UNC Charlotte women’s soccer team unveils eight-player signing class

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Eight new additions, including seven from the Carolinas, have inked National Letters of Intent agreeing to become Charlotte 49ers, as part of the latest signing class announced by head women’s soccer coach John Cullen.

Six of the seven Carolina products come from North Carolina, while South Carolina and Illinois also are represented in the group.

“We are exceptionally excited about the incoming class; we’re very proud of the work we do here with the recruitment of the players,” Cullen said. “We always look for high-character individuals, great families, wonderful soccer players, extremely coachable young ladies and players who will be great student-athletes who will represent us well on the field, in the community and in the classroom. We’re excited about the group. It’s a great group of young ladies, a lot of highly-technical players with to wonderful characters.”

To view quotes from Cullen on each of the 49ers’ incoming recruits, Click Here.

Macey Bader | Apex, N.C. | Friendship HS | NC Courage U19

Tabbed to the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association All-Region 6 Team and all-conference squads as a sophomore in 2019 … Led the conference in assists, setting a school record … Named her high school’s 2019 player of the year … Scored two times in an April 2019 victory against Middle Creek HS … Had a goal and three assists in an April 2019 win over South Garner HS … Guided her high school to the third round of the state playoffs in 2019 … Leading goal scorer for her club program in 2020 … Served as a team captain with NCFC ECNL in 2018 and 2019 … Qualified for DECA Internationals in 2020, a year after earning a state finalist spot … Recipient of the Patriot Award for academic excellence three times in 2019.

Braelynn Francher | Wake Forest, N.C. | Heritage HS | NC Courage Academy ECNL

Garnered 4A North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association All-State, All-Region 5, all-conference and academic all-conference plaudits as a sophomore in her only year eligible to play HS soccer thus far … Named the 4A state championship MVP after leading her high school to the state crown and netting the go-ahead score … Chosen as a four-time MaxPreps Player of the Game in four games during the 2019 season … Tallied a hat trick in a April 2019 triumph over Wake Forest HS … Recipient of the Heritage Soccer Newcomer of the Year award … Guided high school to the 4A East Regional championship and the 2019 NAC VI regular season and tournament titles … Program reached No. 2 in the USA Today Region 1 Super 25 rankings with a 20-3 mark … Tabbed to the All-East soccer team after tallying eight goals with four assists for 20 points in 2019 … Placed in the top three for goals scored during the 2019-20 US Soccer Development Academy season … Was in the top two for goals and the team leader for assists while serving as a team captain in 2018-19 with her club program … Invited to the 2019 US Youth Soccer ODP Inter-Regional event in Boca Raton, Fla. … Earned a national and regional selection to the ODP teams … Guided club program to the 2018-19 ECNL Championship League playoffs … Squad was a Champions League qualifier for the 2016-17 ECNL National Championship and finished as the runner-up in the 2016-17 ECNL Mid-Atlantic Chesapeake Division … Garnered a 2016 NCYSA State Cup finalist appearance and 2016 USYSA Region 111 East/North co-championship … Received all honors for her academic success.

Hayden Hord | Waxhaw, N.C. | Cuthbertson HS | Charlotte Soccer Academy U19 ECNL

Yet to play high school soccer … Played with the Charlotte Soccer Academy United States Soccer Development Academy squad from 2017-19 … Member of the 2016 North Carolina ODP Region III State Team … Was a member of the North Carolina ODP Team 1 from 2014-16 … Member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club … Recipient of an Academic Letter with six bars.

Ella Joaquin | Matthews, N.C. | Porter Ridge HS | Charlotte Independence ECNL

Voted to the 2019 All-Region 8 and All-Southwest 4A Conference First Team … Tallied 71 points thus far in her career … Chosen to attend the 2018 Elite Clubs National League Player Development Program Mid-Atlantic event … Earned an academic bar for every semester of high school.

Hanna Kimmelman | Greenville, S.C. | Southside Christian Academy | South Carolina United FC

Voted to the 2019 2A South Carolina High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State and all-region teams … Garnered all-region honors in 2018 … Has accumulated nearly 150 points in her three-year high school career, including 80 on 27 goals and 26 assists in 2019 … Opened her 2020 campaign with eight goals and assist for 17 points … Netted four goals in a win over Greer Middle College HS … Tallied 16 goals with 17 assists for 49 points in 2018 … Had five-straight multi-goal scoring games in March 2019, including hat tricks against Greer Middle College HS and Christ Church Episcopal School … Led her high school to the 2019 2A state title after a runner-up result the previous year … Registered three assists in the state championship victory against Oceanside Collegiate Academy … Squad won the 2018 and 2019 regional titles with a combined 39-6-2 record … Served as a team captain in 2019 and 2020 … Tabbed to represent the Mid-Atlantic ECNL Conference Selections Program in 2019 … Led her club program in goals in each of the last four recent years … Tallied 12 scores apiece in 2018 and 2019 … Recipient of the 2018 02 ECNL MVP award … Member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club … Presented the 2020 Leadership and Athletic Award … Landed on the Honor Roll with distinction every year.

Camden Poole | Huntersville, N.C. | Hough HS | Charlotte Independence

Voted to the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association All-Region 9 and All-I-Meck 4A Conference teams in 2018 and 2019 … Finished second on the team in points both years … Tallied 15 goals with eight assists for 38 points in 2019 … Earned MaxPreps Player of the Game plaudits after a pair of scores in March 2019 against Hickory Ridge HS and also in a two-goal, one-assist performance in March 2019 against Lake Norman HS … Knocked in a pair of goals against Mallard Creek HS in April 2019 … Found the back of the net two times with an assist in a consecutive March 2019 victories over North Mecklenburg HS and West Charlotte HS … Scored 11 goals to go along with five assists for 27 points in 2018 … Posted a hat trick in a triumph over West Mecklenburg HS in April 2018 … Featured in the Lake Norman Citizen Newspaper Athlete Spotlight in June 2020 … Serving as a team captain for her club program in 2020-21 … Named as a 2018-19 Player to Watch in the ECNL Mid-Atlantic Region … Led club squad to the 2018 ECNL national playoffs qualifying rounds.

Kiara Pralle | Bourbannais, Ill. | Bradley Bourbannais Community HS | Eclipse Select Soccer Club

Has only played club soccer … One of six players from the program chosen to attend the 2018 ECNL Midwest Player Development Program … Captured the 2018 US Youth Soccer Midwest Conference Championship … Led squad to ECNL playoff qualifications from 2017-19 … Team won the U16 2016 State Cup title … Program was the 2018-19 conference champion … Netted a hat trick leading former club team, Chicago Fire Juniors Red South, to a 2017 Illinois State Cup championship … Club also won the 2015 State Cup … Member of the National Honor Society … Earned a spot on the High Honor Roll.

Kate Rodelli | Carrboro, N.C. | Chapel Hill HS | NC Courage Academy

Has only played club soccer … Invited to the US Market Training Center in 2017-18 … Played in the US Development Academy League from 2017-20 … Joined the ECNL in 2020-21 … Club squad was ranked No. 4 nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.com in October 2020 … Program qualified for the national playoffs in 2018 and 2019 … Squad finished second in the 2019 Southeast Division … Member of the National Latin Honor Society … Owns a 4.6 GPA … An Advanced Placement student … Earned a spot on the ‘A’ Honor Roll.