The Illinois State women's soccer team welcomes six newcomers as head coach Drew Roff announced his 2009 signing day class Thursday. The class consists of forwards Rachel Bostick (Naperville, Ill.) and Kelly Rosenthal (Brainerd, Minn.), midfielders Heather Sterling (Fishers, Ind.) and Erin Egolf (Springfield, Ill.) and back/midfielders Kristin Cooley (Carmel, Ind.) and Alex Koller (Bloomington, Minn.). The group joins the 21 returning letterwinners to the two-time Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Redbirds.
"The sky is the limit for this class," said Roff. "We set out to fill some specific needs, and I feel that we have done that with a group of student-athletes that could be very special. What stands out to me the most is their overall athleticism and the attacking mentality that each one of them brings to the team. Not only do they possess all the physical tools to be successful, but they also bring great character and all the intangibles that are necessary for us to reach our goals. With the addition of these six to our 21 returning players, this fall promises to be a very exciting time for Redbird soccer."
Rachel Bostick | 6-2 | Forward | Naperville, Ill. (Waubonsie Valley HS) |
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Notable: Four-year starter and two-year team captain at Waubonsie Valley (No. 1 high school team in the nation) ... led Waubonsie Valley to back-to-back IHSA State Championships (2007, 2008) ... named Chicago Tribune Second-Team All-State selection (2008) ... named all-city (2007, 2008), all-conference (2007, 2008) and 2008 Naperville Sun Female Athlete of the Year... America's Soccer Club: club team ... starter on high school varsity basketball team.
Coach Roff on Bostick: "Rachel brings a combination of size and athleticism that you rarely see on a soccer field at any level. When it comes to scoring goals with her head off of free kicks, and corner kicks she is the best I have ever seen. I expect her to be a dominant physical force for us up top for the next four years. Aside from the physical talent she brings, she also possesses tremendous leadership qualities and is a proven winner."
Notable: Four-year starter and two-year team captain at Westfield (two-time semi-state finalists) ... named ICGSA First-Team All-State selection (2007, 2008), ISCA Second-Team All-State selection (2007, 2008), Indianapolis Star Super Team (2008), Indianapolis Star All-Area Team (2006, 2007, 2008) and first-team all-conference (2006, 2007, 2008) ... Led club team, Carmel Fire, to five Indiana State Cup Championships (2003-2007). ... Carmel United: club team.
Coach Roff on Cooley: "Kristin is an intelligent player that brings a physical presence to our team. She is a very strong tackler and also very good at winning battles in the air. Once she wins it, she distributes the ball very well and I expect her to challenge for playing time as a center back or a defensive midfielder right away."
Erin Egolf | 5-6 | Midfielder | Springfield, Ill. (Glenwood HS) |
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Notable: Four-year starter at Glenwood, winning sectional titles in 2006 and 2008 ... NSCAA High School All-Midwest Selection (2008) ... named IHSA All-State selection (2007, 2008), Central State Eight Conference Player of the Year (2008), CS8 All-Conference selection (2007, 2008) ... attended Adidas ESP Camp (2007) ... three-time Missouri State Cup Champion with the St. Louis Soccer Club ... St. Louis Soccer Club: club team ... two-year starter of high school basketball team.
Coach Roff on Egolf: "Erin reads the game extremely well and has all the tools to be a special player for us as a playmaking central midfielder. She combines the vision to see the pass with the technical ability to make the pass that breaks defenses down in the attacking third. She can also strike the ball very well with both feet, and she is an excellent finisher from long range. What really sets her apart is her competitive nature and the fact that she hates to lose."
Alex Koller | 5-8 | Back/Midfielder | Bloomington, Minn. (Bloomington Jeffereson HS) |
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Notable: Four-year starter at Bloomington Jefferson ... named All-state honorable mention (2007) and all-conference selection (2006, 2007, 2008) ... five-time Minnesota State Cup Champion with Bangu Tsunami club team ... six-year member of '91 Minnesota ODP team ... U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Region 2 Champions (2008) ... Minnesota Thunder Academy: club team ... starter on high school varsity basketball team.
Coach Roff on Koller: "Alex is a very well-rounded player that does many things at a high level. She is very technically sound, she is athletic and she reads the game well. In order to utilize her attacking skills and her ability to serve the ball, we will use her as an outside back that gets forward as much as possible."
Notable: Four-year starter at Brainerd, winning four Central Lakes Conference Championships and two section championships ... named Minnesota All-State First-Team Class 2A (2007, 2008), St. Paul Pioneer Press All-State Team (2007, 2008) ... top goal scorer in the state of Minnesota in 2008 (35 goals) ... Three-time team most valuable player ... Brainerd High School's all-time career leader in goals (92), assists (35) and points (219) ... five-year member of '91 Minnesota ODP team, U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Region 2 Champions ... Minnesota Thunder West: club team.
Coach Roff on Rosenthal: "Kelly is a tremendous athlete. She has the quickness and the speed to get in behind defenses and the strength to not get knocked off the ball. She is also very good at crossing the ball in from the flanks, and she has a knack for scoring goals. I expect her to develop into a very productive attacking player for us."
Notable: Four-year starter and three-year captain at Fishers High School ... named IHSAA Third-Team All-State selection (2008), first-team all-district (2007, 2008) and Hoosier Crossroads All-Conference selection (2007, 2008) ... Led her club team to two Indiana State Cup Championships (2003, 2005) ... State Cup finalist (2004, 2006, 2008) ... member of Indiana ODP team, Regional Pool alternate in 2007 ... Carmel United: club team.
Coach Roff on Sterling: ""Heather is a very technical, crafty player that we plan to utilize in a playmaking role. She sees the field very well and makes good decisions on and off the ball. Her ability to play that final penetrating pass in behind the defense to put a forward in on goal will be a great asset to our team."
