Georgia announces strong signing class for 2025, including USWYNT talent

ATHENS, Ga. – University of Georgia soccer head coach Keidane McAlpine announced Thursday morning the addition of 11 new Bulldogs to the program.

The incoming class includes 10 freshman student-athletes and one graduate transfer, with four signees joining the team for the spring exhibition season.

Laila Booker | D | Potomac, Md. | Yale | Our Lady of Good Counsel | Maryland United

Booker will join Georgia in the spring after three seasons at Yale, where she was a three-time All-Ivy League honoree (First Team – 2022, Second Team – 2023, 2024). During her career, Booker appeared in 45 matches with 44 starts, tallying 3,911 minutes. In 2024, she anchored the Bulldogs’ backline and played a career-high 1,777 minutes in 14 starts. During her career, she scored three goals during her freshman season and assisted on two goals in her sophomore campaign. In 2022, her backline helped the team set a new program record from consecutive shutouts and tied the record for most in a season.

Prior to Yale, Booker played prep soccer at Our Lady of Good Counsel, earning four varsity letters and two All-Conference selections, while leading the team to league titles in 2018 and 2019. She also played for Maryland United, captaining the team for four years and earning PDP Regional Selection in 2018 and 2019.

Booker is the daughter of Bill Booker and Sonya White. She is intending to pursue a master’s in Business Analytics at Georgia.

Mona Childs | MF | Apex, N.C. | Apex Friendship HS | NC Courage Academy ECNL

Childs joins Georgia after playing for NC Courage Academy ECNL, helping her squad win the 2023 U19 Mid-Atlantic Cup Conference and qualify for the 2023 U19 ECNL Champions League and the 2022 U17 ECNL Champions League Round of 16. This past season, she was named to the U19 Mid-Atlanta All-Conference First Team. In 2021, she was invited to the USYNT 06 Regional ID Center and was a member of the 2019 U.S. Soccer Girls YNT Identification Camp.

Childs is the daughter of Kevin and Michiko Childs. Her father played collegiate soccer at the University of Incarnate Word. She is intending to pursue a degree in Management.

Lily Kate Elphick | F | Roswell, Ga. | Fellowship Christian School | Concorde Fire ECNL

Elphick joins Georgia after playing for Fellowship Christian School and Concorde Fire ECNL. She helped lead Fellowship to consecutive Georgia 2A state titles, earning United Soccer Coaches All-State and All-Region honors as well as two DiVarsity selections. With Concorde, she helped her team reach Nationals in 2022, 2023, and 2024, finishing first in the ECNL Southeast in 2023. In 2024, she was named to the ECNL Nationals 07 Girls Top 11.

Elphick is the daughter of Brad and Christy Elphick. She is intending to major in Business.

Hailey Gordon | MF | Las Vegas, Nev. | Delta Academy | Slammers HB Køge

Gordon, whose signing was announced in April, will join Georgia in the spring after playing for Slammers HB Køge in Southern California, helping the team win consecutive ECNL Southwest Conference championships. She was named to the ECNL Southwest Conference First Team in 2022 after scoring 40 goals during the season. She is currently a member of the Mexico U-20 national team and will play with the squad in international competition throughout the year. In 2023, Gordon helped lead Mexico to a Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship victory over the United States, scoring two goals in pool play. She previously played for the Mexico U-17 national team at the 2022 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India.

Gordon is the daughter of George and Annabelle Gordon. Her father played football at UNLV. She is intending to major in Sport Management.

Maddy Herniter | D | Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. | Palos Verdes HS | Beach FC

Herniter joins Georgia after playing for Palos Verdes High School and for Beach FC. For Palos Verdes, she helped lead the team to the CIF state final and was named to the 2023-24 All-CIF First Team. She was also named to the Daily Breeze All-Area Soccer First Team, while earning three team MVP honors and the 2021 team rookie of the year award. For Beach FC, she helped the team win the 2024 ECNL U17 national championship while earning ECNL Southwest All-Conference Second Team.

Herniter is the daughter of Glenn Herniter and Danielle Rees. She is intending to major in Business.

