Mariel Adams, Defender, Real Colorado
Class: 2013
Commitment: Notre Dame

Injuries are difficult to overcome, but Mariel Adams appears to have landed on her feet.

The U.S. youth international missed a significant chunk of her U17 year because of an ACL and meniscus injury. Her talent and hard work helped her overcome the setback, and she recently made a commitment to play at Notre Dame for head coach Randy Waldrum.

“I decided to commit to Notre Dame because of the amazing education I can receive, the soccer team is one of the best out there, and a big part of it was that there was a sense of family wherever I went,” she wrote TopDrawerSoccer.com in an email. “The group of girls are so nice and welcoming and really seem to get along just fine. The coaches are all so nice and really take the time to make sure each and every player is comfortable.”

A defender for her Real Colorado side, she also cited the significant impression the program made to her off the field.

“My favorite aspect of the soccer program is the great people who make up every aspect of it,” she said. “Again, everyone is so nice and they really are a family. If one of the girls is having troubles in any part of their life weather it be soccer, school, or family issues, they'll make sure that everything is okay.”

Of course, on the field, she’ll be challenged to become a better player.

“The soccer at Notre Dame is at a very high level so I know that I will always be challenged and my game will always be improving.”

Cara Connatser, Goalkeeper, Dallas Texans
Class: 2013
Commitment: Texas

Making her verbal commitment to become a Texas Longhorn was the realization of a dream for shot-stopper Cara Connatser.

“The truth is that I have been a Longhorn since birth,” she wrote TopDrawerSoccer.com in an email. “When I was given the chance to join the team, it was a dream come true. I had to take it, and I am very excited.”

New head coach Angela Kelly has yet to coach her first game for Texas in a competitive match, but her influence within the recruiting process was instrumental in convincing Connatser to make the choice.

“You can see the vision [the coaches] have in the team they are building,” Connatser said. “This group of ladies is going to win a lot of games, and hopefully get deep into the tournament for many years to come.  I cannot wait to watch the team play this year and then to join them next summer.”

Maddie Huster, Defender, Ohio Elite SA
Top 150 Rank: 46
Class: 2014
Commitment: Wake Forest

Huster, a top 50 ranked defender out in Ohio, shared her recruiting search back in April.

After doing her due diligence, the promising prospect landed on a decision to verbally commit to ACC powerhouse Wake Forest and join Tony da Luz’s 2014 recruiting class.

“I decided to commit to Wake Forest for a number of reasons,” she wrote TopDrawerSoccer.com in an email. “First and foremost, the academic programs are among the top in the country and the soccer program is of the same caliber. In addition, I felt comfortable there when I visited, both with the coaches and players.”

Da Luz and his coaching staff was just one of many reasons she ended up committing to the North Carolina school.

“The main things that stood out to me about the soccer program were the coaching staff, style of play and the league Wake Forest plays in, the ACC,” she said.