An update on some UNC alums.... Heard that Vicky Bruce will soon be Joining Lindsey Harris to play professionally in Iceland on the FH team. Vicky had two good years at Davidson (especially her senior season) and should do well in Iceland. Lindsey in her first several games as the starting keeper is (as I had predicted! ahem..) doing very well and was named the keeper of the week in the league for the first two weeks in that 10 team league. And..... Adelaide Gay is also playing in the Icelandic pro league a for IBV and they played Lindsey's team recently. Addie had a great game and IBV triumphed 1-0 on a long pass to put the forward in on Lindsey. And, yes, looking at the clip, Addie is as adventuresome as ever in patrolling the outer ranges of her box to good effect!
More UNC WoSo alum stuff.... Geesh. I never imagined I'd be interested in the engagement of a soccer player. That's not normally my thing... But since she has been one of my favorite players since 2008 (U17 WC) I am curious to whom Crystal Dunn is engaged! In the article regarding the parallel trajectories of Crystal, Julie Johnston, and Morgan Brian on US Soccer, Brian talks about how amazing it is that they each got engaged within a few months. Julie just got married to her college boyfriend (Philadelphia Eagle tight end) Zach Ertz and Brian went public with her engagement back in February to soccer player Fabrice Gautrat, but the internet (other than a single potentially relevant photo on Crystal's twitter account with no name attached) is completely silent on this matter. Congratulations are in order and I am happy for her, but does any Carolina fan know the story?
Well, it's almost June and the UNC has not yet announced it's 2017 class. Recently it has usually been about this time, but this may take a little while longer. At the moment, It appears that the 2017 class is a class of 8 (possibly 9), but if the delay in announcing goes much longer there may be another player or two in the mix. (I suspect that the coaching staff is turning over every rock looking for a back-up keeper, otherwise they'll have to put an ad in the DTH in the fall.) Right now I have the following players coming. Alea Hyatt Emily Fox Brooke Bingham Taylor Otto Carlotte Wubben-Moy Sydney Spruill Laura Sparling Miah Araba The first 5 (possibly 6) above will be full or partial scholarship players, while the last 2 or 3 on the list may be recruited walk-ons. (In addition to one or to that are yet unknown, there is an outside possibility that Bailey Petersen, who has already been admitted to UNC, will be an additional walk-on.) Note that I have included Taylor Otto in this class although she was originally supposed to have in the 2016 class. However, she was off playing for the U20s a year ago and the 2017 season will be her first. Of this group, Emily Fox, Otto Taylor, and Carlotte Wubben-Moy will be the players likely to get significant playing time this fall. They all are internationally experienced defenders. But since the Heels already have two experienced defenders (junior Julia Ashley and senior Maya Worth) plus have returning junior Jesse Scarpa (who was outstanding at the center back role this spring) not all of the frosh can be defensive starters. In particular, Emily Fox may be the first of the three to get moved up field. (The defensive glut would have been even larger if Maggie Bill had not torn her ACL last month as a lacrosse player.) Hyatt, Bingham, and Spriull will each get careful looks, but unless they surprise, their development will be counted on for a future year. Sparling and Araba are true walk-ons from Chapel Hill, and while we can hope that they will blossom like Caitlin Ball and command a starting position, they too may have to bide their time for a year or two to get significant playing time. But I am always prepared to be surprised!
I did not know she was engaged, but it must be Pierre Soubrier, the head trainer for the Washington Spirit. They both have pictures of them together on social media and comments about missing you, etc.
Not sure how much All-State matters, nor how the players are selected, but saw a number of girls listed in NC who at last rumor were headed to UNC: http://www.ncsca.org/girlsallstateteam 4A Isabelle Cox Tori Hansen Maggie Pierce Alexis Strickland 2A Miah Araba Laura Sparling Private Claudia Dickey Mary Elliot McCabe
Your listing is accurate and an interesting a guage of how well UNC is doing with in-state players, but "All State" doesn't mean that these girls are at the same level. For instance I think that we will find that in the 2018 class (juniors in this listing) Ashlyn Serepca (Virginia recruit) will be head and shoulders better than UNC recruits Mary Elliot McCabe and Claudia Dickey. But then not listed in the All State list is UNC recruit Briana Pinto who is at the top of that class. (Pinto has not played in recent games this spring for Jordan High School in Durham.) Same is true for the 2017 class where Brooke Bingham (West Jefferson High School) is not listed and would have been among the top players in 3A whereas Miah Araba and Laura Sparling while they played important roles in Carrboro High School's championship season this spring, would not be near the top players in the the 2017 class overall. The NC High School Coaches Association listing does show, however, that UNC is certainly getting its share of in-state players, but then again, so are other colleges in the state including Duke, NC State, UNC Wilmington, East Carolina, etc. while some of the top players are going out of state (Serepca to Virginia, Claire Griffiths to Florida State, Morgan Everette to Louisville, Hailey Garrett to LSU.)
Fair points, and looks like of the All-state list only Hansen, Pierce and Dickey have national team time (and of course Pinto had she played high school).
