April 5, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coming off a season in which the University of North Carolina won its 19th national championship in 26 years, the Carolina women's soccer team announced Thursday the addition of eight new student-athletes who will join the Tar Heel program in August 2007. Coach Anson Dorrance has added nine splendid high school seniors to a team which finished 27-1 last year and beat Notre Dame 2-1 to win the NCAA title. It is expected that additional players will be added to the recruiting class at a later date. Carolina is also coming off a season in which is started seven freshmen in the second half of the 2006 NCAA championship match against Notre Dame, a team which UNC beat 2-1 to claim the national title for the first time since 2003. Carolina 2007 exhibition opener will be a rematch with the Fighting Irish August 19 in South Bend, Ind.

"What we are mosty excited about with this class is that they are going to contribute on all four lines. We have quality strikers coming in, quality midfielders, quality defenders and quality goalkeepers. They are going to help all four positions on the field in terms of quality and depth. There's a great balance in this class of quality. Like the class that came in last year, this is a class that will take their academics seriously and represent UNC very well on and off the field."

These nine freshmen will make an effort to replace UNC's four-woman senior class from last year, a cadre which included 2006 National Player of the Year and 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Heather O'Reilly, forward Elizabeth Guess, who ranks among Carolina's career scoing leaders and was the 2006 ACC Tournament MVP, midfielder Jennifer Perkins and goalkeeper Elizabeth Lancaster. The Tar Heels return 23 letter winners overall and 10 starters for the 2007 campaign which will begin in August.

The incoming class includes six players ranked among the Top 75 recruits in the nation by Soccer Buzz magazine this year, including two recruits ranked in the Top Five.

Rachel Givan is ranked as the No. 4 recruit in the nation and Meghan Klingenburg is rated No. 5. Other signees ranked in the Top 50 are Leslie Briggs, Katie Klimczak and Katie Lutz while Maria Lubrano is ranked in the Top 75.

Overall, the class includes Monica Welsh-Loveman, Amanda Tucker, Erin Mikula, Maria Lubrano-Lavadera, Katie Lutz, Meghan Klingenberg, Katie Klimczak, Rachel Givan and Leslie Briggs.

Here is a snyopsis of hometowns, positions, height, high school, club teams noted accomplishments:

Monica Welsh-Loveman, Wellesley, Mass., Goalkeeper, 5-8, Wellesley High School, Boston Renegades. Super Y Regional ODP; Mass. Bay State Conference Goalkeeper of the Year.

Amanda Tucker, Seminole, Fla., Goalkeeper, 5-9, Seminole High School, Clearwater Chargers.

Erin Mikula, New Richmond, Ohio, Defender, 5-6, New Richmond High School, Hammer FC Club Team, member of Ohio State Select Team, member of Regional ODP "B" Pool.

Maria Lubrano-Lavadera, High Point, N.C., Midfielder, 5-4, Southwest Guilford High School, Greensboro Twisters `88 Greer Club Team, member of Regional ODP Team.

Katie Lutz, Waxhaw, N.C., Midfielder, 5-6, Weddington High School, Greensboro Twisters, member of Under 16 National Team Pool.

Meghan Klingenberg, Gibsonia, Pa., Midfielder, 5-2, Pine Richard High School, Penns Forest Nighthawks, Under 17 National Team.

Katie Klimczak, Elk Grove Village, Ill., Forward, 5-5, Elk Grove High School, KUFC Premier.

Rachel Givan, Ridgeland, Miss., Forward, 5-5, Ridgeland High School, Mississippi United, Under 17 National Team.

Leslie Briggs, Carrollton, Texas, Forward, 5-4, Parish Episcopal School, Dallas Texas 88 Red-North.