Women's Soccer Signs 10 Recruits
2/3/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine Women's Soccer Head Coach Tim Ward announced the signing of 10 recruits to NLI's during this week's signing day. The 10 players will join the team for the 2017 season.
Here's a look at this year's class:
Height: 5-9 Position: Midfielder
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
High School: Harker HS
Club: De Anza Force
Intended Major: Psychology or Business
Accolades:
High School
League Most Valuable Forward (Freshman)
All-League first team (Freshman, Sophomore)
Golden Boot Award (Freshman)
All-League second team in basketball (Junior)
Owns career record for goals scored with 89
Club
ECNL National Champions in 2013
Four-time ECNL Nationals, Champions (2013), 3rd place (2014, 2015) Finalist (2016)
Four-time ECNL Northwest Conference Champions (2013-16)
Donosti Cup (Spain) Champions in 2013
Seven-time NorCal State Cup Champions (2010-16)
Two-time San Diego Surf Cup Champions (2010, 2011)
Nike National Training Camp ID2/ECNL: 2016
ECNL Finals u17 Best XI
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I chose Pepperdine because it is a top-rated private Christian school with an amazing reputation. The campus is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. When I met the soccer coaches, I knew in that moment that Pepperdine would be the right place for me to play soccer, be a part of an amazing athletic environment and achieve my academic goals. I couldn't ask for a better place to spend the next four years of my life."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Joelle: "Joelle comes to us from one of the best soccer teams in the country as she plays for Andres Deza and Jeff Baicher at the highly respected and former ECNL National Champions DeAnza Force. I remember specifically the first time I saw Joelle play as I noticed this taller, lanky midfielder who was just so clean on the ball. She had this field awareness and composure under pressure that was very unusual for someone so young. We later found out that she is regularly scoring goals with her devastating left foot. Combine that scoring prowess with her wonderful ability to make the players around her better and a super high soccer IQ, and you begin to see why we are so excited about her arrival in Malibu next fall. She can play anywhere on the field, but will most likely see time as a midfielder for the Waves in the years ahead. Most importantly, she is a true Wave in terms of her character. She is humble, kind, hard-working and we believe that as great as she is now, that her best days are ahead of her. And so we are eternally grateful to her and her family for choosing Pepperdine University and are so excited for the years ahead."
Height: 5-11 Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Huntington Beach, Calif.
High School: Edison HS
Club: Pateadores Academy, CalSouth ODP 1999's
Intended Major: Business, Education or Nutritional Science
Accolades:
High School
2014-16 Scholar Athlete
2017 OC Athletic Director Association Athlete of Character Award
2016-2017 Team Captain
2016 Sunset League Defensive Player of the Year
2016 Edison Most Valuable Player
2015 All CIFSS Div-1
2015 All Sunset League
2014 All CIF-SS Div-1
2014 CIF-SS Division 1 Finalist
2014 All Sunset League
Club
2016, 15 and 14 USYS Region IV ODP Team - Thanksgiving Inter-regionals
2016 Sep 3-10 U18 National Team Training Camp, Chula Vista, CA
2016 Aug 1-13 U17 National Team Training Camp, Grand Rapids, MI
2016 USYS ODP National 1999 Champions
2016 and 2015 USYSA Region IV CalSouth 1999 Champions
2015 Oct 11-18 U17 National Team Training Camp, Carson, CA
2015 USYS ODP National 1999 Champions
2015 USYSA Region IV 1999 Tournament 18
2014 Dec 13-17 US Youth National Team Training Camp, Chula Vista, CA
2014 Named USYS ODP 1999 All-Star Team, 1999 "Best Goalkeeper"
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I chose Pepperdine because I knew this was a place where I would be a part of a family and a competitive soccer program; and I would grow as a person and player."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Zoe: "Zoe comes to us from the Pateadores in Mission Viejo, Calif. and from coaching friend Neill Powell. I specifically remember seeing Zoe play for the first time when friend and goalkeeper coach Justin Neerhof referred one of his clients to us. I was at an ODP event in Phoenix and I saw this keeper warming up and right away we knew she had the "it" factor. She is a 5-11, athletic shot-stopper and vocal presence who will no doubt challenge our current "goalkeepers union" for playing time next fall. She has won state and national championships with the Cal South ODP program and that kind of experience is going to serve her well upon arrival in Malibu. She is one of the finest goalkeepers in the country in her age group and she has been rewarded for her excellence with several US National team-training camps over the last few years. Recently she was named to the 2016 NSCAA Youth Girls All-West Region team. Besides her ability on the field, Zoe is an amazing student and human being off of it. During her visit to Pepperdine we were so impressed with not only her academic acumen, but with her passion for learning, growing and helping society as a whole. She is without a doubt a Wave to the core and we are so incredibly excited to have her join our family next fall."
