University of Florida adds seven future Gators during November signing period

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida soccer team revealed a signing class featuring recruits from five different states and the program’s first player from Puerto Rico. Florida head coach Becky Burleigh announced the seven who signed with the Gators during the November signing period.

The class includes players with international experience, members of state club champion teams who also played at regional or national U.S. Player Development Academy or ODP events.

“Really excited to welcome the 2021 class to Gainesville,” Burleigh said. “We have a great group of not just players, but people who really fill some needs that we have on our roster.”

Maddy Pirrello 

• Position: Forward
• Twitter: maddypirrello
• Instagram: maddypirrello
• High School: Harrison High School
• Hometown: Harrison, N.Y.
• Club Team: NYSC GA (Coaches: Anthony Ferarro, Christian Gonzalez)
• Club
  • Part of NYC FC Academy U16/17 that was second in 2018-19 U.S Soccer Development Academy Northeast standings
  • Led NYSC GA in assists in 2019
  • NYC FC Academy U-16/17 East third in 2017-18 U.S. Soccer DA Northeast standings
  • Scored 39 goals with NYC FC in U15/16 seasons
  • NYC FC U-15 topped 2016-17 Northeast Division standings – Pirrello scored 12 goals
  • NYSC won 2017 state cup. Win advanced team to nationals.
• Fun Fact: Will be third generation on maternal side to participate in NCAA Division I athletics. Of the five relatives to play D1 athletics, only mother played soccer (Catholic University)

Becky Burleigh says: “We like Maddy’s feistiness. She’s a forward who is really busy quick, got good pace and is able to assist as well as score.”

Oakley Rasmussen

• Position: Midfielder
• Instagram: oakley.rasmussen
• High School: Ridgeline High School (Coach: Mark Tureson )
• Hometown: Millville, Utah
• Club Team: La Roca FC U18/19 ECNL (Coach: Adolfo Ovalle)
• High School
  • Member of Ridgeline’s 2020 4A Utah High School Athletic Association (UHSAA) championship team. Provided two assists in 3-2 win in title match – including on game-winning goal in the 86^th minute.
  • 2020-21 Deseret News Academic All-State
  • Only played high school soccer as a senior due to Development Academy commitments
•  Club
  • Member of La Roca FC ECNL U18/19
  • 2016 and 2020 State Cup champions
  • La Roca advanced to 2018 and 2019 U.S. Development Academy playoffs and participated in multiple DA Showcases
  • La Roca took first in 2019 U.S. Youth Soccer National Tournament Group B play
  • Invited to 2016 id2 National Training Camp
  • Four-year member of Utah Olympic Development Program.
  • 2016 ODP Region IV Championships All-Tournament team

Becky Burleigh says: “Next up is Oakley Rasmussen. She’s from La Rocca football club in Utah and were fortunate enough to have two players sign from that club which we really respect. I love the way that they develop their players. Oakley is a player who really reminds me a lot of a Gator fan favorite from the past, Meggie Dougherty Howard. She may be an understated player but really does a lot of the small things that help our midfield go. We’re very excited to welcome her.”

Amaya Simoni-Walters

• Position: Defender
• High School: Lakeside High School (Coach: Derrek Falor)
• Hometown: Seattle, Wash.
• Club Team: 03 Crossfire Premier ECNL (Coach: Justi Baumgardt)
• High School
  • Lakeside H.S. advanced to 2019 3A Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Championships and round of 16 in 2018
  • Scored game-winning goal to give Lakeside H.S. 2018 Metro Championship
  • 2018 All-League Metro first team
• Club
  • Played with U16 Crossfire Premiere (only U.S. team) at the Madrid Cup in Spain in spring of 2019, finishing fourth overall
  • US Soccer Development Academy standout in June 2018
  • Played with Crossfire Premier at 2018 U15 US Development Academy national playoffs
  • Member of runner-up Region IV ODP team at 2017 Washington state championships
  • Played with Leahi O3 Premier Green (Hawaii) in 2016 Region IV Championships
  • 2016 Hawaii State ODP and Hawaii ODP State Region IV camp
  • Washington State ODP (2013-15, 2016-17). Washington State ODP Region IV camp (2015)
• Fun Fact: Parents played collegiate tennis – Jane Simoni (Princeton) and Karina Walters (UCLA) 

Becky Burleigh says: “Amaya Simoni-Walters is another player who has some versatility. We expect her to be able to play anywhere in the backline for us as well as potentially in the midfield. She’s really composed, very technical and fits us very well. Also excited that both of her parents played collegiate athletics; both were tennis players at a pretty high level.”

