Elon University solidifies strong 2023 women’s soccer recruiting class

ELON, N.C. — The Elon women’s soccer program has received a boost to its 2023 squad with the signing of nine players to National Letters of Intent, as announced by head coach Neil Payne.

“We’re very excited about our ’23 class,” Payne said. “This group is loaded with talent, and all come from successful clubs across the country. Each and every player brings a specialty unique to them, and they will all fill a specific need in certain areas of the field for us.  We look forward to seeing them integrate into an already young and talented squad, and we’re particularly excited to see their game develop over the next four seasons.”

See below for information on each member of Elon’s signing class.

Maddy Baird
5-8 • Forward/Midfielder • Mason, Ohio
William Mason High School • Ohio Elite ECNL

• Helped her Ohio Elite ECNL U17 team to a third-place finish at nationals in 2021
• Four-time first-team All-Green Meadows Conference selection
• Four-time first-team all-region selection
• Cincinnati Enquirer first-team All-Star in 2019, 2020 and 2021
• Helped William Mason High School to the regional semifinals in 2020 and 2021

Grace Gelhaus
5-7 • Forward/Midfielder • Woodstock, Conn.
Woodstock Academy • FC Stars of Massachusetts ECNL

• Four-year letterwinner under coach Dennis Snelling at Woodstock Academy
• 2022 Eastern Connecticut Conference MVP
• Three-time all-state selection
• Helped Woodstock Academy to the 2022 Eastern Connecticut Conference championship

Jordan Green
5-4 • Midfielder • St. Petersburg, Fla.
Land O’ Lakes High School • Tampa Bay United ECNL

• 2021 USYNT ID Camp Invitee
• Pursued MLS NEXT training as a junior and senior
• Tallied 36 goals and 38 assists as a freshman and sophomore at Land O’ Lakes High School
• Land O’ Lakes Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman and sophomore
• Sunshine Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore
• Made the United Soccer Coaches all-state team as a sophomore
• Made the Florida Athletic Coaches Association 5A all-state team as a sophomore
• Two-time first-team All-SAC selection
• Two-time Florida Athletic Coaches Association 5A All-Academic selection
• Helped Land O’ Lakes to the 5A state semifinals as a freshman and sophomore

Gabby Hoschek
5-6 • Midfielder • Raleigh, N.C.
Crossroads Flex High School • NC Courage ECNL Academy

• Competed on the NC Courage ECNL team for three years and played up a year
• Competed in ECNL Showcase Nationals in 2018, 2019 and 2020
• Started every match this season for her USL W-League team, Wake FC, tallying four goals and two assists.
• Also served as co-captain with Wake FC this season
• Trains with the North Carolina FC Boys Academy in the offseason

Morgan Juran
5-7 • Defender • Littleton, Colo.
Columbine High School • Real Colorado ECNL

• 2022 ECNL national champion
• Member of one of the top-ranked 2005 teams over the last five years in ECNL and U.S. Soccer Development Academy
• Participated in U17 U.S. Women’s National Team Camp in October 2021 and the team’s virtual camp in March 2021
• Ranked by Top Drawer Soccer as the No. 58 overall recruit and the No. 6 recruit in the Rocky Mountains and Southwest region in the Class of 2023
• Participated in U.S. Youth National Talent Identification Centers from 2019-2022. Member of state ODP teams and a regional camp participant
• Selected by Top Drawer Soccer as one of the ECNL Girls South Carolina Best XI at the December 4-6, 2020, showcase
• Coached by Lorne Donaldson, April Kater and Lyle LeBere at Real Colorado
• Won two state cup championships and was selected to be a member of a 2004/2005 travel team that played in England against Premier League clubs
• Two-year letterwinner under Brian Todd at Columbine High School
• Earned first-team all-conference honors in 2021
• Earned second-team all-conference and first-team academic all-state honors in 2022
• National Honor Society member

Lauren McCauley
5-6 • F/M • Mountainside, N.J.
Governor Livingston High School • STA

• Participated in 2020 ODP National Training Camp
• Represented the U.S. on the ODP National Team in Amsterdam in 2020
• Picked from ODP regional team to play in Iceland
• Captain of ODP regional team
• Four-year letterwinner under coach Micheal Roof at Governor Livingston High School
• Earned 2022 conference MVP honors

Iliana Pardo
5-5 • Defender/Midfielder • Raleigh, N.C.
Leesville Road High School • NC Courage ECNL Academy

• Started for the U20 Puerto Rico National Team at the 2022 CONCACAF Championships
• Participated in the U17 Puerto Rico National Team Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Salinas, Puerto Rico, in 2021
• Tabbed to U15 Puerto Rico National Team in 2020
• Second-team ECNL Mid-Atlantic all-conference selection in 2020-21
• 2021 USYS South Region ODP team
• Top Drawer Soccer Weekend Standout, Oct. 2-3 and Nov. 13-14, 2021
• Earned all-conference and academic all-conference honors as a freshman and sophomore at Leesville Road High School

Alexis Pierce
5-7 • Defender/Midfielder • Glen Allen, Va.
Deep Run High School • Richmond United ECNL

• Helped her club team, Richmond United, to third- and seventh-place showings at nationals
• ECNL all-conference selection
• Four-year letterwinner under coach Steven Chapman at Deep Run High School
• Two-time Deep Run team MVP
• Earned first-team all-district, all-region, all-metro, and all-state honors
• Helped Deep Run to a regional championship and the state semifinals in 2022
• Father, Shane, played baseball at VCU
• Uncle, Paul Scaletta, played golf at VCU and on several tours, including the PGA Tour. His professional highlights include competing in the 2012 PGA Championship and twice earning South Florida PGA Player of the Year honors.

Ava Werner
5-5 • Defender • Boulder, Colo.
Boulder High School • Colorado Rush Girls Academy

• Helped the Colorado Rush to Girls Academy Mountain West Conference titles in 2021 and 2022
• Helped the U19 Colorado Rush reach the 2022 GA playoff semifinals
• Four-year letterwinner under coach Carlos Real at Boulder High School
• Two-time team captain