Oklahoma State inks 8 youth soccer standouts for incoming class of 2023

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State has inked eight standouts to its incoming class for 2023.

Five of the Cowgirl signees hail from Texas, while there are two from Oklahoma and one from Kansas.

“We’re really excited about the class, and it fills a lot of needs – we basically have players at every position and we definitely expect a lot of them to come in and make an impact immediately,” Carmichael said. “There’s a lot of talent, a lot of great athletes and most importantly a lot of great people.”

Caroline Dill, GK, Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs HS/Lonestar SC)

A 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-American, Dill stars for Dripping Springs High School and at the club level for Lonestar SC.

Dill led DSHS to the Texas 5A state championship in 2021 as she recorded 18 shutouts in 20 games and allowed only two goals on the season, including just one in seven state playoff games.

In 2022, she once again posted 18 shutouts, and her junior season saw her give up just three goals in 21 games.

Dill was tabbed a three-star recruit by TopDrawerSoccer.com, which also ranked her as the No. 37 player in the Texas Region.

Carmichael on Dill: “Caroline is a taller kid who has a great presence in the box. She’s very good with her kicking, gets great distance and range on her punts and goal kicks. She’s very athletic, a good shot stopper, and she’ll come in an make the goalkeeping crew better.”

Adelhia Ghonda, F, Houston, Texas (Memorial HS/Albion Hurricanes FC)

A Houston native, Ghonda is a standout at Memorial High School and for Albion Hurricanes FC.

A three-time all-district and two-time all-state performer, Ghonda helped lead MHS to district titles in 2020 and 2021 as well as a 6A Regional championship in 2021 as she was a first-team all-state honoree and tabbed the district’s offensive MVP for a second-straight year.

Ghonda, who played at the same high school and same club as former Cowgirl star Grace Yochum, was named an ECNL Player to Watch in 2019.

Carmichael on Ghonda: “Adelhia is a very athletic forward who can score goals, is powerful and can hold the ball up. She’s very, very dangerous one v. one because of her pace and athleticism.”

Katie Jones, MF, Houston, Texas (Mustang HS/Oklahoma Celtic)

Jones continues a family tradition as her three older sisters and older brother all played collegiate soccer before her.

At Mustang High School, Jones is a three-time all-district performer who recorded 22 goals and 25 assists in her first three prep seasons.

Jones’ sister, Jaci, starred for the Cowgirls from 2016-19 and was an All-Big 12 midfielder as a senior.

Carmichael on Jones: “Katie is a composed midfielder who is technically clean on the ball. She’s a very good passer with great vision who will add valuable depth to our midfield.”

Lexi Lee, F/MF, Frisco, Texas (Frisco HS/FC Dallas ECNL)

Lee’s prep career has seen her rack up goals at Frisco High School while also being a top performer at the club level.

At FHS, Lee tallied 62 goals and 16 assists over her sophomore and junior seasons as she picked up all-state and district MVP honors. A multi-sport athlete, Lee also competes in track and cross country, tennis, basketball and gymnastics.

As a standout for FC Dallas, Lee has been named an ECNL All-Star and also picked up All-ECNL First Team accolades.

Lee is listed as a four-star recruit by TopDrawerSoccer.com, and she is No. 79 on the IMG Top 150 for the 2023 class. She is also ranked as the No. 14 recruit in the Texas Region and the No. 24 forward nationally.

Carmichael on Lee: “Lexi is a very skillful attacking player who can play up front or in the attacking mid position. She’s a threat to score goals and scored a ton of goals in high school and club. She’s a great finisher in and around the 18, and she’s quick in tight spaces, has really good feet.”

Erin Morgan, D, Allen, Texas (Allen HS/DKSC)

Morgan stars for Allen High School and also shines for DKSC at the club level.

Morgan helped lead DKSC to an 8-0-2 record in 2022 and was named an All-ECNL Texas Conference Second Team defender after earning first-team honors in 2021.

