Women's Soccer Recruiting Class Ranked Among Nation's Best

May 7, 2007

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette women's soccer team's incoming class of recruits has drawn national recognition as SoccerBuzz ranks the Golden Eagles' incoming freshman class the 23rd-best class in the nation. The corps of 11 student-athletes also stands third in the Great Lakes Region and in the BIG EAST Conference. It is the highest national ranking Marquette has ever achieved for a recruiting class.

The BIG EAST landed six schools in the top-50. Notre Dame was the highest ranked class in the BIG EAST and no. 10 nationally. Connecticut came in at no. 22, Marquette at no. 23 and Villanova rounded out the top 25 at no. 25. Georgetown and West Virginia are ranked no. 35 and 43, respectively.

Regionally the Golden Eagles rank third behind Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Last season, Marquette's incoming class of freshmen was no. 38 in the nation. Since the Golden Eagles joined the BIG EAST Conference in 2005, they have earned back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament; have earned consecutive berths in the BIG EAST Conference Tournament semifinals and have registered and overall record of 31-10-6.

The incoming class includes: Rosie Malone-Povolny (St. Paul, Minn.), Lauren Acree (Whitefish Bay, Wis.), Lauren Thut (Kildeer, Ill.), Julia Victor (Shaker Heights, Ohio), Amanda Longo (Mahopac, N.Y.), Kristi Laurenzi (Kenosha, Wis.), Kelsey Lynch (Chicago, Ill.), Natalie Kulla (St. Louis, Mo.), Stephanie Vasos (Fox Point, Wis.), Ashley Bares (Belgium, Wis.). Also joining the Golden Eagles in the fall will be Becky Ryan (Batavia, Ill.) a transfer from San Diego State.

Marquette will kick-off its season Saturday, Aug. 25, at Wisconsin at 7 p.m.

SoccerBuzz Top-25
1. UCLA
2. Florida State
3. North Carolina
4. Boston College
5. California
6. Santa Clara
7. Portland
8. Duke
9. Vanderbilt
10. Notre Dame
11. Virginia
12. Texas
13. Ohio State
14. Georgia
15. Pepperdine
16. Penn State
17. Washington
18. Southern California
19. Charlotte
20. Maryland
21. Miami (Fla.)
22. Connecticut
23. Marquette
24. Texas A&M
25. Villanova

Great Lakes Region Top-10
1. Notre Dame
2. Ohio State
3. Marquette
4. Michigan
5. Illinois
6. Northwestern
7. Minnesota
8. Wisconsin
9. Wis.-Milwaukee
10. Kentucky

*Italics denotes BIG EAST school