MALIBU, California – Nine new Waves will be joining the Pepperdine women's soccer team this fall, head coach Tim Ward announced today.
 
Eight are incoming freshmen, five of them from Southern California. The ninth, Carlee Giammona, is a transfer from Alabama who made the SEC All-Freshman team in 2019.
 
"Our staff is very excited about the addition of these new Waves," Ward said. "Because we have a large senior class next fall, we felt it was necessary to make sure we 'reloaded' for the future. This class of women surely does that for us. They are all supremely talented players, but more importantly, wonderful women of character. They will undoubtedly make a big impact not only on next year's squad, but on our program for the next four years."
 
Here's a look at the newest Waves:
 
Julianna Duckett
Midfielder | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Rancho Cucamonga HS | LAFC Slammers
 
Earned All-CIF Division 2 first team and All-Baseline League first team honors for Rancho Cucamonga High ... Earned ECNL All-American honors with LAFC Slammers in 2019 and was also the ECNL U17 Southwest Conference Player of the Year ... Was an ODP participant for multiple years and an ID2 Camp invitee ... Her older sister, Bryanna, plays soccer at UC Davis.
 
Duckett says: "I chose Pepperdine because of the amazing coaches and soccer program. Additionally, Pepperdine has great academics and a breathtaking campus, and I felt at home immediately."
 
Ward says: "Julianna is such a wonderful young lady and a very special midfielder. She has a rare quality to make the game look breathtakingly easy as her mind is usually one or two steps ahead of her opponent. Her feet are super soft, her soccer IQ is really high and she simply makes those around her better. She is undoubtedly a match-winner in that she knows how to create or score the winning goal in big games, as we've seen her do it time and again. In addition, she continues the wonderful tradition of Slammers players we've had come through our program as we've had a ton of success with players from that iconic club here in Malibu."
 
Skylar Enge
Midfielder | Cardiff, California | Pacific Ridge School | San Diego Surf
 
A member of the U.S. Under-19 Women's National Team, and recently traveled to Spain for a series of international matches ... A U.S. Soccer National Training Center participant in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 ... Played on the Cal South ODP team in 2016 ... Her mother was a two-sport All-American at Harvard and is a member of the school's Hall of Fame ... Her father played soccer at Harvard ... Her brother Derek won two NCAA Division III national championships in soccer at Tufts ... Her sister Sierra plays soccer at Stanford, winning a national championship in 2019, and is also a member of the U.S. U-20 National Team.
 
Enge says: "I was drawn to the people, the coaches, the quality of soccer and the location of Pepperdine."
 
Ward says: "Skylar is such an amazing young woman and a brilliant midfielder. Ever since we saw Sky play, we knew she had all the qualities to be a very special and influential midfielder in our system. She has a big appetite for the ball as she finds a way to constantly get on it and control the tempo of games. Her mentality and desire to win games is a hard thing to teach. Just as she has done at the youth and national team levels, she will greatly influence the mentality and quality of our midfield for the next four years. We also love how thoughtful Skylar was in her college recruitment process. We appreciate the support she received from her family during that time and it's fun to know we are getting another great player from the San Diego Surf system."
 
Carlee Giammona
Midfielder | Las Vegas, Nevada | Palo Verde HS | Alabama | Heat FC
 
Earned a spot on the 2019 SEC All-Freshman team during her one season at Alabama ... Played in all 20 matches and started 18 ... Had three goals and three assists for nine points, third-best on the team ... Had a goal and an assist against Auburn and her other goals came against Lamar and Missouri ... Made the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll ... Earned all-state honors in high school at Palo Verde ... An ECNL All-American and ECNL Southwest Conference Player of the Year with Heat FC ... A three-time attendee of the ECNL National Camp ... Part of the U.S. National Team U16 and U18 pool ... Her sister Madi played soccer at CSU Bakersfield.
 
Giammona says: "I chose Pepperdine because I wanted a school that could help me grow as a person, a student and a soccer player. Pepperdine offers all these things."
 
Ward says: "Carlee is a wonderful and surprising addition to this already talented recruiting class. We had seen Carlee play multiple times at the youth level because she was a teammate of current Wave Olivia Packer on the Las Vegas Heat FC team. Carlee was and continues to be a monster influence in midfield for any team she plays on. She is a strong player, both physically and technically, as she simply stands out with her consistent performances. She is able to control the tempo of a game as well as score decisive goals from midfield. To be named to the All-Freshman team in her debut season in the SEC speaks about her quality. Over the years, we haven't had a lot of transfers at Pepperdine, but for us, this was an absolute no-brainer. Carlee has next-level ability and she is going to make an immediate impact in the fall."
 
