2008 PILOTS' FRESHMEN

Well, here we are - It's June, and in a little more than two months the ladies will begin August Training Camp in preperation for the 2008 fall season.

I have started this thread to collect info and discuss anything and everything that relates to the new, incoming freshman class of 2008. There are six members of the class, three of them Parade High School All-Americans (Danielle Foxhoven, Michelle Olivier and Charney Burk)! The other three, Kassi McCluskie, Halley Kreminski and Emma Nelson, all sound like they have good potential.

I am hoping Danielle, Michelle and Charney are the Pilots next version of Stephanie, Angie and Megan! With Kassi, Halley and Emma, we shall soon see. (Remember, Keelin was somewhat overlooked after her high school days, and just look at what she turned into. Also, I don't recall anyone saying Michelle Enyeart was going to become the monster that she has.)

To get things rolling, I am not up to date on any junior national teams that any of our freshman are on and if they will be playing this summer. Can someone enlighten me, please?

Finally, someone who knows told me last summer that the Pilots' braintrust asked for the first time that their new freshmen attend summer school on the bluff, and workout with each other as well as veteran returnees of the team. (I was told, to my surprise, that their are a lot more veterans training on campus in the summer than I had realized.) I heard that all of last years freshmen attended summer school except one, (I believe it was Sara Jackman, who had a prior commitment).

The Pilots were hoping to have this become a regular thing. So I imagine most of the new players will be in school and training this summer, except for any with national team or other club commitments.

It makes sense that the Pilots would want players to start early and be here to work together through the summer. More and more, the early season non-conference matches are important to (1) getting into the NCAA tournament and (2) getting a good seed. This is because the top teams all try to schedule early season non-conference matches against other top teams from other conferences and regions. These matches are important to a team's RPI and also are important in resolving seeding issues when teams' RPIs are close. Remember, among the top teams, the RPI's standard error is such that it really can't distinguish among teams in the top group. So, results against other teams in the top group are very important. In that context, it really pays off to have new players already integrated into a team when it starts playing early season matches.

They made Emma Nelson official today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2008

Women’s Soccer Adds Emma Nelson as Incoming Recruit

The Mill Creek, Wash. native rounds out Portland’s 2008 recruiting class

PORTLAND, Ore. --- University of Portland women’s soccer head coach Garrett Smith has announced that Emma Nelson (Mill Creek, Wash./Archbishop Murphy HS) has signed a National Letter of Intent and will join the Pilots this fall. Nelson joins the five previously signed incoming freshmen in a class that was ranked No. 7 nationally by Soccer Buzz Magazine.

Nelson has played club soccer for Snohomish United since 2004 and was a four-year player at Archbishop Murphy. A pair of injuries in the last three years hampered her playing time, but Smith is excited about the latest addition to his roster.

“Emma is a good kid and great fit for our University,” Smith said. “She suffered some unfortunate injuries limiting the window of opportunity for her to be scouted during her prime recruiting years. We know that she is an outstanding student and person. It will be exciting to see her return to action here at Portland this fall and watch her develop over the next four years.”

A stress fracture in her left foot caused her to miss six months in 2006, while a knee injury forced her out of eight months of action from March to October of 2007.

Nelson comes to Portland with an extensive athletics background as she also was a three-year varsity basketball player and owns or shares four school records in track – 100-meters, 400-meters, 100-meter relay, 200-meter relay.

On the pitch, Nelson was a two-time All-Cascade Conference selection as a midfielder and was voted her team’s Most Valuable and Most Inspirational Player in 2007.

Nelson served as the Student Body President her senior year, earned Honor Roll awards all four years, and was a member of the National Honor Society.

Athletics are in Nelson’s bloodlines as well. Her father, Chuck Nelson, was a NFL placekicker for the LA Rams, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings after a collegiate career at the University of Washington.

UP doesn't just recruit soccer players. Kendall is honor roll, national honor society, yada yada yada.

Could be an interesting addition to the team. Reading between the lines given injuries etc. sounds like they don't really know how good she might be. Hope we have fun finding out.

Looks like Danielle Foxhoven is having one last go at the club scene before coming to UP.

She just scored a hat trick in the youth Championships.


soccernews

Danielle scored two this time, as her Colorado Rush team won the youth National championship.

Arkansas online

Next stop--Portland!

Perhaps Danielle will give Enyeart and M. Rapinoe a run for their money as Pilots top goal scorers this season.

Actually, Michelle could redshirt the season. (Anyone hear any news about any Pilots U-20 National Team player's plans for playing or not playing this season?) I'm assuming Megan will not only be ready, but have a major chip on her shoulder this year; perhaps her final in a UP uniform.

FANatic wrote: I'm assuming Megan will not only be ready, but have a major chip on her shoulder this year; perhaps her final in a UP uniform.

Great. Now I'm bummed out.

Okay, NP. I figured you owed me one!

You know you should never getted bummed by something I write. I don't know what I'm rambling about half the time.

So, what's ya been up to? Is DC fun in the summer? Have you toured the White House lately? (I think that would be a blast!)

What da ya think the ladies will do this year with another very talented freshman class? Can we beat UCLA in the Quarters? Like I said last year, if we take care of business from game one, and compile one of the top records in the country, we probably end up with home field in the Quarters. Beating our ladies at Merlo in the Quarters would be next to impossible!!! I think maybe even Canzano and Jaynes might be there, (bandwagoneers that they are)!

Take care, my East Coast Pilot Buddy!

i believe i read somewhere here that our u-20's will b gone by the end of the season, but our potent frosh class is in early this summer an will b ready to go this fall. i personally think our 'sleeper' this year is going to b halley kreminski. while i am totally jazzed [is that out-dated?] about charney burke an dainelle foxhoven, i think halley kreminski is this years keelin. afterall, who among us would have thunk keelin??

