National Signing Day 2017

Nineteen players officially make college commitments to continue next phase of careers

CHICAGO (Feb. 1, 2017) – Eclipse Select Soccer Club is proud to introduce its Class of 2017, which currently includes 19 players who are headed to their respective NCAA and NAIA women’s soccer programs this fall. National Signing Day took place Wednesday, and the club is hosting its annual Eclipse Select Signing Night event later today in the Oak Brook area.
“On behalf of the entire Eclipse Select family, the club wishes congratulations to our student-athletes for officially making the next step in their soccer and educational futures,” Eclipse Select President Rory Dames said. “The 2017 class includes a number of players headed to top-tier programs and institutions, and our club always takes great pride in helping play a role in their advancement. The upcoming spring season is still upon us, and National Signing Day is just the beginning of a new and exciting chapter.”
Nine players from this Eclipse Select class are headed to programs that competed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. The largest contingent is attending at-large NCAA Tournament side Michigan as three Eclipse players are attending the Big Ten program – forward Emma Cooper (Coralville, Iowa) and midfielders Nikki Hernandez (Naperville, Ill.) and Lauren Long (West Chicago, Ill.).
Forward Natalie Laser (Glencoe, Ill.) will be joining a USC program that just captured its second NCAA Tournament crown this past 2016 season. The second-ranked Trojans defeated No. 1 West Virginia 3-1 in the final of the NCAA College Cup on Dec. 4, 2016, in San Jose, Calif.
Elsewhere among programs in the 2016 NCAA Tournament field, midfielder Jessica Denney (Naperville, Ill.) and forward Natalie Vaughn-Low (DeKalb, Ill.) are bound for defending Missouri Valley Conference champion Illinois State. Big East Conference side Marquette continues to serve as a close connection to Eclipse Select as midfielder Maddie Monticello (Chicago, Ill.) and forward Kylie Sprecher (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) will represent the Golden Eagles. Defender Kerry Abello (Batavia, Ill.) is bound for Big Ten institution Penn State this fall.
Below is a breakdown of the Eclipse Select Class of 2017 on National Signing Day:
Alphabetical order:
  • Kerry Abello (Batavia, Ill.), defender – Penn State
  • Morgan Asmussen (Lake Forest, Ill.), defender – Miami (Florida)
  • Janai Cedeño (Chicago, Ill.), defender – Illinois-Chicago
  • Emma Cooper (Coralville, Iowa), forward – Michigan
  • Jessica Denney (Naperville, Ill.), midfielder – Illinois State
  • Allie Fullriede (Bolingbrook, Ill.), forward – Northern Illinois
  • Alexis Harte (Vernon Hills, Ill.), midfielder – Indiana State
  • Nikki Hernandez (Naperville, Ill.), midfielder – Michigan
  • Sierra Hinkel (Highland, Ind.), forward – Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame, Ind.) (NCAA Division III)
  • Natalie Laser (Glencoe, Ill.), forward – USC
  • Lauren Long (West Chicago, Ill.), midfielder – Michigan
  • Maddie Monticello (Chicago, Ill.), midfielder – Marquette
  • Gopika Patel (Darien, Ill.), defender – Loyola (Chicago)
  • Radhika Patel (Darien, Ill.), goalkeeper – Loyola (Chicago)
  • Stephanie Rodriguez (Batavia, Ill.), goalkeeper – Butler
  • Jenni Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.), midfielder – Ohio
  • Erin Smothers (La Grange, Ill.), midfielder – St. Ambrose (NAIA Division II)
  • Kylie Sprecher (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), forward – Marquette
  • Natalie Vaughn-Low (DeKalb, Ill.), forward – Illinois State
College breakdown:
NCAA Division I:
  • Butler (1): Stephanie Rodriguez (Batavia, Ill.), goalkeeper
  • Illinois-Chicago (1): Janai Cedeño (Chicago, Ill.), defender
  • Illinois State (2): Jessica Denney (Naperville, Ill.), midfielder; Natalie Vaughn-Low (DeKalb, Ill.), forward
  • Indiana State (1): Alexis Harte (Vernon Hills, Ill.), midfielder
  • Loyola (Chicago) (2): Gopika Patel (Darien, Ill.), defender; Radhika Patel (Darien, Ill.), goalkeeper
  • Marquette (2): Maddie Monticello (Chicago, Ill.), midfielder; Kylie Sprecher (Menomonee Falls, Wis.), forward
  • Miami (Florida) (1): Morgan Asmussen (Lake Forest, Ill.), defender
  • Michigan (3): Emma Cooper (Coralville, Iowa), forward; Nikki Hernandez (Naperville, Ill.); Lauren Long (West Chicago, Ill.), midfielder
  • Northern Illinois (1): Allie Fullriede (Bolingbrook, Ill.), forward
  • Ohio (1): Jenni Santacaterina (Geneva, Ill.), midfielder
  • Penn State (1): Kerry Abello (Batavia, Ill.), defender
  • USC (1): Natalie Laser (Glencoe, Ill.), forward
NAIA Division II:
  • St. Ambrose (1): Erin Smothers (La Grange, Ill.), midfielder
NCAA Division III:
  • Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame, Ind.) (1): Sierra Hinkel (Highland, Ind.), forward
Please note: Eclipse Select is hosting its annual Signing Night event Wednesday. To inquire about imagery and additional information, please reach out to Charlie Corr at slidetackles@mail.com.