Valpo women's soccer class of 2014.
John Marovich announced six signees of NLIs.
Valparaiso University
head women’s soccer coach John Marovich has
announced that six student-athletes from four different states, Hailey Chmela, Tara Ellis, Lauren Gagnon,
Katie Gratzianna, Kristen Manski
and Amanda Ulin, have chosen to continue their
soccer careers as Crusaders starting in 2010 by signing National Letters of
Intent.
“I am thrilled about this
group’s ability to add depth to our program in all thirds of the field,”
Marovich said. “We had such a strong
finish to the season which saw us compete in the Horizon League tournament
championship match that we wanted to keep this momentum going and I believe
this class does that. The strength of
this class is their athleticism and their club and Olympic Development Program
experiences. These experiences at such a high level lead me to believe that they
will adjust to the college game quite quickly. There is a great deal of
personality and character within the group, not just from a soccer standpoint
but also in the way they carry themselves as people off the field. They are
certainly a good group to be around and they will fit with our team nicely.
We’re delighted and energized that they have decided to become part of our
soccer family here at Valpo, and I am looking forward to working with them beginning
this fall.”
Hailey Chmela is a 5’3” midfielder from Lake Zurich, Ill. A four-year letter winner and leading scorer
at Lake Zurich High School,
Chmela was named All-North Suburban Conference, All-Area, and All-Sectional for
the Bears. While competing with Ela
Elite, she played a vital role in winning two Illinois State Cup Championship
titles, a Midwest Regional Championship in 2006, and a National Final Four
appearance.
Marovich’s thoughts on
Chmela: “Hailey has good knowledge of
the game and her experiences playing with her club team are going to be
valuable in her transition to the college game. She has a nice grasp of the
work and expectation of a wide player on the field. We are looking for her to
give us the ability to explore the widths of the field in a dynamic way.”
Why Valpo for Chmela?: “I decided Valparaiso University is the best fit for
me after getting a tour of the campus and meeting the coaching staff. I like
the balance between the high expectations of academics and the competitive
Division I soccer. I also like the size of the school. Coach Marovich made my
decision easy by showing me how passionate he was about the game of soccer”
Tara Ellis is a 5’7” forward from Portage, Ind.
Ellis made an immediate impact for the Indians as a four-year letterwinner and
four-time All-Duneland Athletic Conference selection, after leading her team in
goals and assists. As a senior, she was named Second Team All-State as well as
a recipient of the Golden Boot Award. A key
component with Northwest Indiana United, she helped lead her club team to multiple
state cup semifinal appearances. Ellis
was a four-year member of the Indiana ODP team as well as a three-year Regional
ODP Pool player at Region II camp.
Marovich’s thoughts on Ellis: “We’re very excited that Tara
has decided to come to Valpo because she is a local player and someone that I
have been able to see develop and grow into a talented soccer player. Her club
and ODP experiences have given her the competitive environments which allowed
her to develop into the player she is today, and I am looking forward to the
opportunity to work with Tara at the college
level. She is going to add great toughness and aerial combativeness to the back
line. Tara is a versatile player who has the
ability to take shots on goal from a distance as well as an ability to score
goals. We are looking forward to having Tara on
the field and at our University.”
Why Valpo for Ellis?: “I
chose Valpo because of the great educational opportunities and the chance to be
a part of a great soccer program. The overall atmosphere and warm welcoming
from people on campus made it seem like the perfect fit.”
Lauren Gagnon is a 5’1” midfielder from Grand Haven, Mich. Gagnon
is a three-time All-Conference, All-Area and All-District selection at Spring
Lake High School, as well as an All-Region, All-State Team member her junior
year. She also played for the Michigan Hawks with current Crusader Catherine
Terrell and is a six-year member of the Michigan ODP team.
Marovich’s thoughts on
Gagnon: “We are thrilled about Lauren choosing Valpo.
She comes from a great club program, The Michigan Hawks, and has had tremendous
experiences there. We are looking forward to her attacking ability whether it
is up front or in the midfield. She has
great vision for the game and a creativity which allows her to play various
textured balls forward. I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with
her and assist her development.”
