Women's Soccer Adds Two More To 2000 Recruiting Class

March 14, 2000

Coral Gables, FL – University of Miami head women’s soccer coach Jim Blankenship has announced the addition of Allison Ford (Atlanta, GA/Woodward) and Carrie Ratliff (Atlanta, GA/Westminster) to the 2000 recruiting class.

“Allison (Ford) and Carrie (Ratliff) bring a tremendous amount of talent to already impressive signing class. Like the others we signed, these two players have the ability to come right in and compete for playing time. We are very pleased with having them join our program.”

Ford and Ratliff bring the number of 2000 signees to six, including Vonda Matthews (Broken Arrow, OK/Broken Arrow), Nikki Safran (Harrison City, PA/Penn-Trafford), Mary Luke (Ft. Pierce, FL/John Carroll) and Caryn Blood (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank).

Additional 2000 Signee Bios:
Allison Ford
5-10, D, Atlanta, GA (Woodward Academy)
Standout member of the Tophat 00 Gold U-18 Soccer Club…chose the Hurricanes over UCLA, Furman and Illinois…played at the 1999 ODP Region III Tournament in Edmond, OK…tall, strong, effective and versatile as a defender…can also play outside midfield…a member of the National Honor Society.

Carrie Ratliff
5-4, D/M, Atlanta, GA (Westminster HS)

Standout member of the Tophat 00 Gold U-18 Soccer Club…chose the Hurricanes over Yale…assisted high school team to the state finals with an 18-2 record as a junior…has been a starter since her freshman season…top defender on a team that allowed 11 goals in 20 games with 13 shutouts…named All-City and All-County following her junior season, as well as CityLife Female Player of the Year…played at the 1999 ODP Region III Tournament in Edmond, OK…has played a great deal of sweeper and marking back as well as in the midfield.

Miami completed its second season of varsity soccer in 1999 with a 12-8 record and qualified for the eight-team format BIG EAST Championships in its first full season of league action. UM posted a 2-3 record in the BIG EAST Northeast Division and played at No. 6 Notre Dame in the quarterfinals. Freshman Lisa Gomez was named a First-Team Freshman All-American, while sophomore defender Diedre Bass and freshman midfielder Allison McWhinney also garnered postseason honors. Miami was 11-7-1 in its inaugural 1998 season.