Pepperdine women’s soccer team brings in 8 recruits, including 7 from California

MALIBU, Calif.  – Head coach Tim Ward of the Pepperdine women’s soccer team recently signed eight talented recruits who will join the squad next season.

Victoria Alessandrini, Chloe Brown, Jillian Medvecky, Alex Pendleton, Elle Quinn, Ariana Salvador, Ava Schall, and Sarah Spears have signed a National Letter-of-Intent and will join Pepperdine in 2024.

Victoria Alessandrini – Midfield – Lafayette, Calif. – Carondelet HS – Mustang SC ECNL 

A two-time North Coast Section Division I champion at Carondelet High School … Awarded All-League first-team honors … Has played for Mustangs SC ECNL for three years … Also played for Magic SC for seven years.

Alessandrini says: “The campus is beautiful, but what I really love about Pepperdine is the amazing community. The coaches and girls are super close and I’m excited to be a part of such a talented team!”

Ward says: “What a fantastic addition to our program is young Victoria. She plays her club ball for the strong Mustang Soccer Club in Nor Cal and she jumped onto our radar after attending one of our Malibu Soccer Academy single day ID clinics. It was clear to our entire staff that day that this young lady has a tremendous natural feel and IQ for the game. Her ability and comfort on the ball not only speaks to her skill level, but it’s easy to see why everyone who knows Victoria feels she is so easy to play with. Her playing style fits our style so seamlessly and we are excited to see how Victoria progresses in her time here. A highly versatile player, Victoria will be used in a variety of areas of the field for the Waves. We simply cannot wait to have her and her family join our Waves family next fall.”

Chloe Brown – Midfield/Defender – Morgan Hill, Calif. – Ann Sobrato HS – DeAnza Force ECNL

A first-team all-league player from Ann Sobrato High School … Has played for DeAnza Force ECNL for three years … Won the Surf Cup Championship in 2021 … Honored with Northern Cal All-Conference second-team selection.

Brown says: “What first interested me about Pepperdine was the amazing location, academics, and a great soccer program, but what sealed the deal was the loving and welcoming community, team, and staff. They made the decision easy when I walked onto campus and was immediately shown their support and care for everyone in the program.”

Ward says: “Super excited to have Chloe and her family join our Wave family next fall. Chloe continues a tradition of wonderful players that have come to Malibu from Nor Cal’s De Anza Force ECNL program. She is a strong, fearless and extremely athletic defender. Capable of matching up with the most mobile of attackers, Chloe is also a very impactful striker herself as she pulls double duty often with her club team. Her comfort on the ball is excellent and her ability to run at and by defenders is fantastic. Perhaps the most exciting thing about Chloe is her upside and strength of character. She is a wonderful human being and natural warrior. She brings much needed depth to our back row and we are super excited to work with her over the course of the next four years!”

Jillian Medvecky – Goalkeeper – Mentor, Ohio. – Mentor HS – Cleveland Force 

A four-year varsity starter for Mentor High School … Received All-Ohio honors … Named News-Herald Player of the Year … Earned 38 career shutouts… Has played for Cleveland Force for two years.

Ward says: “We feel incredibly fortunate to add Jill and her family to this amazing recruiting class. We didn’t know that we would have an opening in our goal keepers union until early December 2023. As fate would have it, when we found out we would be needing another gk, it just so happens that Jill’s journey took an unexpected turn that led her to us. She is, without a doubt, a true gem of a human being and an absolutely stellar keeper. Having grown up in the fertile and highly competitive Cleveland, Ohio soccer scene, Jill not only made a massive impression on our current gk coach at the annual Kronis Goalkeeping Academy, but just about every other coach we could talk to about her abilities. Strong, athletic, fearless, driven and talented are just a few words that would describe Jill. We think she has a wonderful future not only in our program, but at the next level as well. We feel so fortunate that she and her family have taken a leap of faith to come to Malibu next fall and we’re so excited to begin this next chapter with her.”

Alexandra Pendleton – Midfield – Oceanside, Calif. – El Camino HS – San Diego Surf ECNL

A two-year varsity letter winner for El Camino High School … Current USWNT Pool Player … Has been playing with San Diego Surf for seven years … An ECNL National Finalist in 2021 and 2018 National Cup Champion.

Pendleton says: “After being on campus for the first time and seeing the beautiful view, people, and culture, I knew it was where I belonged. I’m so excited to spend my 4 years here.”

Ward says: “So excited to have Alex coming to our program! She has played her club ball for the highly successful San Diego Surf of the ECNL and she predominantly plays as a holding midfielder. True to both the Surf and Wave style of soccer, Alex is very much a maestro in the heart of the midfield. She does an amazing job of keeping the tempo of the game for her team. Her touch, her composure under pressure and just the way she sees the field are really at a special level. She is also a very good defender, excellent in the air and breaks up play in the middle of the park very well. Like all of her Wave teammates, Alex is an amazing young woman of character and we couldn’t be more excited to have her and her family join our Wave family next fall!”