Why Valpo for Gagnon?: “I choose Valpo because I really like the coaches, girls on the team, and
the size of the school. Valpo is close to home so my family can watch me play.”
Katie Gratzianna is a 5’7” defender from Elmhurst, Ill.
A four-year letterwinner and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year for the
Dukes of York Community High School, Gratzianna was also named a 2009 All-Sectional
player as well as a team captain her senior year. She also played club soccer for
The Chicago Fire Juniors with current Crusaders Luisa Desario and Stephanie
Matsas.
Marovich’s thoughts on
Gratzianna: “With Katie you get a
great athlete who is just now starting to peek as a player, so we are excited
to get her in and work with her. She is someone who can be an outside back and
help to add depth to the back line, but also has the ability to be a good
defensive center mid by getting up and winning a head ball. Katie is a tremendous
athlete with speed and an excellent work ethic. We are enthusiastic about where
her development will take her at Valpo”
Why Valpo for Gratzianna?: “The reason I
picked Valpo to play at was because they have a great team. The girls and the
coaches are amazing as well as the program itself. I believe by going there I
will be able to help the program and by using my knowledge of soccer and how I
play the game. I’m very excited to get started.”
Kristen Manski is a 5’8” goalkeeper from Saint Charles, Ill.
An Illinois State Scholar at Saint Charles North High School,
she was an All-Area as well as an All-Conference selection. While playing with
Eclipse, she was in net during numerous matches as part of elite tournaments
and leagues in the country for club soccer.
Marovich’s thoughts on
Manski: “Kristen is a great athlete with quiet hands who can
cover a lot of ground. Certainly her club background has given her excellent
experiences and opportunities to be in tough situations and matches. She commands
her box and is not afraid to go into traffic because of her great hands and
athleticism. Her presence in goal gives the players around her the confidence
to be aggressive.”
Why Valpo for Manski?: “From the very first time that I visited Valparaiso University, I knew that it was the
school for me. I love the unified atmosphere of the campus and the gorgeous
buildings, like the chapel and the library. I met with teachers and counselors
that were passionate and excited about school, and were focused on my success.
But Valparaiso
wasn’t only a school with immense academic opportunities. The athletic
opportunities were remarkable as well. The soccer program is filled with
determined coaches and talented athletes. Talking to Coach Marovich about the
soccer program and watching the Crusaders play made me want to attend Valparaiso University that much more. I am excited
to be a part of the exceptional soccer program and to step into a bright future
that is ensured academically.
Amanda Ulin is a 5’7” defender from Solon, Iowa. A three-year
letterwinner and three-time All-Conference selection for the Spartans, Ulin led
her team in assists all three years. In her 2007 and 2008 campaigns she was
named the Spartan’s Most Valuable Player as well as Honorable Mention in the
state of Iowa.
As a junior she was a First Team All-State selection. A stand out athlete for Solon High School,
she was named Solon High School Female Student-Athlete Most Valuable Player in
2008. An ODP State participant since 2003, Ulin was a
Regional ODP Camp attendee since 2005.
Marovich’s thoughts on
Ulin: “Amanda is a great athlete who
I have had the ability to see play at various levels, whether it’s ODP or the
club level. She has good pace coming out of the back or as a forward. She has
the ability to score goals, which she has done at the high school level. I am
really looking forward to her coming in and adding an attacking mentality. She
is also a product of the VIP summer camp, which allowed us the chance to spend
time with her, get to know her and see that she was a great fit. We are looking
forward to her being on campus in the fall.
Why Valpo for Ulin?: “I chose Valpo because of the campus, the academics, and the athletics.
I love the size of the campus, how compact and easy it is to get around and the
schools new facilities. I like the small size of the student body because it
reminds me of my home. I love the academic respect the school has and the
expectations they hold for their students. I like the exercise program they
have to offer as well as the pre-med program. I love the soccer team and the
coaching staff, and the positive team (family) environment they encourage and
nurture. I also like the open door policies professors have and how they are
always available to help their students achieve their best.”
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