Madison Cook
Height: 5-8 Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Trabuco Canyon, Calif.
High School: Tesoro HS
Club: West Coast FC
Intended Major: Biology, Computer Science (minor)
Accolades:
High School
Four-year scholar athlete
Valedictorian
Torch of Excellence freshman year biology, junior year AP Calculus AB
Most Valuable Defensive player - freshman year
Coaches Award - junior year
Mater Dei Tournament MVP - senior year
Club
National Cup and Far West Regionals Champions 2013
ECNL National Champions 2015
Selected for several Olympic Development Program camps
Selected for 2016 ECNL National Training Camp, Portland, Ore.
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I choose Pepperdine because I love the campus, I love the coaching staff, and I believe we have a chance to win a National Championship."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Madison: "Madi is our second player in the last three years from the esteemed West Coast FC (Christina Settles being the other). Madi is a wonderfully gifted defensive midfielder who can also play in the back row. Blessed with vision, technique, physical strength, leadership qualities and a canon of a left foot, we have no doubt that Madi will be able to come in immediately and compete for a starting spot. She has a winner's mentality that shows in everything she does. In fact, in 2015, led by Coach Doug Swanson, her ECNL team won the National Championship along with a host of other championships along the way. Ironically, the first time I saw Madi, it was down at the Polo Fields in San Diego and I specifically remember her battling it out with future teammate Joelle Anderson. Equally impressive is the way she has battled back from an injury a few years ago and returned not only stronger, but perhaps more driven than before. We love her spirit and how she pursues excellence in all she does. In the classroom, she competes with the same kind of championship standards, as she will be graduating this year from Tesoro HS as Valedictorian of her senior class. Besides being a first class player and student, Madi is an amazing young woman of character. We've so enjoyed getting to know her and her family through this process and we can't wait to have her here in Malibu next fall."
Height: 5-10 Position: Forward
Hometown: Dana Point, Calif.
High School: Dana Hills HS
Club: Pateadores Academy
Intended Major: Business or Journalism
Accolades:
Student-Athlete award for Freshman, Junior and Senior years
Valedictorian
Junior Honor Guard
2016-2017 High School and Club Team Captain
2016 All-South Coast League
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "Pepperdine has always been a school I have thought highly of. I am extremely drawn to the campus and everyone on it. I have never met more welcoming coaches and felt so at home the moment I walked onto campus. Pepperdine meets all my desires of wanting to play the sport I love, practice my faith, and expand my education."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Chloe: "We are excited to have another Pateadores member join our family this year in Chloe. Chloe came to our attention when our former assistant Mary Grace-Schmidt saw her playing at a local tournament and came back with raving reviews about this "beast" of an athlete. Well, we followed up on Mary's evaluation, invited her to our summer camp and found, sure enough, a wonderfully gifted athlete and player. Chloe is blessed with significant height and pace. It's a rare quality to find a taller player who runs so well and we have no doubt that Chloe will be a handful for most college defenders. A great creator and finisher of goals, we expect Chloe to compete for minutes as a winger for the Waves in the years ahead. As with all of our recruits, Chloe also happens to be very strong academically and will graduate in the Top 3% of her Dana Hills HS senior class. She is an amazing human being who lights up a room when she walks in with her smile and easy going personality, we feel incredibly blessed by Chloe and her commitment to play soccer here at Pepperdine."
Height: 5-11 Position: Forward
Hometown: Brentwood, Calif.
