NORMAL, Ill. - Soccer Buzz, a national online magazine devoted to women's college soccer, recently released its rankings of the 2008 recruiting classes across the nation. Illinois State was the top-ranked team in the Missouri Valley Conference and the 22nd-ranked team in the Great Lakes Region. The Redbirds, who were also selected as the "On the Rise" team in the Valley, garnered the top-spot in the conference for the first time ever. Soccer Buzz has compiled recruiting class rankings since 1998.
Head coach Drew Roff is honored to have his first full recruiting class recognized as the best in the Valley.
"We are very excited about this recruiting class and it's nice to see that others also recognize their potential," said Roff. "They are a talented group and our coaching staff is looking forward to helping them achieve their goals over the next four years."
ISU welcomes in nine freshmen for the 2008 season, consisting of seven scholarship players and two recruited walk-ons. The group includes forwards Jessica Carlson (Darien, Ill.) and Mary Sahm (Indianapolis, Ind.), midfielders Natalie McCabe (London, Ontario) and Jacque Toth (Brownsburg, Ind.), backs Afton Delvecchio (Birmingham, Mich.), Emily Fiddy (London, Ontario), Alex Howell (Wilmette, Ill.) and Katrina Jakobsze (Palatine, Ill.) and goalkeeper Sasha Reiber (Rockville, N.Y.). The freshmen will join 14 returning players from last season's MVC regular season champion squad.
Creighton ranked second in the Valley after being ranked in at the top of the conference the past two seasons. Drake, Evansville and Indiana State rounded out the top-five in the MVC. Notre Dame was the top-ranked team in the Great Lakes region. Northwestern (No. 11), Purdue (No. 12) and UW-Milwaukee (No. 17), three teams the Redbirds will face in 2008, were also ranked in the top-25 in the region.
