OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss soccer team will have quite a new look in 2009 with the influx of 11 high school seniors who signed national letters of intent on Wednesday to join the Rebel program.
 
One of the largest classes to ever sign with head coach Steve Holeman’s program, the 11 members come from a variety of locales, including three from Florida and two from Tennessee. They will join a Rebel squad this fall that lost seven seniors from last year’s team to graduation, but still returns a core nucleus led by three-time All-SEC defender Danielle Johnson.
 
“We lost one of the top classes in program history with last year’s seniors, so we know there are big shoes to fill,” Holeman said. “This is a group that can come in and make us stronger right away. We think these freshmen will join our returning players to make up another talented team with speed, athleticism and a competitive drive that will help us continue to be successful in the SEC and in the country.”
 
Listed below are all the members of the 2009 Ole Miss soccer signing class.
 
Charlotte Clayton (Franklin, Tenn.)
 
A senior at Independence High School just outside of Nashville, Charlotte Clayton was the school’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2007-08. The 5-foot-3 midfielder has teamed up with fellow Ole Miss signee Emily Perkins on the Brentwood Real Madrid club team that has won the Tennessee state title seven of the last eight years and advanced to the 2007 Region III Semifinals. The daughter of Martin Clayton and Laurie Ann Williams, Charlotte is also a three-time member of the Region III ODP pool.
 
“Charlotte unfortunately tore her ACL last summer, but has worked hard in her rehab and was cleared to play again on Feb. 1,” Holeman said. “She’s a very talented player and dynamic with the ball at her feet. She has the ability to run at players 1 v 1 and should be a weapon in our attack with the chance to make an impact right away.”
 
Arielle Cohen (Wellington, Fla.)
 
A 5-foot-9 midfielder by way of Florida’s Atlantic coast, Arielle Cohen is a senior at Palm Beach Central High School. As a member of Team Boca ‘90/’91 alongside fellow Ole Miss signee Kim Hobgood, she helped her club team to a championship at the 2008 Disney Girls Soccer Showcase and another finals appearance. The daughter of Adam and Vikki Cohen, she also runs cross country at her high school and has been instrumental in local canned food drives.
 
“Arielle has been one of the top youth players in her age group for the past several years,” Holeman said. “She’s a very technical central midfielder and someone you might call a ‘soccer junkie’ who loves spending time with the ball. She has tons of potential to succeed at the next level and can be a difference maker.”
 
Jade Davis (Charleston, S.C.)
 
Jade Davis is a goalkeeper spending her senior year training at the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where she was a member of IMG’s No. 13 nationally ranked U-19 club team (NationalSoccerRanking.com) this fall. Before moving to Florida, Davis was a two-time all-region selection in two seasons at Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The 5-foot-9 keeper helped Wando to the Class AAAA state title her sophomore and junior years, compiling 41 shutouts and a combined 49-3-2 record during that span. Her team earned a final ranking of No. 8 in the 2008 NSCAA/adidas national poll. The daughter of Timothy and Karen Davis was formerly a member of the Bridge Futbol Alliance club team in Charleston, S.C., and has been an ODP Region III pool selection.
 
“Jade is an extremely athletic and hard-working goalkeeper,” Holeman said. “She’s committed to the game and committed to taking her game to the next level. She should come in and push our returning keepers right away, and we think the future is very bright for her.”
 
Ally Heine (Paducah, Ky.)
 
A high school standout in soccer, basketball and softball, Ally Heine will come to Ole Miss following her senior year at Lone Oak High School in Paducah. A four-time all-district selection and three-time all-region pick in soccer, the 5-foot-5 forward helped Lone Oak to a district championship in 2005. A member of the WKYFC club team, she also earned team MVP honors three times in basketball and once in softball, while additionally competing in track and field. The daughter of Don and Kim Heine is an honor roll student and has been the president of her school’s FBLA Club.
 
“Ally is known for her relentless work ethic, which is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time,” Holeman said. “She does everything full-go. She’s very athletic and still has her best days ahead of her. I think she’ll thrive in our training environment, and we are excited for the chance to work with her on a daily basis.”
 
Alix Hildal (Cincinnati, Ohio)
 
A 5-foot-5 defender from Cincinnati, Alix Hildal is the most recent of a long list of Ole Miss signees from the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy. As a key member of that club team, Hildal helped the squad to six straight state titles, three region finals appearances (championship in 2005) and a third-place national finish in 2005. In her four years with the Sycamore High School soccer team, she helped her squad to a pair of conference titles and a district championship, while earning all-district distinction twice and all-conference first team honors three times. An honor roll student, Rick and Robyn Hildal’s daughter was also the 2008 Greater Miami Conference Player of the Year.
 
“Alix comes from a club team with great coaches who have helped her take her game to the next level,” Holeman said. “She’s an athletic, tough defender with a never-say-die attitude. She’s a true competitor who should come in and compete for a starting spot right away.”
 
Kim Hobgood (North Palm Beach, Fla.)
 
