ELON, N.C. – Elon University head women’s soccer coach Chris Neal announced eight student-athlete additions for the 2016 season today, Feb. 5.
“This is a very exciting class of players that will add significant athleticism to our squad and completely new dynamics to our team culture,” said Neal. “What also makes this group unique is that we have players coming from the west coast, the midwest, the east coast, Iceland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Elon is a very global minded university and we have taken steps to ensure that our roster represents this mindset. I know that I speak for our entire team when I say that we can’t wait to have them on our beautiful campus and as a part of our Elon soccer family.”
Ella DeSantis
5-9 • Midfielder • Simi Valley, Calif./Chaminade College Prep/LA Premier F.C.
Prep: Named 2015 Second Team All-League and best defensive player … Was team captain for the 2016 and 2015 seasons … Ranked 49th nationally and 17th in California by Max Preps.
Club: Plays for LA Premier FC … Led her team to 2015 and 2013 Premier League Championships … Won the 2013 Southern California National Premier League.
Personal: Born December 16, 1997… The daughter of Ben and Jeannette DeSantis … Intends on majoring in political science.
Hannah Doherty
5-2 • Midfielder • Crumlin, Northern Ireland/St. Patrick’s Academy/Linfield Ladies F.C.
Prep: Attended St. Patrick’s Academy is Lisburn … Earned the Special Achievement in Sport award from 2012-16 … Received the highest grade in AS Sports Studies in 2015 … Team won Small Schools Cup championships in 2012 and 2013 … Dale Farm Indoor League champions from 2012-14 and Belfast Cup runner-up in 2013.
Club: Plays for Linfield Ladies … Senior Ladies League winners in 2013 … Competed in the Champions League group stages in 2013 … League Cup, County Antrim shield and Irish League cup winners in 2014 … Irish League Cup and County Antrim shield champions in 2015 … Named Young Player of the Year in 2014.
Northern Ireland: Currently a member of the Northern Ireland U19 national team since 2015 … Competed in the European Championship qualifiers in Macedonia, finishing second in the group and qualified for the elite rounds in Demark in April 2016… Made senior international debut at the age of 15, in an away fixture to Holland … Has been a part of the squad for the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, competing in home and away fixtures against Sweden, Scotland, Poland, Bosnia and Faroe Islands … A member of the Northern Ireland U17 national team … National team captain from 2013-2014 … Competed in the European Championship Qualifiers and Elite Rounds defeating Italy and Israel and drawing with England to finish top of the qualifying group.
Personal: Born September 8, 1997… The daughter of Paul and Maureen Doherty… Intends on majoring in Sport and Event Management.
Katelyn Fowler
6-2 • Goalkeeper • New Hartford, N.Y./Kimball Union Academy/Lighting S.C.
Prep: Played at Kinball Union Academy … Had a 91 save percentage for her career … Lake Region all star for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons … Named team captain during the 2015-16 season … Recorded nine shutouts, averaged one goal against per game and had an average of 11 saves per game … Three-time letter winner for soccer, basketball, and lacrosse … Named to the academic honor roll 2012-2016.
Club: Member of Odyssey Development Academy, Lighting Soccer Club and NY ODP.
Personal: Born June 20, 1998… The daughter of Richard and Anna Christine Perna … Prefers to be called Kate … Intends on majoring in Pre-Law.
Rakel Jónsdóttir
5-7 • Midfielder • Árbær, Iceland/The Commercial College of Iceland/Fylkir F.C.
Club: Plays for Fylkir F.C. in the Icelandic Premier League … Awarded the Most Promising Player honor in 2012 … Honored for making 50 appearaces for her club … Led her team to the second division championship in 2013, earning the team a promotion to the first division.
Iceland: Was a member of Iceland’s U19 and U17 national teams.
Personal: Born February 19, 1996… The daughter of Jón Garðar Sigurjónsson and Ólöf Rún Tryggvadóttir … Intends on majoring in international economics.
