USC women’s soccer signs 12 players ahead of 2019 season
LOS ANGELES – USC Women’s Soccer Head Coach Keidane McAlpine announced the program’s 2019 recruiting class this week, with the Trojans welcoming the No. 3 class in the country this year.
USC will welcome a total of 12 players, with one transfer and 11 freshmen enrolling this fall. The Trojans have seven players in the class ranked in the Top Drawer Soccer 150, including one in the top 10 and three in the top 25.
Meet the class…
TRANSFER
Natalie Ward
5-4 | Defender | Newport Beach, Calif. | Notre Dame/Newport Harbor HS
Ward heads to Troy after spending the past four seasons at Notre Dame and earning a degree in finance. She appeared in 34 games for the Irish before sitting out her senior year with an injury, including starting all 21 as a central defender for the 2016 ACC Championship squad. She also recorded a pair of assists out of the back for Notre Dame during her time there. Prior to heading to South Bend, Ward was a part of the 2013-14 U.S. WNT U-18 player pool and competed for Slammers FC.
Head Coach McAlpine on Ward: “Natalie is an extremely athletic, tough-minded outside back who can also play wide mid. She is going to provide a winning spirit and mentality to our team. Natalie has played in some massive games and gives us some more experience in that back line.”
Ward on why she chose USC: “I am honored to have the opportunity to attend graduate school at USC and represent the university as a student-athlete on the women’s soccer team. The soccer program and its coaching staff are regarded as one of the best in the country. I am extremely excited to work with the coaches and the team, do everything I can to contribute to a winning program, and continue my soccer career at a university that offers both elite academics and athletics. As my mother’s alma mater, USC has always held a special place in my heart and I am looking forward to completing my last year of eligibility as a Trojan. Fight On!”
FRESHMEN
Sade Adamolekun
5-9 | Forward | Austin, Texas | Fleming Island HS/United Soccer Alliance
Adamolekun comes in as the 22nd ranked player in the 2019 class according to Top Drawer Soccer and brings high-level national team experience as a member of the full Jamaican WNT, with whom she recently competed in the 2019 World Cup in France. Adamolekun previously competed for and earned the team Golden Ball with the Jamaican U-17 squad and was also a member of the U.S. U-15 WNT before committing to play for Jamaica. As a standout club player with United Soccer Alliance, she led the ECNL with 27 goals in 2017 and 21 goals in 2018. She earned a Best XI nod in 2018 from Top Drawer Soccer, as well.
Head Coach McAlpine on Adamolekun: “She has excellent playmaking ability and a willingness to get forward from an attacking midfield position. Sade can score goals, assist, create on the ball and she doesn’t give away possession. Her experience playing in the World Cup with the Jamaican national team, against much older women, only makes her better prepared.”
Adamolekun on why she chose USC: “USC is one of the top 25 schools in the country academically and has a winning tradition across all sports. I also loved the experienced USC coaching staff’s ability to develop the team and to play as a unit on the pitch, while also utilizing and developing the strengths and qualities of each individual player. Lastly, I loved USC’s lively, beautiful, diverse and energetic campus. I’m confident USC will provide me with a good balance of academics, athletics and social lifestyle.”
Lily Babalola
5-10 | Defender | Lawrenceville, Ga. | Brookwood HS/Concorde Fire SC
Babalolo is one of three players in the class hailing from the state of Georgia and brings in high-level club and ODP experience. A member of Concorde Fire SC, she helped lead her club to a national third-place finish and was named a Top Drawer Soccer State Star in 2017. Babalola has also been to National ID2 camps and part of the Region III ODP team for three years. She is the 109th-ranked player in the 2019 class according to Top Drawer Soccer.
Head Coach McAlpine on Babalola: “Lily is a very talented defender/midfielder. She can play into that holding midfield space for us, or she can slide into the back. That versatility is something that we need and are missing. With her size and ability in the air, she is going to add some toughness, but at the same time, be very good dribbling and passing the ball.”
Babalola on why she chose USC: “I chose USC because of the automatic welcome I felt on my visit. The prestige of the university, both on and off the field, will push me to grow, and for me that exemplifies what I want my college experience to be.”
Croix Bethune
5-3 | Midfielder | Alpharetta, Ga. | Alpharetta HS/Concorde Fire SC
Bethune is the highest ranked player in the Trojans’ acclaimed 2019 class, coming in as the No. 8 player in the country. Bethune has been a member of the U.S. WNT system since the age of 13 and was most recently a member of the U-17 squad. Playing for the highly touted Concorde Fire SC, Bethune earned Best XI recognition in 2017 and 2018, and was named the top midfielder in the country in 2017. She was a Gatorade State Player of the Year nominee in 2017 and garnered NSCAA Youth All-America recognition each of the last two seasons. She also earned All-Region honors three straight seasons in high school.