Tia Harrison
Goalkeeper | La Jolla, California | La Jolla Country Day School | Albion SC
 
Did not play high school soccer ... A member of Albion SC in 2018-19 and 2019-20 ... Recognized multiple times by Top Drawer Soccer for her play in USSDA competition ... Played with the ASC San Diego WPSL team in 2019 ... Also played for the San Diego Surf for two years and was an ECNL national quarterfinalist in 2017 ... Father was a professional tennis player who represented Trinidad & Tobago in Davis Cup competition.
 
Harrison says: "Pepperdine provides an elite academic environment with a phenomenal soccer program. The community feeling is unparalleled, and I am so excited to continue to explore and grow my faith at such an incredible place. I believe that Pepperdine gives all of the tools needed to be successful on and off the field, given the fantastic coaching staff and university faculty. An additional bonus is the fantastic views in Malibu!"
 
Ward says: "Tia is such an amazing young woman of character who also happens to be a very good goalkeeper. After last fall when both of our current goalkeepers picked up injuries and we had to use one of our field players in goal for two different games, we thought it might be a good idea to add depth to our goalkeeping position. Our view is that we don't recruit players that we don't believe can compete for the #1 spot at any position, and so to find someone of Tia's athletic quality and academic excellence still available in late November/December was simply a huge blessing for our program. She is a fearless shot stopper, has a great presence with crosses and has a commanding voice about her that any quality goalkeeper must possess. We are excited about Tia's upside as her mentality and spirit make her a coach's dream."
 
Cece Maloof
Defender | Kirkland, Washington | Lake Washington HS | Crossfire ECNL
 
An all-state and all-league selection in 2019 as Lake Washington won the state title ... Earned a sportsmanship award at the state championship ... Won the 2019 Surf Cup with Crossfire and was the DA league champion in 2018-19 ... Invited to the U.S. Soccer youth national team identification center training camp in 2019.
 
Maloof says: "I chose Pepperdine because of the strong Christian values upheld there and the great coaching staff and team environment that has been established with the women's soccer program."
 
Ward says: "What a blessing Cece is and will be to the Pepperdine soccer family. A few years ago we were on the hunt for a center back and we kept being drawn to the subtle sophistication of this particular player for Justi Baumgardt's Crossfire Premier team. They happen to be one of the best teams in their age group in the country and Cece's influence on her teams' style of play was undeniable. She is what I call a 'natural' defender with her timing, her reading of the game, her angles, her ability to diffuse explosive forwards and her ability to help those around her defend. We take great pride in keeping clean sheets and pressuring the opponent. We believe that with Cece, we have another supremely talented defender who will help Pepperdine continue to be one of the best defensive units in college soccer for the foreseeable future. In addition, Cece's character is just what we're looking for in recruits, someone that is humble yet hungry for excellence in all they pursue, and a person who values faith and living out that faith well."
 
Victoria Romero
Defender | Claremont, California | The Webb Schools | Legends Academy
 
Played one year of high school soccer, helping the Webb Schools to its first-ever league title ... Earned All-League first team honors ... Played club with Legends Academy ... Traveled to Spain in 2019 for a series of international friendlies ... Competed for a national championship in 2017 ... Part of the ODP program from 2012-14 ... Her father played soccer and her mother played volleyball at Claremont McKenna College.
 
Romero says: "I chose Pepperdine because of the great academics and the small class sizes in which students have the ability to interact with professors. In addition, the coaches were a main reason why Pepperdine was the right fit for me. They genuinely want you to grow into not only a strong athlete but also an even stronger woman. My family is a big part of who I am and I love the fact they will be close enough to come watch games."
 
Ward says: "Victoria is going to be an awesome addition. Her recruitment began a little later than normal, but it pretty much feels like divine destiny that she ended up in Malibu. Victoria plays as a wide back for the very successful Legends soccer club and will continue the rich tradition of Legends players we've had in Malibu. When three different friends or coaches – Josh Hodges, Kevin Boyd and Cle Kooiman – all call about the same player and tell us she is quality, you listen. Timing is pretty important in life and Victoria's timing couldn't have been better. Based on some positional needs, we wanted to add some depth in our defensive group, especially since we will have so many seniors next fall. Victoria checks that box, but also checks the highly talented, athletic, coachable and humble soccer player boxes as well."
 
