Soccer Signs Seven Recruits For 2007 Season
2/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Feb. 8, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri soccer program signed seven high caliber student-athletes, announced Tiger head coach Bryan Blitz on Thursday. Kari Adam, Alysha Bonnick, Katya Hessel, Brittany Hopkins, Krista Kruse, Caitlin Linas and Kelsey Stokes all signed national letters of intent to compete for the Tigers in 2007. The seven signees join Dayton transfer Tasha Dittamore as newcomers on next year's squad.
"We're extremely excited with the class we brought in this year," said Blitz. "This is probably the most athletic and well-balanced class we've ever had. They're all extremely versatile and will play a number of positions on the field for us. We're looking forward to the time they step on the field as Tigers."
Kari Adam
Position: Forward/Midfielder
Hometown: Overland Park, Kan.
High School: Blue Valley Northwest
Club Team: Blue Valley Stars
Club Coach: Blair Quinn and Tim Clark
Adam, who attends Blue Valley Northwest High School, lead the team is goals and points in 2006. An Eastern Kansas League first team honoree, she was Blue Valley's team captain in 2005 and 2006. Adam plays for the Blue Valley Stars Club squad and lettered in tennis at Blue Valley Northwest in 2004.
Alysha Bonnick
Position: Forward
Hometown: North Gower, Ontario
High School: St. Michael Catholic
Club Team: Kanata
Club Coach: Winston Bonnick
A member of the U17 Canadian National Team pool, Bonnick, helped St. Michael Catholic High School to the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association and Ontario Federation of Secondary Athletics championships in 2006. Also a standout in cross country, Bonnick holds the 200, 400, 800 and 1500 meter intermediate records.
Katya Hessel
Position: Forward
Hometown: Edwardsville, Ill.
High School: Edwardsville
Club Team: Metro United
Club Coach: Dave Fernandez and Dale Schilly
A National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) / ADIDAS Youth Girls All-America team selection in 2004, Hessel also attended training camp for the Women's National U16 Pool Team in 2004. Hessel also earned NSCAA / ADIDAS All-Midwest Team accolades in 2005 for Edwardsville High School. A two-time Alton Telegraph Player of the Year, Hessel is a three-time all-region, all-conference and all-area first team honoree. Hessel also boasts international experience from her time with the United States Youth Soccer Association / ADIDAS All-Star Team that played in Germany, Holland and Scotland and again has the opportunity with the Olympic Development Program Region II International Tour in March, 2006. As a member of the U17 Metro United club team, Hessel won the 2004 Gateway Shootout and took second place in the 2004 Fall Metro Classic.
Brittany Hopkins
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Oakland, Mich.
High School: Rochester
Club Team: Michigan Hawks
Club Coach: Jim Kimble
A midfielder for Rochester High School, Hopkins earned Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association Division I second team accolades during her junior season and Hopkins and her Michigan Hawks club squad, which was named the fourth-best Girls Club in the nation in 2006, finished as the runners-up at the 2006 Michigan State Championships.
Krista Kruse
Position: Forward/Midfielder
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colo.
High School: Poudre
Club Team: Fort Collins Arsenal
Club Coach: Dave Shaffer
Kruse is a forward/midfielder for Poudre High School, where she was named to the Rocky Mountain News and Front Range League second teams and to the Denver Post honorable mention team in 2006. With Fort Collins Arsenal, Kruse was named the 2006 U18 Girls State Cup MVP.
Caitlin Linas
Position: Defender
Hometown: Trabuco, Calif.
High School: Tesoro
Club Team: So Cal Blues
Club Coach: Martin Lippens
Linas is Pacific League honorable mention defender with the two-time defending California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section D2 Champions at Tesoro High School. A three-year starter at Tesoro, she has bet to compete her senior season.As a member of the So Cal Blues Club team, she was a 2005 Pateadores Cup, Slammers Futbot Classic and Excalibur finalists.
Kelsey Stokes
Position: Defender
Hometown: Blue Springs, Mo.
High School: Blue Springs South
Club Team: KCFC Futuras
Club Coach: Richard Davies
A Missouri product, Stokes hails from Blue Springs South High School. She earned Missouri Western Region, all-conference and all-area first honors in 2005 and was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. Stokes helped the KCFC Futuras to the Kansas State Cup championships from 2002-05 and the Kansas Premier League championship in 2002 and 2003.