High School: Liberty HS
Club: West Coast Wild
Intended Major: Sports Medicine or Sports Marketing
Accolades:
High School
Honor Roll all four years
4.15 overall GPA
All-League first team (BVAL)
All-East Bay first team
Team captain
Played 59 games, posting 62 goals and 34 assists
Club
Club team captain
U.S. Club Soccer 2015 National Champions
NorCal Soccer Regional Champions 2015 and 2016
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "Pepperdine has given me the opportunity to receive a higher education, to compete at the highest level of collegiate soccer, and to strengthen my Christian faith, all of which are extremely important to me. This team does not only stress the importance of good soccer, but the importance of good character, which I believe to be a key component in any team. Both the team and the coaching staff make Pepperdine feel like home and I couldn't see myself playing for any other school."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Devyn: "Devyn becomes our first ever player from the wonderfully talented West Coast Soccer Club in Northern California, coached by former US Men's National Team member Troy Dayak. We couldn't be more excited about Devyn's arrival as she is truly a natural born goal-scorer. A tall and athletic #9 type of player, we first saw Devyn at our Malibu Soccer Academy All Girls ID week three summers ago. It's hard to forget how she calmly and consistently buried the ball in the back of the opponents' net all week long the summer between her freshmen and sophomore years in high school. Our staff made a strong note to follow up and watch her play with her club team at Surf Cup to see if she could do for her club team, what she was doing at camp. The rest as they say is history. Devyn has proven to be not only a wonderful striker, but an integral part of her West Coast Wild's State and National Championship team. She is a very funny, caring, honest and outgoing young lady who is loved by her teammates. She is also a very successful student and is a four-year member of the Honor Roll. We feel that Devyn, much like her fellow 2017 commits, is a perfect fit for our character-based program and we can't wait to have her back on campus this summer."
Height: 5-3 Position: Defender
Hometown: Westlake Village, Calif.
High School: Westlake HS
Club: Camarillo Eagles
Intended Major: Sports Medicine, Business (minor)
Accolades:
Scholar Athlete as a high school freshman
CalSouth ODP (2012, 2013)
Region IV ODP (2013)
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I chose Pepperdine because of the sense of community that I felt while on the campus. Every person that I met was welcoming and I saw many amazing role models whose footsteps I hope to follow in. I see this as a place that will help me grow as a person in all aspects of my life."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Laura: "Laura "Lou" Ishikawa joins a long and distinguished line of Eagles players to join our Pepperdine soccer program. Having played for Eagles coaches Vince Thomas and Lalo Alvarado (father of current Waves senior Taylor Alvarado), we are so excited to have another Eagle in the Waves program. I first saw Lou when she was 11 years old playing with my niece on a very talented club team. We had the pleasure of having those girls at our Malibu Soccer Academy residential camp and saw first-hand how very talented she was even then. Despite her quiet demeanor off of the field, she is a fierce competitor and leader while on it. She has a wonderful engine that will allow her to get up and down the flank and she is not afraid to get stuck into a tackle. Offensively she loves to run at players and as a result, we see her future in our program as a wide player on either side as she is ultra-comfy with either foot. As with our other recruits, Lou is fantastic in the classroom where she will graduate from Westlake HS with stellar grades and test scores. From a character standpoint, we have no doubt that she fits the "Pepperdine Woman of Character" model to a tee, as her humility, sacrifice and loyalty are apparent to all that know her. We feel so very fortunate that Lou and her family are going to be "kicking it" with us over the course of the next four years and we can't wait to have her here in Malibu."
Height: 5-5 Position: Midfielder/Forward
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.
