Feb. 11, 2008

Meet the Recruits

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio women's soccer head coach Stacy Strauss has announced the signing of 12 high school standouts to national letters of intent.

The incoming class features 12 players from five different states and encompasses all positions on the field except goalkeeper.

The majority of the incoming freshmen will compete for time on the defensive side of the ball and at midfield, with positions vacated by graduating seniors Larissa Najjar, Mary McPhail, Kristen Miller, Callie Broomfield, Lindsey Price, Danielle Young and Alyssa Warren.

Signing last week were defenders Jennifer Gormly (Cincinnati, Ohio), Kimberlie Nordtveit (Newton, Pa.), Kelsey Pichel (Rochester, Mich.), Rachael Philpot (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Remi Famodu (Bloomington, Minn.).

Strauss also heavily recruited midfielders with Remi's twin sister, Toye Famodu (Bloomington, Minn.) joining Sara Seitz (Englewood, Ohio), Amy Stafford (Xenia, Ohio), Lauren Burke (Medina, Ohio) and Ainsley Bodi (Strongsville, Ohio).

Also signing on with the Bobcats on women's soccer national signing day were a pair of forwards, Laura Dieter (Winfield, Ill.) and Katie Kemen (Cincinnati, Ohio).

"We're very excited to bring in a class of such great quantity and quality," said Strauss. "We expect all of the players to arrive in the summer with the ability to aid our possessive style of play. We also anticipate that many of them will add to our overall team speed."

Jennifer Gormly competed for head coach Kendra Hornschmeier at Archbishop McNicholas High School where she was a four-time letterwinner in soccer and a one-time letterwinner in basketball. Gormly was a three-time Cincinnati Enquirer Honorable Mention and a two-time Girl's Greater Cincinnati League First-Team selection. The team leader in assists in both her junior and senior seasons, Gormly comes from an athletic family as her grandfather played football at Kansas and Ft. Hayes State. She also played for the Cincinnati Classics Hammer FC club team under head coach Jamie Harloff.

Gormly will be familiar with one of her new teammates, Rachael Philpot. Philpot also comes to Athens from Archbishop McNicholas High School where she led her team in scoring as a senior and was named a Cincinnati Enquirer All-Star Honorable Mention. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was a three-time letterwinner in soccer and also played alongside Gormly on the Cincinnati Classics Hammer FC club team.

Katie Kemen will graduate from Seton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio where she played for head coach Mollie Harloff. The second-team all-GGCL selection scored 15 goals in two seasons at Seton where she also played on the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy club team under head coach Tim Lesiak.

Kimberlie Nordtveit will graduate from Council Rock North High School in Newton, Pa. where she played primarily at sweeper for head coach Bruce Jacobs and tallied eight goals and 12 assists. The Suburban One League Second-Team selection also competes on the Spirit United FC club team under head coach Sean McCafferty. Nordtveit's cousin, Havard Nordtveit, who lives in Norway, was signed by Arsenal at just 17 years of age.

Sara Seitz played high school soccer at Northmont High School where she tallied 50+ goals and 30+ assists as a four-year varsity starter under head coach Walt Sade. The three-time All-Miami Valley First-Team selection played club soccer under head coach Chris King for the Ohio Premier Club.

Kelsey Pichel will come to Athens from Stoney Creek High School in Rochester, Mich., where she played under head coach Erin Rodger. The two-time third-team all-state selection scored 30 goals and recorded 16 assists in three seasons. Pichel tallied three letters in soccer and two in cross country and also played for the Michigan Gators club team under head coach Terri Steinwascher. Her father played soccer at Ohio Northern from 1981-84.

Amy Stafford competed for head coach Jim Lamb at Xenia High School where she compiled 19 goals and 21 assists in four years playing varsity soccer. She also earned four letters in both swimming and track and field. Stafford played her club ball for Dayton Soccer Academy under coach Sandy Poole and most recently for the Ohio Galaxies FC Elite under coach Thomas Robey. The future business major was twice selected to the All-Greater Western Ohio Conference second-team.

Lauren Burke competed at Medina High School under head coach Scott Simpson where she racked up 23 goals and 41 assists as a four-year starter. The all-conference, All-Gazette and All-Sun News selection set a new school record with five assists in one game and is third all-time in Medina soccer history in assists for a career. Burke played on the club circuit with the Cleveland Internationals. Burke will be one of many in her family to attend Ohio as her father, two aunts and two uncles all attended the university. Her cousin just recently graduated after playing football for four years at Miami.

Ainsley Bodi, like Burke, will be another scoring threat for the Bobcats as she brings her 43 goals and 21 assists to Athens after competing for head coach Jon Felton at Strongsville High School. Bodi is accustomed to success as her high school team lost just eight games in her four years in uniform and took the conference title each season. The All-Greater Cleveland selection in 2006 played club soccer with current Bobcats freshman Sarah Brown.

Laura Dieter brings her 29 goals and 20 assists to Chessa Field from Wheaton North High School in Wheaton, Ill. Dieter, who sustained a knee injury last season, compiled her impressive stats in just two years (2005-06), also earned letters on the women's golf team. Dieter played soccer in the offseason for the Windy City Pride Elite club team with current Bobcat Jackie Hanson and plans to major in marketing or sports management.

Also joining the Bobcats from out-of-state are Remi and Toye Famodu, twins from Bloomington, Minn.

Remi was a four-year starter on defense at Kennedy High School where she twice earned All-Conference Honors (2006-07) and twice earned All-Conference Honorable Mention (2004-05). She was a team captain in both soccer and lacrosse her senior year and was an all-state selection in lacrosse as a sophomore. Remi Famodu played club soccer for the Bangu Tsunami FC Blue where she started at sweeper.

Toye led her Kennedy High School team in scoring in each of her five years on the squad while starting at striker. Toye played up on the high school team as an eighth grader. She was named the team's offensive MVP four straight seasons and earned all-state honors as a senior. Toye earned five letters in soccer and four letters in track and field while at Kennedy. She led her Bangu Tsunami FC Blue club team in scoring in 2006, the same season the team clinched the Minnesota State Cup Championship.

Three of Remi's and Toye's brothers and sisters competed in collegiate athletics including their older sister, Nihe Famodu, for the University of Minnesota women's soccer team from 1999-2001.

"With the graduation of a large class this spring, the newcomers will have a real opportunity to contribute immediately," Strauss added. "We also expect that, under the guidance of the upperclassmen, they will excel in the classroom and represent Ohio University with great pride."

Strauss has recruited very well in the past few years, with Amy Lower, Rachael Goulding and Jackie Hanson all being named to the All-MAC freshmen team in the past two seasons.

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Joe Waltasti is the women's soccer contact for the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at waltasti@ohio.edu.