Illini Soccer Inks Seven To Letters of Intent
February 5, 2004 | Soccer
Feb. 5, 2004
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. --University of Illinois women's soccer coach Janet Rayfield announced today the signing of Lindsay Carstens, Kara Gostisha, Ella Masar, Mary Therese McDonnell, Erin Pilkington, Kristy Weeks and Emily Zurrer to national letters of intent. The seven student-athletes will join Rayfield's squad for the fall 2004 season.
A pair of Canadians, Kristy Weeks and Emily Zurrer, headline the signing class of 2004. Both Weeks and Zurrer have U16 and U17 Canadian National Team experience. Masar and McDonnell are both standouts from the state of Illinois. Urbana product Masar was a News-Gazette All-Area selection in 2002 and becomes Rayfield's second Champaign-Urbana recruit in as many years, joining Champaign Centennial's Brittany Ward. Orland Park native McDonnell led both Carl Sandburg High School and her Windy City Pride club team to regional titles in 2002. Ohio products Lindsay Carstens and Kara Gostisha teamed up to anchor the Cincinnati United Premier Club defensive unit for the last few years, while Utah native Erin Pilkington is a versatile player who is the daughter of UI Cross Country Coach Paul Pilkington.
The seven newcomers will join an Illinois squad that is coming off its best season in program history. In 2003, the Illini won the program's first Big Ten Tournament title and also set several school records on 2003, including most wins (16), most shutouts (13), least goals allowed (12) and highest national rank (9th in NSCAA poll) to name a few. With these seven student-athletes joining next year's team, Rayfield is excited about what 2004 will bring.
"The combined talents of this recruiting class include speed, height, international experience, composure, and a raw determination that will enable them to have an impact immediately," said Rayfield of her talented recruiting class. "These seven young women will come in and challenge our current squad. The exciting part is that our current squad is prepared and excited for the challenge. They know that the bigger the challenge the better our team. This class will continue to move this program forward."
The Illinois soccer recruiting class of 2004:
LINDSAY CARSTENS
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: West Chester, Ohio
High School: Lakota East
Club Team: Cincinnati United Premier
Notes: Named All-Southwest Ohio, All-City (Cincinnati), first team All-GMC Conference and Lakota East Team MVP in 2002...Holds the Lakota East record for career shutouts and ranked eighth on the all-time Ohio state shutout list after her junior season...Participated in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) for the last four years on the state team and was included the regional pool in 2001 and the regional "A" pool in 2002...Played for the Cincinnati United Premier Club along side fellow UI signee Kara Gostisha...Named All-Academic Southwest Ohio and Academic All-GMC Conference in 2001 and '02 and is a national honor society member...Also a member of the varsity swimming team at Lakota East.
Coach Rayfield on Carstens: "Lindsay becomes another strong addition to our already very strong goalkeeping core. She has incredible athletic tools, a great training ethic, and a great mentality. Competing with Leisha (Alcia) and Rachel (Frank) during her freshman year should provide an environment that Lindsay will thrive in and learn from all year. That talent pool will ensure that the Illini to continue to have a strong presence in the goal for many years."
KARA GOSTISHA
Position: Defender
Hometown: West Chester, Ohio
High School: Lakota West
Club Team: Cincinnati United Premier
Notes: Was All-City (Cincinnati), first team All-GMC Conference and Lakota West Team MVP in 2001 and '02...Was honorable mention all-conference as a freshman... Participated in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 1998-2001 as a member of the district team and in 2002 on the state team...Played for the Cincinnati United Premier Club along side fellow UI signee Lindsay Carstens...Two-time Academic All-GMC Conference honoree...Recipient of J. Kyle Braid Leadership Award in 2002...Also plays basketball for Lakota West and was a second-team all-conference selection in 2002-03.
Coach Rayfield on Gostisha: "Kara has split her time between basketball and soccer for most of her young athletic career. As she comes into college and narrows her focus to soccer, I think we will see her make significant contributions throughout her career. Her height, physical presence and defensive abilities will compliment the speed and threatening elements already present in this 2004 class. Her ability in the air can be an important tool for us both offensively and defensively."
ELLA MASAR
Position: Forward
Hometown: Urbana, Ill.
High School: Urbana
Club Team: Little Illini Soccer Club
Notes: All-Area, All-Sectional and All-Big 12 Conference in 2002...All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-Area in 2001...Led Urbana High School a Regional Crown in 2002...Played for the Little Illini Soccer Club along side current UI freshman Brittany Ward...Helped lead the Little Illini to a record of 51-3-4 over the last two seasons...Also plays basketball for Urbana High School.
