By CAMILLA SCOTT
The BYU women’s soccer team is ready to rumble with some new blood, signing five new recruits for the 2000 season.
“We couldn’t be more happy with the recruits … especially in the quality of athletes that will join our program,” coach Jennifer Rockwood said.
Aleisha Cramer, from Lakewood, Colo., chose to pump up her soccer balls, clean up her cleats and head west to BYU officially with her letter-of-intent. Cramer was the 1999 National High School Player of the Year and also plays with the under-21 U.S. National Team.
Cramer talked with Rockwood during the Mountain West Conference soccer championships last season about BYU’s program and verbally committed.
She was recruited by some of the top women’s college soccer teams in the nation – North Carolina, Santa Clara, Stanford and Portland, besides BYU.
Cramer is currently running around with the U-21 U.S. National team as one of their midfielders.
BYU signed four other soccer stars to build its 2000 team.
Two of the soon-to-be defenders for the Cougars are Annie Hoercherl and Britney Holman.
Hoercherl, from West Valley City, played three years on the varsity squad for Skyline High School. She also has six years of experience with the Utah Olympic Development Program. She spent President’s Day weekend at a soccer tournament in Phoenix, Arizona.
Britney Holman, from Orem, helped take the Bruins of Mountain View High School to third place in the 1999 State Tournament. Holman carries two years of Utah Olympic Development Program experience in her soccer bag.
To finish the freshman recruiting class, Lydia Ojuka from Tucson, Ariz., and Meagan Dickerson, from Midlothian, Va., line up with the forwards.
“This group of players brings a lot more team speed,” Rockwood said. “We anticipate they will play an impact on our team immediately.”
The 2000 team will make its home field debut in a battle against Weber State on Aug. 26.
