire. We are very proud to add these players to our strong squad with the aim of continually pushing on as program. As a coaching staff we feel these ladies have been well prepared through ODP, Club and High School soccer to come in and rise to the challenge of playing at the college soccer level. We're truly excited and confident that each of them will make our team stronger immediately." more

Gardner Webb Signs Seven For 2009 Recruiting Class

Boiling Springs, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb athletics department in conjunction with Head Women’s Soccer Coach Kevin Mounce are pleased to announce the signing of seven student-athletes that will continue both their academic and athletic careers at Gardner-Webb University.

Gardner-Webb has added Melissa Fishbein, Megan Frost, Jane Gielser, Sarah Morabito, Taylor Napoli, Samantha Rupert and Mallory Adler to the roster for the upcoming 2009 season.

Fishbein, who comes to Gardner-Webb from Lawrenceville, Ga., is a four-year letterwinner at Collins Hill High School under coach Jeff Tinklepaugh. Heading into her senior season this spring, Fishbein has scored four goals and picked up 10 assists over her first three years at Collins Hill H.S., all coming from the defensive backfield.

The defender is also a current member of the Atlanta Fire Club team coached by Andy Trevors, where last season she scored three goals and had eight assists. As a member of the GSA Phoenix Red from 2006-2007, Fishbein had eight goals and nine assists, where her team was 2007 State Cup quarterfinalists, 2007 Atlanta Cup finalist, 2006 Orange Classic semi-finalist and 2006 Norcross Nike Cup Champions. more

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