Ivy League champion Brown welcomes Class of 2028 with 8 newcomers

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Head coach Kia McNeill announced eight newcomers to the Brown Women’s Soccer program.

The Class of 2028 includes Brooke Birtwistle, Isabelle Chukwu, Nadja Meite, Chesney Robinson, Ayla Sahin, Kyra Treanor, Ella Weil and Aleysia Welch.

“I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to the class of 2028 as they begin their journey at Brown,” McNeill said. “With a distinguished senior class bidding farewell to College Hill, our focus was deliberate in selecting players who have the talent and work ethic to make an immediate impact on our team. The success of our program has enabled us to attract exceptional student-athletes from premier club teams across the United States and Canada, fortifying our pursuit of championships on the field. Beyond their prowess on the soccer field, these eight young women epitomize excellence both as students and individuals. I am excited to foster their development and potential as they pursue their passions here at Brown.”

BROOKE BIRTWISTLE
Midfielder | 5’11” | Hopkinton, Mass. | Hopkinton High School

A native of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Brooke Birtwistle is featured by TopDrawerSoccer as a top recruit in the Class of 2024. A two-time captain at Hopkinton High School, Birtwistle helped lead Hopkinton to a state semifinal appearance in 2023. As a dual sport athlete on the track team, she was a member of the state finalist 4×100 relay team and was shortlisted as Hopkinton High School’s Athlete of the Year. She is a member of the nationally ranked NEFC club, and she was recognized as a Top 32 Player in the Girls Academy National League.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Business

WHY BROWN: “I chose Brown because of its reputation as an outstanding school, both in academics and sports. Kia has a great reputation as a leading D1 coach, and I was extremely impressed by her and by the standard of the team. It is also great that Brown is less than an hour up the road from my parents, so they will be able to come and watch my games.”

ISABELLE CHUKWU
Forward | 5’2″ | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | Bill Crothers Secondary School

Isabelle Chukwu, born in England, moved to Ottawa, Canada with her family at the age of nine. A member of the Canadian Youth National Team, Chukwu was a member of the team that most recently finished third at the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championships. She has represented her country in the U-15 and U-17 age groups and is projected to continue on that track. She was also an integral part of leading her team to an OPDL Ontario Summer Games Championship, as well as an OPDL Premier Division League Championship in 2022. She is a part of the selective National Development Centre Ontario REX program and attends Bill Crothers Secondary School in Toronto.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Undecided

WHY BROWN: “I chose Brown because of its history of success in the women’s soccer program as well as the combination of strong academics.”

NADJA MEITE
Forward | 5’3″ | Yopougon, Côte D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast | Suffield Academy

A native of Ivory Coast, Nadje Meite is a forward for Suffield Academy in Connecticut and a member of The Right to Dream Girls Academy. Nadja scored 30 goals and added nine assists as a senior. During her high school career, she was a three-time All-NESPAC, two-time All-State, and a 2023 All-Region player. She was named MVP of her high school team in 2021, 2022, and 2023, leading them to a NESPAC championship in 2021. In addition to her accomplished soccer career, she also lettered in track & field and basketball.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Neuroscience or Psychology

WHY BROWN: “I chose Brown because of the electric connection between the women’s soccer team, the diversity in the student body, and the respect and support between faculty and students.”

CHESNEY ROBINSON
Defender | 5’7″ | Bowie, Md. | Our Lady of Good Counsel High School

A 5’7” defender from Bowie, Maryland, Chesney Robinson is a three-time All-WCAC, two-time All-State and All-MET team athlete. While serving as captain of the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School team, she was a two-time nominee for Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year. A 4-star recruit and IMG Top 150 recruit, she was a two-time Best XI selection at the ECNL Playoffs with Bethesda SC and touted as one of the top defenders (#14) in the country.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Chemistry/Biology

WHY BROWN: “I chose Brown because of the open curriculum which will allow me to explore and discover my full potential. I love the campus, the culture, and the cohesiveness of the coaching staff and team.”

AYLA SAHIN
Forward | 5’5″ | Barrington, R.I. | Tabor Academy

A native of Barrington, Rhode Island, Artemisia (Ayla) Sahin is a standout two-sport athlete at Tabor Academy in track and soccer. She is a two-time All-ISL and two-time All-NEPSAC Class A selection and was a part of the 2023 All-American Watch List. She is currently ranked as the #4 recruit in the Northeast by TopDrawerSoccer. She is an IMG Top 150 recruit and was invited to the GA National Talent ID Camp. As a member of the nationally ranked New England Futbol Club, she won the U-15 GA National Championship. On the track, she set a school record in the 4x100m, 200m, and 100m hurdles.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Undecided

WHY BROWN: “I chose Brown because of the culturally diverse student body and collaborative spirit which inspires adventurous individuals to pursue their passions, as well as the nationally-ranked women’s soccer program that I’ve admired for a long time.

KYRA TREANOR
Defender | 5’9″ | St. Charles, Ill. | St. Charles North High School

Kyra Treanor resides in St. Charles, Illinois. As a member of Sockers FC, she won the 2022-23 Girls Academy National Championship. She attended the GA National Talent ID in 2022 and 2023 and was ranked by TopDrawerSoccer as #14 in the Midwest Region. In addition to soccer, she also lettered in volleyball at St. Charles North High School.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Engineering

WHY BROWN: “Ever since my first visit, I knew Brown would be the perfect school for me. Not only is Brown a place where I can get the best of both the competitive soccer program and the rigorous academics, but the team and coaching staff are so supportive and have created such an amazing environment that I knew I had to be a part of.”

ELLA WEIL
Midfielder | 6’1″ | Culver City, Calif. | Culver City High School

Residing from Culver City, California, Ella Weil was a first-team All-League recipient representing Culver City High School. She was named 2024 Girls Varsity Soccer Player of the Year and was a four-time Scholar-Athlete Award winner. She is a two-time ECNL Southwest All-Conference First-Team selection with Beach FC (CA) and led her team to a North American Cup Championship in 2022.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Chemistry

WHY BROWN: “I chose Brown because the open curriculum allows me to pursue all of my academic interests and because the team culture created by the players and the coaches is competitive, winning, and welcoming.”

ALEYSIA WELCH
Defender/Midfielder | 5’3″ | Mesquite, Texas | Dr. John D. Horn High School

A Mesquite, Texas native, Aleysia Welch was named First-Team All-District and Academic All-District for Dr. John D. Horn High School in 2023. She was named the District 10-6A Midfielder of the Year, leading her team in goals. As a member of Solar ECNL RL, she is a three-time North Texas State champion, as well as a member of the USYS National Championship, where she was named to the Best XI team.

PLANNED CONCENTRATION: Pre-law or Business

WHY BROWN: “Providence is beautiful. I love the location and the environment. The coaching staff and the players instantly greeted me with friendliness.”