Iona WSOC Sign 10 New Gaels To NLIs
NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona College women's soccer Head Coach Sarah Brady have announced 10 new student-athletes who will join the program for the upcoming 2018 season.
Emma Havrilla
Goalkeeper
Northport, NY
Northport High School
Havrilla has had two standouts seasons at Northport High School. In 2016 she was named the Suffolk County Playoff Most Valuable Player. Havrilla has been named to the Suffolk County All-League Team in 2016 and 2017.
Adopted by parents Bettina and Paul after being born in Moscow, Russia, Havrilla has been raised in an athletic house. Her father played Division I football at Bucknell where he was a four-year letter winner and is currently the Bison's all-time leader in career tackles.
She plans on majoring in Criminology while attending Iona.
Coach Brady On Havrilla: "As soon as I saw her, I was in love her. She was massive. She was cold. She was aggressive. She gets the job done."
Kailey Homoky
Goalkeeper
Davie, FL
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Homoky was a four-year starter at St Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida and the starting GK for the very successful Sunrise SC 99/00 team who have captured numbered Florida State titles. She is an athletic goalie who has great leadership skills. She is a competitor and brings with her a winning mindset having been a member of very successful programs at both high school and club levels.
Homoky plans to pursue a degree in English.
Coach Brady On Homoky: "She came to a clinic. She lit the clinic up not just with her skills but with her personality and she was one of us. She did a great job of putting herself in front of us."
Gabriella Cocucci
Centerback | Midfielder
Nyack, NY
Nanuet High School
Cocucci has started and played high school varsity soccer since eighth grade. She has been named Nanuet High School's team Most Valuable Player while also garnering three-time All-League selections. Cocucci was also selected and participated in PDP Select Team.
While part of her club team, the North Rockland Rowdies, the Nyack, NY native earned two NY State Cup Championships in 2013 and 2014. Her team was a National Cup XIII finalist in 2014. While a member of the Rowdies, her team was ranked No. 1 in the country for their age range on three separate occasions.
Cocucci anticipates pursuing a degree in business.
Coach Brady On Cocucci: "She backs herself. She is very confident, very vocal…I'm very excited to see what she can bring."
Gabriella D'Emilio
Defender
Perth Amboy, NJ
Woodbridge High School
D'Emilio joins the Maroon & Gold as a four-time GMC All-White Division and GMC All-Conference Selection. She was voted to the Home News Tribune All-Area performer since her sophomore season.
As an attendee of Woodbridge High School, D'Emilio reset records. She is the school's all-time leader in goals with 85, and points with her additional 49 assists.
Success wasn't at just the high school level. As part of her club team coach by Massimo Cedraschi, D'Emilio was part of a pair of championships in 2015. Come 2016, her team was the NPL National Champion and the Disney Soccer Showcase victor. This past year, her team won the USYS New Jersey Stats Cup Championship for a second straight year. Individually, she was also named a top-20 honoree in the NJGSCA All-State North 2 Region.
D'Emilio excelles in the classroom at Woodbridge High School being a member of the National Honor Society. She has found time between her studies and soccer to volunteer her time at various charitable organizations and events that include Heroes and Cool Kids, Barrons for Ben, and the New Jersey State Senior Olympics.
Coach Brady On D'Emilio: "The kid is all heart. It's not Gabby D'Emilio we're recruiting, it's the community of Gabby D'Emilio…we definitely get a big sense of community from Gabby."
Jackie Morris
Forward
Garden City, NJ
Garden City High School
Jackie is a versatile player with speed to burn. She recently served the Garden City High School program as captain and was also a leader with her club team the Massapequa Strikers.
Jackie is coming to Iona with an undecided major.
Coach Brady On Morris: "Jackie is a leader…she's barking at people on the pitch. Giving instructions, giving orders and I'm loving it…That was it for me, I loved it."
Marika Niekowal
Forward
Bristol, England
Redcliffe Sixth Form
As an international student-athlete coming to New Rochelle, Niekowal brings a strong skill set to Gael Nation. She has served as her high school team's captain and was given the Victrix Ludorum Senior School Sports prize.
At the club level, Niekowal has been the top goal scorer for the most recent 2016-17 season. She was awarded the club award for sportsmanship and discipline.
Academically Niekowal achieved an abundance of grades of graduating from secondary school. Over this most recent summer, herself and a multitude of volunteers raised money and awareness for the young homeless population in her hometown of Bristol, England.
Coach Brady On Niekowaj: "What I love about this class is that it's so diverse…Iona is a very inclusive environment and we are excited to get all these different type of athletes together…Her nickname is "Angry Bird"…as in all of her action shots she looks a very angry and focused."
Faith Preziosi
Forward | Midfielder
Morristown, NJ
Parsippany High School
As a dangerous speedy attacker for Parsippany High School and the Princeton Soccer Association, Preziosi will bring a scoring presence to the Maroon & Gold. She has been named First-Team All-County.
With her family being the main inspiration for her play and lifestyle, Preziosi has been a constant volunteer presence for her school's service nights.
Coach Brady On Preziosi: "She is a hard kid. A genuine "Hard Case". You knock her down and she is not just getting up she is popping up quick and she'll be right back on you."
Andrea Ferrer
Defender
Barcelona, Spain
Escola Frederic Mistral
Ferrer is elegant on the ball. Growing up in Barcelona, Spain, the game is ingrained in her from an early age and you can tell with the way she plays.
Ferrer plays at the highest level in her native Spain and is the captain for both Espanyol and the Catalan national team.
She is the brother junior Humbert Ferrer, who is a stout defender for the Iona men's soccer team. Both primarily play the centerback position.
Ferrer plans to pursue a degree in Business.
Coach Brady On Ferrer: "Andrea was very excited by what we are building. She loved the enthusiasm of the session and she related to the energy…the family is happy with the experience that Humbert's got, and we are hoping Andrea can have a similar one."
Mikayla Fosina
Attacker
Norwalk, CT
Brien McMahon High School
Fosina is a duel letter wining athlete at Brien McMahon HS in Norwalk, CT competing with both the varsity track and soccer teams. An instrumental player, she plays her club soccer with the highly regarded CFC program at the ECNL level. Fosina is bringing a high level of competitive experience with her to New Rochelle, NY.
Mikayla Jackie is going Iona with an undecided major.
Coach Brady On Fosina: "She is the most enthusiastic person I've ever met in my life…she is just so endearing and you fall in love with her right away."
Taylor D'Alessandro
Defender
West Hempstead, NY
West Hempstead High School
Iona's newest defender brings an air of leadership and steadiness. D'Alessandro has been the captain of her high school team for the last three seasons while being top 25 academically in her graduating class. On the field she earned Most Valuable Player at the senior all-star game in additional to being named All-Conference, All-Class and All-County.
D'Alessandro has two siblings, both of whom have played NCAA soccer. Her older brother Nicholas played soccer at MAAC rival Siena.
In conjunction with her academic achievements, D'Alessandro is a part of Key Club which is a program that organizes service events through the school and local West Hempstead community.
Coach Brady On D'Alessandro: "She is the best teammate I've seen at the youth level …she is very hard-working…you're getting that blue collar working mentality."
The Maroon & Gold continue their offseason training now and Fans can keep up with the latest news and excitement surrounding Iona women's soccer by following the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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