2007 Soccer Preview: The Newcomers
8/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Editors Note: This is the second of a three part preview on rolltide.com for the University of Alabama Women's Soccer Team. Today's feature will focus on the new Tide players. Other features will focus on the returning players and position break downs
The past two seasons Alabama head coach Don Staley has seen frequent injuries putting his team is tough situations. The Tide played many people out of position last year such as moving 2007 team captain Hayley MacDonald from her traditional role of midfielder to sweeper for the 2006 season due to the injury of Chelsea Stang.
At times the reserve goal keepers also played minutes in the field to help the team. Depth will not be an issue for the Tide in 2007 with 12 new players on the 2007 Tide roster.
Joining the Tide this season are 11 freshman and one transfer, junior Danielle Bernier from Canicius College in Buffalo, NY. Of the 11 freshman, six are scholarship players that could see immediate playing time for the Tide this season.
For the third time in school history two sisters will be on the field at the same time for the Tide, sweeper Danielle Bernier and goalkeeper Justine Bernier from Ontario.
Danielle played last season at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY and transfer to the Tide for her final two seasons. She is a sweeper that will be depended upon to anchor the back line for the Tide this season. With the Golden Griffins she was a two year starter at sweeper, 2005 team Rookie of the Year and 2006 MAAC All-Academic Team.
She played for the St. Catharines Jets club team with current Alabama players Hayley MacDonald, Rosaly Petriello and her sister Danielle, where they were coached by Jim Craig and his staff. In addition she has also played for the Oakville Cobras, the gold medal winning Ontario All Stars, Ontario Provincial U15 team, Ontario Provincial U14 team and the Peel-Halton Regional team.
Justine Bernier is a 5'10 keeper who played on the U-18 Canadian National Team and the Toronto Lady Lynx in the W-League, where she was the 2006 Goalkeeper of the Year and first team All-W-League. The W-League is a mixture of professional and amateur athletes and is considered the highest ranking league available for women.
Bernier has previously played for the U-17 Canadian National Team, U-16 Canadian National Team, and the St. Catharines Jets. She is a member of the National Training Centre of Ontario, Ontario U-16 Provincial Team, and the Ontario Canada Games team. She earned a gold medal at the T. Dunleavy Tournament of Champions, a silver at the U-17 and U-21 Ontario Cup, and a bronze at the Canada Games.
Joining the Crimson Tide front line is Victoria Frederick, the Alabama Gatorade High School Player of the Year from Huntsville. She recently was selected to the ODP Region III Team, which earned her an invitation to the ODP national camp in December. She was also selected the Birmingham News Player of the Year for the state of Alabama.
Frederick played for the Vestavia Attack Club Team under coach Jason Lockhart. She has also been a member of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) state team from 2002-06, Lady Raptors club team and the North Alabama Untied Samba club team. She won three state championships with the Lady Raptors and two state championships with the Attack. Frederick was named to both the All-State team and the Huntsville Times All-Metro Team on two occasions playing for coach Henry Mpagi.
Kelly King is a midfielder from Mooreville, North Carolina, where she was a three time All-Conference and three time All-Region performer at Lake Norman High School. She is also a member of the 2004 North Carolina State Champion Charlotte Soccer Blue club team and the Greensboro Twisters Club which is coached by Chris Brewer and the legendary coach Rich Winslow. King was the starting midfielder for the NC State Select ODP team from 2002-2006.
Carly Mygrants comes to the Tide from Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering, Ohio where she was a NSCAA All-American, two time NSCAA All-Region team, two time First Team All-Conference, DII Conference Player of the Year, and two time First Team Ohio All-State. She was also a member of the Cincinnati United Premier White club team, where she won the Buckeye Premier League Championship, OSYSA State Cup Championship and the Midwest National League Championship.
Another addition to the front line in the 2007 signing class is Brooke Rodgers. She attended Indian Hills High School in Cincinnati where she was a First Team Ohio All-State, NSCAA All-Region team, NSCAA Scholar All-American, and three-time All-Conference team. She was also a member of the Cincinnati United Premier club with Alabama signee Carly Mygrants which was coached by Jim Calder.
The Tide signed one freshman defender in Sydney Barker, a native of Roswell, Georgia. She was a defensive specialist for the nationally ranked Tophat Gold club team under coach Todd Schulenberger. Barker is a dual sport athlete that brings grace, intelligence and a physical presence to the field. She is the daughter of Leo Barker, a former NFL linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Coach Staley also kept five walk on players for this year's team.
Molly Wittig is a speedy and creative center midfielder that will compete for time on the front line with the Tide once she becomes healthy.
Maggie Bailey is defender from Birmingham who Coach Staley expects to be in the mix for playing time as a defender once she recovers completely from a few nagging injuries.
Callie O'Steen is a defender from Briarwood High School in Birmingham who Coach Staley says brings competitiveness and enthusiasm to the team.
Hailey Hull is a defender from Tennessee that will battle for time in the midfield, she brings good size and speed to the field.
Elizabeth Davis has a quick first step and will help add to the overall team depth this season.
Up next for the 2007 Alabama Soccer Preview on rolltide.com is a position by position look for the 2007 Crimson Tide team.
