College Soccer Updates
Follow NCAA Division I college soccer with news, interviews, features, weekly updates and more.
NEWS
September 1, 2011
Interview with UC Irvine Head Coach Scott Juniper
By: Ciara McCormack
1. You’ve had a very successful run with transfers, namely Coco Goodson being named an All-American last year and now with Natalia Ledezma who just came over from UCLA finding her way onto the score sheet in the last couple of weeks.
a. What is your secret recipe in finding these transfer players?
There is no secret recipe, they find us. When players are considering transferring they tell us that they look at which schools offer a high level of soccer, a high level of academics in a location that they want to live in. UC Irvine is a winning choice on all three levels. Obviously, every athlete is unique and they all have their own personal reasons but what is true of all of them is that they made college commitment decisions initially when they were very young. As a sophomore in high school your perspectives and priorities are very different to what they are when the reality of college comes around. The bright lights are not always as bright as they appear on your unofficial visits and the satisfaction you get from playing where your family can watch you play becomes more important.
b. What do you feel it is about UCI Soccer that has allowed these players to make a significant impact in your program?
UC Irvine is a true soccer campus with a Women’s team and a Men’s team. There is an infectious soccer culture here and with both programs ranked in the top 25 the secret is out that this is a place where serious soccer players can flourish. As a program we have a culture where individuals are valued, uniqueness is embraced and we believe that applying this on and off the field allows young people to flourish. Here is also no football program here so Women’s Soccer is a big deal on our campus. When the Chancellor comes out to meet the players at practice, you know you are on a soccer campus.
2. You have a very interesting academic background, namely a masters’ thesis in which you investigated the group dynamics of elite soccer.
a. What led you to choose that as a thesis topic?
I have always been fascinated by the psychology of sport, human achievement and why different teams become more successful than others. As a player I found myself paying attention to the interactions of different player personalities among the team and the interactions of players with coaches. It is amazing and disappointing to watch talented players have dysfunctional relationships with staff or teammates and never fulfill their potential. I was drawn to study the different components that affected a players ability to perform at their best and I think I use those principles in everything that we do with our program. We found that elite college players in the states showed very similar dynamics to professional academies in England. After all, a team is a team, and human nature is not something that fluctuates too much between cultures!
b. Do you feel your research and academic background in team building and sports psychology gives you an edge over other coaches?
I am not sure. Every coach is a “sport psychologist” in their own right in my opinion. I certainly built a robust framework from my studies but it is the practical application of it that has really built out my knowledge. We also bring in sport psychology professionals to work with the team whenever we can. There are so many facets to the mental game that it doesn’t make intellectual sense that any one individual has all the answers.
3. You were an accomplished player in England, at the youth and collegiate levels. What made you decide to make the leap into coaching North American women at the college level?
I was fortunate to have an opportunity to travel to the states about 14 years ago to coach soccer camps and had an amazing time working in dozens of states across the country and meetings some terrific people. Dave Deleon and Debra Schmidt from Orange Junior Soccer Club gave me my first job and Steve Hoffman from Cal South allowed me to work within ODP. From there Junior Gonzalez and Nat Gonzalez invited me to be on their staff at UC Riverside with the men. After 3 ½ years there I was hired by April Heinrichs as an assistant with the women’s program at UCI and a year later I was the head coach after April was hired by the USOC. I just worked hard in every opportunity I had, tried to do the right things in the right ways, and continued to educate myself. Simple principles really.
4. What are your goals for the UCI program both this year and longer term?
UC Irvine Soccer will continue to grow into a school that competes every year with the best teams in the nation in both Men’s and Women’s soccer. We can win a national championship here. I have no doubts about that. The goal though is much simpler. We want to build a program where players are proud to represent this institution and through that pride combined with a shared work ethic and a respect for each other anything is possible.
5. How would you describe your style as a coach? What do you feel your best and worst qualities are?
I like to think that I focus on the individual player and recognize that they are all unique. I try and create an environment where each player can flourish in their own right by allowing them to express themselves within their own personalities. My players will tell you that I am extremely competitive but I want to compete as best as I can with my team in the right way. We win together and lose together.