Head Coach McAlpine on Bethune: “Croix is an extremely talented attacking personality. Her ability to control the tempo of a game offensively, be dangerous on the pass, the dribble and the shot, is fantastic. She is easily one of the best players in her class and we expect her to come in and impact our team right away.”
Bethune on why she chose USC: “USC’s academics are great, especially in my major of physical therapy, the soccer program is one of the top programs in college soccer, and I connected well with the coaching staff and trainers there. It also helps that California’s weather is beautiful.”
Katharine Bishop
5-3 | Defender | Pacific Palisades, Calif. | Harvard-Westlake HS/LA Breakers FC
Bishop, a versatile player who competes mostly in the back, comes to USC as a local product out of Harvard-Westlake HS. She earned All-Mission League first team honors in both 2016 and 2017, and was the Harvard-Westlake Team MVP each of the last two seasons. Bishop also played her club soccer with local LA Breakers FC.
Head Coach McAlpine on Bishop: “KK is a talented outside back who is going to provide us with depth on our back line. She gets up and down the line very well and is just an overall solid and reliable defender.”
Bishop on why she chose USC: “Academics and soccer have always been two of the most important things in my life, providing me with great opportunities to challenge myself and strive for excellence. Going to USC has been a dream for me since I was a little girl because my mom went there and I grew up rooting for the Trojans. Not only do I have special ties to the university, it is also a highly esteemed academic institution. I am so grateful to be part of the soccer program of USC and I can’t wait for my next four years on campus.”
Jaelyn Eisenhart
5-3 | Midfielder | Henderson, Nev. | Coronado HS/LAFC Slammers
Eisenhart comes in as the No. 25-ranked player in the country according to Top Drawer Soccer. A member of the Nevada ODP Team since 2013, Eisenhart has been an invitee to U-15, U-16 and U-17 U.S. WNT training camps. She has earned Nevada and Region IV All-Tournament Team honors and was a gold medalist for the U.S. squad at the 20th Maccabiah Games. Eisenhart earned ECNL Best XI U-16 honors and was part of the Developmental Academy U-17 Best XI as well. Also a star in the classroom, she is an AP Scholar with advanced honors.
Head Coach McAlpine on Eisenhart: “Jaelyn is a very good midfielder who is great on the pass, great on the dribble and can score from distance. I think she will be very versatile in the way she impacts our team. She provides more depth on both the left side of our midfield and the front line.”
Eisenhart on why she chose USC: “I chose USC because it had the perfect combination of academics and athletics. I feel that the coaching staff’s leadership and the positive team environment will push me to be the best I can be on and off the field.”
Kennedy Enus
5-9 | Defender | Las Vegas, Nev. | Bishop Gorman HS/Heat FC
Enus comes to USC after an impressive prep run with Bishop Gorman High School, helping to lead the team to a 28-0 season and No. 7 national ranking. Enus was part of a Bishop Gorman backline that gave up just 15 goals all season, earning her the school’s Outstanding Senior Award for her combination of academic and athletic achievement. She was her class co-valedictorian, earned Scholar-Athlete honors, was president of the Science Club and was a member of several National Honor Societies. Enus played her club ball for Heat FC.
Head Coach McAlpine on Enus: “Kennedy is an extremely fast and composed outside back. She is going to be very dangerous getting forward, while incredibly tough to get behind. She is a cerebral soccer player who gives us yet another option in an already deep class of defenders.”
Enus on why she chose USC: “I wanted to pursue a university education that offered a blend of academic rigor and athletic superiority. USC is one of the very few universities that provides both of these important attributes.”
Savianna Gomez
5-0 | Forward | Torrance, Calif. | Opportunities for Learning/Beach FC
Gomez, another local product, also comes to USC with high-level club and national team experience. She has been a member of U.S. WNT U-15, U-16 and U-17 squads, and has been part of the California State ODP Team, where she was the leading goal-scorer. Gomez earned NSCAA All-America honors in 2016 and also earned Region IV All-Tournament Team honors. She played her club soccer with Beach FC. Gomez comes in as the 116th-ranked player in the 2019 class according to Top Drawer Soccer.
Head Coach McAlpine on Gomez: “Savianna is an exciting player. She is very creative, good on the ball, very good in wide spaces and excellent on 1v1’s. We are really looking forward to seeing her take people on and add to our attack.”
