Alabama Begins Spring Workouts This Week
1/12/2024 4:12:00 PM | Soccer
The Crimson Tide concluded its first week of off-season preparations as eight new faces joined the squad as early enrollees
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama soccer team was joined by eight new faces this week as the team began workouts for the off season. The Tide welcomed two transfers, Nedya Sawan (Portland) and Melina Rebimbas (North Carolina), and six incoming freshmen in Breezie Brewer, Kiley Kukan, Lexi Meyer, Sophie Neves, Ashley Roni and Maison Smith to Tuscaloosa as early enrollees.
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— Alabama Soccer (@AlabamaSoccer) January 12, 2024
Practice began Wednesday as the program focused on agility and fitness. Maria Vanore paced the Tide as she completed 50 rounds in the beep test, a program that progressively gets faster as you run a set distance. The team concluded the day with a half field scrimmage.
The Crimson Tide will add a total of 11 new faces to the 2024 squad, highlighted by three transfers in Sawan, Rebimbas and Zivana Labovic. Both Labovic (Michigan State) and Rebimbas (North Carolina) helped lead their teams to the third round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Sawan was a member of Portland's historic 2022 season as the team returned to the Big Dance for the first time since 2013.
Labovic, Rebimbas and Sawan join a strong group of 2024 freshmen in Brewer, Kukan, Meyer, Madi Munguia, Neves, Madeline Padelski, Roni and Smith signed their National Letters of Intent in November.
The Incoming Squad
Breezie Brewer
Defender | Riverside, Calif.
- Back-to-back U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) Cal-South National Cup Champions
- Invited to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center Elite Training Camp
- Named the most valuable player and scored the game-winning goal in the 2018 USYS Far-West Regional Championship
- Undefeated 2023 United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) conference champions with SoCal Reds FC, in addition to making the semifinals and two Elite Club National League (ECNL) quarterfinals
Kiley Kukan
Midfielder/Forward | Old Monroe, Mo.
- Two-time Elite Club National League (ECNL) National Champion, winning the title the past two seasons (2022, 2023)
- Named a First Team ECNL Midwest All-Conference honoree in 2022 and 2023
- Invited to the 2022 ECNL National Training Camp
- Three-time U.S. Youth National Team (USYNT) Regional ID Camp participant (2021, 2022, 2023)
- Competed in the 2022 and 2023 ECNL National Selection Game
Zivana Labovic
Midfielder/Defender | Schererville, Ind.
- A senior transfer from Michigan State
- Scored 12 goals and 10 assists with the Spartans, including three goals and three assists this season
- Helped lead MSU to the NCAA Tournament as the team reached the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament
- Registered an assist against Ohio in the 2023 NCAA First Round
- Appeared in 71 games with Michigan State
Lexi Meyer
Midfielder | Lone Tree, Colo.
- Currently the No. 37-ranked national player by TopDrawerSoccer
- Two-time ECNL All-American, earning the honor in 2021-22 and 2022-23
- Named the ECNL Northwest Conference Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season
- Earned ECNL First Team All-Conference honors for 2021-22 season
Madi Munguia
Goalkeeper | Puyallup Wash.
- Invited to the U20 National Team Training Pool
- Named a three-time First team All ECNL Conference honoree
- Played in Houston NSG
Sophie Neves
Forward/Midfielder | Spanish Fork, Utah
- Earned 2023 ECNL Northwest All-Conference First Team honors
- Named the GA Talent ID MVP in 2023
- Won the West Region ODP Title in 2022
- 2021 Utah State Cup Champion
Madeline Padelski
Midfielder/Forward | Nolensville, Tenn.
- Invited twice to the U.S. Youth National Team U16 Domestic training camp and to the U17 training camp once
- U16 Mondial Montague winner
- Scrimmaged against Japan on two occasions, netting a goal and tallying an assist in the international match
Melina Rebimbas
Midfielder/Defender | Warren, N.J
- Sophomore transfer from North Carolina
- One of only nine Tar Heels, and one of just two freshmen, to appear in all 23 matches
- Finished her rookie season with three goals, three assists and nine points
- Took 18 shots, seven which were on frame
- Ranked No. 55 on Top Drawer Soccer's Midseason Top-100 Freshmen list
Ashley Roni
Forward | Sammamish, Wash.
- Named to the 2023 U19 ECNL All-Northwest Conference First Team
- Competed at the 2023 High School All-American game
- Two-time All-State High School First Team honoree (2022, 2023)
- Finalist for the 2022 and 2023 High School National Player of the Year
- USYNT Regional ID training pool
- High school 4A state champions in 2022
Maison Smith
Defender | Eureka, Mo.
- Back-to-back ECNL National Champion in 2022 and 2023
- Earned ECNL Midwest All-Conference First Team in 2022 and second team in 2023
- Invited to the 2022 ECNL National Training Camp
- Competed in the 2022 ECNL National Selection Game
Nedya Sawan
Forward | Beaverton, Ore.
- Senior transfer from Portland
- Recorded 25 goals and nine assists with the Pilots for 59 career points
- Scored 11 game-winning goals and led the conference in the category in 2021 and 2023
- Led Portland to its first NCAA Tournament appearance (2022) since 2013
- Notched a goal and an assist in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for a 3-0 win over Arizona State
- Named All-WCC honoree and All-West Region Third Team
- Appeared in 60 games with Portland
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaSoccer on X, Facebook and Instagram.
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