Feb. 13, 2004

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coming off one of the greatest seasons in school history, the North Carolina women's soccer program announced that it has signed a seven-member recruiting class for the spring 2004 national letter of intent signing period. The incoming recruits were revealed by Tar Heel head coach Anson Dorrance Friday.

With two starters graduating out of Carolina's flat back three defensive system and starting goalkeeper Aly Winget entering her junior year, Dorrance looked to shore up the Tar Heels on the defensive end of the field as Carolina signed four defenders and one goalkeeper in the class of seven. UNC also added a talented forward and a top-flight midfielder.

The class includes forward Jaime Gilbert, defender Julie Yates, defender Robyn Gayle, goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, defender Katie Brooks, defender Ariel Harris and midfielder Mary Hinkle.

This group joins a Tar Heel team which finished 27-0-0 in 2003 and won the school's 18th national championship in the past 23 years. Carolina also won its 15th successive Atlantic Coast Conference title in 2003 and it outscored its opponents 113-11 on the season, including 32-0 in the six games of the NCAA Tournament.

Gilbert is a native of North Andover, Mass. She attends the Brooks School and is a Parade Magazine All-America forward and a member of the U.S. Under 19 National Team pool.

Yates hails from Winston-Salem, N.C. where she attends Mount Tabor High School. This defender competes for the Greensboro Twisters '85 club team and is a member of the NC State Team in the USS Olympic Development Program.

Gayle is a standout recruit from Mississauga, Ontario where she attends St. Francis Xavier. The defender is a member of the Under 19 and Under 23 Canadian National Teams.

Another national team player is Ashlyn Harris of Satellite Beach, Fla. (Satellite High School). This Parade Magazine All-America goalkeeper is the Under 19 National Team starting goalkeeper and a world champion starter on the U.S. team which won the Under 19 title in 2002.

Brooks joins the Tar Heels from Winchester, Mass. The Winchester High School student is a defender and she plays club soccer for the Spirit of Massachusetts. A tremendous athlete, she will play for soccer and lacrosse at UNC.

Ariel Harris comes to Carolina from Holly Springs, N.C. and Apex High School. Another defender, she competes for the Under 17 CASL Spartan Elite Club and is a Region III National Pool player in the USS ODP Program.

Finally, Hinkle is a midfielder from Winston-Salem, N.C. and a Reynolds High School student. She competes for the '85 Greensboro Twisters Green Club Team and is a member of the state ODP squad.

The Tar Heels lost five seniors off the 2003 national championship team but will return 23 letter winners to join this group of seven recruits. Graduating seniors -- all starters -- were forward Alyssa Ramsey, midfielders Jordan Walker and Maggie Tomecka and defenders Catherine Reddick and Carmen Watley.