May 16, 2005

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The UC Santa Barbara women's soccer program has signed eight players to National Letters of Intent, and added a transfer from the University of Michigan, head coach Paul Stumpf has announced.

The Gauchos, coming off of a 2004 season in which they won the Big West regular season title but lost in the championship match of the Big West Tournament, will add two forwards, two midfielders, three defenders, and one goalkeeper.

Michelle Russell - Midfield/Forward - San Diego, Calif. - University City HS
Michelle Russell comes to UCSB from University City High School...At the club level, she plays for PQ Premier...As a senior at University City High School, she was First Team All-CIF, First Team All-Western League, and she made the San Diego area's All-Academic Team...Tallied 17 goals as a senior and 42 in her career...Also had 25 assists...Russell was a four-year starter at midfield for University City HS.

Stumpf on Russell:
"She came to our summer camp, and by the second day we knew she was someone we wanted to recruit. She is a big, strong, fast, and technical player, who is expected to challenge for playing time as a freshman up front."

Genelle Ives - Forward - Dana Point, Calif. - Dana Hills HS
Genelle Ives will arrive at UCSB following an outstanding career at Dana Hills High School...She was a four-year varsity letterwinner...She was selected her team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2002-03 and 2004-05...She was chosen First Team All-South Coast League in 2004-05, and a Second Team All-South Coast League selection in 2001-02 and 2002-03...Had six goals and five assists as a senior...As a sophomore, Ives scored 13 goals...At the club level, she plays for the Southern California Blues, and was a State Cup finalist in 2005...Also competed in volleyball, track and surfing in high school.

Stumpf on Ives:
"Genelle, who is also one of our Elite campers, will bring to us a lot of pace up top. She is a very good offensive player with good size, and attacking mentality and she is a very good finisher. She caught our eye at a Christmas tournament during her sophomore year. We were surprised to find out she was so young, and immediately started to track her development. We expect very good things from her immediately."

Kelly Soler - Goalkeeper - Moraga, Calif. - Campolindo HS
Kelly Soler is a product of Campolindo High School...As a senior, she earned Campolindo's Outstanding Performer Award...In her freshman year, Soler was chosen her team's Rookie of the Year...She helped to lead Campolindo to the CIF North Coast Section championship in 2002 and 2004...At the club level, she plays for Bay Oaks Soccer Club...Soler's club team was a State Cup semifinalist in 2004, and a State Cup finalist in 2005.

Stumpf on Soler:
"Kelly is going to bring depth to the goalkeeper position for us. We think that she can really become, in time, one of the team leaders. She brings a big presence to the goal in that she organizes her defenders well vocally. She is technically sound, and appears to have a very competitive nature."

Shelly Murphy - Midfield/Defender - Yorba Linda, Calif. - Rosary HS
Shelly Murphy comes to UCSB from Rosary High School...She is the sister of current Gaucho men's soccer player Jeff Murphy...At the club level, Shelly played for the Southern California Blues, and was a State Cup finalist in 2005.

Stumpf on Murphy:
"Every year I have someone that I call `the steal of the draft', and I think Shelly is that player for us this year. She is capable of playing four different positions. She can play central defender, outside back, wide midfield or central midfield. She does everything well. She is good in the air, solid technically, and connects well all over the field. Her versatility will make her a valuable addition to our team."

Lauren Sapp - Midfield/Forward - Mission Viejo, Calif. - Saddleback Community College
Lauren Sapp will come to UCSB as a sophomore after spending one season at Saddleback Community College...She tallied 12 goals and 11 assists for 35 points in her only season at Saddleback, leading the team...She was a First Team All-Orange Empire Conference honoree...As a high school athlete, Sapp played at Capistrano Valley High School...On the club level, she is a member of the Southern California Blues.

Stumpf on Sapp:
"Lauren comes out of a great club program and she could serve two different roles for us. She is a lefty, and we see her as a center midfielder or a left midfielder, or as a striker from the left side. She is a good ball-striker and has a lot of offensive potential. Also, because of her one season at the junior college, she will bring some experience to a relatively young team."