Charney is the freshman whom I will have my eye on this season. Brittney Klein (Santa Clara) and Tina de Martino (UCLA) are 2 players whom I think her game is like.

I've heard a lot about her ability to run the offense and setup the strikers. If she could step in and master the same role Angie did for us...that would be fabulous! Angie had an understated dazzle when the ball was at her feet. With Keelin, Sophie and Megan anchoring our midfield and drawing our opponent's focus...Charney could be a destructive weapon teams may overlook! I can already envision her being key to providing service to Michelle, Racheal, Danielle and/or Kendra for the finish!

Ooooh Yah...can you see it?! Awesome futbol ahead! Its gonna be a grand time this season!

GO PILOTS!!!

GUPhantom wrote:Charney is the freshman whom I will have my eye on this season. Brittney Klein (Santa Clara) and Tina de Martino (UCLA) are 2 players whom I think her game is like.

I've heard a lot about her ability to run the offense and setup the strikers. If she could step in and master the same role Angie did for us...that would be fabulous! Angie had an understated dazzle when the ball was at her feet. With Keelin, Sophie and Megan anchoring our midfield and drawing our opponent's focus...Charney could be a destructive weapon teams may overlook! I can already envision her being key to providing service to Michelle, Racheal, Danielle and/or Kendra for the finish!

Ooooh Yah...can you see it?! Awesome futbol ahead! Its gonna be a grand time this season!

GO PILOTS!!!

Well, If she's healthy, I think Megan might have a say in who plays the middle.

Oh no..I haven't forgotten about Megan! I've been thinking and wondering about her health...all the time! I'm crossing my fingers that Meagan is physically and mentally primed for a kick-a** season! I'm very hopeful she has a recovery and comeback like Shannon Boxx and Heather Mitts. I'd even go as far as listing Megan as my pre-season favorite to win the Hermann! That reaching?! Maybe?...but I wouldn't put it past Megan Rapinoe to do it!

As for Charney...she will find a place. That's what makes this season's starting lineup so intriguing! Let the 2008 Starting Lineup discussions begin!! Last's season starting lineup thread may have been one of the most hotly debated topics! I'm sure everyone has their 2008 "fantasy" lineup ready to go!

GO PILOTS!!!

GUPhantom wrote:

As for Charney...she will find a place. That's what makes this season's starting lineup so intriguing! Let the 2008 Starting Lineup discussions begin!! Last's season starting lineup thread may have been one of the most hotly debated topics! I'm sure everyone has their 2008 "fantasy" lineup ready to go!

GO PILOTS!!!

I'm looking forward to another year like 2005, when we had three players who could all control the midfield. I think we have the personnel to do that again. If anything, I see a stronger back line, if that's possible.

Geez - This post is a week late. I've been in lala land lately and am trying to catch up.

Purplegeezer wrote:

I'm looking forward to another year like 2005, when we had three players who could all control the midfield. I think we have the personnel to do that again. If anything, I see a stronger back line, if that's possible.

By back line, I must assume you are speaking of the four defenders. Is that what you meant? And can you tell us perhaps who the players are that you are thinking of when you talk of "a stronger back line, if that's possible"?

PS to Forum: gotta make the guy think once in awhile, eh?

FANatic wrote:Geez

By back line, I must assume you are speaking of the four defenders. Is that what you meant? And can you tell us perhaps who the players are that you are thinking of when you talk of "a stronger back line, if that's possible"?

PS to Forum: gotta make the guy think once in awhile, eh?

Well, It's not that hard to figure out.( Even I can do it with my new forum sponsored free beer. pretty soon Stony will be expounding eloquently as well).

Just look at who we've brought into the cult. Sure, we have our standard issue All American forwards in Foxhoven and Burke and gifted Mids. But we also have defensive talent other programs would kill for.

First off, we have Kory, who was well on her way to being the third Central defender before she got hurt, and there are Jackman and Kelly who learned a lot in the last year. We know we have great outside defenders.

Then there is Olivier, who was a top 10 talent (pretty unusual for a defender. I saw reports on her that talked about her as being " a brutally efficient classic central defender") What's not to like about that?

Kassandra McCluskie has been described it the reports as the top SPARQ tester, as a "fierce defender" and she was captain of championship teams since she was a little kid. She's been described as "the reason" her teams would win.

I don't know if Garrett has plans for Kreminski in the defense, but when I see that she was a track star and basketball guard, and she was considered to be the best kid in the state in the air, I get excited and start wondering if she could be another Winters if we need her there while Kellin's away.
Lord Knows, with our YNT group gone at least part time, that will be important.

Our new player Nelson is another speedster. Think that might be useful somewhere?


Did I mention my gut tells me that Sopie will graduate out of the Canadian Youth program and be with us all year? What's her natural position?

Some years I have been worried about how the defense will shape up. This year, somehow, I have less angst.

Well put, Geezer. Your reassuring post has left me with a warm feeling in the gut!

Oh, and one more thought:

If our talented, speedy and tough back line do let one get through now and then, we have a couple pretty decent keepers probably looking for something to do. (Once in awhile, anyway!)

Ohhh man FANatic,

+1 for the awesome army smilies. And another for the animation on your sig. And I thought I was clever when I put up my avatar! Nobody puts together a post like you.

Why thank you, PPT! I appreciate the kind words.

I do pay a price, however. I have always been a slow writer. And I seem to compose long posts whether I plan to or not. Adding all the other colorful details take additional time and thought, as well.

Bottom line, it can take me quite awhile to finish my posts. I rarely do a "quick and dirty". (Matter of fact, I don't do any dirty's anymore - OOPS!!! - tmi.)

Thanks again for noticing, PurplePrideTrumpet. It's nice to know some readers enjoy my work.