Kennedy Little
5-7 • Defender • York, Pa./ Central York High School/ Penn Legacy Black
Prep: 2014 and 2015: YAIAA Division 1 Champions and 2014 YAIAA County Champions… Earned a spot on the YAIAA All-County Team 2013-15 … Named the 2014 YAIAA Player of the Year … Member of the PIAA All-State Team and 2014,2015 GameTime PA All-Star Team … As a senior, named to the YAIAA Senior All-Star Team … Member of the National Honors Society, Latin National Honors Society from 2014-16 and the Distinguished Honor Roll from 2012-16.
Club: Plays for Penn Legacy Black … EPYSA State Champions in 2013 and 2014 … Region 1 League Champions in 2014 … Team Captain for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Personal: Born October 10, 1997… The daughter of Eric and Shilla Little … Her father Eric played football at Shippensburg University … Intends on majoring in biology.
Laura Mitchell
5-7 • Forward • Powys, Wales/Llanfyllin/Everton F.C./ Wrexham FC
Prep: Was part of the National Wales School Champions for two consecutive years … Scored three goals and has seven assists in two seasons … Was part of the FA Futsal U-16 championship team … Played at County Level for Shropshire.
Club: Played for Everton F.C. … Member of the Centre of Excellence and Development Squad for five seasons … Reached the England Youth Cup Semi-Final in 2013 and England Youth FA Cup Final in 2014 … The FA Cup final was played at MK Dons Stadium, Milton Keynes, England in front of several thousand spectators before England’s FA women’s National Cup final … Moved from Everton to Wrexham in January 2015 due to academic exam studies and for remainder of season … Played in 11 games, scored 8 goals with 4 assists with Wrexham.
Wales: Made 40 appearances for the U-14, U-16, U-17, U-18 and U-19 Wales National teams … Made her debut with U-19 Wales National team against Austria at the age of 16 … Called up to the Wales senior squad against Belarus … Played matches in other countries with Wales including Latvia, Belgium, Turkey, Poland, Norway, Denmark, England, Ireland and Scotland.
Personal: Born March 9, 1997 … The daughter of Heather Mitchell … Intends on majoring in classics and archaeology.
Olivia Lucia
5-3 • Defender • Monmouth Beach, N.J./Red Bank Catholic/Match Fit Academy ECNL
Prep: Led Red Bank Catholic to the 2014 state finals … Helped the team to a 2103 Shore Conference Championship … Named a 2015 NJGSCA All-State selection and Shore Conference All-Division team.
Club: Plays for Match Fit Academy ECNL for the U-16, U-17, and U-18 teams… Was a member of the New Jersey ODP State team from 2010-12 and ODP Region I from 2011-12 … Reached the U-16 ECNL Champions League playoffs in 2013-14 … Made the U-17 North American League playoffs in 2015-16.
Personal: Born March 24, 1997… The daughter of Chuck and Geri Lucia … Father, Chuck, played football at the University of Central Florida … Intends on majoring in sociology and criminal justice.
Taylor Paradoski
5-6 • Forward • Rochester, Mich./Stoney Creek/Vardar ECNL
Prep: Named team captain for Stoney Creek in 2016 … Led Stoney Creek to a Division I district championship in 2015 … Team won the OAA Red Division I championship in 2013 and 2014 … Was a member of the Oakland County Dream team in 2015 … Two-time Division I All-State and All-Region team member … Named to the All-District and All-League teams from 2013-15 … Earned Scholar Athlete honors three times (2013-15) … Given the Cougar Award – Distinguished Player in 2014 … Member of National Honors Society, Spanish National Honors Society, and attended the National Youth Leadership Forum in Medicine at UCLA and Johns Hopkins.
Club: Plays for Varar ECNL and is currently the team’s leading scorer … Helped Vardar to the ECNL U17 National Champions League in 2014 in Seattle … Participated in the Elite Clubs Nation League and Shawcases in Phoenix, Dallas, and Sanford, Fla.
Personal: Born June 12, 1998 … The daughter of Ronald and Darcey Paradoski … Intends on majoring in health sciences.