RICHMOND, Ky. – Head women’s soccer coach Lindsay Basalyga announced on Monday that six student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to compete for Eastern Kentucky University in the fall. The signing class includes three midfielders, one forward, one defender and one goalkeeper.
The six student-athletes set to join the EKU soccer program in 2011 are midfielders
Kaylynn Brown and
Ashley Ryan, midfielder/defender
Paige Larkin, forward/midfielder
Devon Saini, defender
Sydney Montgomery and goalkeeper
Annie Wickett.
“Coach Saylor and I are really excited about the recruiting class we have put together for 2011,” Basalyga said. “We literally recruited the entire country, bringing in players from every region and making our roster even more diverse. These six players fill positional needs, add more athleticism and compliment our current players' abilities very well. We see all six competing for playing time and starting roles right away, while helping us reach our ultimate goal of an OVC Championship.”
Brown, a midfielder from Alta Loma, Calif., helped lead the Los Osos High School Grizzlies to Baseline League Championships from 2008-10. As a senior at Los Osos, she was named all-league after leading her team and league in assists. As a junior, she was named a team captain and team MVP. She also earned the Academic Athletic Award her last three years of high school. Brown played club soccer for the Arsenal FC and was a key member of three straight Coast League Championship teams from 2008-10. She led Arsenal in goals from 2009-10 and was named to the ECNL Team from 2009-11. Brown chose EKU over Florida Gulf Coast, Valparaiso, Bryant and Washington. She plans to major in science.
Larkin is a midfielder/defender who comes to Richmond from Cerritos High School in Cerritos, Calif. While only playing one year of varsity soccer at Cerritos (she played three years of varsity basketball), Larkin was named a Scholar Athlete and earned the Coaches Award. She played club soccer for the Slammers FC before becoming teammates with Brown on the Arsenal FC. She experienced great success at the club level as she won three state championships, two Region IV Championships, a Manchester United Nike Championship, a Gothia Cup Championship in Sweden and was a National Championship finalist. Larkin chose EKU over Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton and Northeastern. She plans to major in elementary education.
Montgomery, a defender from Sanford, Fla., started four years on the varsity soccer squads at Seminole High School and Lake Mary High School. She was named second team all-conference, awarded the Coaches Award and the Team MVP Award and voted as a team captain her junior and sophomore seasons. She was also a team captain for her club team, Florida Nike Rush, and helped lead the squad to three state final runner-up finishes and two state final fours in the Region III Premier League from 2007-10. Montgomery chose EKU over Winthrop, Columbus State, Florida Southern, Charleston Southern, Troy and Florida Gulf Coast. She plans to major in biology.
Ryan, a midfielder out of Fairfield, Ohio, was named first team All-Greater Miami Conference and Fairfield High School’s most valuable midfielder. She was also named the Fairfield Athlete of the Week twice and was selected to the GMC All-Academic Team and the Fairfield District Captain’s Council. Ryan played club soccer for the Fairfield Optimist SC and was named a co-captain of the team for three years. She chose EKU over Tiffin, Miami (Ohio) and Thomas More College. Her anticipated major is undecided.
Saini, a forward/midfielder from Avon, Ohio, helped lead Avon High School to two district championships and three conference championships while scoring 49 goals and recording 46 assists during her career. She was a three-time first team All-Lorain County selection, a three-time first team All-West Shore Conference selection, a two-time first team All-Greater Cleveland selection and the two-time Lorain County and West Shore Conference Players of the Year. She was also a two-year team captain, two-time team MVP and a 2010 Division All-Ohio selection. Saini was a team captain on her club team, the Cleveland Internationals SC, and helped lead the Internationals to Midwest Division Super Y Championships in 2008 and 2010, the State Cup Finals in 2006 and 2009-10 and the U.S. Club Regional Final in 2007. She also attended the Super Y Olympic Development Program National Camp in 2009. Saini chose EKU over East Tennessee State, Valparaiso and Cleveland state. She plans to major in sports management.
Wickett, a goalkeeper out of Frederick, Md., helped lead the Tuscarora High School Titans to a state championship in 2009. She was also a pivotal player in leading Tuscarora to two region championships and the state semifinals in 2010. A field player in high school, Wickett scored the game-winning goal in the 2009 state championship game and was a three-time first team All-MVAL selection, a three-time first team all-area selection, a team captain her senior year, the team MVP her sophomore year and a scholar-athlete all four years of high school. Wickett played goalkeeper for her club team, the Bethesda Riptide SC, and helped lead the Riptide to two State Cup Finals, one State Cup Semifinal and a WAGS League Championship. She also played for the Maryland Olympic Development Program state team for four years (2007-10) and travelled to Italy, Denmark and Sweden with the team. Wickett chose EKU over North Carolina State and Bucknell. She plans to major in forensic science.
The EKU soccer team qualified for the OVC Tournament for the third consecutive season in 2010 and broke or tied ten program records in the process. Sophomore forward Nicole Donnelly was named first team All-OVC and leads a group of returners who accounted for 14 of the Colonels’ 20 goals last season.
The 2011 Class
Kaylynn Brown – Midfielder
Alta Loma, Calif.
Los Osos High School
Club Team: Arsenal FC
Paige Larkin – Midfielder/Defender
Cerritos, Calif.
Cerritos High School
Club Team: Arsenal FC
Sydney Montgomery - Defender
Sanford, Fla.
Lake Mary High School
Club Team: Florida Nike Rush
Ashley Ryan - Midfielder
Fairfield, Ohio
Fairfield High School
Club Team: Fairfield Optimist SC
Devon Saini – Forward/Midfielder
Avon, Ohio
Avon High School
Club Team: Cleveland Internationals SC
Annie Wickett - Goalkeeper
Frederick, Md.
Tuscarora High School
Club Team: Bethesda Riptide SC
