GRAMBLING, La. | Despite the recent effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had in the sports world, Grambling State University head women's soccer coach Justin Wagar is hopeful that his squad will return to the pitch for competition in the spring as the Grambling State Tigers soccer team announces its latest additions before the new season which is set to begin on February 19, 2021, at home vs. the University of North Texas. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. at the GSU Soccer Complex.

To view the Grambling State University Tigers spring 20201 soccer schedule in its entirety, click here.

"I'm confident that we will have a season," said Coach Wagar. "Although we missed out on fall play, we have some new key additions that will improve our team when we begin play in February."

This incoming class includes three transfer students with significant playing experience, three players with youth national team experience as well as some gifted freshmen.  The additions to the team come from five different countries: Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and New Zealand.

The states of Texas, New York, California, Wisconsin, and Louisiana are also be represented in this class. Players with national team playing experience include Briana Hernandez (U-17 National team for El Salvador), Charlotte Wilford (Carroll U-20 National team for New Zealand) and Kaydeen Jack (U-17 National team from Trinidad and Tobago).

Coach Wagar added, "I'm extremely excited about our recruiting class which boasts a lot of speed, athleticism, and skill to complement a group of hard-working passionate individuals. This is our most talented recruiting class we've had approaching my fourth season at GSU."
 

For a detailed bios, information and video on each player, click the link at the end of each respective player's breakdown to access and watch.

GK- Britt Verhees

Britt Verhees is an incoming transfer from The Netherlands. She joined Grambling State University as a graduate student this fall as an experienced goalkeeper. Britt started playing soccer at her local club Brevendia when she was six years old and played center midfielder and center back. She played soccer on boys' teams until she was 14 and made her first senior appearance at 13 years old at her local club. Verhees became a full member of the first senior team at the age of 16.

Britt would go on to win the Player of the Year award after her first senior season and was chosen as a team captain at 17 years old during her second season. After three seasons she left her home town club to compete on a higher level which is her current RKSV Bekkerveld Club where she is the starting goalkeeper out of three keepers on roster.

Verhees is a goalkeeper who likes to take part in position play actively and shows composure in possessing the ball as the eleventh field player (sweep keep). She is not afraid of throwing herself in front of a ball and that courage is what helps her in 1 v. 1 situations and contributes to her being an all-around goalkeeper.

Coach Wagar said of Britt that she's got great range in the goal and able to cover ground and make big saves whether the shots are high or low. She has fast reflexes and aerial ability when handling crosses.

To view highlight film on Britt click here.

Def- Ashley Commens

Australian transfer Ash Commens is from Iowa Lakes Community college where she was a two-sport athlete. Ash was the starting center back from her ILCC team helping them to the playoffs while earning herself All-Region honors. She was also honored for her work in the classroom garnering second-team Academic All-Region her freshman year. For her second collegiate sport, Commens competed on the swim team where she qualified for the NJCAA Swim & Dive Nationals in Buffalo, NY.

Prior to coming to the US, she played in the National Premier League starting in 2013 and then was picked for the Queensland training squad. In 2015 she made the West Ham Oceania team, and then got promoted to the West Ham international team where she was able to travel to England to play. In 2018 she played semi pro soccer in the National Premier League for the Western Pride just prior to joining Iowa Lakes.

Coach Wagar said on Ashley, "She's a strong athletic, and smart center back who makes good decisions, can connect with targets down field and is capable of dribbling out of pressure when needed and is composed on the ball. She's a good addition to our squad and will bring playing experience, maturity and versatility to our team."

To view some of her highlights while at Iowa Lakes CC, click here.

Mid- Kaydeen Jack

Kaydeen Jack, an impact player for Florida International University the past two years, transferred to Grambling State University. Jack, a recent U-17 national team player for Trinidad and Tobago, has 11 caps so far for T&T while representing the U-15 & U-17 national team levels scoring seven goals in 11 games. Prior to college, the Port of Spain native was a three time-MVP and leading goal scorer for her high school team Diego Martin Central Secondary from 2014-2016. She helped lead her team to a title in the Big 5 Championship her senior year. She also played as a member of the Trinicity Nationals in the Women's League.

While at Florida International University Kaydeen made the Conference USA All-Freshman team after scoring three goals her freshmen year and leading the team with three assists. She also finished second on the team for most shots and second for most points in 2018. Jack, who hails out of Port of Spain, has played in 33 games for FIU while starting 19 of those from the midfield and forward positions.

Coach Wagar said of Kaydeen joining the team, "she's a very talented and creative player with the ball. I love how crafty she is taking players on, doing moves, and is composed on the ball under pressure. She see's the field well and plays some well timed and placed passes to her teammates. She'll add more depth to our team and experience as our third transfer and player next year with national team experience."

To watch film of Kaydeen's play, click here.

Fwd- Sydney Gober

Sydney is a three-year varsity starter for Rockwall High as a midfielder and forward. In 2018 Gober earned Academic First-Team honors, and second-team Academic All-District in 2019. She was honored as the Offensive MVP of the Year in 2019, was a First Team-All District honoree and served as the team captain during her senior year.