Coach Rayfield on Masar: "It is tremendous that we have had back to back years with a local talent that can contribute to the program around which they have grown up. Ella has exceptional speed and explosiveness that give her an incredible ability to beat players to a ball, especially within 10 to 15 yards. She will bring competitiveness and a burning desire to succeed at this level that will challenge all of our returning frontrunners. Ella adds another threat to an already dangerous attacking team."
MARY THERESE MCDONNELL
Position: Defender
Hometown: Orland Park, Ill.
High School: Carl Sandburg
Club Team: Windy City Pride
Notes: Named IHSSCA All-Conference in 2002 after leading Carl Sandburg High School to conference and regional titles...All-Area Honorable Mention for both the Star and Southtown newspapers in '02...Played for the Windy City Pride club team, leading them to the state and regional crowns, and a fourth place national finish in 2002...Named club-wide Defensive Player of the Year in 2000, Team MVP in 2001 and Club-Wide Player of the Year in 2002.
Coach Rayfield on McDonnell: "Mary Therese is among the top talent in the state and it is our goal to keep the best here in the state. She brings great composure and great ability to read the game. Her defensive anticipation is exceptional and her speed makes up, not only for her mistakes, but often her teammates as well. Her development has been steady, but her recent accomplishments and success with the regional team is indication that her best days of soccer are still to come, and we're excited those days will be in a blue and orange uniform."
ERIN PILKINGTON
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Roy, Utah
High School: Roy
Club Team: Sparta
Notes: Named All-State as a sophomore and All-Regional and All-Area as a sophomore and junior...Was the Roy High School Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman, sophomore and junior...Led Roy in scoring as a freshman and in assists as a sophomore...Won the 2001 State Cup Fair Play Award...Participated in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) for five years and was team captain for three of those years...Played for the Sparta Club Team...Named to Academic Honor Society in each of the last five years...Is the daughter of Head UI Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach Paul Pilkington.
Coach Rayfield on Pilkington: "Erin is another versatile player with excellent athletic qualities and solid technical ability. The element that Erin will add to this class and to this team is her hardness and willingness to battle - physically and psychologically. She is physically and mentally tough and those are things that are difficult to coach."
KRISTY WEEKS
Position: Midfield
Hometown: North Vancouver, British Columbia
High School: Argyle Secondary
Club Team: Sportstown Football Club and North Vancouver Runnin' Rebels
Notes: Spent 2002 and 2003 as a member of the U15, U16 and U17 Canadian National Teams...Member of U19 Canadian National Team Pool...Teamed up with fellow UI signee Emily Zurrer to help the British Columbia Provincial Team to second place at Nationals in 2002 and third place in 2003...Played for the Sportstown Football Club in the women's Premier League and the North Vancouver Runnin' Rebels in U18...Four-time Team MVP for Argyle Secondary School...Is also a four-time Team MVP for the Argyle basketball team and a two-time MVP for the volleyball team...Named Argyle's Top Female Athlete in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Coach Rayfield on Weeks: "A Canadian with National Team training experience, Kristy is the well rounded, versatile athlete who does everything very well. She has great vision and technical ability and already has a very good tactical understanding of the game. She will add a dimension of creativity and consistency to the midfield when we have the ball, and a mentality and competitiveness when we don't."
EMILY ZURRER
Position: Forward
Hometown: Crofton, British Columbia
High School: Cowichan Secondary
Club Team: Canadian U17 National Team
Notes: Member of the Canadian National U16, U17 & U19 Teams in 2002, 2003 & 2004...Just returned from a trip to Trinidad-Tobago in preparation for the 2004 U19 World Championships...Member of the Canadian National Team Pool...Has attended eight National Team Camps...Teamed up with fellow UI signee Kristy Weeks to help the British Columbia Provincial Team to second place at Nationals in 2002 and third place in 2003...Named Cowichan Junior Female Athlete of the Year in 2002 and the Overall Athlete of the Year in 2003...Has been named team MVP for basketball, rugby and volleyball while at Cowichan, and has been captain of both the basketball and volleyball teams...Is one of British Columbia's all-time Top-10 pentathletes for '87 girls...Holds a black belt in karate.
Coach Rayfield on Zurrer: "Emily has had experiences in the last year as a National Team player for Canada that will help her to be a confident and dominant player early in her college career. She may be young in age, but she will come in as a very mature and knowledgeable soccer player. Her speed and ability in the air will make her a dangerous attacking player and her experience as a center back with the National Team shows that she can be versatile as well. Look for her to add to the goal scoring ability of the Illini in 2004."
