The U soccer team is coming off its best season ever, finishing 6-2 and winning its first outright conference title. The profound success of the Utes was thanks in large part to an outstanding class of freshmen, including all-West regional honorees goalkeeper Ashley Mason, forward Amanda Feigt and defender Michelle Deatherage.
The Utes took another step toward repeating as conference champs last Friday when they announced the signing of yet another highly regarded recruiting class.
“This is a great day for Utah soccer,” U head coach Rich Manning said. “Eight terrific young ladies have agreed to come to our great university and join our program. Our coaches and players are already counting the days until their arrival here next August.”
The new Utes include locals Emily Boshard (defender, Provo), Emily Campbell (forward/defender, Hyde Park, Utah), and Amy Edman (goalkeeper, Salt Lake City).
The other recruits, who hail from California and Colorado, are Chelsea Card (forward, San Clemente, Calif.), Melissa Crespo (defender, Milpitas, Calif.), Whitney Dorsey (midfielder, Wheat Ridge, Colo.), Kiley Jones (midfielder, San Clemente, Calif.), and Amanda Sanchez (midfielder/defender, Sacramento, Calif.).
Three of the players have played on the top club soccer teams in the country, and four others have played with the Region IV Olympic Development Program.
With eight players coming in and eight freshman remaining from last year’s squad, playing time for the underclassmen will be at a premium, but that’s just what Manning wants.
“In order to have a good team, it is important to have a competitive environment filled with hard working players who also have good character,” Manning said.
That should certainly happen, as five of the eight freshman last year worked hard enough to earn spots in the starting lineup-so they, along with the upperclassmen, should set a fiercely competitive tone on the field for next season.
Manning agreed.
“We are going to have an electric atmosphere within the team next fall,” he said.
