Post by The Cats on Jun 24, 2022 13:51:23 GMT -5
Western Carolina head women's soccer coach Chad Miller today announced the addition of eight student-athletes for the 2022 season. The eight newcomers hail from three different states, two from Canada, and includes two players, Isabella DeMarco and Milla Syska, joining sisters Alexis DeMarco and Rea Syska.
Alex Bagley, 5-2
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Asheboro, N.C.
Club Team: NC Fusion ECNL
High School: South Randolph
Prior to WCU: 2020 3-A All Conference … Offensive Player of the Year, 2019 3-A All-Conference … 2019 Fusion ECNL Player of the Year … Had 121 saves as a freshman and 124 as a sophomore.
Note: Graduated early and played the spring 2022 season at Western Carolina.
Miller on Bagley: "Alex was with us all spring and came in and hit the ground running. She fit into our group seamlessly and added to our culture and proved to be quite the competitor. She started all of our spring games and gained valuable experience."
Isabella DeMarco, 5-6
Position: Midfield/Forward
Hometown: Charleston, S.C.
Club Team: South Carolina SURF GA
High School: Bishop England
Prior to WCU: Twice named All-Region … All-State and Class AAA Player of the Year as a senior … Led the team in goals in her freshman and senior season … As a senior led the Bishops, who finished with a 12-6 record, with 16 goals while finishing second in assists with five to account for 37 points … Earned a spot on the squad for Clash of the Carolinas, an all-star game that features the top seniors from the Palmetto State vs. their counterparts from North Carolina ... Played in a total of 43 games at Bishop England scoring 34 games, 16 as a senior, with a career total of 19 assists.
Note: Sister Alexis is a junior for the Catamount Soccer team.
Miller on DeMarco: "Isabella was the state player of the year in high school for a reason. She is an explosive and dynamic athlete that has confidence running at players and taking them on 1v1. She will create problems for other teams back lines and complement our attacking personality as a team."
Sarah Engen, 5-8
Position: Defender
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Club Team: Northwest Soccer Club/Internazionale SC
High School: St. Francis Xavier
Prior to WCU: Transfer from University of Memphis starting two exhibition matches before injury sidelined her … Named Most Outstanding Female Athlete during her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons … Won the Division 2 City Championship in 2019 … While playing for her club teams 2014 and 2017 Provincial Gold Medalists and 2019 National Bronze Medalist and National Silver… Also played basketball, flag football and competed in track and field.
Miller on Engen: "We are excited to add a player of Sarah's quality this late in the process. She is an impressive athlete and young lady, and we look forward to working with her. Her speed, strength and knowledge of the game will be a quality addition to our backline".
Maya Pellegrini, 5-5
Position: Forward
Hometown: Littleton, Colo.
Club Team: Colorado Rapids ECNL
High School: Colorado Academy
Prior to WCU: Transfer from University of Portland … Lettered in soccer all four years at Colorado Academy... CHSAA 3A All-State First Team in 2019 and 2021... CHSSCA 3A All-State First Team in 2019... Colorado Academy ranked as high as seventh in the nation back in 2019... Made the playoffs three out of four years during her time there, with league and state championship victories in 2019... Led CHSAA in assists with 18 and was fifth in goals with 16 in 2019 … Experience with the Chilean National Team's U-20 squad... part of Chilean National Team training camp in 2018.
Miller on Pellegrini: "Maya is as dedicated a player that you will find. She is constantly putting in the work and has fantastic training habits. She also possesses great vision, and we look forward to adding her creativity to our attack".
Ava Robitaille, 5-5
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Rock Hill, S.C.
Club Team: Charlotte Independence Soccer Club ECNL
High School: South Pointe
Prior to WCU: Three-time All-Region and All-Conference selection … North South Game as a junior and senior … Helped lead team to 4A Region 3 three times … As a freshman helped South Pointe to team's first appearance in the 4 A Region 3 play-offs … Scored 64 career goals and had 45 career assists in her tenure at South Pointe.