Riley Thompson 

• Position: Forward/Midfielder
• Twitter: @rileythompsonn3
• High School: IMG Academy
• Hometown: Collinsville, Miss.
• Club Team: IMG Academy (Coach: Miguel Rodriques)
• High School:
  • Scored 29 goals for West Lauderdale High School as a seventh grader as team won 2016 4A Mississippi High School Activities Association state title
• Club:
  • Scored 11 goals for IMG U18/19 team in COVID-19 shortened 2019-20 season
  • Named to 2019 Development Academy Spring Showcase U16/17 Best XI with six goals in three matches
  • Led nation’s Development Academy teams in 2018-19 season with 39 goals for IMG Academy U16/17
  • Scored twice in 2019 U16/17 U.S. Development Academy playoff match
  • IMG Academy third in 2018-19 U16/17 East Conference standings
  • Received multiple DA Weekly Standout accolades
  • 2021 IMG Academy Top 100
• Fun Fact: Played with IMG Academy since eighth grade

Becky Burleigh says: “Riley Thompson is from Mississippi but played most of her high school career at IMG in Florida. Riley’s been the leading scorer basically on every team that she’s played on. She’s really, really scrappy. She’s willing to work hard, willing to sacrifice her body and is someone who will definitely take a shot. Very excited to see her play at the collegiate level.”

JLo Varada

• Position: Goalkeeper
• High School: IMG Academy
• Hometown: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Club Team: IMG DPL U19 Premier (Coach: Matt Paton)
• International:
  • Represented Puerto Rico’s U15, U17 and senior national teams.
  • Made Puerto Rico Senior National Team debut in 5-0 win over Aruba on May 11, 2018, in Group A play at CONCACAF Caribbean qualifier
  • Trained at IMG since 2018
  • Fun Facts: Has a Wikipedia page

Becky Burleigh says: “JLo played her high school years also at IMG Academy, but on a different team than Riley. JLo has some international experience having played for Puerto Rico in CONCACAF qualifying. I’m really excited about JLo’s upside. She’s got great feet, she’s got really good range and she’s also one of the most appreciative people I know. I’m excited about working with her.”

Sophie White

• Position: Forward
• High School: Mountain Ridge High School (Coach: Eric Arthur)
• Hometown: Herriman, Utah
• Club Team: La Roca FC U18/19 ECNL (Coach: Adolfo Ovalle)
• High School:
  • Played only season of high school soccer in 2020 for Mountain Ridge H.S., scoring four goals in 2020 season opener.
• Club:
  • Five-year captain of La Roca FC ECNL U18/19
  • La Roca advanced to 2018 and 2019 U.S. Development Academy playoffs and participated in multiple DA Showcases
  • 2014 and 2015 State Cup champions; 2016 and 2017 semifinalist
  • La Roca three-time winners of Vegas Player Showcase and made six Surf Cup appearances
  • Competed in Far West Desert Premier League (DPL) – runner-up in 2016 & 2017 and 2016 & 2017 Region IV quarterfinalist
  • La Roca took first in 2019 U.S. Youth Soccer National Tournament Group B play
  • Received multiple Soccer DA Weekly Standout accolades
  • Received eight invitations to U.S. Training Center (2016-17)
  • 2021 IMG Academy Top 100
  • Three-year member of Utah Olympic Development Program (ODP). Captain of travel team that reached 2017 semifinals
• Fun Fact: Owns a 4.0 grade point average and aspires to pursue a career in sports medicine.

Becky Burleigh says: “The second player from La Rocca FC is Sophie White. She and Oakley [Rasmussen] connect really well with each other on the field so were excited to have that continue at UF. Sophie in her own right is just a very, very busy forward who’s willing to press, willing to have a really high work rate and can score goals.”

Madison Young

• Position: Defender
• Instagram: Maddieyouung
• High School: Cardinal Gibbons High School (Coach: Margo Flack)
• Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
• Club Team: Weston FC (Coach: Jerome Samuels)
• High School:
  • Cardinal Gibbons was runner-up in 2019 2A Florida High School Athletic Association state championships; played with team until injury in December 2018
• Club
  • Played for Weston FC the last two seasons
  • Part of South Florida Football Academy ECNL for three years
  • Missed 2019 season recovering from injury
• Fun Fact: Can solve a Rubik’s Cube

Becky Burleigh says: “Madison Young is from the state of Florida so we’ve had our eye on her for quite some time. She’s a very, very composed player who can play anywhere in the midfield or anywhere in the backline. She struggled with a few injuries as a high school player but is now full speed and ready to go. Great athlete. Looking forward to the composure that she’s going to bring to our team.”