Bulldogs Add 12 to Women’s Soccer program

February 19, 2015

The Butler women's soccer program is reloading with 12 new freshmen to boost their 2015 roster. This talented recruiting class will be a great addition to the Bulldog's squad bringing players from Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The freshmen group includes Elizabeth Ball of Fort Wayne, Ind. / Bishop Dwenger H.S., Kyra Cooke of Waldorf, Md. / North Point H.S., Jenna Dorchock of Warren, Ohio / Howland H.S., Carly Harvey of Rochester, Mich. / Stoney Creek H.S., Alex Holmes of Franklin, Tenn. / Ravenwood H.S., Gabrielle Lemkuil of Verona, Wis. / James Madison Memorial H.S., Hannah Luedtke of North Barrington, Ill. / Barrington H.S., Jamison Midgley of Rochester, Mich. / Stoney Creek H.S., Paige Monaghan of Succasunna, N.J. / Roxbury H.S., Breann Pempek of Indianapolis, Ind. / Lawrence North H.S., Halle Stelbasky of Strongsville, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit H.S., and Madison Toth of Rochester, Mich. / Stoney Creek H.S.

"We are thrilled to welcome this group of twelve incredible young women to our Bulldog family," Co-Head Coach Rob Alman explained. "It's a group of highly driven and successful students that share our team first philosophy and will embrace the Butler Way wholeheartedly. We are excited to add such a talented group of players to our program and cannot wait to begin working with them this fall."

Elizabeth Ball – Fort Wayne, Ind. (Fort Wayne United)
Ball was a three-time All-Conference selection, as well as the Defensive Player of the Year while playing for Bishop Dwenger High School. Ball also worked hard in the classroom as she was a two-time Academic All-State selection.

This four-year starter for Fort Wayne United helped her club team win three league championships and become the Indiana State Champions in 2013.

Why Ball Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because I love the small school feel, great academic possibilities and the opportunity to play high level soccer."

A Quote from Coach:
"Liz plays with a quiet confidence and has shown the ability to play as a center back and outside back. She is a cerebral player that links well with her short and mid range distribution. Liz works very hard and is diligent in her training and we look forward to the growth she will make during her career."

Kyra Cooke—Waldorf, Md. (Maryland United ECNL)
Cooke was a four-year letterwinner for North Point High School and a four-year All-County First Team selection. During her junior and senior year, Cooke was an All-SMAC selection. She received the North Point H.S. Varsity Coaches Award her junior year and then went on to win the North Point H.S. girls' soccer MVP award and County Athlete of the Year.

Cooke excelled in the classroom as she received the Scholar Athlete Award during all four years at North Point High School.

Why Cooke Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because of the academics, campus, classroom sizes and of course the soccer program. When I visited the school for the first time, the campus was covered with snow! It was gorgeous. Also, I was greeted by the coaches with such enthusiasm. I knew this was the school for me."

A Quote from Coach:
"Kyra is incredibly relaxed, confident and composed in possession and has the ability to build out of the back which has become a strong trait of our program over recent years. She is patient in her defending, covers ground quickly and reads play well. Her ability to step out and influence the game going forward as well as being a rock at the back makes Kyra an exciting prospect."

Jenna Dorchock—Warren, Ohio (Internationals ECNL)
Dorchock was a starter for the three years she played at Howland High School before deciding to play club soccer her senior year. During all three years, Dorchock was an ACC All-District First Team selection, All-Conference selection, Team MVP, and All-Academic student-athlete. Dorchock was also an All-State First Team selection and the ACC District Player of the Year her junior year, as well as her team's leading goal scorer.

In the 2012-13 season, Dorchock lead her Internationals ECNL team in goals and assists. The following season, she helped her team to become the North American League National Finalist runner-ups.

Why Dorchock Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because it is a highly ranked university with many opportunities available to me. The campus has a relaxing atmosphere and feels like a second home. The coaches have a lot of enthusiasm and pride in each player both on and off the field. I am excited that I am going to be a part of the rich history, tradition of athletics and academics at Butler."

A Quote from Coach:
"Jenna is a very gifted soccer player and a tenacious competitor. She reads the game at a very high level and can impact the game from numerous positions. We are delighted to add such a technically proficient player who is also a warrior. Her competitive spirit will be a huge asset in our BIG EAST battles."

Carly Harvey—Rochester, Mich. (Vardar ECNL)
Harvey is a three-year letterwinner at Stoney Creek High School and will complete her high school career this Spring. This two-time All-County and All-Association selection has earned the scholar athlete award every year and was also named team MVP during her Junior season.

