LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University women's soccer team signed nine recruits for the 2011 season recently.
The Mountaineers welcome Emily Fadenrecht, Addison Guevara, Sarah Hunter, Kelli Jones, Kiah Jones, Quincy Moore, Lexi Olivo, Allie Ukich, and Brandi Zaragoza to the program beginning next season.
Fadenrecht, an incoming 5'6” junior, will be transferring from Clackamas Community College. The Portland, Ore. native was an NWAACC All-Star while at Clackamas. She helped lead the Cougars to the NWAACC championships and a 14-0-0 record in league play in 2010. CCC was a NWAACC quarterfinalist in 2009.
Fadenrecht, the daughter of Allen and Marilyn Fadenrecht, scored seven goals and made four assists while at Clackamas. The Cougars went 24-8-3 during her two-year span. She played club soccer for the Eastside United FC, a four-year state tournament qualifier, including a state quarterfinalist in 2007. Fadenrecht attended Sam Barlow High School
"Emily is going to step in and provide us some much needed leadership,” EOU head coach Keith Scarlett said. “Her technical skill allows her to play as a target up high while also possessing the ability to withdraw deeper into the heart of the park, as needed. Her physical size and her decision-making is something that we need to keep improving and heading in the right direction."
Fadenrecht chose Eastern Oregon because of the teaching program. She would like to major in elementary education and become a teacher. She was named to the NWAACC All-Academic team in 2010.
Guevara, from Chandler, Ariz., has dual citizenship and played in the Mexican Olympics in 2009. She has played two seasons at Corona del Sol High School. The 5-3 athlete is originally from Anaheim, Calif. She was a member of the Mexican Under-17 National Pool, as well as U.S. Soccer's Region IV Olympic Development Pool.
“Addison is a tough hard working player who has the potential to do very well in our program,” Scarlett said. “I am excited to have Addy join us giving us the physical strength and ability to better control the pace of the game which we need to keep getting better. She is going to do well.”
Guevara plays for Sereno FC in Arizona, the 13th ranked girls' soccer club in the nation according to nationalsoccerranking.com. The daughter of John and Debora Guevara would like to major in history at Eastern Oregon and become a professor in the future.
“I chose Eastern because I love the environment and the soccer team,” Guevara said. “I believe that Eastern is a place I can make a serious impact at.”
Hunter joins the Mountaineers after a successful career at Stadium High School in Tacoma, Wash. The 5'2” incoming freshman is a native of Tacoma. She helped Stadium reach the district finals in 2010. The daughter of Krissy and Dan Hunter, played soccer her freshman, sophomore, and senior years of high school. She also played lacrosse her junior and senior years.
Hunter would like to major in chemistry at EOU and would like to enter in the pharmacy field as a future profession.
“Sarah is going to be a great addition to our program,” Scarlett said. “We've enjoyed having her on campus and training with us this winter and spring and her passion, commitment and work-ethic are contagious and fit quite-well into what we're trying to do here. She has a physical presence to herself that will come-out the more time she gets and she is smart on the ball.
“She can play in the back, but is skilled enough on the ball and has the vision to play in the midfield if need be. We now have a great deal of competition at every spot, and I expect Sarah to challenge for playing time from the word go. It's a great problem to have numerous players competing for the same spots.”
Kelli Jones, a native of Pendleton, Ore., comes to EOU after an incredible career at Hermiston High School. She was named first team All-State in 2009. Jones scored 38 goals and recorded 22 assists during her stint as a Bulldog. She netted 11 goals in 2009.
"We are happy to have signed one of the top talents in not only this part of the state, but also the entire state of Oregon this year,” Scarlett said. “Kelli will help us continue to raise the level of play for our entire team.”
Jones would like to major in education at Eastern and become a secondary education teacher in the future. She graduated from Hermiston with honors. Jones played soccer and ran track all four years at HHS, and played basketball for three years. She was named All-Intermountain League her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. She was honorable mention her freshman season. Jones led Hermiston to the state tournament for the first time in a decade as a captain in 2010.
Jones continues the EOU family tradition. Her father, Mark, played football for Eastern, and her mother, Jocelyn, played volleyball as a Mountaineer.
“I like the small campus,” Jones said of EOU. 'It has a good education program, and I just like it here in La Grande.”
Kiah Jones comes to Eastern from Boise State University. She currently plays for the Boise Nationals Soccer Club, and previously played for Les Bois United where she won back-to-back State title. She helped lead Kuna High School to the Class 4A State Championships in 2009.