Miller on Robitaille: "Ava does all the little things and does them well. She is going to make a nice impact in our midfield. She can play simple and keep possession or get stuck in and be a ball winner. She is equally able to play both as a holding or attacking center mid".
Katelin Rucker, 5-5
Position: Defender/Midfielder
Hometown: Wake Forest, N.C.
Club Team: NC Fusion 2004 ECNL
High School: Heritage
Prior to WCU: All-Conference … All-Region … Four-time Academic All-Conference … As a freshman helped Heritage to a 20-3 record along with a conference championship, region championship and 4-A state title … Conference champion as a junior with a record of 10-2-1 … In her senior campaign, record of 15-5-2 losing in the third round of the 4 A play-offs … Scored 15 career goals.
Miller on Rucker: "Kate is a tenacious defender, yet she still has the ability to get forward and can play some great passes with her left foot. She is very versatile and has great leadership qualities that we look froward to seeing develop within our program".
Milla Syska, 5-8
Position: Forward
Hometown: Charlotte N.C.
Club Team: Charlotte Soccer Academy ECNL
High School: Hickory Grove Christian
Prior to WCU: All-Conference … All-State … 2022 All-Observer Soccer Team selection … Female Athlete of the Year … Played in 37 matches scoring 75 career goals with 34 assists.
Note: Sister Rea is a senior for the Catamount Soccer team.
Miller on Syska: "Milla is a powerful athlete who is fearless and has an aggressive edge to her game that we love. She has scored goals for every team she has been on, and we look forward to that continuing here at WCU".
Leanne Trudel, 5-5
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Longueuil, Quebec
Club Team: Celtix du Haut-Richelieu
High School: College Francais de Longueuil
Prior to WCU: Named best club goalkeeper (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018) … LSEQ final four champion in 2021 … Regular season and league champion as a freshman and sophomore … Did not allow a goal her sophomore season … As a junior named student athlete of the year and earned the leadership award.
Miller on Trudel "Leanne has everything you want in a Division 1 goalkeeper. She is confident and has great distribution abilities. She is fearless off her line and no moment is too big for her. She was teammates with Naya [Marcil) up in Quebec and we think that connection will benefit both of them greatly on and off the field".
Alex Bagley, 5-2
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Asheboro, N.C.
Club Team: NC Fusion ECNL
High School: South Randolph
Prior to WCU: 2020 3-A All Conference … Offensive Player of the Year, 2019 3-A All-Conference … 2019 Fusion ECNL Player of the Year … Had 121 saves as a freshman and 124 as a sophomore.
Note: Graduated early and played the spring 2022 season at Western Carolina.
Miller on Bagley: "Alex was with us all spring and came in and hit the ground running. She fit into our group seamlessly and added to our culture and proved to be quite the competitor. She started all of our spring games and gained valuable experience."
Isabella DeMarco, 5-6
Position: Midfield/Forward
Hometown: Charleston, S.C.
Club Team: South Carolina SURF GA
High School: Bishop England
Prior to WCU: Twice named All-Region … All-State and Class AAA Player of the Year as a senior … Led the team in goals in her freshman and senior season … As a senior led the Bishops, who finished with a 12-6 record, with 16 goals while finishing second in assists with five to account for 37 points … Earned a spot on the squad for Clash of the Carolinas, an all-star game that features the top seniors from the Palmetto State vs. their counterparts from North Carolina ... Played in a total of 43 games at Bishop England scoring 34 games, 16 as a senior, with a career total of 19 assists.
Note: Sister Alexis is a junior for the Catamount Soccer team.
Miller on DeMarco: "Isabella was the state player of the year in high school for a reason. She is an explosive and dynamic athlete that has confidence running at players and taking them on 1v1. She will create problems for other teams back lines and complement our attacking personality as a team."