Harvey played club soccer for Demir Muftari of the Vardar ECNL team and was a starting defender for eight years. The team was crowned as the Michigan State Cup champions in 2010 and the first place team in their ECNL U-15 B flight.

Why Harvey Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because they offer everything I wanted in a university. Not only do I have the opportunity to play soccer at such a high level, but also at the same time I will be receiving a great education through the business school. I love everything about the school from its perfect location to its ideal size. Also, by attending Butler I couldn't ask for better coaches or a stronger group of girls to play with my next four years. Having my lifelong friends Jamie Midgley and Madison Toth commit to Butler made me that much more excited about playing as a Bulldog for my college career."

A Quote from Coach:
"Carly uses her size and strength very well in aerial battles and has shown a lot of maturity in her approach to her defensive work. She is a smart and insightful player who is always looking to add to her game. Carly shares our vision on how the game should be played and is a good decision maker in possession when building out of the back."

Alex Holmes—Franklin, Tenn. (Tennessee SC)
During her two years playing for the Ravenwood High School varsity team, Holmes racked up honors including All-District and All-Region team selections her junior year. That same year Holmes helped her team to make school history after becoming state finalists. This center midfielder was an All-State honoree and won Offensive Player of the Year her senior year. During her club career with Tennessee SC, Holmes and her team were State Champions in 2011, 2012, and 2014.

Why Holmes Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because I felt like the school has so much to offer academically, and I fit into the style of play which was really important for me. The coaches and players immediately made me feel at home and welcome."

A Quote from Coach:
"Alex has great vision and an incredible range of passing. Her ability to create chances from deep lying midfield positions will provide us with a lot of variety in our attacking play from central areas. Alex is technically very clean and is a great fit for our style of play."

Gabrielle Lemkuil—Verona, Wis. (Wisconsin Rush)
This two-time All-Big Eight Conference honoree was the captain of the James Madison Memorial high school soccer team. Lemkuil was selected for the Wisconsin State Journal All-Area team and led her team to become the conference champions in 2014. She excelled off the field as well, by making the Honor Roll all four years. Lemkuil was also a captain of her club soccer team who won the MRL Midwest Regional League Championship in 2013.

Why Lemkuil Chose Butler:
"The coaches and players are dedicated to excellence and improving the program along with themselves. It is a family environment that focuses on more than just soccer, but appreciates players as student-athletes and young adults. Every part of Butler University is welcoming, and committed to making you the best person and soccer player you can be."

A Quote from Coach:
"'G' brings a lot of athleticism and pace to our team. She has the ability to beat players off the dribble and provides great service with her left foot. Her flexibility and soccer intelligence allows her to play inside as well as out wide and we're excited about adding her skill set to our group."

Hannah Luedtke—North Barrington, Ill. (FCX Black)
Luedtke is a goalkeeper who attended Barrington High School. She is a three-year starter and two-time All-Conference, All-Area, and All-Sectional honoree with her final season to come this spring. In 2013, the Chicago Sun Times named Luedtke one of the Top 50 Chicago Area Girls Soccer Players. This student-athlete recorded a 4.0 GPA and was part of the National Honor Society.

Luedtke holds 44 career shutouts with a .39 goals against average over three years. She helped her team to become three-time Mid-Suburban League Champions.

Why Luedtke Chose Butler:
"From my first visit to campus, the excellent reputation of the business school, and meeting the coaches and team members, I knew Butler was the right place for me."

A Quote from Coach:
"Hannah's technical ability across all facets of her position is impressive. Her movement and agility are fantastic and she is very sound with her handling. One of the areas that really sets Hannah apart is her quality and comfort with the ball at her feet. Her distribution is top notch and a great weapon for launching attacks."

Jamison Midgley—Rochester, Mich. (Vardar ECNL)
Midgley was a three-time All-Conference, First Team All- District, and All-Oakland County player at Stoney Creek High School with her senior season still to come. In both her sophomore and junior high school seasons, her team was named the OAA Conference Champions. Midgley was also a Division I Second Team All-State selection as a sophomore and junior. During all three years Midgley excelled in school and was named an OAA Scholar Athlete. Midgley played for Vardar Soccer Club and in 2013 she played in the Olympic Development Program National Championship in Frisco, Texas.

