Arizona State University head women’s soccer coach Kevin Boyd today announced that Sydney Day, Melinda Gutierrez, Kylie Miniefield, Adriana Orozco, Jaime Salas, Natalie Stephens and Maddie Wolf have signed to study and play soccer at ASU.

Of the seven new players who will be joining the Sun Devils for the 2015 season, six hail from the Valley of the Sun, something that Boyd said makes this class special.

"We think we put together a very good class once again,” Boyd said. “We’re thrilled that the majority of it is coming out of Arizona: six of the seven are from Arizona. We have wanted to get deeper into the state of Arizona and have our team better represent the state and this is a great step in that direction. We also have one player coming out of the state of Washington, which is an area where we have gotten some great players over the years.”

Below are information capsules on each player…

Sydney Day

GK • Monroe, Wash. • Monroe HS • Northwest Nationals

Four-year varsity member of Monroe… Team captain for two years (junior and senior)… Earned second-team All-WESCO recognition as a freshman and first-team honors her sophomore, junior and senior seasons… Earned Coaches Award Most Inspirational on Team Award… Helped lead her Northwest Nationals club team to a state and national championship… Mother graduated from ASU in 1991.

Head Coach Kevin Boyd on Sydney Day: “Sydney came to our camp and we really liked how she performed. She has good size, good presence and is well-trained. We know her keeper coach, who is one of the top guys out there. We think she has a tremendous upside and is a player who can come in and start contesting right away for a spot in the lineup.”

Melinda Gutierrez

F/D • Gilbert, Ariz. • Gilbert HS • San Tan Legacy

Earned Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman… Was named her team’s Offensive MVP as a sophomore (scored 16 goals) and junior (scored 18 goals) in addition to earning All-District, All-Section and All-Division honors both years… Has been recognized as a Golden Scholar each of the last three years… In the last three years has helped lead her San Tan Legacy club team to a pair of state titles and a runner-up finish.

Head Coach Kevin Boyd on Melinda Gutierrez: “Melinda is a left-footed, tactical, smart soccer player, who I feel is really underrated. She reads the game well and she reads opponents well. She is capable of playing anywhere on the left flank and so we will be looking at her as a left forward and a left defender. I’m excited about what she will bring to our program.”

Kylie Miniefield

M • Chandler, Ariz. • Hamilton HS • San Tan Legacy

Is a two-time Golden Boot winner and three-time Midfielder of the Year recipient for Hamilton High School… Was named Midfielder of the Year three years in a row… Named to each of the following teams in both 2013 and 2014: First-Team All-Section, First-Team All-Division, All CUSD Girls Soccer Team and Division 1 All-Arizona Team… Her club team, San Tan Legacy, captured state titles in 2011-12 and 2013-14 and the Far West Regional title in 2013-14… Region 4 semifinalists in 2013-14… Joined National League in 2014-15…  Member of Arizona ODP for two years… Also competed in Region 4 ODP Pool Camp and for Interregional Region 4 Team… Father is former Sun Devil football player Kevin Miniefield, who went on to play five years in the NFL. Kevin currently works for the Sun Devil Club.

Head Coach Kevin Boyd on Kylie Miniefield: “Kylie is someone who can make a mark right away. Because of her athleticism she is capable of playing multiple positions. Right now she is primarily playing in the midfield. That is where we recruited her, but I could see her playing in other spots as well. She is an extremely mobile player, who can go 18 to 18, can do it all game long and can do it at a high speed. She is one of those special athletes who is fast, quick and has endurance, which is incredibly rare. She can be the transitional mid, she can also be the attacking mid because of the speed she possesses. And, because she is such a good defender, she could also be the holding mid.”

Adriana Orozco

M • Buckeye, Ariz. • Verrado HS • SC del Sol

Team captain for Verrado (2014-15)… All-Division Second Team (2011-12 and 2012-13)… All-Section Second Team (2011-12)… All-Section First Team (2012-13)…  Helped lead team to a pair of semifinal appearances (2011-12 and 2012-13)… Most exciting team to watch (2012)… Honor roll all four years… Played club soccer for SC del Sol ECNL 96 from 2012-2013 before moving up to SC del Sol ECNL 97 (2013-present)… Team captain of ECNL 97 (2013-present)… ODP experience includes Arizona 97 ODP team (2011-12 and 2012-13). 