Sarah Engen, 5-8
Position: Defender
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Club Team: Northwest Soccer Club/Internazionale SC
High School: St. Francis Xavier
Prior to WCU: Transfer from University of Memphis starting two exhibition matches before injury sidelined her … Named Most Outstanding Female Athlete during her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons … Won the Division 2 City Championship in 2019 … While playing for her club teams 2014 and 2017 Provincial Gold Medalists and 2019 National Bronze Medalist and National Silver… Also played basketball, flag football and competed in track and field.
Miller on Engen: "We are excited to add a player of Sarah's quality this late in the process. She is an impressive athlete and young lady, and we look forward to working with her. Her speed, strength and knowledge of the game will be a quality addition to our backline".
Maya Pellegrini, 5-5
Position: Forward
Hometown: Littleton, Colo.
Club Team: Colorado Rapids ECNL
High School: Colorado Academy
Prior to WCU: Transfer from University of Portland … Lettered in soccer all four years at Colorado Academy... CHSAA 3A All-State First Team in 2019 and 2021... CHSSCA 3A All-State First Team in 2019... Colorado Academy ranked as high as seventh in the nation back in 2019... Made the playoffs three out of four years during her time there, with league and state championship victories in 2019... Led CHSAA in assists with 18 and was fifth in goals with 16 in 2019 … Experience with the Chilean National Team's U-20 squad... part of Chilean National Team training camp in 2018.
Miller on Pellegrini: "Maya is as dedicated a player that you will find. She is constantly putting in the work and has fantastic training habits. She also possesses great vision, and we look forward to adding her creativity to our attack".
Ava Robitaille, 5-5
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Rock Hill, S.C.
Club Team: Charlotte Independence Soccer Club ECNL
High School: South Pointe
Prior to WCU: Three-time All-Region and All-Conference selection … North South Game as a junior and senior … Helped lead team to 4A Region 3 three times … As a freshman helped South Pointe to team's first appearance in the 4 A Region 3 play-offs … Scored 64 career goals and had 45 career assists in her tenure at South Pointe.
Miller on Robitaille: "Ava does all the little things and does them well. She is going to make a nice impact in our midfield. She can play simple and keep possession or get stuck in and be a ball winner. She is equally able to play both as a holding or attacking center mid".
Katelin Rucker, 5-5
Position: Defender/Midfielder
Hometown: Wake Forest, N.C.
Club Team: NC Fusion 2004 ECNL
High School: Heritage
Prior to WCU: All-Conference … All-Region … Four-time Academic All-Conference … As a freshman helped Heritage to a 20-3 record along with a conference championship, region championship and 4-A state title … Conference champion as a junior with a record of 10-2-1 … In her senior campaign, record of 15-5-2 losing in the third round of the 4 A play-offs … Scored 15 career goals.
Miller on Rucker: "Kate is a tenacious defender, yet she still has the ability to get forward and can play some great passes with her left foot. She is very versatile and has great leadership qualities that we look froward to seeing develop within our program".
Milla Syska, 5-8
Position: Forward
Hometown: Charlotte N.C.
Club Team: Charlotte Soccer Academy ECNL
High School: Hickory Grove Christian
Prior to WCU: All-Conference … All-State … 2022 All-Observer Soccer Team selection … Female Athlete of the Year … Played in 37 matches scoring 75 career goals with 34 assists.
Note: Sister Rea is a senior for the Catamount Soccer team.
Miller on Syska: "Milla is a powerful athlete who is fearless and has an aggressive edge to her game that we love. She has scored goals for every team she has been on, and we look forward to that continuing here at WCU".
Leanne Trudel, 5-5
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Longueuil, Quebec
Club Team: Celtix du Haut-Richelieu
High School: College Francais de Longueuil
Prior to WCU: Named best club goalkeeper (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018) … LSEQ final four champion in 2021 … Regular season and league champion as a freshman and sophomore … Did not allow a goal her sophomore season … As a junior named student athlete of the year and earned the leadership award.
Miller on Trudel "Leanne has everything you want in a Division 1 goalkeeper. She is confident and has great distribution abilities. She is fearless off her line and no moment is too big for her. She was teammates with Naya [Marcil) up in Quebec and we think that connection will benefit both of them greatly on and off the field".