Saint Mary’s College set to welcome 13 women’s soccer recruits

Castro played her high school soccer at nearby Granada High in Livermore where she spent three years on the varsity squad. There she was named First Team All-League and was also a brown cord recipient for women’s soccer. In addition to high school soccer, she also played for Mustang FC and Livermore Fusion.

Castro said she was drawn to Saint Mary’s for great academics, beautiful campus, and the chance to compete in Div. I athletics. She will be studying allied health sciences in Moraga and hopes to become a nurse in the future. In her free time, Castro enjoys riding dirt bikes.

Garcia is a transfer who spent last season at Div. II UC Colorado Springs. Prior to college, Garcia was a force on one of the nation’s top high school teams at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. As a senior, the midfielder tallied 11 goals and eight assists to complete her high school career with 16 goals and 21 helpers. Bishop Gorman would go on to be crowned State and Regional Champions twice with Garcia on the team.

Garcia is also an excellent student as she was recognized as a Scholar Athlete in all four years of high school. She will be studying business at Saint Mary’s and has dreams of becoming a pilot in her future.

Christie is a defender who played on her varsity squad at Timberline High for three seasons. She helped her team finish fourth or better at the state tournament in all three years and was named all-conference during those seasons as well. While playing with her club team, Christie won the State Cup Championship in both 2019 and 2021.

Christie says she chose SMC because of the environment the coaching staff has created around the team as well the close relationships SMC students enjoy with their professors. The Boise native will be studying business as an undergraduate and enjoys wake surfing as a hobby.

Gutierrez is a forward who spent the last four years on the varsity team for Liberty High in Brentwood. In all four years of high school, Gutierrez was named an all-league player including a three-time First Team honoree and was named the league’s MVP as a senior. Liberty managed to win their league every single season with Gutierrez on the team.

The forward also spent 12 years with Impact SC and an additional season with West Coast SC. While playing for Impact SC, she helped her club win the Cal State Tournament, State Championship, and Stanford Tournament. Gutierrez describes herself as having a “class clown” type personality and will be studying business administration in Moraga.

Cole is a graduate transfer student who will help cement the Gaels’ backline this fall. The Sacramento native played major minutes at Harvard and was a three-year starter for the Crimson. As a senior in 2019, she was named Second Team All-Ivy League while serving as captain of her team. With Cole on the backline, Harvard shutout their opposition 20 times in three years.

While at Saint Mary’s, Cole will pursue an MS degree in Management and Technology.

Hummel is a local product who hails from Monte Vista High where she spent four years on the varsity team. During her high school career, Hummel scored 11 times and added six assists while spitting her time between forward and defender. She twice helped her team claim the NorCal State Championship in 2018 and 2019 in addition to the NCS Championship and EBAL Championship during the same seasons. As a senior, Hummel was named First Team All-League.

In addition to her high school team, Hummel played club soccer for Mustang SC in Danville for four years as well. She was also invited to the US Soccer U15 Youth National Team Camp and ODP National Camp. Hummel will study allied health sciences as an undergraduate and hopes to play professionally after graduating.

Drake comes to Saint Mary’s from Southern California where she excelled at Edison High. The defender was named either MVP or Defensive MVP of her team in all four years and was selected to All-Sunset League First Team in both of her years on the varsity club. She also helped her team reach the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Championship.

Drake played club soccer for FC Slammers for six years and served five of those years as team captain. She will be studying kinesiology while at SMC and said she chose Saint Mary’s because of the campus and ability to interact with her classmates and professors on a more personal level.

Johnson is the team’s second incoming recruit from Livermore who will look to give the Gaels’ offense a boost. The forward spent all four seasons on her high school’s varsity squad and was named Offensive MVP as a freshman and Team MVP as a sophomore. In her final two seasons, Johnson was named All-League.

Johnson played five seasons for Livermore Fusion in addition to high school soccer. She plans on studying elementary education while in Moraga and would like to become an elementary school teacher after graduating.

Kingman was a fixture in goal for Del Oro High as she spent all four years on her school’s varsity team and served as team captain for her final three seasons. After earning an all-league Second Team nod as a freshman, Kingman appeared on the league’s First Team for each of her final three years and was named Team MVP by her coaches and teammates.

Kingman also played club soccer for Placer United for four seasons. She says she chose Saint Mary’s because of the beautiful location, small family feel, and close proximity to home. Kingman will be studying psychology at SMC and is also conversationally fluent in American Sign Language.

Neumann spent eight years playing for West Coast FC located in Laguna Hills. While playing for the club, she was selected to the ODP Player Pool twice, invited to the US Soccer Training Center in 2016 and 2017, and named a Weekly Standout by TopDrawerSoccer in March of 2018. She’s previously served as a co-captain for her team as well.

Neumann will be studying psychology at Saint Mary’s and plans to go to medical school after graduating. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and doing arts and crafts projects.

Lucas will make the longest trek of any newcomer as she comes from Evanston, Ill. — over 1,800 miles from Moraga. Lucas played for her high school as well as FC United where she won the state title in 2018 and 2019.

Lucas said she chose Saint Mary’s because she loved the campus and how welcoming the coaches and teammates were. Her major is currently undecided.

Raney hails from the Pacific Northwest and was a standout at Ingraham High in Seattle. The forward spent all four years with the school’s varsity club and tallied 40 goals and 36 assists during her career. She led her team in scoring every season and was named First Team All-League three times and Second Team once.

Raney is currently undecided on her undergraduate major.

Shibukawa is another talented transfer who will be joining the Gaels this fall. The Japan native spent the last two seasons playing for Western Michigan and will finish out her collegiate career with Saint Mary’s.

As a freshman at WMU, Shibukawa played in 15 games off the bench. She tallied her first career point with an assist against Akron on Oct. 18, 2019 and her first career goal on Oct. 31 versus Northern Illinois. In a shortened season this past spring, Shibukawa appeared in seven matches and made four starts. She finished the year with three goals and an assist which included an incredible five-point game against Eastern Michigan where she scored twice.