Women's Soccer Snags Five Recruits
February 8, 1999
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head women’ssoccer coach Jim Blankenship has announced the signing of five playersforthe 1999 season. Signing with the Hurricanes are defender LisaGomez (BocaRaton, FL/Spanish River HS), midfielder/forward Alexis MacKenzie(Plantation, FL/University of Florida/St. Thomas Aquinas HS), goalkeeperLizSwinson (Boca Raton, FL/Louisiana State University/Boca Raton HS),defenderAshley West (Allen, TX/Allen HS) and midfielder Laura West (Allen,TX/AllenHS).
Gomez, a 5’8″ sweeper forSpanish River High School in Boca Raton,was named the Palm Beach County Player of the Year in 1997. GomezledSpanish River to state championships in 1996 and 1997. A United StatesRegional All-Star and an invitee to the under-19 national camp, Gomezhasbeen playing in the Olympic Development Program since 1995. Since1991, shehas also been a member of the Team Boca club team winning state titlesin’91 and ’97. Addition-ally, Gomez was named the CBS SportslineMiss Soccerand first-team All-State in 1997.
“Lisa is an extremely talentedplayer with exceptional speed,” saidBlankenship. “She will be a big-time player and is capable ofplaying forus at the highest level.”
MacKenzie, a 5’4″ midfielder/forwardfrom St. Thomas Aquinas HighSchool in Ft. Lauderdale, spent her freshman year at the UniversityofFlorida, the 1998 Division I National Champions. At Florida,she saw actionin 11 matches registering one goal and one assist. At St. Thomas,MacKenziewas the 1998 State of Florida Player of the Year and the Player ofthe Yearby both the Miami Herald and the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel.She was afour-year starter for St. Thomas which won the 5A state title and wentundefeated every year of her career. MacKenzie was high schoolteammateswith current University of Miami defender Deirdre “Poppy” Foster.On theclub level, MacKenzie played for the Coral Springs Soccer Club, winningsixstate titles.
“Alexis brings in a tremendousamount of success and experiencehaving never lost a game in high school and winning the national titlelastyear at Florida,” said Blankenship. “She has tremendous speed,is able tostretch a defense, and is a proven goal scorer.
Swinson, a 5’7″ goalkeeperfrom Boca Raton High School, transfersto Miami from LSU where she started 15 games for the Tigers.At LSU,Swinson registered 122 saves and four shutouts, while allowing an averageof2.13 goals per game en route to being named first-team All-Louisiana.Outof high school, Swinson was one of the nation’s most sought aftergoalkeepers. She was the National Pool Goalkeeper and led BocaRaton HighSchool to district and conference championships in each of her finalthreeyears. As a senior in 1997, Swinson earned All-State honors afterrecordingeight shutouts.
“Liz is an exceptional playerwho is very athletic and strong,” saidBlankenship. “She is a big-time shot stopper who is capable ofmaking greatsaves at crucial moments.”
Ashley West, a 5’4″ defenderfrom Allen High School in Allen, Texas,is a four-year veteran of the Texas State team in the Olympic DevelopmentProgram. Since 1990, she has played with the Dallas Sting, oneof thenation’s most renowned club teams. In her senior year of highschool,Ashley West earned first-team All-Region and All-District honors andwasnamed to the All-State tournament team. A member of the NationalHonorSociety, she is among the top 10% of her class academically.
“Ashley was the sweeperfor the Dallas Sting, one of the top soccerprograms in the nation,” said Blankenship. “With her arrival(along withGomez), she gives flexibility to the look of our defense.”
Laura West, twin sisterof Ashley West, is a 5’3″ midfielder alsofrom Allen High School. A three-year veteran of Olympic DevelopmentProgram, Laura West also played for the Dallas Sting for nine seasons.AtAllen, she was named the District’s Most Valuable Player, a first-teamAll-Area selection by the Dallas Morning in 1998, and to the All-Statetournament team. A three-year honor roll student, she isalso a member ofthe National Honor Society and among her class’ top 10% academically.
“We expect Laura to comein and start at outside midfielder,” saidBlankenship. “With her pace and ability to get behind the defense,she canbe a scoring threat from that position.”
Miami completed its inauguralseason in 1998 with a 11-7-1 record.UM’s 1999 season begins on September 4 at Maine, while the home openeratthe Cobb Stadium of Soccer, Track and Field is September 10 vs. FloridaAtlantic. In ’99, the Hurricanes join the BIG EAST Conferencefor women’ssoccer.