Haha! My best quality is my humility, I don’t have any worst qualities though!!!
6. Managing your players in college soccer is one of the most important aspects. How do you approach this?
This is the toughest thing. College soccer is a tough place to compete and the players have to put everything on the line to be successful. By doing that you expose every weakness you have and it can be really tough if things don’t go your way. Each player rides an emotional rollercoaster and you have to try and understand when they are up and when they are down, when they need a “kick in the butt” or when they need an “arm around the shoulder.” I don’t always get it right but we try hard to every day. We have a great staff here and between the coaches and our trainer we work together to keep everyone on board and pulling in the same direction.
Aug. 16, 2011
Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List Announced
Forty-two female athletes have been named to the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch List for the 2011 season. Nine of the 42 play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and 10 of the players are semifinalists from the 2010 award. The Big 10, Big East, Pac-12 and the Southeastern Conference are all represented by five players apiece. The voting for the Hermann Trophy is held in November. That's when a field of 15 semifinalists is reduced to three finalists. The three are then invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. There, a news conference will be held to announce the winner.
2011 Women's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
Goalkeepers: Justine Bernier (Alabama), Colleen Boyd (Oregon State), Adrianna Franch (Oklahoma State), Bianca Henninger (Santa Clara), Chantel Jones (Virginia)
Defenders: Kate Deines (Washington), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina), CoCo Goodson (UC Irvine), Lindsi Lisonbee (Brigham Young), Kerry McBride (Marquette), Molly McGuigan (U.S. Military Academy), Melinda Mercado (Oklahoma State), Toni Pressley (Florida State), Courtney Verloo (Stanford), Kathryn Williamson (Florida), Brianne Young (Texas A&M)
Midfielders: Tahnai Annis (Florida), Courtney Barg (Notre Dame), Vanessa DiBernardo (Illinois), Katy Frierson (Auburn), Kristen Mewis (Boston College), Christine Nairn (Penn State), Teresa Noyola (Stanford), Bri Rodriguez (West Virginia), Ingrid Wells (Georgetown)
Forwards: Kaitlin Bast (Denver), Vicki DiMartino (Boston College), Danielle Foxhoven (Portland), Kayla Grimsley (South Carolina), Sarah Hagen (Milwaukee), Melissa Henderson (Notre Dame), Laura Heyboer (Michigan State), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Morgan Marlborough (Nebraska), Merritt Mathias (Texas A&M), Paige Maxwell (Ohio State), Tiffany McCarty (Florida State), Stephanie Ochs (San Diego), Kealia Ohai (North Carolina), Jasyme Spencer (Maryland), Katie Stengel (Wake Forest), Colleen Williams (Dayton)
Mac Hermann Trophy Watch List Announced
Forty-two female athletes have been named to the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch List for the 2011 season. Nine of the 42 play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and 10 of the players are semifinalists from the 2010 award. The Big 10, Big East, Pac-12 and the Southeastern Conference are all represented by five players apiece. The voting for the Hermann Trophy is held in November. That's when a field of 15 semifinalists is reduced to three finalists. The three are then invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. There, a news conference will be held to announce the winner.