Kim Hobgood is a senior at The Kings Academy in West Palm Beach where she has captained the Lady Lions to a district championship and earned all-county honors. The 5-foot-9 defender was a Wendy’s High School Heisman nominee in part because of her success in several sports, including volleyball (2006 team state champions), tennis and golf. As the captain of Team Boca ‘90/’91 alongside fellow Ole Miss signee Arielle Cohen, she helped her club team to a championship at the 2008 Disney Girls Soccer Showcase and another finals appearance. The daughter of Wilbur & Velyn Hobgood, Kim has held numerous leadership roles at her school and won a variety of academic awards.
 
“Kim is first and foremost an outstanding student and an outstanding person,” Holeman said. “She’s a leader and an organizer on the field. She’s very composed on the ball, and when she wins the ball she can make things happen. Her ability in the air will also make her a threat on all set pieces.”
 
Lacy Key (Noble, Okla.)
 
A member of one of the top club teams in the country, Lacy Key will arrive at Ole Miss after competing with the Edmond Soccer Club ’91 Black team for the past several years. As a starting defender, she helped the squad to seven state titles, two regional championships and one appearance in the national finals. ESC ’91 has ranked as high as No. 1 in several national soccer polls during Key’s career. As a four-year team captain at Noble High School, the 5-foot-6 star earned all-state accolades as a senior and was a three-time all-district pick. She was selected to the 2006 ODP Region III pool. The daughter of Michael and Kelly Key, she is a member of National Honor Society and is a black belt and a nationally ranked fighter in taekwondo.
 
“Lacy is another player who comes in from one of the top clubs in the country,” Holeman said. “She has faced some of the top forwards in her age group. This experience along with her high work rate and toughness will make for an easier transition to the college game.”
 
Emily Perkins (Nashville, Tenn.)
 
A 5-foot-6 forward by way of Ensworth High School in Nashville, Emily Perkins has been a standout in soccer and basketball during her prep career. An all-region selection on the pitch, she was also a two-time all-region pick and three-time all-state honoree in hoops, while leading her squad to the 2008 state championship. Perkins has teamed up with fellow Ole Miss signee Charlotte Clayton on the Brentwood Real Madrid soccer club team that has won the Tennessee state title seven of the last eight years and advanced to the 2007 Region III Semifinals. She is the daughter of Mike and Judy Perkins.
 
“Emily is a strong, super-athletic forward,” Holeman said. “She is one of several multi-sport athletes in this class who also excels at basketball. Once her focus is strictly on soccer, the sky is the limit for her. Her athleticism and ability to break down defenses will cause havoc for our opponents.”
 
Alyssa Smith (Pensacola Beach, Fla.)
 
A tall figure on the soccer field and in the classroom, Alyssa Smith is a senior at Gulf Breeze High School in Gulf Breeze, Fla. The 5-foot-11 midfielder is a two-time team captain and two-time all-area selection. She led her team to the state finals as a sophomore and semifinals as a junior, while her senior season is still underway. As a five-time team captain for the Pensacola Futbol Club, she has helped PFC to three state tournament final fours and two regional appearances. The daughter of Charlie and Deanna Smith, she ranks eighth out of 382 students at her high school with a 4.4 weighted GPA and is a member of numerous academic honor societies.
 
“Alyssa adds size and strength to our team at defensive center mid,” Holeman said. “She’s a ball-winner who is very composed once she has the ball at her feet. She understands the game and reads the game extremely well. She also has the potential to compete for playing time from day one.”
 
Brittany Vanderburg (Hoover, Ala.)
 
Brittany Vanderburg will join Ole Miss after a standout prep and club career in the Birmingham area. The 5-foot-7 forward has started on the varsity soccer team at Spain Park High School since the eighth grade, and this past season earned all-state and all-metro honors while leading Spain Park to the state semifinals. She has helped her Birmingham United Soccer Association ’91 team to a pair of state titles, including an undefeated run in 2008 that resulted in a Region III South Central championship. Her BUSA club is ranked as high as No. 15 in the nation this year. The daughter of Steve and Ann Vanderburg has competed with the Alabama ODP team, while she also runs track and cross country at her high school and is a 3.8 GPA student.
 
“Brittany comes from a great club team out of Alabama,” Holeman said. “She’s known for her pace and work rate and has the ability to force opposing defenses into mistakes because of the high pressure she applies. She has speed to get in behind and should be another player who is dangerous for us up top.”
 
Mary Bailey Wickham (Columbus, Ga.)
 
A 5-foot-2 forward out of Brookstone High School in Columbus, Ga., Mary Bailey Wickham helped her school to region championships in 2006 and 2008. As a senior, she scored 34 goals with 13 assists and helped Brookstone to a 13-3-1 record and the third round of the state tournament. She has competed with the CFC Redstar club out of Columbus and more recently the AFC Lightning in Atlanta. She helped the Lightning go 10-1 and win a Division A title this year, while she has also participated with the Georgia ODP team. Wickham has also won state and region championships in tennis, as well as a region title playing volleyball at Brookstone. The daughter of Malon and Laura Wickham is a member of National Honor Society and has volunteered in a number of community service efforts.
 
“Mary Bailey has actually been coming to our camp for the last three years,” Holeman said. “It’s been great to watch her develop as a player and a person, and we’re excited that she is going to be an Ole Miss Rebel. She has tremendous speed and athleticism. She can play up top or in the back, and we think she can come in and make a difference for us in a variety of ways.”