NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State soccer head coach Eric Golz and his staff announced the signing of nine commitments to National Letters of Intent during National Signing Day. The Redbirds will welcome their largest class since 2008 in Golz's first full year of recruiting as ISU's head coach.
"We are excited and proud to welcome our 2016 class to the Redbird Soccer Family," said Golz. "The class is a diverse, versatile, and talented group of high achieving young women. This class will help to continue to build our program culture and standards of excellence, while complementing our returning players to put our team in a position to compete for championships. They will all represent us well in the classroom, the community and wear the jersey with pride."
The class is comprised of four forwards, three midfielders, one defensive back and one goalkeeper. The class includes (listed alphabetically):
Emily Adelman | Forward | Roselle, Illinois | Lake Park HS | Sockers FC ECNL
Lake Park HS: Started her freshman and sophomore seasons on varsity for head coach Chris Fruehling before electing to play club soccer year-round her junior and senior seasons … named to all-conference team during her freshman and sophomore seasons … named all-sectional honorable mention as a freshman … named to all-sectional team as a sophomore … named Lake Park's team MVP as a sophomore … played club soccer for Sockers FC … member of team that qualified for playoff finals in both 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons … ECNL starter from 2011 to 2016 … member of Illinois ODP state team … named to honor roll from 2012-14 … named to high honor roll in 2015.
Personal: Daughter of Timothy and Ann Adelman … has three siblings (Marie, Tim and Sarah) … plans to major in audiology.
Abby Basler | Midfielder | St. Louis, Missouri | Ursuline Academy | Kolping St. Louis
Ursuline Academy: Four-year starter for head coach Annie Beekman … named team MVP the past three seasons, including her freshman season, which made her the first freshman to ever win the award … Ursuline's leading scorer each of the past three seasons with career totals of 33 goals and 27 assists … named MWAA All-Conference First-Team 2013-15 … first-team all-city, all-district and all-region 2013-15 … named to Class 3 all-state second-team in 2013 and 2014 … named to Class 3 all-state first-team in 2015 … played club soccer for head coach Tony Schmitt at Kolping St. Louis and for head coach Marcus Kelcher at Elite Girls Academy … member of National Honor Society and president of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society.
Personal: Daughter of Dan and Julie Basler … has three siblings (Brett, Sarah and Luke).
Kate Del Fava | Midfielder | Kenosha, Wisconsin | St. Joseph Catholic Academy | FC Wisconsin Eclipse ECNL
FC Wisconsin Eclipse: Played year-round club soccer for FC Wisconsin Eclipse and head coach Christian Lavers … named captain of U-17 and U-18 team … ECNL Finals participant … competed on Eclipse's U-17 team as a 16-year-old that advanced to the ECNL North American Cup and finished fourth … ran track at St. Joseph Catholic Academy … holds conference records in the 100, 200, 400 and 1,600-meter runs and the 3,200-meter relay … two-time state finalist … member of three-time conference champions … attained first honors all four years in the classroom … member of National Honor Society … currently ranked third in her class 4.0-plus grade point average.
Personal: Daughter of Ray and Elizabeth Del Fava … has two siblings (Peter and Maggie) … plans to major in veterinary medicine.
Paige Filipek | Forward | Aurora, Illinois | Waubonsie Valley HS | NSA Jaguars
Waubonsie Valley HS: Three-year starter for head coach Julie Bergstrom … sat out 2014 season due to injury … member of WVHS program that has won 56 games over the past three seasons … member of team that has won three conference championships in a row … member of team that won regional titles in 2013 and 2014 … member of team that won sectional championship and finished third in state in 2014 … scored 16 goals with seven assists and was named all-conference as a freshman … scored 32 goals with nine assists as a junior … named all-conference, all-section, all-state and all-Midwest as a junior … named Beacon News Player of the Year as a junior … member of NSA Jaguars club team, which has won two Illinois State Cup championships and one Midwest Regional championship since 2011 … named to academic all-conference team as a junior.
Personal: Daughter of Daniel Filipek and Ellen Embry … has three siblings (Colleen, Michelle and Matthew) … plans to major in accounting.
Alyssa Kaufman | Midfielder | Huntley, Illinois | Huntley HS | Heat United Soccer Club
Huntley HS: Three-year starter for head coach Kris Grabner … member of HHS program that has won 57 games over the past three seasons … member of team that has won three regional titles in the past three seasons … member of team that has won two sectional titles and finished in the Elite 8 in Illinois the past two seasons … scored 20 goals and dished out 29 assists in her career … named to Fox Valley All-Conference and All-Area teams as a junior … named to Northwest Herald All-Area team as a junior … member of Heat United Soccer Club for head coaches Kevin Talbot and George Mihalopoulas … AP and ISAC Scholar.
Personal: Daughter of Dan Kaufman and Jill Thompson … has two sisters (Hayley and Taylor) and four step-siblings (Mary Kate, Brendan, Paige and Teagan) … plans to major in biology.
Megan McEachern | Forward | Batavia, Illinois | Batavia HS | Tri-Cities SA Premier
Batavia HS: Four-year starter for head coach Mark Gianfrancesco … member of BHS program that has won 39 games in the past three seasons … member of regional championship team during freshman season … scored 45 goals and handed out 24 assists in her career … three-time Upstate 8 All-Conference selection … two-time all-sectional honorable mention nominee … named to all-sectional team as a junior … two-time Beacon News All-Area selection … named to Daily Herald All-Area team as a sophomore … two-time team MVP … plays club soccer for Tri-Cities SA Premier … member of Illinois ODP State Select in 2013 … three-time academic all-conference selection … earned high honors all four years … member of National English and National Spanish Honor Societies.
Personal: Daughter of Dan and Shelly McEachern … has two siblings (Sean and Lindsay) who both attended ISU … plans to major in accounting.
Brittany Paganucci | Forward | Lombard, Illinois | Glenbard East HS | Eclipse USYSA
Glenbard East HS: Four-year starter for head coach Kent Overbey … member of GEHS program that won 41 games over the past three seasons … three-time all-conference selection … two-time all-sectional selection … two-time Windy City Classic All-Tournament choice … scored 46 goals and dished out 34 assists in her career … plays club soccer for Eclipse USYSA … member of team that was a State Cup finalist in 2015 … team won National League Blue Division championship in 2014 … three-time academic all-conference selection … member of National Honor Society … also plays basketball at Glenbard East.
Personal: Daughter of Ronald and Linda Paganucci … has one sister (Lindsey).
Haley Smith | Goalkeeper | Fall River, Nova Scotia | Shattuck St. Mary's
Shattuck St. Mary's: Three-year starter for head coach Joe Demay … named top rookie as a freshman … member of team that finished runner-up the past two years in the Minnesota State Cup … captained her club team, Team Atlantic, to a fourth-place finish at Canadian All-Star National Championship … member of provincial team that won back-to-back Atlantics titles in the U-14 and U-15 divisions … earned high honors in the classroom.
Personal: Daughter of Robert and Rosalyn Smith … has two sisters (Brittany and Kelsey).
Mikayla Unger | Forward | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Shattuck St. Mary's
Shattuck St. Mary's: Two-year starter for head coach Joe Demay … scored 16 goals along with 11 assists during her junior season … member of team that finished runner-up in the Minnesota State Cup … attended R. Nelson Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during her freshman and sophomore seasons … two-time all-conference honoree … led Snider in scoring her sophomore season … named to honor roll.
Personal: Daughter of Dan and Karen Unger … has two siblings (Janise and Garrett).
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