2011 Women's MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
Goalkeepers: Justine Bernier (Alabama), Colleen Boyd (Oregon State), Adrianna Franch (Oklahoma State), Bianca Henninger (Santa Clara), Chantel Jones (Virginia)
Defenders: Kate Deines (Washington), Crystal Dunn (North Carolina), CoCo Goodson (UC Irvine), Lindsi Lisonbee (Brigham Young), Kerry McBride (Marquette), Molly McGuigan (U.S. Military Academy), Melinda Mercado (Oklahoma State), Toni Pressley (Florida State), Courtney Verloo (Stanford), Kathryn Williamson (Florida), Brianne Young (Texas A&M)
Midfielders: Tahnai Annis (Florida), Courtney Barg (Notre Dame), Vanessa DiBernardo (Illinois), Katy Frierson (Auburn), Kristen Mewis (Boston College), Christine Nairn (Penn State), Teresa Noyola (Stanford), Bri Rodriguez (West Virginia), Ingrid Wells (Georgetown)
Forwards: Kaitlin Bast (Denver), Vicki DiMartino (Boston College), Danielle Foxhoven (Portland), Kayla Grimsley (South Carolina), Sarah Hagen (Milwaukee), Melissa Henderson (Notre Dame), Laura Heyboer (Michigan State), Sydney Leroux (UCLA), Morgan Marlborough (Nebraska), Merritt Mathias (Texas A&M), Paige Maxwell (Ohio State), Tiffany McCarty (Florida State), Stephanie Ochs (San Diego), Kealia Ohai (North Carolina), Jasyme Spencer (Maryland), Katie Stengel (Wake Forest), Colleen Williams (Dayton)
May 4, 2011
Top 20 high school players in nation have all committed to Division 1 colleges
The 20 best players in the nation, ranked by TopDrawerSoccer.com, have all fully committed to playing at some of the top Division 1 programs in the U.S. The number one recruit, Ponte Vedra's Morgan Brian, who has been called into the U-20 U.S. Women's National Team camp twice this year, will go to the University of Virginia. Eight players are headed to the Pac-10 and five will join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Of the eight players going to the Pac-10, four each will play at either Stanford or UCLA. The No. 2 and 3 ranked players, Alexandra Doll (Bethesda SC) and Chioma Ubogagu (D'Feeters), as well as No. 17 Loeau Labonta (Arsenal FC - California) and No. 19 Haley Rosen (So Cal Blues) will go to Stanford, while No. 6 Samantha Mewis (Scorpions SC), No. 8 Kylie McCarthy (SC Blues), No. 9 Sarah Killion (Fort Wayne Fever), and No. 18 Abby Dahlkemper (MVLA - NorCal) committed to UCLA.
Joining Morgan Brian at the University of Virginia will be No. 4 Olivia Brannon (Michigan Jaguars FC) and No. 16 Danielle Colaprico (PDA). Two others headed to the ACC are No. 13 Kathryn Nigro (Brentwood SC) and No. 20 Satara Murray (Lonestar SC), who will both play for UNC.
Two of the top 20 will play for the 2010 NCAA Champions Notre Dame Fighting Irish - No. 5 Lauren Bohaboy (So Cal Blues) and No. 7 Karin Simonian (Albertson SC).
No. 10 Whitney Church (Loudoun FC) committed to Penn State, No. 11 Shea Groom (KCFC Alliance) and No. 15 Kate Perry (San Diego Surf) will play at Texas A&M, No. 12 Cate Parchinski (Pride SC) is off to Santa Clara, and No. 14 Kaysie Clark (KCFC Alliance) will play for Missouri.
Top 20 high school players in nation have all committed to Division 1 colleges
The 20 best players in the nation, ranked by TopDrawerSoccer.com, have all fully committed to playing at some of the top Division 1 programs in the U.S. The number one recruit, Ponte Vedra's Morgan Brian, who has been called into the U-20 U.S. Women's National Team camp twice this year, will go to the University of Virginia. Eight players are headed to the Pac-10 and five will join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Of the eight players going to the Pac-10, four each will play at either Stanford or UCLA. The No. 2 and 3 ranked players, Alexandra Doll (Bethesda SC) and Chioma Ubogagu (D'Feeters), as well as No. 17 Loeau Labonta (Arsenal FC - California) and No. 19 Haley Rosen (So Cal Blues) will go to Stanford, while No. 6 Samantha Mewis (Scorpions SC), No. 8 Kylie McCarthy (SC Blues), No. 9 Sarah Killion (Fort Wayne Fever), and No. 18 Abby Dahlkemper (MVLA - NorCal) committed to UCLA.
Joining Morgan Brian at the University of Virginia will be No. 4 Olivia Brannon (Michigan Jaguars FC) and No. 16 Danielle Colaprico (PDA). Two others headed to the ACC are No. 13 Kathryn Nigro (Brentwood SC) and No. 20 Satara Murray (Lonestar SC), who will both play for UNC.
Two of the top 20 will play for the 2010 NCAA Champions Notre Dame Fighting Irish - No. 5 Lauren Bohaboy (So Cal Blues) and No. 7 Karin Simonian (Albertson SC).