For club soccer, Gober played for FC Mutiny from 2009-2017 leading up to their merger with Solar Club in 2018. Sydney was recruited to play for the Dallas Sting ECNL regional team in 2017 and has been with the Dallas Sting from 2017 until 2020. In 2019, her Dallas Sting Girls O1' team was 2nd in the nation for their ECNL regional team.

During her soccer offseason, Sydney played high school basketball for one year and competed on the varsity track team competing in the 800-meter dash, the 4x200, and 4x400 events.

Coach Wagar said of Gober, "Sydney is a brilliant player. She's extremely talented, has such a hard work rate and motor that never quits. She attacks space at speed and is gifted dribbler and finisher. After seeing her play years ago in a Dallas tournament, I knew she would be a great fit for our program. She was our summer camp MVP both years."

To view some highlight film of Syd, click here.

Fwd- Tina Nolan

Tina Nolan, a forward from Rochester, New York, joined the Grambling State University soccer team this fall. Tina has a deep passion for soccer and has been playing since she was three years old. Tina is a part of the National Honor Society as a result of her hard work in the classroom and plans to go into dentistry following her collegiate years. Nolan also was a member of the Symphonic Band Equity team in her free time.

Tina played high school soccer in ninth grade for Greece Arcadia High where she earned team MVP, but then wasn't allowed to play her sophomore and junior seasons as a member of the US Soccer Development Academy. However, Tina did play her senior year and made the All-County team. Her club team is Empire United, and as part of the Development Academy program she competed against some of the most elite competition in the country.

Prior to Grambling, she played for the Elite Empire United girls soccer academy as a forward. Coach Wagar said of Tina, "Tina is a good person and a gifted soccer player. She's intelligent and knows when to press opponents counter-attack."

To view highlight film on Tina, click here.

Fwd- Aria Whitney

Aria Whitney was a standout player for John B. Connally High School, where she was a four-year varsity letterman and recent captain for the team. In four years of varsity play, Aria scored 72 goals and garnered All-Central Texas 1st Team-All Region honors, 1st Team All-District, and "Vype first-team Player" for the 2019-2020 school year.

Aria's play was top notch during her senior season as she scored 36 goals with eight hat tricks which accumulated to 78 percent of all goals scored for the team this year. Aria also played for the Galaxy Soccer Club based out of Round Rock the past four years.

She is the daughter of Herman and Raquel Whitney, Jr., and has a brother (Tre) and two dogs. She is majoring in kinesiology with a minor in teacher education/health and physical education at Grambling.

Coach Wagar said of Aria's signing, "She's a fast, athletic and a tenacious attacking player. She is a lefty and scored in buckets the last few years, really becoming one of the more dynamic attacking players in the state."

To view clips of Aria's play, click here.

Mid- Paula Burillo-Blasco

Paula Burillo-Blasco is a versatile player who has played as a midfielder, center back and even forward for her club teams. In Spain she has helped her team win two state championships as captain of her Aragón team where she played in four national championships in Spain (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018). She was selected as the best soccer player in her state at U14 and in 2017 was selected as the best overall player in her state. Her futsal team also won the Remolinos Tournament.

Last year Paula came to the United States as an exchange student for 2018-2019 and lived in Greenwood Arkansas and played for Greenwood High where she was selected as Best of the Best River Valley Preps team. Paula was selected as the best offensive player for GHS after scoring 17 goals and notching 10 assists while making the 5A All-State team. She was able to play for the River Valley Futbol Club 2000 Premier Team as well while in Arkansas. In addition to her versatility, Paula adds a long throw and can score as well as distribute the ball.

Paula's family is composed of her dad, Luis, her mother Chus, and her sister Lidia. Academically, Paula is a terrific student posting a 9.4/10 grade average and she participated in national debates in English and Spanish. She was a member of Partners Club while in America as well as a member of the National Honors Society. She wants to major in sports and business and would like to work as a lawyer in Spain following her collegiate career.

Coach Wagar said regarding Paula Burillo-Blasco, "she brings so many good leadership qualities to our team and she is extremely versatile. She has a cannon for a leg with her kicks on both set pieces and in the run of play; she's very technical and can create off the dribble. She sees the field well and can distribute the ball with good timing and precision."

To watch some highlight clips of Paula, click here.

Mid- Charlotte Wilford-Carroll

Charlotte Wilford-Carroll, an incoming midfielder from Wellington, New Zealand, will be joining the Grambling State University Tigers soccer team this fall. She has played soccer since a little girl for various size clubs. Prior to coming to the G, she was a key player for her home town club Wellington United and for Capital Football in the National Women's League.

Impressively Charlotte was called up to play for the U-20 New Zealand national team where she scored her first goal in the Oceania Football Confederation qualifiers in Rarotonga this past September. New Zealand won every game of that tournament and qualified for the Under-20 World Cup next year. She competed in three games and scored her first goal as a national team member while wearing the fern. It was always her dream to play football in America, and she is excited to start playing for Grambling next semester. Last year she was selected for the NZ secondary schools team and flew to Dallas to compete in the International Cup tournament.

