No. 1 player signs with North Carolina

No. 1 player signs with North Carolina
November 11, 2011
 
It’s only fitting that Bryane Heaberlin be out in front of her peers.

She is the No. 1 ranked player in the country, after all. And with the stroke of a pen Wednesday, Heaberlin once again got the leg up on her competition by signing with North Carolina a few months before most of her fellow standout prospects will ink with their programs.

The gifted goalkeeper is set to graduate high school in December and has just signed an Athletics Scholarship Agreement that will allow her to join North Carolina in January.   

Girls club soccer player Bryane Heaberlin signs here NLI to North CarolinaBryane Heaberlin signs here NLI to North Carolina
But this isn’t simply a way of vanquishing her competition; no, Heaberlin has a big picture in mind, and has for some time.

“I think I decided around my sophomore year that I wanted to graduate early for two main reasons,” she said. “The first, is because the U.S. U20 World Cup is coming up this summer and if I’m able to make it I will be competing for a starting spot against players who are already in college. Going early will allow me to compete and train at the highest level (during spring season) just as they are.

“The second reason is I was looking at Women’s Professional Soccer. The draft is in January, so hopefully if I’m selected my senior year I’ll be ready to go in immediately.”

And these were the kinds of things Heaberlin was considering two years ago. Yeah, safe to say she’s ahead of the game. 

These days, Heaberlin, who was the first choice netminder for the U20 Women's National Team as it began its cycle for the 2012 World Cup, is continuing to regain her form after a gruesome injury in January.  

Heaberlin broke her tibia and fibula during high school season but was able to cut her estimated year-long recovery in half.

She was called into U.S. U18 WNT camp in July and has been progressing ever since.

“I’m feeling great, like I’m really beginning to earn my way back,” she said. “My first camp back in June didn’t go as well as I wanted in terms of being sharp, but I was in camp last month with the 18s and felt good. 

“Playing with the U20s I really got a chance to see some amazing college players (like UCLAs Sydney Leroux). I really need to hit the ground running in college.” 

Other recent girls’ commitments include:

Meghan Corder (Lonestar SC) has verbally committed to Stephen F. Austin for the 2013 season. 

Allison Stone (Lonestar SC) has verbally committed to Mississippi for the 2013 season. 

Brittany Little (Lonestar SC) has verbally committed to TCU for the 2013 season. 

Lillie Ehlhert (Lonestar SC) has verbally committed to Stephen F. Austin for the 2013 season.

Holly Burgard (Lonestar SC) has verbally committed to LaSalle for the 2012 season. 

Klaire Adee (Eclipse Select) has verbally committed to Akron for the 2012 season. 

Katie Centeno (Nado SC) has verbally committed to Lehigh for the 2012 season. 

Victoria Cocozza (West Windsor Plainsboro) has verbally committed to Mount St. Mary’s for the 2012 season. 

Lauren Selaiden (Sting Dallas) has verbally committed to Missouri for the 2013 season. 

Danielle Fitzgerald (Chantilly Youth Association) has verbally committed to Kentucky
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