No. 10 Whitney Church (Loudoun FC) committed to Penn State, No. 11 Shea Groom (KCFC Alliance) and No. 15 Kate Perry (San Diego Surf) will play at Texas A&M, No. 12 Cate Parchinski (Pride SC) is off to Santa Clara, and No. 14 Kaysie Clark (KCFC Alliance) will play for Missouri.
March 23, 2011
“The List” revisited
By Val Henderson
The Stanford Athletic department was recently put under scrutiny when The Stanford Daily produced an article discussing "The list," a catalog of supposedly easy classes that the Athletic Academic Resource Center made available to student-athletes for years. According to the article: “Stanford officials said the list was designed to accommodate athletes’ demanding schedules and disputed that the list was made up of easy courses,” however the article insinuates otherwise. Most notably, the article quotes Professor Donald Barr as having said: “(Stanford) accommodates athletes in the manner that they accommodate students with disabilities.”
Since the article’s publication, there have been countless responses as to the purpose and meaning of this list, entitled “Courses of Interest.” The validity of the information used in the article has been challenged, including Professor Barr’s claim that he was “egregiously misquoted,” but the integrity of the student-athlete experience has been put under critical review all the same.
In order to get some truths behind ‘the list’ as well as an honest view of the student-athlete experience at Stanford, I interviewed Marisa Abegg and Ali Riley, two former Stanford soccer players. These two women are prime examples of world-class athletes who had amazing collegiate soccer careers while keeping their academics a priority.
Marisa Abegg, who graduated in 2009 with a degree in human biology, represented the Cardinal and competed with U.S. youth national teams throughout college. She played in the WPS for two years (with the FC Gold Pride and Washington Freedom) before retiring to pursue a career outside of soccer. While soccer was a huge part of her life, it was never her only focus.
“My first priority in college was school. Then came soccer,” she said. “At times (such as during season and the NCAA tournament), the two were almost equal in terms of the time and effort I put in, but in the off-season it was particularly important to me that I focused on my academics and experiencing all Stanford had to offer outside of athletics. There are opportunities to continue in sports, but they're few and far-between, and having a solid education behind you will help you succeed during and after your sporting days.”
In reference to “the list,” Abegg said it consisted of “courses (suggested by athletic advisors and fellow athletes) that were particularly interesting.” Abegg recalls recommending, “a really intriguing class” to her advisor who then put it on the list for the
following quarter. “It was understood that the professors of the classes were helpful and accommodating to athletes' schedules, but I found that with most classes at Stanford.
“The ‘list’ was a good way to try to experience the variety of courses and activities at Stanford. Not all of the courses were necessarily needed towards a degree, but a college experience isn't defined only by the degree you receive at the end of your career.”
In response to how Donald Barr was quoted, Abegg said: “I took Professor Barr's class, and it was one of the hardest classes that I took at Stanford. He was accommodating when it came to travel and arranging proctoring for exams or cyber-submission of assignments and papers, but I'd seriously like to know in what ways athletes were ‘accommodated’ beyond the necessary coordination of scheduling due to time constraints and remote competition.”
Abegg continued: “Being a Stanford student and athlete was a huge honor and privilege. It was also a tough ‘job.’ Competing at a high level athletically, in addition to a having a demanding academic environment, can really push individuals. It made me a better person, and I can get through high-pressure situations having that experience under my belt. As for the difference between students and student-athletes, I feel the major one was not having the time to participate in extra-curricular activities outside of my sport.”
In agreement was Ali Riley, who graduated in 2010 with a major in psychology. “I think it is challenging being a student-athlete, because you do not have as much time to join other organizations," Riley said. "If I was not playing soccer, I could have done more psychology research or been involved in the student body. But soccer is my passion, so all things considered, I definitely got the most out of my time at Stanford. It instilled in me a desire to learn, and I think I will continue my education after soccer.”
Riley, now playing with the Western New York Flash, and already carrying a national title at the professional level (a member of FC Gold Pride championship team), looks back on her time at Stanford with warmth: “You meet so many amazing people from all over the world and are given such incredible opportunities to excel in all areas of life. I was proud to be a student-athlete, because Stanford has such a prestigious athletic program, but at the same time I was in awe of all the talented artists, musicians, singers, dancers, and writers.”