Coach Wagar said of Charlotte that, "it was a pleasure talking to her and getting to know her love and passion for soccer. She is a dedicated hard worker and lays it all out on the field when she plays. I enjoyed seeing game film of her diving into a crowd in the box to get a touch on a 50-50 ball and score a goal, going into tackles all out, sprinting up the field to make attacking runs and winning headers in the midfield. She is gritty and leads by example."

To view highlight film on Charlotte, click here.

Def- Alyssa Goodloe

Alyssa Goodloe is a freshmen defender from Beaumont, California. She joined the Grambling State soccer team coming from Redlands East Valley High and is pursuing a career as an orthopedic doctor. She maintained a 4.1 GPA throughout high school, showing her drive and motivation as a hard worker in the classroom. Goodloe was a four-year Principal's List on the Honor Roll, a member of NHS, CSF, ASB and was in the environmental club. She is the daughter of Christian and Shelli Goodloe and has two older sisters; Hannah and Haley.

Alyssa competed for Redlands East Valley for high school as a outside midfielder and defender who was a four-year varsity player, team captain, and four-year scholar-athlete. Alyssa made All-Conference honorable-mention as a sophomore, second-team All-Conference as a junior, and was injured for her senior season. Her team was crowned CBL conference champions for two years. She also ran track for the varsity team.

Prior to coming to the G, Goodloe started playing competitively for the Pateadores club in her youth, then switched to Slammers FC Pre-ECNL, then moved on to Arsenal ECNL shortly after turning 15. Alyssa used to play with Legends Academy II  as an outside midfielder and outside back but has also played forward as well. Her team was undefeated in conference, regional champions, CA National Champions and finished as semi-finalists for USYS National Championships.

Alyssa said she was "very impressed with Coach Wagar as a person and a coach, as he maintains a strict athletic program while expecting the best from his players. He was honest and welcoming. Grambling is not just about college, but was also about being a loving community that will help me to succeed as a student-athlete."

Coach Wagar said of Goodloe choosing to come to Grambling to play that "Alyssa is a gifted soccer player and a gem of a person too. She is a quality student in the classroom who has great goals for herself and her future and is motivated to work towards attaining them."

To watch highlight film of Alyssa, click here.

Def- Haley Knight

Haley Knight is an incoming freshman defender from Fullerton, California. Knight can play anywhere on the back line and competed for the CDA Slammers FC Whittier Elite as a captain for her team. The Slammers were semi-finalists for the Donesti Cup in Spain in 2016, Champions of the Las Vegas Cup that same year, semi-finalists for both the Premier League in 2017 and for National Cup in 2018, and then Champions for the Cerritos Memorial Challenge Cup in 2019.

Haley was a four-year varsity player for Fullerton Union High where she scored a header her freshman year that sent her team to the CIF playoffs for the first time in eight years. She was a two-year captain and was given the Coaches Award her junior year. She was also selected as team Most Valuable Player and got Defensive Player of the Year. Knight was a scholar-athlete all four years.

She was a member of the National Honor Society and had a 4.5 cumulative GPA in high school. She was in the top 25 percent in her class for all four years of high school and recently finished in the top five percent in her class while being a Rotary Top 25 all four years. She currently majors in psychology at Grambling.

Coach Wagar said of Haley that "she's a solid intelligent defender with good 1v1 skills who is very patient and reads the game well. She jumps passes and deny opponents the ball while understanding the overall game and is good at getting up the field for the attack, creating scoring chances for both herself and her teammates."

To watch film on Haley, click here.

Def- Ariyanna Buggs

Ariyanna Buggs (also referred to as Yanna or Buggsy) is from Winchester, Calif. She was a multi-sport athlete excelling at both soccer and basketball, but upon entering to high school decided to focus strictly on soccer. On the pitch she has been awarded first and second-team All-League honors and contributed to the success of her Vista Murrieta High School team, making it to the semi-final round of CIF for only the second time in history. Ariyanna plays both forward and outside defender.

Buggs played club soccer for Arsenal FC ECNL and played for Legends FC DA where she helped contribute to the success of her team, making it two years in a row to the semi-finals round of the USYSA National League Championships. She was a part of the US Soccer Training Center and the Nike Elite Player Development Training Program, as well as the Cal South Olympic Development Program (ODP). Ariyanna is majoring in biology with hopes to achieve her dream in becoming a pediatrician as she has already been coined the "Soccer Doctor".

Ariyanna is the daughter of Tanisha Buggs & the late Nathaniel Buggs. She has an older sister, Lydia, who plays soccer for St. Mary's College, as well as a younger brother named Isaiah.

Coach Wagar said of Ariyanna, "Yanna is quality all-around. She's a great young lady with a good head on her shoulders. She has explosive speed that enables her to excel in various positions, whether up top in the attack or getting down the flanks to blow by players off the dribble. She's a great addition to our program for both the quality of her character and for her soccer abilities."

To view highlights on Ariyanna, click here.

Previously announced recruits for 2020:
Fwd- Lizbeth Aguero
Mid- Chloe Spencer
GK- Quinlan Warren
Mid- Briana Hernandez
Def- DeMaia Ross
Def- Tanzanea Villacis


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