Elle Quinn – Midfield – Folsom, Calif. – Vista Del Lago HS – San Juan SC ECNL

Currently plays for San Juan Soccer club … Invited to the USWNT Futsal camp in 2023 … Made it to the ECNL round of 16 in 2022 … Earned San Juan SC ECNL Player to Watch in 2020.

Quinn says: “​​I am beyond blessed to have the opportunity to attend Pepperdine University. I chose Pepperdine because of the amazing people, atmosphere, and opportunities that will come with it in the future. I am also excited to grow my faith and build a stronger connection with god.”

Ward says: “What a wonderful footballer! Elle is very much a magician with the ball at her feet and joins a long line of talented 10’s that have grown in the Waves program over the years . She has a wonderful knack of finding the ball in meaningful spaces on the soccer field as well as having that rare ability to ghost past defenders while seeing the bigger picture. Her feet, her vision, her IQ are fantastic and she also possesses a warrior spirit. She is a creator and scorer of goals while making those around her better. Elle won the prestigious Gothia Cup (worlds largest youth soccer tournament) and collected MVP honors along the way. She comes from an amazingly supportive family as well as a tremendous ECNL youth club in the Davis Legacy. Finally, she is a young lady of wonderful character and we feel so blessed that Elle will wear the Pepperdine colors for the next four years!”

Ariana Salvador – Midfield – Newhall, Calif. – William S Hart HS – LAFC So Cal ECNL

Played four years of varsity soccer for William S Hart High School … Has played for LAFC So Cal ECNL for three years … A two-time All-Foothill League first-team award recipient … Led team to back-to-back Foothill League Championships in 2022 & 2023 … A CIF State Regionals Champion … Received All-CIF Southern Section Division 2 first team in 2023.

Salvador says: “I chose Pepperdine because I knew it was a school where I could continue to grow in my athletic, academic, and spiritual goals. The coaching staff’s emphasis on building women of character and creating a positive and competitive environment was an attribute that I couldn’t wait to be a part of. Plus, you can never go wrong with the Malibu scenery overlooking the beach.”

Ward says: “Ari is such a smooth and versatile player. She is a naturally left footed goal scorer and creator that can play not only up front, but anywhere in midfield and even potentially as a wide back. Her understanding of the game is fantastic and she, too, is one of those players that everyone loves to play with. Having played her youth soccer at LAFC So Cal of the ECNL Southwest region, Ari comes to us with a deep understanding of tactics and tactical flexibility. Wherever you put her on the field and whatever system you throw at her, Ari seems to find a way to flourish. She has also earned the honor to represent the Philippines at the international U-17 and U-20 level. Having known her wonderful family for years, we are so excited to see what the future holds for this amazing young woman of character.”

Ava Schall – Midfield – San Diego, Calif. – Point Loma HS – San Diego Surf ECNL

A varsity letter winner for Point Loma HS … Has played for San Diego Surf ECNL for three years … Also played for ALBION SC for nine years … Has won multiple Surf Cup Championships … USYNT camp participant … ECNL Championship runner-up … U13 National Champion.

Schall says: “The coaches and the community of people instantly made me feel at home and represent the values that are important to me, and the soccer program is a perfect fit for me.”

Ward says: “What a wonderful addition to the Waves program is Ava Schall and her family. She is an extremely gifted player with a high soccer IQ as well as the cleanest of technical abilities. Having played for the very successful San Diego Surf ECNL program, she brings a highly refined version of the game to Malibu with her.  Normally influencing the game in the half spaces as an 8 or 10, Ava is also capable of playing out in the wings or even as a wide back. She has a wonderful knack of unbalancing players and creating and finishing attacking moments for her team. Furthermore, her ability to comfortably keep possession of the ball even under the heaviest of pressure speaks to a deserved and well earned confidence. We are so very excited to have Ava join our program as we have no doubt she will be highly impactful for the Waves program in the coming years.”

Sarah Spears – Midfield – Camarillo, Calif. – Oaks Christian HS – Eagles SC ECNL 

Played four years of varsity soccer at Oaks Christian HS … Has played for Eagles SC for seven years … Earned first-team All-Marmonte League honors and was a CIF-SS division 1 selection in 2023 … Awarded offensive player of the year and All-CIF SS selection in 2022 … Led the Marmonte League in assists during her freshman year.

Spears says: “I knew right when I stepped foot on the campus that that’s where I want to be.”

Ward says: “We are so very excited to have Sarah Spears coming to our program. First of all, we have known Sarah ever since she attended and won the “Camper of the Week” at our Malibu Soccer Academy residential camp when she was in 8th/9th grade. She was an amazing attacking talent then and continues to shine in the way she literally breathes excitement into a soccer match. Whether she is playing in midfield or up front, Sarah is a natural goal scorer and goal creator. She has an amazing feel for the game, and like so many in this class, she makes those around her better. We love the fact that Sarah is also a highly versatile player and we think she could shine in a multitude of positions in the years ahead for the Waves. Having played at both LAFC So Cal and Eagles ECNL programs over the course of the last five years, we are so proud to have Sarah and her amazing family join our Waves family next fall!