Women's Soccer

Women's Soccer 2011 Season Outlook

The Wilmington University Women’s Soccer program looks to start where they left off last year. After a record breaking 2010 season, this year’s team looks to build off of that momentum and continue their success. Fourth year head coach Josh Ruggiero has added two new members to his coaching staff, including former All-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) goalkeeper Bryan Rudden, as well as former All-Conference midfielder and Wildcat captain, Amanda Davis. Coach Ruggiero hopes that the additions to the staff will help this year’s team grow in every facet of the game.

This season is expected to bring with it many new challenges, and the first will be replacing the leadership and talent of former players Klaudia Furman, Ashley Gerlach, Sam Simpson, Danielle Niccoli, Eliza Burk and aforementioned Davis. “Leadership is something that you either have or you don’t. Our group last year had that, and we are hopeful that they have left a lasting impression on this year’s team”, stated Ruggiero.

Looking to help build off of the momentum of last year is a senior class determined to not look back and rest on previous success. Seniors Alli Williams, Kirsten Stallone, Angelica Appold and Kory Webster all hope to find their own ways to contribute in 2011. Entering their final year, they want to push to accomplish this team’s goals. “We have a lot of talent this year, along with some amazing athletes. The possibilities are really endless for this group, and if they play together as ‘ONE’, they have the ability to achieve everything they set their minds to.”

Looking to build off of their 15-5-1 overall record and impressive 12-0 regular season CACC Championship, the Wildcats will look to use the experiences of their returning players. They include seniors Stallone, Webster, Appold and Williams (1st Team All-CACC defender). The junior class is comprised of standout goalkeepers Amanda Walters and Brooke Eveler, forward Brittany Rhodes (1st Team All-CACC, NSCAA 2nd Team All-East Region), and midfielders Liz Case, Molly Taylor (2nd Team All-CACC) and Anna Perrino.

New to the junior class are transfer forward Jenna Quaranta (Harford CC/John Carroll HS/Perry Hall, MD), midfielders Penelope Fantis (Harford CC/Fallston HS/Fallston, MD), and defender Vikki Zipf (Burlington CC/Cherry Hill East HS/Cherry Hill, NJ).

The sophomore class includes midfielder Jordanne Hoesli-Atkins, along with defenders Rachel Burley, Monica Weil and Sarah Lindler. Three new faces were added in transfers Shelly Parks (Univ. of Delaware/Brandywine HS/Hockessin, DE), Meggan Apgar (Wesley Univ./St. Thomas More HS/Smyrna, DE) and Lindsey Smith (Burlington CC/Northern Burlington County HS/Columbus, NJ), all midfielders.

The incoming freshmen looking to make an immediate impact are forwards Clorissa Jones (Rising Sun HS/Rising Sun, MD) and Ashley Kroll (Eastern Tech HS/Baltimore, MD), midfielder Victoria Vasapolli (Burlington City HS/Burlington, NJ), as well as defenders Kaitlyn Zisa (Monsignor Donovan HS/Bayville, NJ) and Morgan Fraczkowski (John Carroll HS/Forest Hill, MD).