Tuesday, February 13, 2007
PC Women’s Soccer Signs Eight
CLINTON,
S.C. – Presbyterian College women’s soccer coach Brian Purcell
announced recently the signing of eight soccer players to the
Lady Blue Hose soccer program.
“Overall I would say that this is probably the deepest
class that we have picked up in a very long time,” stated
Purcell. “I am extremely excited about the class size and what
this crop of student-athletes bring to PC, particularly as it
gives us a fair amount of depth as we make the transition to
NCAA Division I soccer.”
Kathryn (Kate) Baker comes to Presbyterian College from Monroe Academy in Forsyth, Ga where she played for coach Scott Henderson. A forward, Baker was Monroe Academy’s team captain during her junior and senior year. She has been an all-state performer for all three of her previous seasons (next season starts Mar. 1.).
Baker, who plays her club soccer for Vince Dattilo and the AFC Lightning, already has 95 goals to her credit at Monroe Academy entering her senior campaign.
Renee Ballew makes her way to Presbyterian’s Clinton, S.C. campus from Riverside High School in Greer, S.C. where she played for head coach Terry Archenhold. A defender/midfielder, Ballew has been a member of Riverside’s past two state championships. She has been all-region for the past three seasons and all-state for two seasons.
Ballew is also a member of the CESA 88 Girls Premier squad that has appeared in the regionals four times under the direction of head coach Andrew Hyslop.
The younger sister of current Lady Blue Hose soccer player Laura Davis, Emily Davis joins Purcell’s program out of Eastside High School in Taylors, S.C. A midfielder/defender, Davis has received a plethora of awards while at Eastside, including the 2006 all-state award and the 2004 Gatorade Rookie of the Year award.
Davis plays her club soccer for Hyslop’s U18 CESA Premier team, who were the champions of South Carolina women’s soccer at the U14, U16 and U18 level.
A native of Statesboro, Ga., Morgan Elizabeth Jones will join the PC women’s soccer program from Southeast Bulloch High School where she plays for head coach Aimee Cavalier. Listed as a forward and a defender, Jones is a Wendy’s High School Heisman Nominee. On the pitch in the high school ranks Jones has scored 67 goals.
Jones played club soccer for Peter Larvan and Gary Wright at the Coastal Georgia Bandits and the Coastal Georgia Shockers Blue. During the fall of 2006 Jones scored 12 goals and had 30 assists.
Katie Hunter will play women’s soccer at PC after a strong high school career at Tucker High School that saw her win all-region two times and the team’s academic award three times.
Hunter plays her club soccer for the Gwinett Soccer Association where she has been coached by Ryan Crabbe and Ted Colburn.
Melanie Martin also plays her club soccer for Hyslop’s U18 CESA squad. A midfielder, Martin is a Palmetto Fellow Scholar.
Playing for former PC assistant coach Shannon Champ at Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Meghan Skinner joins the PC women’s soccer program as a midfielder. During her time with the Warriors, Skinner has won three varsity letters and picked up the coach’s award in 2006.
Skinner played her club soccer for Paul Conway at the Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club. The 1998 White team that she was a member of was the 2006 South Carolina State Cup semifinalists.
Stefani Thacker will come to Presbyterian from the Indianapolis, Ind. suburb of Fishers, Ind. A midfielder, Thacker played her high school soccer for Greg Davidson at Hamilton Southeastern. Thacker’s high school team won their region in 2006 and she chipped in by scoring six goals and dishing out six assists.
A four-year member of the Indiana Olympic Development Program squad for her age group, Thacker played her club soccer for Drew Roff and the Dynamo 89, who currently are ranked in the top 20 nationally.