“Kiah will be a wonderful addition to our team and will find time in the midfield and defensive areas of the field,” Scarlett said. “She has outstanding vision with the ball at her foot and possesses a service from distance. She has a great physical; yet composed presence to her game, and possesses the ability to start the attack from anywhere on the field.”
The Casper, Wyo. native will enroll in the EOU nursing program in hopes to become a registered nurse in the future. She played soccer and basketball, and ran track during high school. Jones also played on the Boise State club lacrosse team last year.
“EOU offers a great nursing program,” Jones said. “The campus is small, and I would finally have the opportunity to do what I love which is play soccer.”
Olivo is a member of the San Diego United soccer club. The daughter of Albert and Mary Olivo will be graduating from Granite Hills High School in San Diego. At Granite Hills she ran cross country for two seasons and was named first team all-league and received the best newcomer award. During her two seasons of running track she was named second team all-league as well.
“Lexi is extremely hard working and brings a winner's mentality to the program,” Scarlett said. “One of her best assets as player is her tenacity. She puts unrelenting pressure on her opponents and offensively, she has the quickness to run by players. Lexi's understanding of the game will allow her to compete for and play several positions. She's a confident player with tons of upside.”
Olivo guided Granite Hills to a league championship title in her sophomore year. She received the coaches' award that season. She was named Grossmont League South Honorable Mention in her junior season.
“If I had to name my greatest sports moment to date I have been involved in it would be watching my AYSO boys under-7 team, I assisted on, The Incredible Hulks, play a whole game without chasing bugs,” Olivo said. “I chose Eastern Oregon because of its small, rural setting. It will be a nice change of pace from San Diego.”
Moore transfers from North Idaho College, where she helped NIC to a NJCAA ranking as high as No. 14. She played in 31 games, starting 21 over the past two seasons. The Moscow, Idaho native scored one goal and had six assists.
“Quincy is a great addition to the Mountaineers,” Scarlett said. “She will provide experience, leadership, and competitive personality to our team. Coming out of the 2010 season, I felt that we needed to bring in someone with a high work rate and experience under pressure. Quincy gives us that and more. She is a good athlete with a high soccer I.Q.”
The 5-3 incoming junior, played soccer and ran track at Moscow High School before playing soccer collegiately at North Idaho College. The daughter of Henry and Stephanie Moore would like to major in Psychology at Eastern.
“I chose EOU because it's in a small town like Moscow,” Moore said. “It will have that home-like feeling to it and it's not too far from home so I can still go visit my parents when I am able to.”
Ukich played one season at Spokane Falls Community College and one year at North Idaho College before transferring to Eastern. She played with current Mountaineers, Allison Seymour and Amanda Swenson, in 2008 at SFCC. Ukich was a member of the Coeur d'Alene Sting soccer club.
The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho native was on the Coeur d'Alene High School team that won the state title her junior season. The Vikings finished third in the state in her senior season. She also ran track during high school and was named freshman of the year for her efforts on the track. Ukich lists triathlons as one of her hobbies, even completing the famous Ironman triathlon.
“Allie is a very hard-working player who brings a tremendous work-ethic and passion to the field,” Scarlett said. “Her personality will fit in very well. She knows how we like to play and will in bring that much-needed focus and intensity.”
Ukich, an incoming junior, would like to major in exercise science and become a strength and conditioning coach or a personal trainer in the future. The daughter of John and Julie Ukich chose EOU because of its academics, the distance from home, and she wanted to attend a small college in a small town.
Zaragoza plays for the Downtown Las Vegas soccer club. She helped them to a second place finish in the 2011 Nevada state cup. Zaragoza also played for nationally recognized, Neusport FC, the top-ranked club in Nevada.
“Brandi is a player we look at as our future,” Scarlett said. “She is a very solid goalkeeper and technically very good. We feel here at EOU that if we get a goalkeeper with the tools she has and is willing to work and be coached, the sky is the limit. I believe that is the case with Brandi.
“Obviously, there will be some stiff competition there with the goalkeepers we have, but we are looking for her to play a major role in the future of this program. As long as she brings the right mentality, she will have a very bright future here.”
The incoming freshman goalkeeper comes to La Grande from Legacy High School. She is a native of Las Vegas, and the daughter of Albert and Sherry Zaragoza. The all-around athlete not only played soccer at Legacy, but she played two years of varsity volleyball and junior varsity softball. Zaragoza also ran a year of cross country and track.
“I like the area Eastern Oregon is located at,” Zaragoza said. “My friend got me interested and said it was a nice campus and everyone is nice there.”
The Mountaineers begin their 2011 campaign on Aug. 18 in La Grande against Columbia Basin College. Eastern's first counting contest is on Aug. 23 at Carroll College.