Jorian Baucom, Forward, SC Del Sol

Top 150 Ranking: 11

Class: 2014

Commitment: LSU

An athletic and strong center forward from Arizona, Jorian Baucom is heading to the SEC.

The No. 11 ranked player from the class of 2014 found the right blend between school and soccer at LSU.

“My main reasons in deciding to commit to LSU were the top-notch facilities, the beautiful campus, and the incredible support I know I'll receive both on and off the field,” she told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “Another main factor contributing to my commitment to LSU is the coaching staff, Coach Brian, Kevin, and Debbie are great coaches and people and I know they will push me to my full potential for my future.”

Baucom also thinks that she’s committing to a program that will experience more success down the road, with the combination of current and incoming players looking very promising.

The school’s campus also overshadowed some of the other options she was evaluating. 

“The overall atmosphere of LSU and the strong support of the community for LSU Athletics appealed to me greatly,” she said. “After visiting UNC Chapel Hill, UCLA, and USC, the LSU campus felt like the perfect fit for me and seemed like a fun and exciting place to experience college life.”

Whitney Szeliga, Defender, Colorado Rush

Class: 2013

Commitment: Iowa

A cerebral player who can play in the midfield and along the back line, academics played a huge factor in Whitney Szeliga’s recent decision to commit to play for Iowa.

“After looking at various schools, I selected Iowa because of the outstanding academic opportunities it afforded to me to pursue a career in the field of medicine,” she told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “The Carver School of Medicine and its outstanding reputation were definitely factors in my decision.”

The team’s characteristics were obviously another huge reason in Szeliga’s commitment.

“I appreciated Coach [Ron] Rainey's commitment to the team's success on and off the field,” she said. “My interactions with current players gave me the sense that the team functions for the good of the team not as individual stars. They are one big family and all the players love the team and coaches that they play for.”

The campus and school itself held strong appeal to her as well.

“While visiting the campus, I got a sense of community and school spirit that really appealed to me,” Szeliga said. “The campus is beautiful and the community is very welcoming to the athletes and students alike. It made it an easy transition from my home and I felt comfortable. The athletic fields and facilities are also incredibly impressive.”

 

Other commitments:

Regan Lehman committed to UNC Greensboro for the class of 2014.

Samantha Vaughan committed to Youngstown State for the class of 2013.

Jennifer Pillon, who plays for the Irvine Strikers, committed to Louisiana-Monroe.

Whitney Tuckfield committed to Louisiana-Monroe for the class of 2013.