Baylor Soccer Inks 11 Players for 2015
Baylor soccer added a wealth of depth to its roster for the 2015 season and beyond with the signing of 11 talented players, head coach Paul Jobson announced Wednesday.
“This may be one of the most complete classes we have ever brought in,” said Jobson. “Each young lady is a complete player with a mentality and knowledge of the game that will continue to help us get better. They are also top students and people, which goes along with our tradition of excellent student-athletes.”
The class actually gets deeper with early-enroll November signees of Amanda Hoglund (5-4, forward, Spring Grove, Ill.) and Ashanti Carey (5-7, forward, Bridgeton, Mo.), giving the Bears a roster of 31 players for 2015 after having a smaller roster of 23 during the 2014 campaign.
Kennedy Brown | MF | 5-5 | Challenge Soccer Club | Kingwood, Texas
Club/High School: Played at Kingwood High School … Missed most of junior season due to ankle surgery but had two goals and five assists before injury … Posted six goals and 14 assists as sophomore on varsity squad in 2013 … Named all-district second team in 2013 … Scored 12 goals and three assists as freshman on junior varsity … Crowned district and area champions from 2012-14 with record of 65-10-3.
Personal: Born on Nov. 26, 1996 … Parents are Tad and Janice Brown … Intends on majoring in business.
Jobson on Brown: “Kennedy is a good technical player. She has great ability and works extremely hard. We’re impressed with how she’s come along the last few months as she prepares for college.”
Cierra Bryant | D | 5-3 | Sporting Blue Valley | Overland Park, Kan.
Club/High School: Member of Sporting Blue Valley club team … Participated in ECNL in 2013-14 … Three-year varsity letterwinner at Blue Valley Northwest High School … Led BVNHS to state championships in 2013 and 2014 … Regional runner up in 2012.
Personal: Born on April 16, 1997 … Parents are Kevin and Shannon Bryant … Brother Kevin plays football at Missouri.
Jobson on Bryant: “Cierra is extremely fast and hard working. She’ll fit in well defensively here at Baylor.”
Jackie Crowther | F | 5-7 | Legends FC | Temecula, Calif.
Club/High School: Played in U17 World Cup for Mexican National Soccer Team and lost in quarterfinals in 2013 … Played for Legends FC … Played soccer and ran track and cross country at Linfield Christian High School … As junior in 2013, scored 24 goals and 8 assists … Named all-league first team and led league in scoring … 2013 team MVP … Scored 22 goals and 13 assists in 2012 … Named league player of the year after being named first-team all-league and leading league in scoring … 2012 team MVP … Scored 22 goals and 13 assists in 2011 … Named all-league first team and team’s offensive player of the year … Three-time league runner of the year in cross country … Two-time all-league first team selection and league points leader in track … Set school track record in six events and league record in four events.
Personal: Born on Aug. 10, 1997 … Parents are Bob and Myrna Crowther … Member of National Honor Society and Junior Honor Guard … Intends on majoring in neuroscience.
Jobson on Crowther: “Jackie is a natural goal scorer, which is something we are very excited about, and we need a lot of that moving forward with the program. She has World Cup experience and we are excited that she brings that to the program.”
Haley Foster |D/MF | 5-6 | Real Colorado | Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Club/High School: Member of Real Colorado club team from 2008 to 2014 … Participated in ECNL National Championship Playoffs with Real in 2013 and 2014 … Far West semi-finalist in 2011 … Won Colorado State Cup in 2011 … Colorado State Cup semi-finalist in 2010 … Invited to 2010-11 U.S. Soccer Federation Training Center … Participated in 2009-10 Colorado Olympic Development Program … Four-year starter at Highlands Ranch High School.
Personal: Born Nov. 12, 1996 … Parents are Paul and Jackie Foster … National Honor Society member … Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Jobson on Foster: “Haley can really play anywhere. She’s a very technical player, understands the game, and another player that works extremely hard.”
Rebecca Gartner | GK | 5-8 | UCF | Danbury, Conn.
Club/High School: Transfer from University of Central Florida who will be a redshirt freshman after not playing for UCF in 2014 ... Lettered in soccer and basketball all four years at Danbury High School … All-state honoree in 2014 … All-league choice in 2013 and 2014 … All-league in basketball in 2014 … Awarded Hearst Connecticut Media Female Athlete of the Year in 2014 … Three-time league champion in basketball.
Personal: Born July 5, 1996 … Parents are Wili and Cheryl Gartner … Plans on majoring in biochemistry … Twin sister Rachel plays basketball at Boston College.
Jobson on Gartner: “Rebecca is a mid-year transfer that has experience we are excited about. She trained with Tony DiCicco, who is one of the premier soccer coaches in the country. She’s hit the ground running and showed us her solid determination and work rate.”
