The Iowa State soccer team added nine players for the upcoming 2015 season, head coach Tony Minatta announced Wednesday. The Cyclones’ class includes several different skilled athletes at each position that will add to an already talented roster.

Head coach Tony Minatta is looking forward to see what the 2015 class has to offer to his team.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the 2015 class,” Minatta said. “We are bringing in really high character athletes who all come from winning backgrounds. They are all from teams that have had a lot of success. Each athlete brings a lot of athleticism, versatility and an overall high work rate, which is going improve and enhance the depth of our team for next year.”

For more detailed bios on the incoming recruiting class, click on the link above.

The 2015 class is headlined by midfielder Kasey Opfer. The Springfield, Mo. product was tabbed as one of the top-150 recruits in the nation by topdrawersoccer.com. Opfer enters her senior year of high school with 41 goals and 21 assists en route to earning numerous all-conference and all-state honors. Opfer was a key member of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Illinois club team that won the North American ECNL final in 2013-14.

The Cyclones were able to sign several recruits from the state of Iowa that will push for playing time early. Ellie Cavanaugh, Katie Culhane and Jordan Enga all prepped within the state and played on the Iowa Rush club team. The trio was able to lead the team to several Iowa State Cup Championships. Riley Behan hails from Davenport, Iowa. Behan earned her mark in state history when she led her Iowa City Alliance club team to a first-place finish in Region II at the 2013 US Soccer National Championships, becoming the first team in state history to qualify for the US Soccer National Championships .

Minatta adds two impressive midfielders to his 2015 class with the additions of Taylor Wagner and Emily Steil. Wagner an Overland Park, Kan. native and Emily Steil a San Juan Capistrano, Calif. native each bring selective skill sets to a position that graduated two seniors. Wagner is coming off a junior season in high school that saw her earn first-team all-state honors. Steil earned all-league honors and team MVP honors while dealing with an injury her junior season.

Looking to contribute to the Cyclone frontline will be Klasey Medelberg. The St. Louis, Mo., native has led her club team to three straight Missouri Cup Championships. Medelberg earned St. Louis all-metro honors her sophomore season.

Defender Hannah Denison will join a talented Iowa State backline. Coach Minatta hopes to utilize the 5-9 Aracada, Colo. natives speed to contest the best goal scorers in the conference. Denison led her club team to the State Cup semifinals in 2012 and 2013.

Coach Minatta is excited to see what the 2015 recruiting class can bring to a team that returns talent across the board. Iowa State returns 12 different players who earned at least one start last season including its two leading goal scorers, forwards Koree Willer and Adalie Schmidt.

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