Loyola Chicago women’s soccer signs graduate transfer

CHICAGO (Via Loyola Chicago) – Loyola University Chicago head women’s soccer coach Barry Bimbi announced today that Simone Wark (Whitby, Ontario, Canada/Bill Crothers Secondary/South Carolina) has joined the team as a graduate transfer from the University of South Carolina. Wark, a 5-foot-9 forward, will be eligible immediately.

“We are extremely excited to add Simone Wark to our team for 2019,” Bimbi commented. “When you have the opportunity to add a player with 60 appearances in the SEC and NCAA Tournament experience, you feel good about the quality of that player. Ultimately, what sold us on Simone, was Simone. She has a great personality, clicked with our players immediately on her visit, and will fit in perfectly with our culture.”

Wark enjoyed an impressive run during her time at South Carolina, starting in 53 of her 65 appearances. She burst on the scene as a freshman, finding the back of the net three times, a mark that tied for third on the team. Wark added two more tallies during her sophomore year as the Gamecocks finished with a sparkling 11-0-0 record in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play en route to advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight.

After missing her junior campaign due to a knee injury, Wark chipped in a goal and four assists this past season, capping off her time in Columbia, S.C. with another trip to the NCAA Tournament. Following the completion of the season, she joined South Carolina’s track & field team, primarily specializing in sprinting events.

A native of Whitby, Ontario, Canada, Wark was a four-sport athlete at Bill Crothers Secondary School, where she lettered in volleyball and basketball, in addition to soccer and track & field. She appeared with the Toronto Lady Lynx of the USL W-League and was a four-year star on Team Ontario, who she helped lead to four national championships and a bronze medal at The Canada Games in 2013. Wark also saw action on the international stage as a member of the U-20 Jamaican National Team.

Loyola finished the 2018 season at 11-7-1, sweeping the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles to clinch its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2007.