Northwestern University women’s soccer adds nine newcomers

EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern University women’s soccer head coach Michael Moynihan announced nine newcomers to the team including eight first-years in the Class of 2024.

The incoming first-year Wildcats are Josie Aulicino, Meg Boade, Elyse DeSchryver, Nicole Doucette, Ingrid Falls, Ella Hase, Bridget Mitchell and Sydney Panek. Hallie Pearson also joins Northwestern as a transfer from Arizona with two remaining years of eligibility.

“Our new Wildcats in 2020 are entering our program in unprecedented circumstances, and it is a group that we feel great about in terms of their capacity to handle the transition well,” Moynihan said. “That statement in itself says volumes about their character. It is a class with great ambition, and they also possess the talent and maturity to maximize the amazing opportunity that lies before them at Northwestern University. We simply can’t wait to get started working with them!

“Hallie Pearson joins us as transfer student athlete, and she will bring a high level of DI experience as well as NCAA Tournament experience to what was the youngest defense in the Big Ten last season,” Moynihan continued. “We also add eight first-year players, who complement our returning players positionally and in terms of both character and drive. Overall, this class has high levels of athleticism, heart, technical ability, and playing experience, so the additions will create an extremely competitive atmosphere to train in day to day. Last year, we likely had the youngest team in the Big Ten. Now, we start 2020 with a more experienced group, and with our talented new ‘Cats pushing to make an immediate impact, the increased depth will be a great asset for us as moving forward.”

Northwestern returns 25 players from last year’s team, led by six seniors. The ‘Cats return 94% of their minutes played, the highest figure in the Big Ten.

Full information on the nine newcomers can be found below.

Josie Aulicino // 5-3 // Northville, Mich. // Michigan Hawks

High School/Club: 2016-2019 ECNL Champions League Playoff Qualification … 2017 ECNL Champions League Semifinalists … 2016 and 2017 ECNL Midwest Conference Champions … 2019 ECNL National Training Camp … 2019 ECNL Conference Selection Program … 2018 ECNL Player Development Program … 2017 US Soccer U16 National Team … 2017 US Soccer U16 National Team International Camp (Tubize, Belgium).

Personal: Born Josephine Grace Aulicino … Four year Principal’s List student … Father Michael played soccer at Michigan State … Mother Tracy ran cross country at Oakland … Anticipated major is biological sciences.

Meg Boade // 5-8 // Lone Tree, Colorado // Real Colorado

High School/Club: U17 DA National Champions … Oct. 2019 invite to USA U-18 National Team Player Identification Camp … ODP National Camp invite … 2017 US soccer Regional Combine invite.

Personal: Born Margaret Diane Boade … Four year honor roll student … Academic all-state as a junior … Competed in basketball and track in high school, as a junior finished fourth in the state in the 4×100 relay … Competed against current Wildcat Mari Annest … Sister Tess plays soccer at Duke … Mother Ellen played basketball at Columbia … Plans to pursue pre-med path at Northwestern.

Elyse DeSchryver // 5-5 // Ada, Mich. // Midwest United FC

High School/Club: First team All-State as a junior and third team All-State as a sophomore … All-Region, All-District and All-Conference as a junior and a sophomore … 2018 Super-Y National Champions … 2018 State Cup Finalist … District and regional champions with high school for three straight seasons … Scored 57 goals in three high school seasons.

Personal: Born Elyse May DeSchryver … AP Scholar with Distinction Award … Played two years of High School Basketball and ran cross country for two years … Played at the same club as current Wildcats Danika Austin and Madison Donley … Father Mike played basketball and mother Jamie played golf, both at Kalamazoo College … Anticipated major is engineering.

Nicole Doucette // 5-5 // Lake Bluff, Ill. // Eclipse ECNL

High School/Club: Undefeated club season in 2019 and ranked No. 4 in the country … Three time state club champions from 2013 to 2015 … Played one year of high school soccer and was All-Area while also recording 11 shutouts.

