Lancers Welcome 13 Recruits for 2020 Season
7/14/2020 4:17:00 PM | Women's Soccer
RIVERSIDE --- California Baptist University head women's soccer coach Kristen St. Clair has announced the signing of 13 new Lancers for the 2020 season on Tuesday.
The 2020 class is composed of four transfers, which all have DI experience and nine incoming freshmen.
"We are thrilled to announce our 2020 incoming class," said St. Clair. "This class addresses several needs we needed to fill with the graduation of last year's senior class while adding immediate experience. We have four transfers with NCAA Division I experience from the Big 12, the Big West, and the Western Athletic Conference, as well as freshmen who have gained significant experience competing in some of the country's top leagues. I believe this class will make an immediate impact and complement our current players very well. We can't wait to get on the field and get started."
Last season, the Lancers finished with a DI era best 13-5-1 overall record and took home second in the WAC at 6-2-0. The incoming 13 Lancers will have big shoes to fill, as St. Clair graduated a senior class of eight prominent players.
Danielle Gordon is transferring in from the University of West Virginia, where she spent three seasons as a defender. As a grad transfer, she enters with two years of eligibility and was named on the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team in 2017.
"Danielle is a seasoned defender with NCAA Division I National Championship experience at the University of West Virginia," said St. Clair. "Danielle possesses a strong skillset on both sides of the ball. We expect she'll have an immediate impact on our defensive line."
Alyssa (Aly) Rocha, a Huntington Beach native, joins the Lancer team as a grad transfer from Kansas State. Rocha spent four seasons at KSU with a redshirt during her freshman season. In her career for the Wildcats, she played in 40 matches, with 32 starts and over 2,000 minutes player on the pitch. As a senior, she led the team in shots on goal percentage at .733, among players with 15 or more shots attempted. She scored her first career goal at Texas Tech on Oct. 31, 2019.
"Aly brings a wealth of NCAA Division I experience from competing at Kansas State University of the Big 12 Conference," added St. Clair. "Aly possesses a strong skill set and can play anywhere on the defensive line as well as in the midfield. We expect Aly will have an immediate impact on the field."
Makayla Soll, a midfielder from Rancho Cucamonga, joins Lancer Nation after two seasons at Long Beach St. Soll played in 24 games during her career for the Beach and will have two seasons of eligibility.
"Makayla joined us last spring from Long Beach St," St. Clair said. "Her field vision and savy skill set can unlock opportunities in the game for herself and her teammates. Makayla's two years of NCAA Division I experience will be a significant addition to our program."
Gracie Bowers, a Vista Murrieta High School product, transfers in from previous WAC member CSU Bakersfield. In her freshman season, Bowers saw action in 16 games and recorded one start. A prolific goalscorer, she led VMHS in goals in her senior season.
"Gracie brings a year of college experience playing at former WAC school CSU Bakersfield," St. Clair said. "Gracie understands the demands of our conference, and we believe her experience will be a strong asset to our program. Gracie is a strong technical and intelligent player who can play on the forward or midfield line."
Frida Murrieta, a Riverside native, and Notre Dame High School graduate, joins the roster for her freshman season. Murrieta played in all 17 games her senior season and recorded 28 points (10 goals, eight assists).
"Frida is a dynamic and intuitive attacking player who can play on either the midfield or forward lines," said St. Clair. "Frida can create opportunities for herself or her teammates in the attacking third. We expect Frida to make an immediate impact on our attack, given her creativity."
Jayden Ramirez is a midfielder / forward from Villa Park who graduated from Esperanza High School and played club for Slammers ECNL. In her senior season at EHS, she played in 10 games and recorded 12 points (five goals, two assists).
"Jayden is a versatile and intelligent player," St. Clair said. "Jayden possesses a strong technical and tactical skill set that will serve the team well on both sides of the ball. We look forward to having Jayden on the field this fall and seeing her impact she will have throughout the season."
Neleah Dunlap of Yorba Linda is a dynamic midfielder with experience at the forward position. Dunlap was teammates with Ramirez on Slammers ECNL.
"Neleah is a box-to-box midfielder with an extremely high work rate and grittiness," said St. Clair. "We are excited to see the experience she possesses having played for one of the top clubs in the country with Slammers ECNL and the impact she will have during her career as a Lancer."
Deniah Wells, a forward from Centennial High School in Corona, helped lead her team to a 16-3-5 overall record and an 8-0-2 conference record.
"Deniah is an athletic, dynamic forward that can break down defenders and stretch defenses," said St. Clair. "Deniah can score from anywhere and has the ability to be a special and impactful player for our program."
Taylor Summit, a Chula Vista native, is a technical player that has experience as a midfielder and a forward. She played club soccer for Rebels SC ECNL.
"Taylor is a maestro with the ball at her feet. She has a strong technical foundation that will make an immediate impact," said St. Clair. "Taylor's field of vision is remarkable for her age, and she can play anywhere on the midfield and forward lines."
Faith Lee of Mililani, Hawai'i, played club soccer for Hawaii Rush. Lee has experience playing all three lines on the field and has exceptional pace.
"Faith is a crafty and versatile player that can play on all three lines on both sides of the ball," added St. Clair. "Her pace and one-vs.-one ability are going to be a significant asset to our team. We believe she will see tremendous growth this fall as a player, given her athletic tools."
Isabella Vinsonhaler is a defender from Boise, Idaho, that spent time with Boise Thorns ECNL. Vinsonhaler held the backline for Bishop Kelly High School, where her team went 14-1-1 and 10-0-1 in conference.
"Isabella is a tall, athletic and physical defender," said St. Clair. "Having played for the Boise Thorns in the ECNL, she acquired invaluable experience to go along with her ball-winning ability in the air. Isabella joins a highly experienced defensive line, and I believe she has a promising future ahead of her."
Ruby Burroughs hails from Newhall, California, where she played varsity soccer for Hart High School. In her senior season, she led the team to a 20-2-3 overall record and finished 9-0-1 in conference play.
"Ruby is an athletic and energetic attacker," said St. Clair. "She is a relentless competitor who has the ability to create dangerous moments for herself and the team. Ruby has the ability to stretch defenses or play with her back to goal, and we are excited to see her impact this fall."
Jocelyn Pineda is a defender from Fullerton, where she played varsity for Sunny Hills High School. In her senior season, she led the team to a 27-2-4 overall record and went 8-1-1 in conference.
"Jocelyn is an athletic and physical player capable of playing anywhere on the defensive line," said St. Clair. "Jocelyn is a strong ball-winner that has a solid foundation given her experience as a CIF Division II Champion for Sunny Hills High School. She also played club ball for a strong Fullerton Rangers side. We look forward to seeing her growth this fall and throughout her career for CBU."