Another incredible and insightful Dorrance interview....this time on Carolina Insider Podcast (skip to about the 30:00 min mark for Anson's intro.) He talked about an hour. Touched on everything from new stadium (boy is he excited), having every championship trophy OFF THE FLOOR for the first time in history, recruiting vs Stanford (claims he has won only 6 of 46 recruiting battles with Cardinal), new recruits (mentioned two English youth coming to CH), his early days and well....just a ton of fun stuff. It's like listening to NPR's This American Life......not sure you want to spend the time but then you just can't get enough once you start. Simply an amazing ambassador for soccer and UNC...and an incredible person it seems. http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle....3.1944489181.1496790935-1703182067.1476212629
Two of the recruits you mention above who have had some YNT exposure, Pierce and Dickey, have only gotten quick looks so far. Dickey (a 2018) may not get another invite as there are plenty of other good keepers in that class. She is a good athlete whose wider notoriety is as a basketball guard, and this last spring no longer started as a keeper at her high school as she has apparently been supplanted there. (But, as always, I am never troubled by being wrong when UNC players develop nicely and end up as starters.) Pierce (2019) might just be coming into her own and may get future call-ups, but we will have to wait and see. So to sum up by class with your metric of YNT expososure, For 2018, Pinto is in a a class by herself and is very strong. Rachel Jones has had significant YNT experience and while not making the U17 World Cup team, did play in the qualifiers for the US. She has been looked at twice at the U18 level. Both Jordan Taylor and Rachel Dorwart have essentially fallen off of the US YNT map. Dorwart dropped off the YNT teams in August of 2015, but then two years later was looked at in a U19 camp in March of this year but has not been invited since. Taylor was invited to multiple U17 camps until January 2016 but then was moved back to the U16s for two camps and has not been invited to any YNT events since August. (Dickey I comment on above.) For 2019, the two recruits who have had significant national team time are Maycee Bell and Tori Hansen -both back line defenders. Bell has had 9 U16 camps, and significant U17 experience last year, and then 2 U18 camps this year. Let's hope that her development continues. Hansen, after a series of U15 camps last year, seems to be coming on stronger in recent months with several recent call-ups to the U17s. Keeper Mariza Josepheson had 5 U15 camps last year, and one "look-see" this spring with the U17s. As I mentioned above, Pierce may be turning a developmental corner and could take off. Lastly, Aleigh Gambone has had one look at a U-18 camp, so we'll have to see if that goes anywhere.
Is that last name, Gambone from the Washington DC area? I caught a hs game while down there for the DoD and there was a team with an Allie Gambone, or something like that, The bone thing sticks in my head and I remember the crowd and her team screaming "take over the game, Allie" and "take them all on, Allie". If this happens to be the same one, it looked to me that she was dominated by her mark who was one of the best all-around players I have ever seen at that age. Nobody knew who she was.
Holmes12 said: Is that last name, Gambone from the Washington DC area? Yes, she plays for the Mclean club.
Thanks, hunter. Funny how reading the name brought this recollection back. I wonder if the other player is committed or signed. Her team looked inferior by far yet they won. She reminded me of Earvin Johnson.
There was a SM post about Alessia Russo, an England middy, who will be a Tar Heel this fall. Do we know anything about her?
babranski, it was about three weeks ago. I was driving to dinner and saw a LED high school sign displaying girls soccer tonight so with nothing better to do, I stopped back in. I can tell you that I think it was an elimination game as the Ally team was sprawled out on the field and consoling each like Au Lang Syne. I think the outcome was unexpected. I now wish I pursued it more while there but I knew CB's spreadsheet was down for the count.
So we're going have to get used to internationals on the team.... (Probably should check in with Florida State fans to find out how this stuff works...) Russo is on the U19 squad for England and they have qualified for the UEFA championships which are held in Northern Ireland this year and do not end until August 20. Consequently, I do not think that we will see Russo on the field until September. (Depending on how far the Young Lionesses get in the tournament and when she can get a flight to the US she may miss freshman orientation and some initial classes not to mention almost a month of soccer practices with the Tarheels. Sounds like a rough way to start one's college career.
babranski, one more thing I thought about. This girl wore #3. Her team was white and red. If that helps.
I'm still having trouble identifying the game. The schedules are a mess for Centreville. I've got a 10 blow out loss vs Fairfax 2 weeks weeks ago, & a Double OT loss 4 weeks ago, & I can't find anything in between which you are suggesting. I thought maybe you meant McClean but nothing for them, either.
if that's so, your #3 is one Erica Griffith, who isn't listed at Top Drawer, or anywhere else for that matter.
Whoa, I think I deleted my post adding info. Did you catch it babrinski? I think it was Centreville vs Herndon on 5/15 as I flew in on Sunday, 5/14. If Centreville was the team in black (which it looks like on their website). Is that how you found that name?
Herndon High School has 2 players listed by Top Drawer, #6 Renee Kohler, & #19 Jenna Vigneault. Midfielder & Forward.
Hmm, I still don't see my post. I've had my posts disappearing at this site sometimes, then reappearing, then going away again. This player wore #3, that is the one given I know, hard to forget, well, that and my now confirmed flight time. Just googled the roster, looks like a Junior. I tried a twitter search for a commit, nothing that I can find. CB would be good at this. If this is the player and she's still out there, wow.
Depending on how coaches incorporate their style and allows them some freedoms you may find that you will love the flair they bring to the field, and your players will be better people for learning about different cultures!