RENO, Nev. The defending WAC Tournament champion University of Nevada soccer team has signed five student-athletes to national letters of intent to study and play soccer starting in the fall of 2007, head coach Terri Patraw announced Wednesday.
“This is a very athletic and soccer-savvy class. We have very versatile players coming from elite club teams and we expect all five to compete for starting spots,” said Patraw, who will enter her fourth year as head coach in the fall. “Once again, we’ve added a lot of speed, and this class is possibly the best class in program history.”
The Wolf Pack lost five seniors from last season’s NCAA team but welcomes five high school players. This year’s class also marks Patraw’s first recruiting class comprised of all freshmen. Each of her previous two recruiting classes has included at least one upperclassman transfer.
Vanessa Mann
5-5 Freshman - Defense/Midfield
Shellharbour, New South Wales, Australia (Illawarra Sports High School)
Vanessa Mann is a 5-5 defender/midfielder out of Illawarra Sports High School in Australia. A native Shellharbour, New South Wales, Australia, Mann was a multi-sport athlete at Illawarra Sports High School and played soccer, track and futsal (indoor soccer). She won three national championships in soccer with New South Wales Combined High Schools from 2004-06 and won the futsal state championship in 2002 and 2003. Mann played on the Australian U19 Schoolgirls soccer team from 2004-06 and was named Female Athlete of the Year by the New South Wales Combined High Schools Sports Association in 2006. In addition, Mann was named the South Coast Region’s Most Outstanding Representative in School Sport in 2006. Mann’s signing with the Pack marks the third consecutive season Nevada has signed an Australian player.
“Vanessa is the highest-credentialed Australian to come into our program,” Patraw said. “She’ll come in as an 18-year-old freshman but has the presence of a seasoned veteran. She has the technical and tactical awareness to make an immediate impact in our program.”
Jillian Erickson
5-8 Freshman Forward/Midfield
Woodinville, Wash. (Woodinville HS)
Jillian Erickson is a 5-8 forward/midfielder from Woodinville High School in Woodinville, Wash. Erickson earned varsity letters in both soccer and track. She won three state championships with her club team, NWN Fusion, and was a member of the ’88 Region IV ODP team that won a national championship in 2004. She earned first-team All-King County honors her sophomore and junior seasons and first-team all-area accolades her junior year. Erickson missed her senior soccer season with an injury. She was also a successful prep track athlete, winning conference and district championships in the 300 and 100 hurdles, and was a captain of her track team in 2006 and 2007.
“I am really excited about Jill and the versatility she brings to our program,” Patraw said. “She’s an elite athlete with the physical presence to impact us immediately. We feel very fortunate to have a player of Jill’s caliber join our program.”
Marie Cove
5-7 Freshman Goalkeeper
Garden Grove, Calif. (Pacifica HS)
Marie Cove is a 5-7 goalkeeper from Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, Calif. She earned four varsity letters in soccer and two in track. Cove led her soccer team to three Garden Grove League championships from 2003-06 and won a Garden Grove League title in track in 2006. In soccer, she was named defensive MVP in 2004, All-CIF second team in 2004-06 and first-team all-league in 2004 and 2005. Cove also garnered MVP honors of her track team in 2006.
“Marie is a fantastic athlete with a commanding presence in goal,” Patraw said. “She has all the physical tools to come in and compete for the starting spot. Our goalkeeping situation is the most talented I’ve ever been associated with.”
Cristen Drummond
5-4 Freshman Forward/Midfielder
Los Angeles, Calif. (Marymount HS)
A native of Los Angeles, Calif., Cristen Drummond earned four varsity letters in both soccer and track at Marymount High School. The 5-4 Drummond won two Sunshine League championships in soccer and one in track. She was a four-time first-team all-league selection in soccer and a two-time CIF honoree. Drummond was captain of her soccer and track team in 2003-04 and helped her 4x400 relay team set a new school record. She plays club soccer for FC Barcelona and was a member of the So Cal ODP state pool team.
“Cristen is a really creative, dynamic player with a lot of speed,” Patraw said. “She will be an exciting presence in the attack. She has a lot of similarities to Sammy Miller and without question will be fun to watch.”
Erin Smith
5-10 Freshman- Defender
Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield Senior HS)
Erin Smith is a 5-10 defender out of Chatfield Senior High School in Littleton, Colo. She earned four varsity letters in soccer and led her high school team to a 5A State Championship in 2004. Smith plays club soccer for the highly-competitive Colorado Rush and led her team to five club state championships. She was named to the first-team All-Jefferson County Conference squad and was a member of the Colorado ODP program from 2003-06. Smith is the first Colorado native to sign with the Nevada soccer program.
“Erin has a wonderful combination of size and athleticism. She is 5-10 and very agile and will give us a tremendous defensive presence. She gives us a lot of options across the backline,” Patraw said.
The Wolf Pack returns 14 letterwinners from last season’s WAC Tournament Championship and NCAA First Round team, which set a school record for victories and ended the season with its best overall record in program, 13-5-4. Nevada will open the 2007 season with an exhibition home match against Chico State on Aug. 17. The Pack will open the regular season at home against Pac-10 opponent Oregon on Aug. 31. The team will face three Pac-10 opponents in the first six games of the season.
The Wolf Pack will welcome back two Nevada natives who were on the roster last year but did not play due to injuries. Ashlie Brown, a graduate of Reed High School in Sparks, Nev., will be a sophomore in 2007 after spending last season recovering from an ACL injury. Carly Wood, who will be a redshirt freshman in the fall, attended Incline High School in Incline Village, Nev. Wood suffered an ankle injury early last season and was forced to redshirt.