Carmichael on Morgan: “Erin is a physical, aggressive, hard-nosed defender who is really strong in the air and dangerous on set plays attacking corners and free kicks. She’s a very, very competitive defender, and that should fit right in to Big 12 and college soccer.”

Addison Roberts, MF/D, Edmond, Okla. (Deer Creek HS/Tulsa SC ECNL)

An all-district and all-conference performer at Deer Creek High School, Roberts also stars for Tulsa SC ECNL at the club level and was a U.S. Soccer National Training Center selection in 2017 and 2018.

As a junior in 2022, Roberts helped lead Deer Creek to a Class 6A state championship, and she posted 19 goals and 12 assists in her two prep seasons. She is also a standout in track, where she placed third in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2021 Class 6A State Championship.

Roberts is the daughter of former OSU basketball standout Chianti Roberts, who played for the Cowboys from 1993-97 and was an All-Big 12 performer. Her mother, Alisha Meyers, played basketball at Wichita State, and her grandfather, Charlie Meyers, starred on the baseball diamond at OSU in the early 1970s before playing professionally.

Ranked as a three-star recruit by TopDrawerSoccer.com, Roberts is No. 162 on the IMG list for the 2023 class. She is also ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the South Region and the No. 35 defender nationally.

Carmichael on Roberts: “Addison is a physically imposing defender who is great in the air. She’s very strong and a very good athlete who is really dynamic, and a local player who we’re excited to have here at OSU.”

Taryn Thibeau, MF, McKinney, Texas (Boyd HS/FC Dallas ECNL)

Thibeau is a two-time all-district performer and defensive MVP at Boyd High School who led the team to area and bi-district championships in 2022.

At the club level, Thibeau helped FC Dallas to a third-place finish in the 2022 ECNL U-17 National Finals. She was a multiple-time U.S. Youth National Team Training Center invitee from 2016-19.

Carmichael on Thiebeau: “Taryn is a great possession player, very clean on the ball, is a good connecting midfielder from back middle to front. She has great vision and great ability to hit long diagonal passes and switches.”

Laudan Wilson, MF, Osawatomie, Kan. (Paola HS/Kansas City Athletics)

Wilson stars at the club level for the Kansas City Athletics, where she is a two-time All-Midwest Conference First Team performer. She was the U-17 Midwest Conference Player of the Year and an ECNL U-17 All-American who was selected for the ECNL National Training Camp in 2021.

At the prep level, Wilson led Paola High School to a state runner-up finish and a league championship in her lone season.

Wilson is rated as a four-star recruit by TopDrawerSoccer.com and is No. 74 on the IMG Top 150 list for the 2023 class. She is also ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the Heartland Region and the No. 22 forward nationally.

Carmichael on Wilson: “Laudan is a box-to-box midfielder who is athletic, tenacious and really skillful. She sets up a lot of goals with assists and is also a big threat to score.”

Oklahoma State Cowgirl Soccer Signees
Name                                      Pos.     Ht.                   Hometown (High School/Club)
Caroline Dill                            GK       5-10                Dripping Springs, Texas (Dripping Springs HS/Lonestar SC)
Adelhia Ghonda                      F          5-7                  Houston, Texas (Memorial HS/Albion Hurricanes FC)
Katie Jones                            MF        5-6                  Mustang, Okla. (Mustang HS/Oklahoma Celtic)
Lexi Lee                                 F/MF     5-4                  Frisco, Texas (Frisco HS/FC Dallas ECNL)
Erin Morgan                           D          5-7                   Allen, Texas (Allen HS/DKSC)
Addison Roberts                   MF/D    5-9                   Edmond, Okla. (Deer Creek HS/Tulsa SC ECNL)
Taryn Thibeau                       MF        5-6                   McKinney, Texas (Boyd HS/FC Dallas ECNL)
Laudan Wilson                      MF        5-6                  Osawatomie, Kan. (Paola HS/Kansas City Athletics)