Head coach Kevin Boyd on Adrianna Orozco: “Adrianna is one who is probably a little under the radar because she has had injuries to both knees. Her last two years have been spent rehabbing instead of actively playing. She is a very good soccer player. She has good feet, is quite mobile and she has a really good understanding of the game. We are curious as to which of the three midfield spots will be her best spot. Is she a holder, a transitional, or an attacking mid for us? Everyone who has coached her has said she can play all three. When she settles in we will see. She is another one who is going to come in and do well for us.”

Jaime Salas

F • Chandler, Ariz. • Hamilton HS • San Tan Legacy

Four-year varsity member of Hamilton High School… Named Offensive Player of the year in 2013 and 2014… Named to the CUSD All-District and All-Section Second Team in 2013 and 2014… As a member of San Tan Legacy, won state championships in 2013 and 2014… Team was also a finalist in the 2013 state championship… Member of ’97 ODP team in 2012 and 2013… ODP team was a finalist in regional championship both years.

Head coach Kevin Boyd on Jaime Salas: “Jaime is what I like to call a sniffer – a forward who is really good near the goal. When someone like Jaime gets a hold of the ball close to the opponent’s net she knows what to do with it. She is at her best when she gets inside the 18.” She is active, high energy and causes opponents fits.  She will immediately contribute to our attack as she is already familiar with the way I like our forwards to play."

Natalie Stephens

F • Phoenix, Ariz. • Anthem Boulder Creek HS • Sereno SC

Team captain (2013 and 2014)… Earned Coaches Award for Player of the Year as a … Followed that with Offensive Player of the Year each of the next two years… Division 1/Section III All-District Team (2011-12)… Division 1/Section IV All-Section First Team (2013-14)… Division 1 HS Girls All-State Team (2013-14)… Played with Sereno soccer club for two years… Accomplishments with Sereno included U15 2012 state champion, ECNL U16 National Champions (2012-13), ECNL National Championship third place Flight B (2011-12), U16 All-Event Team at ECNL Phoenix National Event Series (2012-2013), U16 All-Event Team at ECNL San Diego National Event Series (2012-13)… Named Top-Drawer Soccer Player of the Week on April 5, 2014 after scoring two goals, one game-winner and recording three assists in the two games her team won… ODP experience includes U16 Region IV second place (2012-13), U15 Region IV second place (2011-12), ODP Regional Camp Invitation (2013).

Head coach Kevin Boyd on Natalie Stephens: “Natalie is a forward who is special in every possible way. She helped lead her ENCL team to a national championship two years ago. They played primarily a 4-5-1 and she was the ‘1’ and she was unstoppable during that event. She is special in many ways. She has instincts with the ball that you cannot teach and outstanding creative skillfulness.”

Maddie Wolf • D • Chandler, Ariz. • Corona del Sol HS • San Tan Legacy

Four-year varsity starter for Corona del Sol… Team captain (2014-15)… Top new comer (2011-12)… Defensive MVP (2012-13)… Midfield MVP (2013-14)… Tempe All City (2012-13 and 2013-14)… All Tribune First Team (2012-13 and 2013-14)… Arizona Republic All-State honorable mention (2012-13)… All-Section First Team (2012-13 and 2013-14)… All Arizona Girls Second Team (2013-14)… All-Division Second Team (2013-14)… National Honors Society 2013-15… AIA Scholar Athlete Award and team academic award… Club highlights include 2012 Presidents Day finalist and 2014 semifinalist, 2012 LV Heat Invitational champions, 2012 Nomads Coaches Showcase champions, state champions (2012 and 2014), state finalist in 2013, 2012 Regions IV Championship quarterfinalist and semifinalist in 2014, 2014 Players Showcase champions, 2013 FWRL Desert Premier Division champions, 2014 USYSA National League sixth place… Has two years of ODP experience.

Head coach Kevin Boyd on Maddie Wolf: “Maddie Wolf is a center back who is incredibly skillful with her feet. She is resembles (current Sun Devil center back) McKenzie Berryhill in that she is comfortable with the ball at her feet. She is someone who I think will be a great player for us down the line.”