March 29, 2010

WOMEN’S SOCCER ANNOUNCES SEVEN NEW ADDITIONS FOR UPCOMING 2010 CAMPAIGN

RICHMOND, Va. – Once in awhile in college athletic programs, there are recruiting classes that set a new standard.

For Virginia Commonwealth University women’s soccer Co-Head Coaches Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak and Tim Sahaydak, they believe that the incoming recruiting class could be that class for the Black & Gold.

“We could not be happier with the mix of players we have joining us this fall,” Sahaydak said. “We feel that we’ve really attracted some incredible people who share in our philosophy, so it is going to be very exciting seeing them all in the Black & Gold.”

Seven soon-to-be Rams inked national letter of intents to join VCU next fall. Midfielders Shay Haddow (Bingham, Utah), Taryn Cressy (Boise, Idaho) and Sami Kuykendall (Vienna, Va.) join attackers Jordyn Rolling (Northridge, Utah), Brianne Moore (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and Bex Kunz (Boise, Idaho). Rounding out the class is goalkeeper Megan Lynch (Lake Mary, Fla.).

“This group of players is really a testament to broadening the reach of our search for talented players and wonderful personalities,” Roberts Sahaydak commented. “We’re adding players from all over the country, but they all share the same core values and work ethic that will take our program to the next level.”

Highlighting the very highly-touted class are club teammates Haddow and Rolling, who both star for the Utah Avalance, one of the best club teams in the west. The Avalance are three-time state champions and became the first team ever from Utah to win the San Diego Surf Cup last year. Every player on the squad signed Division I scholarships for 2010.

Rolling is one of the most diverse and talented players in the west, giving the Rams an option for the back, the midfield or on the front line.

“Jordyn’s versatility will be a huge asset for us because she is comfortable playing at all three spots,” Roberts Sahaydak said. “Her club team is a dynamic and effective squad and she is a big reason for the success that the team has had. She’s a natural athlete with the speed and strength to be a real presence on the field in any position.”

She made a big splash at Northridge High School, earning Freshman Athlete of the Year and has earned All-Region and All-Area honors ever since. She is currently ranked the 13th best player in the Rocky Mountains and Southwest Region in the 2010 class by TopDrawerSoccer.com.

“I’ve never met better people than I did while visiting VCU,” Rolling said. “Just talking to the coaching staff, I knew that they are amazing coaches and I would learn some much about the game. I just love everything about VCU soccer, from the atmosphere to the school, I can’t wait to get things started.”

Rolling chose the Black & Gold over Rutgers, Penn, Idaho State, Minnesota, East Carolina and DePaul.

Haddow will be a valuable commodity in the midfield for the Rams and the staff believes she could be vying for a starting spot come this fall.

“Shay’s a very gifted and scrappy athlete with great technique on the ball and a dominating personality in the air,” Sahaydak said. “She’s a ball-winner with the talent to collect and distribute in the midfield, then link up with the forwards on the attack.”

As a four-year starter for Bingham High School, she twice earned Team MVP honors and served as a captain for her final three years. All four years, Haddow earned All-Region accolades with her career coming to a close with First-Team All-State honors as a senior.

“One of the main reasons I made the decision to come to VCU was because of the team and the chemistry that was so evident,” Haddow said. “I can’t wait to have Tim and Tiff as my coaches and learn so much from the whole coaching staff. The campus, the city, the diversity, I really love everything about VCU.”

Haddow was also recruited by Utah State, Oregon State, Utah, Alabama and Pacific.

Winning is nothing new to Kuykendall who comes from one of the top club teams in the country, the U-17 McLean Premier Soccer Dragons. The Dragons finished last year ranked sixth in the nation.

“Sami is an extremely talented in-state player, who comes from a winning environment,” Sahaydak said. “She is a very hard-working player, who can clean things up in the midfield and keep the ball and make plays. She possesses a real soccer brain and makes excellent choices both by organizing her teammates defensively and with her passing selections in the attack.”