Sarah King | MF | 5-11 | Dallas Texans | Coppell, Texas
Club/High School: Plays for U-18 ECNL Dallas Texans club team ... Earned spot at ECNL finals in 2013 and 2014 as well as the National Tournament in Richmond, Va. … Placed fourth nationally in ECNL in 2014 ... Recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.com for having one of the best defenses in ECNL … Gained recognition as a “Top XI Player” in the Fort Worth ECNL event in 2014 … Four-year letterwinner for Coppell High School … Served as captain for two years … Named to first-team all-district all 4 years and all-state in 2013 and 2014 … Named 5-5A District Forward of the Year after scoring 22 of her team’s 31 goals in 2014 ... Received MVP honors in the National Elite Soccer Tournament two years in row … Featured by TopDrawerSoccer.com as the High School Player of the Week in both 2014 and 2015 … Played basketball freshman year, earned first-team all-district selection.
Personal: Born Dec. 11, 1996 … Parents are John and Kristal King … Brother Charles is committed to TCU as a baseball pitcher … Plans on majoring in pre-law.
Jobson on King: “Sarah has a lot of talent and size, and she’s fast for her size. She’ll fit really well into what we are doing here at Baylor.”
Megan Kostolansky | D/MF | 5-4 | NSA | Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Club/High School: Played on NSA club team … Four-year varsity starter at Glenbard West High School … Notre Dame All-Star Team choice from 2012-15 … Crowned 2014 Midwest Regional League Champion … Captain of the varsity team in 2014.
Personal: Born March 27, 1997 … Parents are David and Mary Kostolansky … Plans on majoring in pre-law.
Jobson on Kostolansky: “Megan is another player that can play anywhere. Fast and athletic, and we are excited about what she brings to the program.”
Ariel Leach | F | 5-5 | Dallas Sting | Flower Mound, Texas
Club/High School: Member of Dallas Sting club team since 2012 … Won 2014 ECNL U17 national championship and Texas Conference championship … Participated in ECNL U17 Finals in 2013 … Reached USYSA Regional semifinals in 2013 … Took seventh place in 2013 USYSA National League … Crowned Premier League West Champion in 2012 … Played for Flower Mound High School … 2013 all-district choice and Newcomer of the Year in 2013 … All-conference first team in 2013 and 2014 … Named team captain in 2014.
Personal: Born on May 10, 1997 … Parents are Scott and Aileen Leach … Member of National Honor Society.
Jobson on Leach: “Ariel is a very good attacking player that works extremely hard. She has a chance to contribute to our attack right away.”
Hannah Parrish | GK | 5-8 | Team Chicago | Naperville, Ill.
Club/High School: Played for Team Chicago club squad and four-year team captain … Played on Illinois Olympic Development Team in 2012-13 … Participated on the ODP Region II Pool in 2012 … Four-year varsity letterwinner at Neuqua Valley High School … Crowned regional champions in 2012 and 2013.
Personal: Born on Jan. 14, 1997 … Parents are Don and Kristen Parrish … Academic all-conference honoree from 2012-15 … Intends on majoring in food science.
Jobson on Parrish: “Hannah is an athletic goalkeeper and great shot stopper.”
Lauren Piercy | F | 5-2 | D’Feeters Soccer Club | Amarillo, Texas
Club/High School: Played on D’Feeters Soccer Club and won U18 ECNL national championship in 2014 … Four-year varsity letterwinner for Randall High in Amarillo, Texas … Helped RHS to a 58-12-7 record while winning two district championships … Three-time all-district selection … Named district player of the year in 2014 … Team’s offensive MVP in 2014 … Posted 21 goals and eight assists as junior … Had 24 goals and 14 assists as sophomore … Tallied 21 goals and 10 assists as freshman … Also lettered in basketball for three seasons and track for four … Two-time district champion as a guard in hoops … Ran the 100- and 200-meter dash, 400- and 800-meter relay, did hurdles and both long and high jumps in track.
Personal: Born on Nov. 2, 1996 … Parents are Brian Simpkins and Susan Piercy … Intends on majoring in pre-med … Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Jobson on Piercy: “Lauren won the ECNL national championship last year and brings that experience of knowing what it takes to win at a high level. She’s another fast forward that will help us on the attack.”
Kylie Ross | D | 5-7 | Dallas Texans | McKinney, Texas
Club/High School: Played for the Dallas Texans club team … Earned spot at ECNL finals in 2013 and 2014 as well as the National Tournament in Richmond, Va. … Recognized on ECNL all-event team in Sanford, Fla., in 2012 … Recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.com for having one of the best defenses in ECNL … Played at McKinney Boyd High School … Helped MBHS to 16-3-5 season in 2014 with 17 team shutouts … Second-team all-state and first-team all-district in 2014 … Named team’s defensive MVP in 2014 … Second-team all-district in 2013 … Led team to an undefeated season and district title with 22 goals in 2012.
Personal: Born on Dec. 5, 1996 … Parents are Marty and Kristen Ross … Intends on majoring in biology … Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Jobson on Ross: “Kylie really fits in well with what we do defensively here at Baylor. She will continue the reputation we have of having great defense and solid players in the back.”
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