While her Stanford experience was an excellent one, it was not due to special preference or a lack of work.
“Student-athletes balance a rigorous academic load while spending hours on the field, in the pool, or in the gym," Riley said. "They work hard, and I do not believe that they are accommodated any more than other students.”
“The List” revisited
By Val Henderson
The Stanford Athletic department was recently put under scrutiny when The Stanford Daily produced an article discussing "The list," a catalog of supposedly easy classes that the Athletic Academic Resource Center made available to student-athletes for years. According to the article: “Stanford officials said the list was designed to accommodate athletes’ demanding schedules and disputed that the list was made up of easy courses,” however the article insinuates otherwise. Most notably, the article quotes Professor Donald Barr as having said: “(Stanford) accommodates athletes in the manner that they accommodate students with disabilities.”
Since the article’s publication, there have been countless responses as to the purpose and meaning of this list, entitled “Courses of Interest.” The validity of the information used in the article has been challenged, including Professor Barr’s claim that he was “egregiously misquoted,” but the integrity of the student-athlete experience has been put under critical review all the same.
In order to get some truths behind ‘the list’ as well as an honest view of the student-athlete experience at Stanford, I interviewed Marisa Abegg and Ali Riley, two former Stanford soccer players. These two women are prime examples of world-class athletes who had amazing collegiate soccer careers while keeping their academics a priority.
Marisa Abegg, who graduated in 2009 with a degree in human biology, represented the Cardinal and competed with U.S. youth national teams throughout college. She played in the WPS for two years (with the FC Gold Pride and Washington Freedom) before retiring to pursue a career outside of soccer. While soccer was a huge part of her life, it was never her only focus.
“My first priority in college was school. Then came soccer,” she said. “At times (such as during season and the NCAA tournament), the two were almost equal in terms of the time and effort I put in, but in the off-season it was particularly important to me that I focused on my academics and experiencing all Stanford had to offer outside of athletics. There are opportunities to continue in sports, but they're few and far-between, and having a solid education behind you will help you succeed during and after your sporting days.”
In reference to “the list,” Abegg said it consisted of “courses (suggested by athletic advisors and fellow athletes) that were particularly interesting.” Abegg recalls recommending, “a really intriguing class” to her advisor who then put it on the list for the
following quarter. “It was understood that the professors of the classes were helpful and accommodating to athletes' schedules, but I found that with most classes at Stanford.
“The ‘list’ was a good way to try to experience the variety of courses and activities at Stanford. Not all of the courses were necessarily needed towards a degree, but a college experience isn't defined only by the degree you receive at the end of your career.”
In response to how Donald Barr was quoted, Abegg said: “I took Professor Barr's class, and it was one of the hardest classes that I took at Stanford. He was accommodating when it came to travel and arranging proctoring for exams or cyber-submission of assignments and papers, but I'd seriously like to know in what ways athletes were ‘accommodated’ beyond the necessary coordination of scheduling due to time constraints and remote competition.”
Abegg continued: “Being a Stanford student and athlete was a huge honor and privilege. It was also a tough ‘job.’ Competing at a high level athletically, in addition to a having a demanding academic environment, can really push individuals. It made me a better person, and I can get through high-pressure situations having that experience under my belt. As for the difference between students and student-athletes, I feel the major one was not having the time to participate in extra-curricular activities outside of my sport.”
In agreement was Ali Riley, who graduated in 2010 with a major in psychology. “I think it is challenging being a student-athlete, because you do not have as much time to join other organizations," Riley said. "If I was not playing soccer, I could have done more psychology research or been involved in the student body. But soccer is my passion, so all things considered, I definitely got the most out of my time at Stanford. It instilled in me a desire to learn, and I think I will continue my education after soccer.”
Riley, now playing with the Western New York Flash, and already carrying a national title at the professional level (a member of FC Gold Pride championship team), looks back on her time at Stanford with warmth: “You meet so many amazing people from all over the world and are given such incredible opportunities to excel in all areas of life. I was proud to be a student-athlete, because Stanford has such a prestigious athletic program, but at the same time I was in awe of all the talented artists, musicians, singers, dancers, and writers.”