Alex Sampson
Defender/Forward | Phoenix, Arizona | Desert Vista HS | Arizona Arsenal
 
Did not play high school soccer ... Won three consecutive State Cups and was a regional finalist with Arizona Arsenal ... Attended the ECNL National Training Camp in 2017 ... A discovery player for West Coast Soccer club from 2016-17 ... A member of the ODP state team for four years and attended the ODP regional camp in 2016 and 2017, and the ODP national camp in 2017 ... Invited to the U.S. club soccer development ID2 camp in 2015-16.
 
Sampson says: "I wanted to go to Pepperdine because of the amazing culture and atmosphere. I fell in love with the school as soon as I stepped foot onto campus for the first time. Not to mention the soccer program and coaching staff was incomparable to anywhere else. I can't wait to be part of such an amazing family."
 
Ward says: "Alex is such a remarkable young woman and one of the first to verbally commit from this highly talented class. Her recruitment started a few years ago when a friend of mine in Arizona called to tell me about a great left wing/left back that we needed to watch play for Summer Anderson's highly successful Arizona Arsenal team, and the rest, as they say, is history. The first time you see Alex, it's hard not to be impressed with her explosive athleticism and her sheer determination to win every battle she enters. She gets up and down the left side of the field just like the USA's Crystal Dunn or Liverpool's Andy Robertson, which is a huge compliment. When you add to that a desire to learn, a desire to become a pro, a wonderful left foot and a high level of tactical flexibility, you have the makings of a very special player."
 
Ellie Sommers
Goalkeeper | Broomfield, Colorado | Legacy HS | Rapids ECNL
 
A three-year varsity player at Legacy High ... Earned All-Academic first team honors for three years, and was on the honor roll and scholar list all four years ... A team captain for the last three years with Rapids ECNL ... Has two cousins that attended Pepperdine.
 
Sommers says: "Not only do I get to play on an amazing soccer team, under staff members who care about my development, but when I visited, I realized Pepperdine is place that I could become part of something greater than myself through service and community. A great soccer program and team, plus the beach! All we have in Colorado are cold rivers and lakes."
 
Ward says: "Ellie attended one of our single-day ID clinics last year and blew our entire staff away. Her technical proficiency and her attention to detail were traits we know that only the high-end goalkeepers possess. Beyond that, Ellie radiates a confidence and energy that are no doubt contagious to those that play in front of her. Her natural ability as a leader and communicator will be really important as she progresses through the years here at Pepperdine. As I mentioned before, after what happened with our goalkeepers last fall, we are excited to have Ellie join us as she will no doubt bring competition and depth to one of the most important positions on the soccer field. Ellie is a true Wave at heart and from the first time we spoke on the phone, I think Pepperdine was meant to be her destination."
 
Tori Waldeck
Midfielder/Forward | Santa Clarita, California | Hart HS | Real So Cal
 
Only played high school soccer as a 2017 freshman at Hart ... Received All-CIF and All-Santa Clarita Valley honors ... Was the varsity team's second-leading scorer with 10 goals and three assists ... Began playing with Real So Cal in the eighth grade and played up a year for two years ... Mother played college soccer at The Master's.
 
Waldeck says: "I chose to come to Pepperdine because of the strong community and atmosphere the team had. I also chose Pepperdine because I know that it is a place where I can grow in my faith and pursue my athletic dreams. Pepperdine truly feels like home for me."
 
Ward says: "Tori rounds out this incredible cast of recruits and she is one very special attacking talent. I've had the pleasure of seeing Tori play for many years due to the fact that she plays at the same Real So Cal Developmental Academy club that my youngest daughter and niece play for. And so it's no surprise to us that Tori was one of the leading goal scorers in the DA last season. She has a quickness, agility and speed that will make her a lethal attacker at the highest level. But her greatest soccer attribute might be her mind for the game as she sees things at a very high level. You can tell that Tori has the ability to 'solve' the game and the opponent and things are happening. As a result, she usually finds a way to break down either her defender or the opposition's defense to help her team score goals. She is a wonderful young woman of faith and character."
 
Pepperdine went 11-6-3 this past season, finishing third in the West Coast Conference while making it to the NCAA Tournament for the 11th time in program history.