Andrea Lazar | MF | Kitchener, Ont. | Kitchener Collegiate Institute | BVB IA Waterloo

Lazer, ranked the No. 8 player in Canada by FTF Canada, joins Georgia after playing for Kitchener Collegiate Institute and BVB IA Waterloo. She helped lead Kitchener to the WCSSAA High School championship. She was named to Team Ontario for three consecutive year (2022-24) and was an NDC-Ontario Development player. This year, she led her team to the OPDL Cup finals and Gary Miller Shield semifinals. She was the leading goal scorer in the OPDL (31 goals), earning MVP honors as her team won the FTF Canada Spring Showdown Championship.

Lazar is the daughter of Constantin Lazar and Angela Portarescu. She is intending to major in Biomedical Engineering.

Ayda Pannell | D | Aldie, Va. | John Champe HS | Fairfax Union

Pannell will join Georgia in the spring after playing for John Champe High School and Fairfax Union. For John Champe, she was named the 2023-24 Virginia State Player of the Year and received First Team All-State, All-Met, All-District, and All-Region honors. She was also named All-State, All-Region, and All-District in her sophomore season. For Fairfax, she was named to the ECNL Mid-Atlantic All-Conference First Team.

Pannell is the daughter of Avatus Stone and Jessica Marchegiano. Her father played football collegiately at Catholic University. She in intending to major in Exercise and Sport Science and enter the sports medicine field.

Grayson Rogers | D | Atlanta, Ga. | Marist School | Concorde Fire ECNL

Rogers joins Georgia after playing for the Marist School and Concorde Fire ECNL. For Marist, she led her team to two GHSA state championships in 2022 and 2024, along with earning GACA 6A First Team All-State honors in 2023 and 2024. This season, she was named the GACA Region 4-6A Player of the Year and earned a place on the United Soccer Coaches Winter/Spring High School All-Atlantic Region Team. For Concorde, she was named to the ECNL All-Southeastern Conference First Team in 2021 and Second Team in 2023 and 2024, while leading her team to a runner-up finish at 2024 ECNL Nationals. She was invited the U.S. U19 WNT Training Camp in 2024 and was twice invited to US YNT Identification Camps.

Rogers is the daughter of Brett and Julie Rogers. Her mother played soccer collegiately at Randolph-Macon College. She is intending to major in Business.

Victoria Saah | GK | Roswell, Ga. | Milton HS | Tophat Soccer Club

Saah joins Georgia after playing for Milton High School and Tophat Soccer Club. For Milton, she was named the team MVP in 2023 and was twice named to the Region 6 All-Region Team (First Team – 2023, Second Team – 2024). For Tophat, she has been a team captain for five season, helping the team win two GA Southeast Region championships. She has been invited to four GA Southeastern Talent ID camps and was an alternate for the GA National Talent ID camp.

Saah is the daughter of Paul and Elna Saah. Her brother, Paul, plays collegiate soccer at Emory. She is intending to major in Landscape Architecture.

Ava Stack | MF | Acworth, Ga. | Allatoona HS | FC Prime

Stack joins Georgia after playing for Allatoona High School and FC Prime. In club play, primarily with Concorde Fire ECNL, she was named an ECNL All-American and the ECNL Southeast Regional Player of the Year. She has also been called up to the U.S. U15 YNT, including a pair of international matches in Germany. For Allatoona, she was named to the GHSA All-State Team and was a First Team All-Region honoree, along with earning team MVP honors.

Stack is the daughter of Bryan and Vida Stack. She is intending to major in Biology.

Mya Townes | F | Aldie, Va. | John Champe HS | St. James Football Club

Townes will join Georgia in the spring after playing for St. James Football Club and John Champe High School. Townes was a member of the U.S. U17 YNT that won the 2024 Concacaf Women’s U17 Championship, scoring the winning goal in the United States’ 4-0 victory over Mexico. She has also been a member of the U.S. 16 YNT. She was named Player of the Year and All-American in 2023 by the U.S. Coaches Association and earned the GA Golden Boot in 2022 and 2024. With her club team, she won the 2022 GA National Championship. For John Champe, she led the team to its first Virginia 4A state championship, earning First Team All-State, All-Region, and All-Met honors along with District Co-Player of the Year. She currently holds the school records for goals in a single season and in a career.

Townes is the daughter of D’Artagnan and Leisha Townes, both of whom played collegiately at James Madison (D’Artagnan – football, Leisha – volleyball). Her sister, Madison, currently plays soccer at Marshall. She is intending to major in Engineering.