High School: Sierra Vista HS
Club: Eagles ECNL, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club, Players Club
Intended Major: Psychology, Communications or Business
Accolades:
High School
Two-time Scholar Athlete
2013-2014 Most Attacking Player
2015, 16 and 17 MVP
All-Southern Nevada
All-Sunset League
All-Northwest League
Posted 57 goals and 27 assists for her career
Club
2016- U.S. Club National Champions
2015- ECNL U16 Champions League final
2014- Nevada State Cup Champions
2014- City Of Las Vegas Mayors Cup- International Champions
2014- Players Showcase Champions
2013- Surf Cup Thanksgiving Champions, DLVSC
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I chose Pepperdine because it absolutely felt like the right fit in my life and would help shape who I want to become in the future. The atmosphere seems very personal and welcoming, like a family community where everyone supports each other. The connections and friendships are going to be life-long, it is so exciting and important to have friendships to forever hold onto. The moment I stepped foot on campus, from start to finish I was in awe and it felt like home. I have always been a Cali girl at heart because of my family roots being out there, even though I live in Las Vegas. I believe Pepperdine is a place that will build my character, and I cannot wait to play alongside my sisters and to be challenged in my future endeavors."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Calista: "We are so very excited to have Calista join our program. Calista is an exciting offensive talent who we see coming in and competing right away as a winger or attacking midfielder. She played the majority of her youth career for Danny Stone and Downtown FC in Las Vegas while later in her high school career, she also became a designated player with the Eagles ECNL team where she became team members with fellow recruit Lou Ishikawa. The first time I saw Calista play was when I visited Danny and his team to scout another player. However, by the end of the training session, Calista had very much impressed me and her coach later confirmed that he loved not only the way she played, but the upside he felt she had. We couldn't agree more. Calista is a super creative player on the ball who is very comfortable taking opponents on in 1v1 scenarios. She is really dangerous in the final third and has a knack for scoring or creating goals. And what we also love about Calista is that she has a physical and mental toughness about her that will be necessary to endure the rigors of the collegiate game. We are excited to see that touch of "magic" at Tari Frahm Rokus Field next fall. She is a wonderful young lady both on and off of the soccer field and we feel incredibly blessed that she has chosen to spend her college years with us at Pepperdine."
Height: 5-9 Position: Defender
Hometown: Plano, Texas
High School: Plano West Senior HS
Club: FC Dallas
Intended Major: Biology or Pre-Med
Accolades:
High School
Plano West Varsity Captain
All-District first team as a junior
Plano West Defensive MVP as a sophomore and junior
National Honors Society
Club
FC Dallas ECNL Captain for the last six years
Selected for ECNL Texas Player Development Program
FC Dallas All-Star team vs. Trinidad and Tobago National Team
ECNL National Finals Champions League Top 8 in 2016
ECNL National Finals Top 10 in 2013
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I chose Pepperdine because it has both outstanding academics and a strong soccer program. Coach Ward has built a great program that I can't wait to be a part of. There are many things I love about the school, but ultimately the coaching staff was a key factor in my decision. The sense of family they've created is something special. I am looking forward to growing as a player and a person at one of the most beautiful schools in the country."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Emily: "We are so very excited to add Emily Sample to our program for next fall. She is our very first recruit from the hugely successful FC Dallas soccer club and Head Coach Matt Grubb. The first time I saw Emily I remember thinking 'that young lady is going to be a very good collegiate center back.' Her first impression was strong, but like with all of our recruits, we like to see them on multiple occasions, especially when they are out of state recruits, because you want to know about their level of consistency. Emily is a perfect example of consistency, growth and development. Every single time we saw her, she kept getting better, stronger, and more confident. Then when we met her and her family…we were sold. We feel so blessed that she took a leap of faith to come and visit our school as the day we spent with her and her family told us everything we needed to know about her and her character. We have no doubt that she is going to be a hugely important leader in the back of our defense for years to come as she is a great organizer and reader of the game. She is dominant in the air and she also has the physical tools to compete against the women at this level as a freshmen. Like the majority of her fellow recruits, she is a rock star in the classroom and a member of the National Honor Society. Furthermore, her heart, her strength, her passion for the University and the game are going to bless us for a long, long time. And so we are incredibly excited to welcome another Texan to our program here in Malibu."
Height: 5-5 Position: Defender
Hometown: Carlsbad, Calif.
