TERRE HAUTE, IN ? Indiana State head soccer coach Vernon Croft announced the addition of nine high school standouts to join the Sycamores for the 2008 season.   These nine players are expected to provide the Sycamores with what they were lacking last season when the team failed to qualify for the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.  This is Croft's biggest recruiting class in several years so the depth is greater than it has been in quite some time.  With the loss of five key seniors, these newcomers should be able to step in and supply the team with a much needed spark.

“This is one of our bigger classes coming in and with that size comes bigger expectations,” said Croft.  “I believe that they are capable of fulfilling those expectations and will be able to make a positive impact as a group on the direction we expect to take this program in the next year.”

Emily Lahay is a four-year varsity letterwinner from Sullivan High School who holds the school's record for goals against average (.550).  The standout goalkeeper garnered Defensive Player of the Year honors as a freshmen en route to being named the team's Most Valuable Player at the end of her sophomore season when she lead the team to a Western Indiana Conference Championship.  Lahay lead her team to two more conference championships in her junior and senior seasons.  She is a three-time Western Indiana All-Conference selection and was voted a Top Team Player her senior season by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association.  Lahay received another Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player award before her departure from Sullivan H.S.  She played club soccer for the Terre Haute Lady Flyers where she led them to a 2005 Habig Classic Championship and a 2006 Coca-Cola Classic Championship.  Lahay was also a standout athlete in basketball and softball, picking up several All-Conference accolades.

“Emily is going to give us some tremendous depth and competition in goal this year as she may be one of the best goalkeepers to come out of the Wabash Valley in years,” said Croft.  “She has set a number of records at Sullivan High School during her tenure and we expect her to create a very competitive environment in training and games for us.”

Alison Gasparovich hails from St. Thomas Aquinas High School where she was instrumental in the team's 2005 Kansas 6A State Championship and again in 2006 and 2007 when the team won the 5A State Championship.  Gasparovich picked up numerous awards in her last high school season:  First Team All-EKL (Eastern Kansas League), First Team All-NEKSCA (Northeast Kansas Soccer Coaches Association), First Team All-State, Second Team All-Metro, Kansas City Star Athlete Player of the Week, Offensive Player of the State, and Offensive Player of the Year for Aquinas.  She played club soccer with the KC Comets who were crowned the Kansas State Cup Champions four years in a row (2004-2007) and were Regional Tournament Runner-ups in 2005.

“Ali is another extremely technical and gifted player and will provide an immediate impact for us as an attacking midfielder,” commented Croft.  “Her success over the past several years with her high school team, nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as her club team, KC Comets, has given her a lot of experience suitable for success in the MVC.”

Taylor Nelson is another standout goalkeeper from La Cueva High School in New Mexico.  Nelson guided La Cueva H.S. to three District Championships as well as a New Mexico State Championship her junior season.  As a senior, Nelson was a First Team All-District and All-Metro player.  She was also a Second Team All-State selection after producing a .505 GAA, the lowest in the Metro area.  Nelson was a member of the Rio Vista FC soccer team who won the New Mexico State Championships in 2004-2007.  In all four of those years, the team was also crowned the Duke City League Champions.

“Taylor is someone we expect to come in and compete right away for our starting goalkeeper position,” Croft noted.  “Her athleticism and consistency will help make her a very good goalkeeper for us over the years.  Having been a part of the Rio FC out of Region IV, Taylor has had the opportunity to play with and against some of the best teams in our country and this experience will be extremely valuable to her transition to the Missouri Valley Conference.”

Laura Painter will come to Indiana State from Highlands High School in Kentucky where her team won the State Championships in her sophomore and junior seasons.  The team was also two-time Regional, Sectional, and District Champions during Painter's tenure.  As a junior and senior, the star defender was an All-Conference, All-Region, and All-State player.  She made the District All-Tournament Team and was MVP of the Lexington Catholic Cup in '06.  In her last two seasons, she was a Cincinnati Enquirer and Kentucky Post All Star.  She played ODP for one year with the Ohio South State Team and spent two years with the Kentucky State Team.  Painter played club soccer with the Cardinal Premier, Town & Country Stars, and the Cincinnati United Premier.  She led her club teams to numerous tournament championships including W.A.G.S, St. Louis Cup, Germantown Showcase, and the Orange Classic.

“Laura is going to provide us with a tremendous amount of experience as a central defender having won several state championships with Highlands High School as well as being a member of the CUP Soccer Club,” Croft stated.  “Her strengths of being able to play more accurate direct balls will help us maintain possession over longer distances.”

Katie Geyman is a three time All-District, All-County, and All-Conference forward from Warren Woods Tower High School where she has scored 50 career goals in just three years.  As a junior, Geyman was also selected as an All-Regional and Third Team All-State pick.  She played club soccer with the Bloomfield Force as well as the Michigan Nationals.  She has participated in several tournaments including the Surf Cup, Best of the Midwest, Jefferson Cup, Bluegrass Invitational, CASL Showcase, and Score at the Shore.  Geyman was also a standout basketball player where she was a 2007 All-Conference, All-District, and All-County honoree.

“With the graduation of our all-time leading scorer, we were in need of someone who has a knack for scoring and Katie will provide this for us,” Croft held.  “Her success with the Bloomfield Force as their target player will really help make us a better attacking team than we were last year and we are excited about her giving us this impact so soon in her career.”

Morgan Wendlandt is a multi-sport stellar athlete who has yet to complete her senior soccer season at Fort Atkinson High School.  She has been a varsity starter since her freshmen campaign where she was selected as a First Team All-Conference player and team MVP.  As a sophomore and junior, Wendlandt was again honored as a First Team All-Conference selection and team MVP.  She was also the Conference Player of the Year in '06.  Playing with the MYSC (Madison Youth Soccer Club), Wendlandt led her team to three state semi-final appearances.  Other than soccer, she stood out in golf, tennis, and basketball picking up All-Conference recognition in all three sports.

“Morgan is by far our most all around athlete having excelled at so many sports besides soccer,” said Croft.  “She is going to provide an immediate impact in the central part of the field and with the experience gained in the Madison Youth Soccer Club she will be more than ready for the level of the Missouri Valley Conference.  Her shear competitiveness and technical consistency will be an important asset to our ability to be successful this fall.”

Monica LaPlant will join the ISU soccer team from Princeton High School where she starred on the water polo team.  LaPlant was a two-year MVP and All-State honorable mention selection.  She played club soccer for the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy Gold Team.  The team finished third in the Ohio State Cup in 2005 and 2006, and in 2007 won the Midwest Premier League Regional Championship and advanced to Nationals.

“Monica is another very good and athletic central player and will be able to provide some good things for us as a central defender or as a defensive midfielder” Croft noted.  “Her tremendous success as a water polo athlete will really allow her to come in fit and prepared for this level of Division I soccer.  Having been a part of the Ohio Elite Soccer Academy we know that her intelligence for the game is going to be very good.”

Nikki Novarro is an exceptional defender from York High School where she anchored the Lady Dukes' defense.  She received All-Conference honors in her sophomore and junior seasons and was also an All-Sectional honorable mention player as a junior as well.  She notched two goals, five assists, and helped her team to eight shutouts in 2007.

“Nikki may be our most versatile player coming in this year and we intend to use her as a central midfielder or possibly central defender because she provides good size and strength in the air,” Croft said.  “Her athleticism will afford her the opportunity to play a number of positions and be successful there for us.”