Why Midgley Chose Butler:
"I immediately loved Butler when I did my initial visit sophomore year. The coaches were really easy to talk to and their coaching style is a great fit with how I play, which will make playing soccer in college very enjoyable. Butler seems like a fantastic place to mature and learn with a wonderful engineering program and successful alumni. The location, education and soccer suited me perfectly and I am excited for the journey ahead!"

A Quote from Coach:
"Jamison plays with a great combination of physical power and composure on the ball. She has proven herself as an excellent and instinctive finisher and also added an element of positional versatility to her game over the past couple of seasons that will serve her very well at the collegiate level."

Paige Monaghan—Succasunna, N.J. (PDA ECNL)
Monaghan racked up a tremendous amount of awards during her four years at Roxbury High School. She is a four-time All-County, All-Conference, All-Group, and All-State player. She also was named Morris County Player of the Year, NJAC Player of the Year, Mugs Media Player of the Year, and selected as an All-American player. Monaghan also broke school records with a high of 29 season goals and 79 career goals, and the fastest goal in school history scored in five seconds.

Monaghan played for the PDA Clash ECNL team who has been ranked as part of the top eight in the nation the past three years.

Why Monaghan Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because of the academic reputation, inspiring staff and directors, unique campus, outstanding coaching staff, competitive soccer program and the hardworking and genuine players."

A Quote from Coach:
"Quite simply, Paige is a handful for defenders to deal with. Fast, direct, confident in 1v1 scenarios and a great striker of the ball. Paige has the rare ability of being able to create chances for herself and for others, and is an excellent addition to our attacking arsenal."

Breann Pempek—Indianapolis, Ind. (Dynamo FC)
Pempek is a four-year letterwinner and three-time All-Conference, All-County, and All-District player. She was also a two-time Third Team All-State and Honorable mention All-State selection. She worked off the field as well as she was an Academic All-State honoree. Pempek played for Club Dynamo FC and her team was an Indiana State Cup Finalist in 2014.

Why Pempek Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because I love the atmosphere of the campus along with the outstanding coaching staff. It is the perfect fit for me."

A Quote from Coach:
"Bre is a very strong and powerful athlete. She is excellent at rolling off defenders and carries a goal threat from distance as well as inside the box. She has really developed her all round game and is consistent with her quality of penetrating passes and link up play."

Halle Stelbasky—Strongsville, Ohio (Internationals ECNL)
Stelbasky is a striker from Walsh Jesuit High School. She was a Second Team All-State selection her sophomore season. Stelbasky missed her junior season due to injury, but managed to score 29 goals and added 13 assists during her senior season. That season she was named First-Team All-District, All-Region, All-State, and All-American. Her team won three consecutive State Championships during Stelbasky's final three seasons.

During her senior year, Stelbasky was also named NCL Player of the Year, Akron Touchdown Club Player of the Year, Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com Player of the Year, and Dapper Dan's Top 10 Players of the Year.

Why Stelbasky Chose Butler:
"I chose Butler because of the exceptional pharmacy program, successful women's soccer program, and beautiful campus."

A Quote from Coach:
"Halle is a tireless worker and a very unselfish front runner. She is willing to do all of the physically and mentally demanding parts of being a forward and does an excellent job of playing with her back to pressure. Her ability to secure possession and bring other players in to the game is first class and Halle has also shown that she can score goals in the air and with both feet."

Madison Toth—Rochester, Mich. (Vardar ECNL)
Toth is a defensive-midfielder and team captain for Stoney Creek High School. She is an All-District, All-League, and All-State Honorable Mention honoree, and was named the team MVP her junior year.

Toth was a Co-Captain of her Vardar ECNL team. In 2012, she was an Olympic Development Program Region II Champion and went on to play for the ODP Region II Team who traveled to Costa Rica. Toth also received the Student Scholar Athlete Award the past three years with her final season to come.

Why Toth Chose Butler:
"When I came to Butler for the first time when I was a sophomore, I remember sitting in Coach St. John's office and her telling me about the goals of making Butler women's soccer a top 25 team in the country. Listening to her talk about this made me want to come to this team and help and do all that I can to make this team a top team in the future. Hearing that goal and drive from not only the coaches, but some of the players as well really made it click in my mind that Butler was the school for me."

A Quote from Coach:
"Momo' is a great leader who motivates those around her and is willing to do whatever it takes for the team to be successful. She is a strong and brave competitor, defends very well in 1v1 isolation situations and thrives when faced with the challenge of shutting down the best forwards in the nation."

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