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(April 12,
2007) - UC Riverside women’s soccer has signed six players
to National Letters of Intent, UCR Head Women’s Soccer
Coach Veronica O’Brien announced Thursday. The six signees
will join several other well-decorated players who will be
joining the Highlander squad in the fall.
“This
is an exceptional class that will have an immediate impact
and bring depth to our team,” O’Brien said. “All
of them carry the explosiveness, great soccer knowledge, and
passion to win championships.
Pat
Brady (Encinitas, CA/La Costa Canyon HS) is a 5-6 forward/midfielder
who helped the Mavericks to the 2004 CIF Division I title
and led them back to the CIF semifinals in both 2005 and 2006.
Brady played club soccer for the San Diego Surf and was a
member of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Cal-South
pool in the summer of 2003 and winter of 2003-04. She was
also a member of the ODP ‘89 Regional Championship Team.
Goalkeeper
Bianca Delahousaye (Castro Valley, CA/Castro Valley HS) is
a former Region Four ODP player, who led Castro Valley HS
to three Hayward Area Athletic League championships. The 5-7
Delahousaye was named First Team All-HAAL in 2006-07 after
the Trojans posted their fourth consecutive 20-win season.
She was voted team captain as both a junior and senior and
is a four-time NCS Scholar-Athlete and honor roll student.
A member of the California NorthStars club team, Delahousaye
appeared on the 2003 and 2004 CYSA-North State ODP Team and
was on the CYSA ’88 State Team.
Natalie
Ducatenzeiler (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley HS) is the latest
in a long line of Highlanders from the Temecula area. A 5-8
center-midfielder, Ducatenzeiler helped the Bears win the
CIF title in 2006 as she was named Offensive MVP for the Southwestern
League, All-CIF Offensive MVP, and the All-Valley Player of
the Year. She was also a first team all-league selection as
a junior after earning second team and honorable mention status
as a sophomore and freshman, respectively. Ducatenzeiler also
spent time in the Cal South ODP program and plays for the
Southwest Soccer Club.
Samantha
McBride (Corona, CA/Santiago HS), a 5-11 defender, is a former
high school teammate of current Highlander junior Jenna Leonti.
McBride was the 2005-06 Mountain View League Defensive Player
of the Year as the Sharks won their third straight league
title. She also earned a place on the All-CIF and All-Area
First Teams for 2005-06. She plays for the Arsenal Club Team.
Lauren
Minami (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA/Peninsula HS), a 5-3 midfielder,
was the 2005-06 Bay League Offensive Player of the Year while
garnering a Third Team All-CIF selection after scoring 11
goals with seven assists. She was also named to the All-Area
(South Bay) First Team and was the team Most Valuable Player.
In the classroom, she is a member of the Principal’s
Honor Roll.
Sally
Yunker (Anaheim, CA/Magnolia HS) is another midfielder who
helped the Sentinels win the 2007 Orange League championship.
A first team all-league selection as a senior and junior,
she was the league Most Valuable Player in 2004. A teammate
of McBride’s on Arsenal Club Team, the 5-5 Yunker also
spent time in the Cal South ODP program. An outstanding athlete,
Yunker also ran track and cross country, helping both programs
to back-to-back league titles. Yunker is a four-time member
of the National Honor Society.
The
2006 UCR women’s soccer team posted its fifth consecutive
10-win season, finishing the year with a 10-7-1 overall record
and was fourth in the Big West Conference with a record of
2-4-1. The Highlanders lost five seniors and have 24 players
returning next season.
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