High School: Carlsbad HS
Club: LA Galaxy San Diego 99
Intended Major: Pre-Med, Sports Medicine
Accolades:
High School
San Diego Union Tribune All-Academic Team
Four years on Honor Roll
2015 State Finalists
2015 CIF Finalists
2015 Best Defensive Player
2016 San Diego High School League first team
2016 MVP
Club
2016 Youth Soccer U16 National Champions
2014-2016 National League Champions
2015 California Regional League Champions
2015 Region IV Finalists
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "I chose Pepperdine because I believe the team is like a family. I love the atmosphere and I believe that Pepperdine will help me grow into the best version of myself."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Erin: "We are so very pleased to have Erin Sinai join our program. Erin is our first player from Coach Courtney Drummond and the LA Galaxy San Diego FC 99 team. Having had an exceptional year at the club level where her team won the Youth Soccer National Championship, we feel that in Erin will further the winning mentality of our defensive unit. I remember the first time I saw Erin play at November Nights and she was a player that immediately stood out to me because of her quickness and composure in the back row. It's always a beautiful thing when you notice a player before you know they had written to you, but that is exactly what happened in Erin's case. Since that time, she has simply further impressed us both on and off of the soccer field. She is a highly versatile defender who can play either center back or wide back as well as being ultra-comfy in a four or three back system. Her natural athleticism and leadership abilities will enable her to compete for minutes straight away. In addition, she is a four-year Honor Roll member and has the character to match. Soft spoken off of the field, but a true warrior on it, we feel so very fortunate that Erin and her family have chosen to commit to Pepperdine and we are so very excited to begin the next phase of her life with her."
Brianna Welch
Height: 5-7 Position: Forward
Hometown: Arroyo Grande, Calif.
High School: Arroyo Grande HS
Club: Real SoCal, Eagles Soccer Club
Intended Major: Undeclared
Accolades:
High School
2015 All-CIF Southern Section first team (Division 3)
2015 Pac-8 Most Valuable Player
2014 Pac-7 Most Valuable Player
2014 Pac-7 All-League first team
Posted 38 goals and 26 assists
Club
Both clubs advanced each year to the ECNL Champions League or North American League playoffs
Cal South ODP (Pro+) team 2010-2013
U.S. Region IV ODP team and pool 2011-12
2013 USYS National Development Camp Invitee
Invited to two U-14 Girls U.S. National Team Domestic Training Camps in 2012
2014 ECNL PDP So Cal attendee
2015 ECNL PDP So Cal invitee
2014 ECNL U15 10th leading scorer in nation, 19 goals and 8 assists in 22 games
Why She Chose Pepperdine: "Pepperdine has been my dream school since I was a young girl. I've always felt God calling me here and I feel that Pepperdine is a place where my faith will continue to grow. The coaches were a huge factor in my choosing Pepperdine and I immediately felt a connection with them. I have so much respect for them and am grateful they are people who will help me to become a better soccer player on the field but even more importantly, will help to develop my character and walk with God, off the field. Pepperdine has an excellent academic reputation and I feel privileged to work toward my degree in such an amazing environment. Also, I love that the beach is only a short walk away and the people at Pepperdine are amazing."
Head Coach Tim Ward on Brianna: "What a cool story to tell about Brie Welch. Last year Brie was supposed to be a part of our 2016 recruiting class as one of our top strikers, but as it turned out, Brie was getting a bit "burned out" on soccer due to some heavy, heavy travel for practice and games. She was making five to six hour round trips to get to every Eagles and Real So Cal training sessions and/or games for close to four years. Although we didn't want to lose Brie from the 2016 recruiting class, we also knew that God had a different path for her. And so we (Brie, her family and our Pepperdine family) took a leap of faith and encouraged Brie to pursue academics without athletics at a different school with her sister. We all felt that if she didn't miss soccer, then it was the right decision for her life. We also left the door open and told her that if she did miss the beautiful game, that the Pepperdine door would always be open to this amazing young woman of character. And so, lo and behold, late November 2016 we got a call from a refreshed and recharged Brie who humbly asked if she could give Pepperdine soccer another go. The answer was immediately an affirmative. And so this talented striker is already training with our team this spring and our squad has already seen her quality both on and off of the field. We are so excited about Brie's return and feel that her story will be told to many a recruit in the future about the necessity of timing and prayerful consideration of decisions in one's life. To say that we feel blessed by Brie's return would be the understatement of the year. And so we can't wait to begin this next chapter of her life with her and we are so excited that she has joined the Pepperdine family."