She has been a four-year started for Vienna High School in Northern Virginia, earning All-Conference and All-Metro accolades three consecutive seasons.

“The coaching staff was really what sold me on VCU,” Kuykendall said. “I knew I wanted to play at a school where the coaches had played at a high level and that’s exactly what VCU gives me. I know that they will help me becoming the best player I can be.”

The in-state addition was also recruited by American, Minnesota, Bucknell, George Mason and UNC Wilmington.

Soccer has always been a huge part of Kunz’s life and it shows with the abundance of accolades that the versatile midfielder brings with her.

“Bex is a natural flank player with speed and great range with her passing,” Sahaydak said. “She’s comfortable taking players on and serving balls into the box. Her versatility is a major asset as it allows her to play both in the back and in the midfield.”

A four-year varsity starter for Centennial High School, Kunz plays a high level of club soccer with Les Bois Soccer Association. Three times she has earned All-Conference accolades, all three came at different positions for the Patriots.

“Coming to VCU is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Kunz said. “It has the major I’m interested in, it offers me an outstanding chance to play Division I Soccer and it allows me to see a different part of the country that I’ve never gotten a chance to explore.”

The Northwest native was also recruited by Oregon State, Idaho, Portland State and Loyola Marymount.

Kunz and her club teammate, Cressy have helped Les Bois to two regional championships, two state championships and a second-place showing at the 2008 US Club Nationals.

Cressy will be an extremely valuable addition to the Black & Gold midfield, with the ability to defend while also wreaking havoc on opponents’ backlines.

“Taryn is a very crafty and technical player with a true play-maker’s mentality,” Roberts Sahaydak stated. “She’s got the ability to deliver textured passes all over the field, find players in dangerous spots and keeping defenses off balance.”

Cressy’s athleticisim was front and center at Capital High School, earning four varsity letters in soccer and three in basketball. She was a three-time All-State honoree and led her squad in assists during her junior and senior seasons.

“VCU was appealing to me in many different ways,” Cressy said. “In soccer, I realized as soon as I sat through a practice that this was the place my full soccer potential would be fulfilled. It was so intense and I was sure that the coaching staff was at the highest level and would make me the best player I could be.”

She was also recruited by Oregon State, Denver, Dartmouth, Portland State and San Francisco.

Moore continues the Canadian pipeline with the Black & Gold and is an incredibly versatile player that will battle right away for a starting spot.

“Bri shares many of the same qualities we have seen in some of the other Canadians who have contributed to our program,” Roberts Sahaydak said. “She has a terrific competitive spirit and real girt about her. She has an incredible work ethic and skill on both sides of the ball. We will certainly be looking for her to strengthen our possession in the midfield and build-up in the attack.”

She is currently a member of the U-20 Canadian National team, an honor earned by soon-to-be teammates Molly Allen and Myriam Bouchard. She is a long-time member of the Dartmouth United club team, helping her squad earn a spot in the 2007 BMO National Championships.

The goalkeeping is an area that the Rams will need to have an immediate impact player with no returning keepers on the roster. The coaching staff believes that Lynch can be that type of player for them.

“Megan is an experienced keeper with great technique and distribution,” Sahaydak said. “She comes to us from a very high level club environment and we’re eager to see her transition to the demands of the college game.”

Lynch was a four-time varsity starter for the Rams of Lake Mary High School, guiding them to three appearances in the regional finals, including a regional championship in 2007. She plays her club season with the U-17 Nike Florida Rush, which captured the 2009 State Championship and was the Disney Showcase Qualifier Champion.

“I really want to have an excellent college career and I feel that VCU gives me that opportunity,” Lynch said. “I want to develop good habits in my work ethic, both on the field and in the classroom, and coming here gives me those chances.”

The Lake Mary, Fla. Native chose the Rams over the University of South Florida, University of North Florida, LSU, Berry College and Jacksonville University.