Wyoming Soccer Announces 2014 Recruiting Class

Six from the United States, two from Canada and one Australian

LARAMIE, Wyo. (Feb. 5, 2013) -- The University of Wyoming women’s soccer program has announced the addition of nine student-athletes who will join the Cowgirls for the 2014 season. Kayla Cryer, Cassidy Entsminger, Sarah Erickson, Summer Halle, Kaitlyn Lomsnes, Claire Parker, Georgia Rowntree, Tristan Tyrell and Cayla Velander will make up the Cowgirls’ signing class this fall. They are joined by Katie Marcheso, who transferred to Wyoming after one season at Oklahoma.

“We’re pretty excited for this group of nine,” UW head coach Pete Cuadrado said. “They provide us some depth that we needed this past season, some depth at positions that we needed and obviously have some big shoes to fill with the seniors that graduated.”

These players will join 20 returning Cowgirls, including 13 that started at least one match from last year’s squad. The Cowgirls finished the season 7-11-4, after reaching the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament. It was just the second time in program history UW has advanced to the MW quarterfinals.

Wyoming’s Soccer 2014 Recruiting Class

Kayla Cryer – Forward – Calgary, Alberta (John G. Diefenbaker)

A three-sport athlete at John G. Diefenbaker High School, Cryer plays volleyball, basketball and rugby and was named the grade 10 Female Athlete of the Year. A four-year member of the Calgary Blizzard, she helped lead the team to a gold medal in the 2013 Alberta Provincials and on to the National Championships in Newfoundland. Cryer was also a member of the 2012 Alberta Provincial team that won a bronze medal at the National All-Star tournament in Halifax. The daughter of David and Shelley Cryer, she has one older sister, Alanna, who plays rugby at University of Victoria and also one younger sister, Julia. She plans to study nursing at UW.

Cassidy Entsminger – Goalkeeper – Las Vegas, Nev. (Liberty)

Entsminger has been a part of the Heat FC of Nevada since 2010. Playing for the U15 team and then the U16 team in 2011, Entsminger was a member of the Heat FC ECNL U17 in the Champions League division during the 2012-2013 regular season and playoffs. She has played in three state cup championships, two state cup finals and one Far West Regional tournament. Entsminger also helped her team become national finalists at the 2012 ECNL National Championships in Chicago and a Champion’s League qualification at the 2013 ECNL National Playoffs in Denver. The daughter of John and Jill Entsminger, she has one sister, Daphne, and a brother, John. Her niece is Tayler Heintz, who is a freshman attending Wyoming.

Sarah Erickson – Midfielder – Cheyenne, Wyo. (Cheyenne East)

A varsity starter all throughout high school and three-time All-State selection for Cheyenne East, Erickson also played club soccer for Fort Collins Arsenal. She helped Cheyenne East to a state championship her junior year, led Fort Collins Arsenal to a runner-up finish in the 2012 Colorado State Cup and participated in the Far West regionals in Hawai’i. She also is a four-year varsity basketball player and was named outstanding junior female athlete at Cheyenne East, while having a 3.7 GPA in high school. The daughter of Wally and Kris Erickson, she plans to study business at Wyoming.

Summer Halle – Midfielder – Colorado Springs, Colo. (Cheyenne Mountain)

A four-year varsity letterwinner for Cheyenne Mountain, Halle helped lead the Indians to a 4A Colorado state championship.  She played club soccer for the Pride Predators for two years and led them to a 2013 U17 Colorado State Cup Championship and U.S. club soccer championship. She spent two years with Real National ECNL and was a member of the 2012 U15 Colorado State Cup Championship. An excellent student, Halle was a four-year honor roll member as well as study council member. The daughter of Ben and Carol Halle, she has an older sister, Isabel. She plans to study kinesiology and health promotion at UW.

Kaitlyn Lomsnes – Forward – Red Deer, Alberta (Hunting Hills)

A three-year member of the Canadian National Training Program, Lomsnes played for the Team Alberta U17 squad, which placed fifth at the 2013 Canada Summer Games. She has been a member of the Team Alberta Provincial all-star team since 2009. Also, played for the Calgary Chinook United team from 2010-2012, winning the indoor and outdoor provincial championships and taking fifth place at nationals. She played for the Calgary NSD Saints, which won the outdoor provincial championship and took third at nationals. She has most recently played for the Calgary Rangers FC and led the team to a 2013 indoor provincial championship. She is the daughter of Del and Lisa Lomsnes.

Claire Parker – Defender – Fort Collins, Colo. (Fossil Ridge)

A three-year starter for Fossil Ridge High School, Parker helped lead the team to a 13-1-1 record in a year in which Fossil Ridge allowed only 10 goals. A state semifinalist in the Colorado state high school championships, Fossil Ridge finished the regular season ranked second in Colorado and earlier in the season as high as sixth in the nation by Maxpreps. She was a defensive starter for Fort Collins Arsenal, which finished second in the 2012 Colorado State Cup. The squad made the semifinals in the Far West regional in 2013. Parker carried a 3.2 GPA through high school. She is the daughter of Norman and Mary Parker and plans to study nursing while at Wyoming.

Georgia Rowntree – Goalkeeper – Sydney, New South Wales (Westfields Sports)

A captain of the 2013 Australian schoolgirls U19 team that toured Argentina and Brazil, Rowntree was the Australia Day Sports Achiever of the Year award winner in 2013 and the recipient for excellence in women’s football at Westfields Sports High School in 2012. She was a three-year Western Sydney Wanderers W-League team member, as well as the Sutherland Sharks team captain in 2013. Rowntree helped lead her NSW team become national champions in 2010 and 2011 before making the Australian schoolgirls and Western Sydney Wanderers squads. She is the daughter of Nicholas and Gayle Rowntree.

Tristan Tyrrell – Forward – Cheyenne, Wyo. (Central)

A four-year varsity starter as a forward for Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyo., Tyrrell led the team to a 2012 high school state championship and on to the regional tournament in Hawai’i. She was a captain for her high school team while being named all-state and all-conference in 2013. Tyrrell was a captain of her club team, the Fort Collins Arsenal, playing five years for the squad. She also was a three-year member of the COPA Blizzards and two-year member of the Cheyenne Sting.  She also lettered in academics and was an honor roll member throughout high school. She is the daughter of Brian and Peaches.

Cayla Velander – Defender – Folsom, Calif. (Vista Del Lago)

A defender, Velander has played for the San Juan Spirits ECNL in Sacramento, Calif., starting the last four years, as well as playing for Vista Del Lago High School. In addition, she has been selected to the ECNL’s player development program multiple times. The daughter of Eric and Leann Velander, she has two younger sisters, Karli and Grace. While at Wyoming, she plans to study nursing.