Personal: Born Nicole Christine Doucette … Four year honor roll student … Teammates with classmates Ingrid Falls and Bridget Mitchell since U8 … Father played soccer at Loyola Chicago … Great grandfather, great uncle, grandmother, aunt and cousin all attended Northwestern … Anticipated major is Undecided.

Ingrid Falls // 5-7 // Lake Forest, Ill. // Eclipse ECNL

High School/Club: Played one year of high school soccer and was All-Conference and All-Sectional as well as Pioneer Press All-Area honorable mention … Three time state club champions from 2013 to 2015 …  Undefeated club season in 2019 and ranked No. 4 in the country.

Personal: Born Ingrid Marie Falls … Four year honor roll student … Teammates with classmates Bridget Mitchell and Nicole Doucette since U8 … Anticipated major is economics.

Ella Hase // 5-5 // Orland Park, Ill. // Chicago Inter Soccer Club

High School/Club: Regional Champions in 2019 with a 16-4-1 record … Southwest Suburban Conference Athlete of the Year … 2019 all-conference and all-state honoree

Personal: Born Ella Bleu Hase … Sister Kylie plays soccer at Purdue … Anticipated major is undecided.

Bridget Mitchell // 5-5 // Lake Forest, Ill. // Eclipse ECNL

High School/Club: Undefeated club season in 2019 and ranked No. 4 in the country … ODP Regional Team member from 2014 to 2016 … Invited to US Soccer Training Center in 2014 and 2015 … iD2 National Camp invite in 2016 … Eighth best scorer in the Midwest (2017-18 DA U17 season) … Three time state club champions from 2013 to 2015.

Personal: Born Bridget Anne Mitchell … Four year honor roll student … Student body Vice President … Teammates with classmates Ingrid Falls and Nicole Doucette since U8 … Competed at ODP with current Wildcat Paige Miller … Cousin of Northwestern strength coach Alex Spanos … Anticipated major is Economics.

Sydney Panek // 5-6 // Mahtomedi, Minn. // Minnesota Thunder Academy

High School/Club: 2017 ECNL Midwest Conference Champions … All-East Metro Conference as a sophomore and a junior … Three time state and conference champions from 2017 to 2019.

Personal: Born Sydney Marie Panek … Class President … Four year honor roll student … Played at the same club as current Wildcats Lily Gilbertsonand Maddie Lo … Anticipated major is undecided.

Hallie Pearson // 5-7 // Carmel, Ind. // (Arizona)

2019: Started in 19 of Arizona’s 20 matches … She racked up 1,676 minutes on the pitch, giving her the second most time played this season … She did not score a goal but she earned one assist, took two shots and had one shot on goal.

2018: Pearson started and played in every match this season at defender for the Cats … She spent over 1,900 minutes on the field holding Arizona’s backline, and scored one goal against Baylor.

Prep: Rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 56 prospect in the IMG Academy 150 by Top Drawer Soccer … Is also rated as the No. 8 prospect out of the Great Lakes and the 13th-ranked defender … Played for the Indiana Fire while also playing four years for Brebeuf Jesuit … Was a Gatorade Player of the Year nominee and an Indy Star Player of the Year nominee … She was named an All-American in 2017 … A two-time All-State honoree (first team during her senior year and second team during her junior year) … Was also a four-time All-Conference and All-District honoree while leading the team in scoring her last three years … Brebeuf Jesuit was the IHSAA 2A State Champions during her sophomore year and were rated as the No. 1 team in the nation … Were the state runners-up during her junior season … Is a part of the winningest class in school history (84-6-4) … Scored 16 goals (six game-winners) and had 15 assists … Made Brebeuf High Honors during her freshman year and made honors during her junior and senior year … Was named ICSA Academic All-State.

Personal: The daughter of Brian and Lisa Pearson … Has one older brother, Tyler … Her cousin, Drew Moore, plays for Toronto FC in the MLS … Plans to pursue a degree in Biology with the aspiration of becoming a doctor.