While her Stanford experience was an excellent one, it was not due to special preference or a lack of work.
“Student-athletes balance a rigorous academic load while spending hours on the field, in the pool, or in the gym," Riley said. "They work hard, and I do not believe that they are accommodated any more than other students.”
Feb. 2, 2011
Nation’s top recruits Morgan Brian and Lauren Bohaboy talk about their future
Some of the best high school soccer seniors in the U.S. officially committed to colleges today, the National Letter of Intent Day. Our Game caught up with two of the top recruits - Morgan Brian and Lauren Bohaboy.Morgan Brian, the number one recruit in the nation, signed with the University of Virginia. A member of the Ponte Vedra Soccer Club (Jacksonville, Florida), the 17-year-old midfielder was a member of the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team and recently took part in her first U-20 USWNT camp in January.
"It's an exciting day. It's hard to wrap my head around to be honest," Brian said via phone from Georgia. "It's going to be awesome. It's what I've been working for for so long."
Brian, who currently plays at Frederica Academy in St. Simon's, Georgia, originally committed to the University of Georgia, but when the school's head coach stepped down, Brian chose Virginia.
"Virginia plays a nice style of soccer that I like to play," said Brian, noting that the pressure of being the number one recruit in the nation won't get to her. "I like to play soccer for fun. Once you think about pressure, it takes the fun away."
At her Southern California high school this morning, Lauren Bohaboy signed a letter of intent to play for 2010 NCAA champions Notre Dame. The forward/midfielder from Mission Viejo, California plays club for the So Cal Blues. She is currently in the midst of her senior season at Santa Margarita Catholic High School (former home of Philadelphia Independence and USWNT forward Amy Rodriguez).
The top five recruits this year, according to Top Drawer Soccer, are (in order): Brian, Alexandra Doll (Bethesda SC) and Chioma Ubogagu (D’Feeters), who will both play for Stanford; Olivia Brannon (Michigan Jaguars), who's headed to Virginia; and Bohaboy.
"This is a very exciting day. It's such an amazing feeling. It was really special to finally make it official," Bohaboy said via cell phone from Southern California. "I'm so excited. I can't wait to get there and play for Notre Dame. It's a dream come true. I knew from the minute I stepped on campus that it was where I wanted to go."
Six of Bohaboy's Santa Margarita Catholic High School teammates also signed letters of intent Wednesday, including Courtney Doud (Bucknell), Taylor Krebs (Boston University), MacKenzie Cochrane (Fresno State), Haley Guerrero (University of California Santa Barbara), Leigh Edwards (Texas A&M), and Emily Roth (Northern Arizona University). Santa Margarita's Anastasia Gillen committed to Brown University (Ivy League schools do not offer scholarships, so there is no letter of intent to sign).
Nation’s top recruits Morgan Brian and Lauren Bohaboy talk about their future
Some of the best high school soccer seniors in the U.S. officially committed to colleges today, the National Letter of Intent Day. Our Game caught up with two of the top recruits - Morgan Brian and Lauren Bohaboy.Morgan Brian, the number one recruit in the nation, signed with the University of Virginia. A member of the Ponte Vedra Soccer Club (Jacksonville, Florida), the 17-year-old midfielder was a member of the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team and recently took part in her first U-20 USWNT camp in January.
"It's an exciting day. It's hard to wrap my head around to be honest," Brian said via phone from Georgia. "It's going to be awesome. It's what I've been working for for so long."
Brian, who currently plays at Frederica Academy in St. Simon's, Georgia, originally committed to the University of Georgia, but when the school's head coach stepped down, Brian chose Virginia.
"Virginia plays a nice style of soccer that I like to play," said Brian, noting that the pressure of being the number one recruit in the nation won't get to her. "I like to play soccer for fun. Once you think about pressure, it takes the fun away."
