Canes Announce 2011 Women's Soccer Signing Class
Aug. 2, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami first-year women’s soccer coach Tom Anagnost has announced the signing of eight student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Ashley Flinn, Shannon Caspar, Shannon Roche, Abigail Smith, Erin McGovern, Madeline Simms, Hannah Moehling and Courtney Hueston will join the Hurricanes squad this fall.
“We are very excited to be bringing in student-athletes from the great state of Florida, said Anagnost. “There are some talented players here and we are actively recruiting them to come to the University of Miami.
“In a very short amount of time, our staff did a good job of bringing in quality student-athletes that have the potential to come in and help us right away,” Anagnost added. “They are all great kids who have their best soccer still ahead of them. We are all anxiously looking forward to working with them this fall.”
Flinn, a Michigan native, is a talented athlete who lettered in soccer, volleyball, basketball, football and track at Romeo High School. On the soccer field, she accumulated 34 goals and 14 assists in her junior year, taking home all-league, all-district and first team all-county honors for her efforts. She also earned the Macomb County Player of the Year award in basketball as a senior and is the all-time leading scorer at Romeo with 1,054 career points. Flinn has played club soccer for the Rochester (Mich.) WAZA F.C. since 2005, leading the team in scoring each season for coach Rich Ludwig.
“Ashley is a raw and very fast athlete who has a ton of potential to be a great soccer player,” added Anagnost. “She is tall and left footed and has a bright future as a Hurricane.”
Caspar is another skilled athlete, having excelled in soccer, basketball and flag football. She leaves her high school as the all-time leader in assists and steals in basketball. On the pitch, Caspar has played club soccer for the Jupiter Sting under coach Ed Bossie since 2001, leading the team in scoring every year. In addition, the Florida native played for the Palm Beach Soccer Academy under Gary Walker. Both her mother (Marianne) and father (Richard) graduated from the University of Miami.
“Shannon is another very good athlete who has a lot of upside,” said Anagnost. “She is an incredibly hard worker who possesses both quickness and speed. She was the first student-athlete from Florida to sign with us and we are excited about what she will bring to our team this fall and in the future.”
Roche is a very talented defender out of New Jersey. Her team totaled 50 shutouts in her high school career, going 70-5-9 overall, on their way to winning the Prep A state championship all four years. The squad also reached the No. 1 NSCAA ranking during her freshman season.
Additionally, Roche played winning soccer as a part of the Player’s Development Academy under coaches Tom Anderson, Charlie Naimo and Mike Gould in Zarepath, N.J. She helped the club soccer team to state championships five times since 2005, reaching the national title game in 2007 and 2009 and winning the ECNL National Title in 2010. Individually, Roche has earned numerous accolades, including being named 2010 Star Ledger and Trentonian New Jersey Prep Player of the Year; 2010 first team all-state; 2007-2009 first team all-prep; and an ESPN Rise All-Star in 2010. Roche also played with the Olympic Development program as a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania State Team from 2004 to 2008.
“Shannon is a winner in every sense of the word,” said Anagnost. “She has demonstrated a winning mentality throughout her club experiences and we feel she will add a ton to our program both on and off the field.”
Smith also played in the Olympic Development program as part of the Ohio squad from 2004 to 2008 under coach Brett Thompson, having traveled to compete in England in 2007. The Ohio native led her high school team to the district finals in 2009 and 2010, while capturing the conference championship in 2007 and 2009. The goalie recorded an 89 percent save average and .58 goals against average – earning all-state, all-conference, all-district and team MVP honors her senior year. Smith played club soccer for the Ohio Premier Eagles under Chris King, and lettered twice in basketball.
“Abbey is another very good athlete who has a high ceiling to get better,” said Anagnost. “She is a very hard worker with great character who I see being an invaluable member of our team this fall and beyond.”
Simms is a prolific scorer, tallying 95 goals during in her three-year high school career. Her team made the playoffs every season and went on to win the state championship in Maryland her senior campaign. Capable of playing defense and midfield, she is familiar with South Florida soccer as she played with the Olympic Development program in Boca Raton from 2001 to 2003. Simms has also played for a host of club teams over the years, including the Freestate Phoenix, Bethesda Freedom, SAC United Premier, Vista Shockwave, McLean Dragon and Bethesda Dragons.
“Maddie is a great athlete who I believe will come in and play right away,” said Anagnost. “She is both quick and fast and has demonstrated that she is versatile, having the ability to play in more than one position.”
McGovern, an Oradel, N.J. native led her Immaculate Heart Academy team to state championships in 2009 and 2011, as well as a No. 2 ranking in ESPN Rise Fab 50. She was named first team all-state in both 2009 and 2010 and all-league in all four seasons, leading her squad to an overall record of 97-6-2. She also played for Ashley Hammond on the Montclair Tunderbolts club team in addition to being a member of the New Jersey ODP program since 2006. She was a member of the National Pool in 2007 and a Region I Team member in 2006 and 2007.
“Erin is another versatile player who can play both in the midfield and in the back,” added Anagnost. “We are excited to get her healthy and on the field as soon as possible.”
Moehling comes to Miami with great size (5-10) as a defender. The Palo Alto, Calif. native was a four-time letterwinner and team captain her senior year at Los Altos High School, where she was named her team’s MVP as well as first team all-league. Moehling also plays club soccer for Armando Del Rio of Alpine Pumas FC. This past season, her team advanced to the state cup semifinals.
“Hannah is a very effective player who is going to come in and provide a lot for our back line,” said Anagnost. “She uses her body well and has a lot of tools to really help our team.”
Hueston is a local player, having graduating from Coral Reef High School in Miami. She earned letters all four years, recording 27 goals and 15 assists as a senior to collect First Team All-Dade accolades. She would also claim All-Dade honorable mention as a freshman, third team as a sophomore and second team as a junior. Hueston played club soccer for South Dade United from 2000 to 2009 – reaching the No. 3 national ranking during the 2007-08 season – and for the Cutler Ridge Lady Fury since 2009.
“Courtney is a natural soccer player who has a great feel and understanding for the game,” concluded Anagnost. “She is our first Miami area student-athlete and we feel her best soccer is still ahead of her.”
The University of Miami is excited to announce a new season ticket package that will include two (2) adult and (3) youth tickets to all home volleyball and soccer events in the 2011 season. The Family plan provides a family of five with over 20 events for the incredible price of $50. Purchase a Volleyball and Soccer Family Plan call 1-800-Go Canes or buy online.
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