Nikki Huber - Defender - Upland, Calif. - Mt. San Antonio College
Nikki Huber comes to UCSB as a junior after two years at Mt. San Antonio College...She was her team's MVP and a First Team All-South Coast Conference selection following her sophomore season...She also earned consideration for conference MVP honors...She was a Second Team All-South Coast Conference choice as a freshman...Also, as a sophomore, Huber was Mt. SAC's team captain...A product of Bonita High School where she helped her team to a CIF Southern Section title match...At the club level, Huber plays for the Alta Loma Arsenal, South Coast Soccer League champions in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

Stumpf on Huber:
"Nikki is going to be a central defender for us. She is very smart player and good at organizing the defense. She is also a technical player, and we will expect her to bring some of her experience to our young squad."

Cristianna Smith - Defender - Las Cruces, NM - Las Cruces HS
Cristianna Smith comes to UCSB from Las Cruces High School...A four-year letterwinner at Las Cruces HS...A two-time First Team All-District selection...She was also a Second Team All-District choice as a sophomore...Helped to lead Las Cruces to a pair of District titles...Was a member of the Rio FC Fall College Showcase Team in 2003...Played for Rio Vista Elite at the club level.

Stumpf on Smith:
"Cristianna is a very solid defender. She is a blue-collar player who brings great energy and personality to our program. We see her in a leadership role down the road. She is relatively athletic, but a bit raw at this level. I think she has a very good future at UCSB."

Kandice McLaughlin - Defender - West Hills, Calif. - University of Michigan
Kandice McLaughlin is a transfer from the University of Michigan...She started all 22 games as a freshman for the nationally-ranked Wolverines...Scored two goals and added an assist in her first collegiate season...Scored her team's only goal in a 1-1 tie with archrival Ohio State...Scored her other goal in a double-overtime match against Minnesota...Attempted 20 shots from her defender position...Prepped at El Camino Real High School in the San Fernando Valley...A four-year letterwinner...Scored 137 goals and 95 assists during her career...A four-time All-West Valley League first team choice...Helped El Camino to four Los Angeles City titles...She was the league and L.A. City Section MVP as a senior...Also Los Angeles Daily News Player of the Year and All-Area first team in 2004...Played for West Valley Samba at the club level, and with the Samba, she won a National Championship at the u-17 age level.

Stumpf on McLaughlin:
"Kandice started all 22 games for Michigan as a freshman, and I am really excited to have her in our program. We originally recruited her out of high school as a defender, but it turns out that she can also play in the central midfield. She scored over 100 goals in high school, because she loves to shoot and is a great ball striker. She has very good size, and a competitive nature that will be important for us."

Sami Svrcek - Midfield/Forward - Irvine, Calif. - University HS
Sami Svrcek will arrive at UCSB from University High School in Irvine, Calif....She was a four-year varsity player at University HS...Selected First Team All-Pacific Coast League following her junior and senior seasons and Second Team All-Pacific Coast League following her freshman and sophomore seasons...Played nine years with the Irvine Strikers Premier team...Svrcek participated in ODP State Pool in 2001 and 2002, and the Premier Development Team in 2004...Also participated in ODP England tour...An outstanding all-around athlete, she tied her high school's record in the 400 meters.

Stumpf on Svrcek:
"Sami is a player with a great understanding of the game. She is very good on the ball and she is a player who plays with little bit of an edge."

Stumpf on the overall recruiting class:
"This is one of the biggest recruiting classes we have ever had. We really took a hit this year, losing five seniors. This recruiting class is expected to make a big impact on our season. I think we did a pretty good job of bringing in players with similar skills to most of the players we are losing. It is not easy to replace someone like J.B. (three-time Big West Offensive Player of the Year Jennifer Borcich), but I think this group will really go a long way towards keeping us at the level we have achieved, and potentially taking us even further."