At her Southern California high school this morning, Lauren Bohaboy signed a letter of intent to play for 2010 NCAA champions Notre Dame. The forward/midfielder from Mission Viejo, California plays club for the So Cal Blues. She is currently in the midst of her senior season at Santa Margarita Catholic High School (former home of Philadelphia Independence and USWNT forward Amy Rodriguez).
The top five recruits this year, according to Top Drawer Soccer, are (in order): Brian, Alexandra Doll (Bethesda SC) and Chioma Ubogagu (D’Feeters), who will both play for Stanford; Olivia Brannon (Michigan Jaguars), who's headed to Virginia; and Bohaboy.
"This is a very exciting day. It's such an amazing feeling. It was really special to finally make it official," Bohaboy said via cell phone from Southern California. "I'm so excited. I can't wait to get there and play for Notre Dame. It's a dream come true. I knew from the minute I stepped on campus that it was where I wanted to go."
Six of Bohaboy's Santa Margarita Catholic High School teammates also signed letters of intent Wednesday, including Courtney Doud (Bucknell), Taylor Krebs (Boston University), MacKenzie Cochrane (Fresno State), Haley Guerrero (University of California Santa Barbara), Leigh Edwards (Texas A&M), and Emily Roth (Northern Arizona University). Santa Margarita's Anastasia Gillen committed to Brown University (Ivy League schools do not offer scholarships, so there is no letter of intent to sign).
Dec. 5, 2010
Notre Dame beats Stanford to win 2010 College Cup
Fact: When Melissa Henderson plays a part in the scoring, the Irish never lose. The junior assisted on freshman Adriana Leon's goal in the 63rd minute to help Notre Dame secure its third College Cup title in school history with Sunday's 1-0 win over previously unbeaten Stanford. Notre Dame, which finished the season with a 21-2-2 record, improved to 43-0-2 when Henderson gets a point.
“Basically, I knew we had to get forward and attack," Henderson said. "That was our main mindset this whole tournament. If you walk in our locker room you’ll see the word ‘attack’ 50 times on the wall. Our coaches printed out flyers saying ‘attack’ and posted them everywhere, so we had that mindset going into it. It’s just about that one turn, you get past the defender and there’s one more to beat, and then you have a spotted pass and it’s going to be wide open.”
Notre Dame Head Coach Randy Waldrum said after that game that despite this being Stanford's only loss of the season, this game was far from an upset.
"The one thing I said on television right after the game was that this [Notre Dame] was the best team in the country, this was not an upset," Waldrum said following the game. "I know everybody had pre-ordained Stanford as the national champion this year. I would make an argument that once the NCAA Tournament started, the path we took with the way we won games with 14 or 15 goals and one against us in four games, beating Carolina on the road, beating a very good Stanford team, knocking off two No. 1’s and I think two No. 3’s. To me, we’re the best team in the country come NCAA Tournament time. I’m really proud of the girls.”
The Cardinal finish the season with a 23-1-2 record, losing in the finals for the second straight season.
“It’s a disappointing way to end the season," Stanford Head Coach Paul Ratcliffe said. "I’m proud of the team. I thought they played well. I give credit to Notre Dame. They are a good team and it was an exciting game, I’m sure, for the fans.”
Stanford freshman keeper Emily Oliver made some tremendous saves for the Cardinal, but couldn't get to the one that beat her, a tough shot that went top shelf and in the opposite direction of Oliver's momentum.
“They got inline on us and crossed it back. Our girls were coming in to cover me in the goal. Unfortunately, one of their players was left open. She hit a great shot. It went over my right shoulder," Oliver said. "A couple of times I was in the right place at the right time. Even though there were close shots, our defense was always right there close with them. We were keeping them under pressure. They just got some offensive plays going.”
The All-Tournament Team was announced after the game and included: Henderson, who was named Most Outstanding Player on Offense and Notre Dame's Jessica Schuveiller, who was name Most Outstanding Player on Defense. The team also include Hannah Cerrone (Boston College), Katie Baumgardner (Ohio State), Camille Levin (Stanford), Christen Press (Stanford), Emily Oliver (Stanford), Rose Augustin (Notre Dame), Mandy Laddish (Notre Dame), Courtney Barg (Notre Dame), and Adriana Leon (Notre Dame).