Gomez on why she chose USC: “After visiting USC at the age of 12, I instantly imagined myself attending this wonderful place. I loved the beautiful atmosphere and immediately felt at home. Furthermore, as a student, there is no better educational institution that I could imagine myself attending. This school will give me lifelong connections that will help me pursue my aspirations in life. Lastly, I chose USC because I get to continue doing the thing I love, playing soccer, for one of the best programs in the country.”
Savannah Kessler
5-5 | Defender | Murrieta, Calif. | Murrieta Valley HS/Legends FC
Kessler comes to USC after winning a pair of championships with Legends FC and with plenty of national team and ODP experience. She earned a U.S. U-15 camp invitation and competed for the U.S. WNT U-15 squad against Japan in 2015. Kessler has been a National Training Center attendee from 2014-17 and played for the Cal South ODP Team for three seasons, winning a championship with the side during that time. She won titles with Legends FC in 2013 and 2015. She is ranked No. 122 in the class by Top Drawer Soccer.
Head Coach McAlpine on Kessler: “Savannah is another versatile back we have coming in. She can play central, she can play wide and she’s a great server of the ball. Savannah is very good in possession and really gives us more depth as we continue to add to our stalwart defense.”
Kessler on why she chose USC: “Ever since I was a little girl my dream was to play for a huge D1 college. Never did I think it would be at USC, but once I took my first step onto campus and toured all the sports facilities, I knew I was going to call this place home. The main reason why I chose this school wasn’t just for the standout soccer program and the amazing academics, it was because it’s close enough for my family to come out and watch my games. They have helped me so much throughout my soccer career and all I wanted to do was a pick a school where they could come and watch every game possible.”
Isabel Rolley
5-8 | Defender | Las Vegas, Nev. | Bishop Gorman HS/Heat FC
Rolley comes to USC as both a standout on the field for Heat FC and Bishop Gorman HS, and as a star in the classroom as well. She earned spots on the All-Southern Nevada Team and All-Sunset Region Team, and was a 2017 ECNL PDP participant and 2018 ECNL Quarterfinalist with her club. Rolley garnered Scholar Athlete of the Year honors at Bishop Gorman in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Head Coach McAlpine on Rolley: “Isabel is a tough, athletic defender. She is super competitive and can play central, can play wide, and can attack up and down the line. She breaks up attacks very well and should fit in nicely with this group.”
Rolley on why she chose USC: “I chose USC because it’s an incredible school that will challenge me both as a player and student. I know that the competitive family environment and knowledgeable coaching staff will help me reach my ultimate goal of playing professionally.”
Lily Slater
5-7 | Forward/Midfielder | Long Beach, Calif. | Mater Dei HS/CDA Slammers FC
Slater, another Southern California native, comes to Troy after a successful club and prep career. She was the leading scorer for CDA Slammers FC each of the last two seasons, and was the 2018 Far West Regionals leading scorer as well, leading her club to a title at the tournament. She was a three-year letter-winner at Mater Dei and was an Honor Student-Athlete each of the last three years as well. Also active off the field, Slater has volunteered with Kidworks since 2015.
Head Coach McAlpine on Slater: “She’s a goal scorer. Lily is very good in the box, has great movement off the ball, is technical and good on the dribble. She is hard-working and will be a great addition to our attack.”
Slater on why she chose USC: “Receiving a degree from USC, a university that excels in academics and athletics, has been a dream of mine since as long as I can remember. My parents attended USC as well as my older brothers and sister. Being able to follow in their footsteps and compete for one of the top programs in the country is the reason why I chose to be a part of the Trojan family.”
Hannah White
5-10 | Forward | Atlanta, Ga. | Pace Academy HS/Tophat SC
White is yet another highly-ranked member of the Trojan class, coming in as the No. 46 player in the country according to Top Drawer Soccer. She brings with her plenty of national team and club experience, as a member of the U.S. WNT youth system from 2014-17. She was one of the top 150 goal scorers in the ECNL, earning ECNL Best XI honors and an invitation to the ECNL ID2 training camp. She garnered 2016 ECNL Playoffs Best XI honors and Florida Best XI recognition as well. White was a 2017 NSCAA All-American and All-Region player.
Head Coach McAlpine on White: “Hannah is an extremely talented forward. She is a very tall striker who can finish through the air and maintains an extremely high work rate. She is going to add a lot to our offense and the hope is that she is going to replace some of the physicality we lost.”
White on why she chose USC: “I chose USC because the coaching staff, the team and academics will each motivate me to compete daily. I want to excel as a student-athlete and succeed on the highest level. USC offered the total package.”
