CORAL GABLES –  University of Miami women’s soccer coach Tricia Taliaferro has announced the addition of 10 student-athletes for 2009. Cassidy Banks (McLean, VA), Ali Brennan (Columbia, MD), Sam Falk (Jericho, N.Y.), Kate Howarth (Grand Blanc, Mich.), Emilie Huser (Ft. Wayne, Ind.), Kim Hutchinson (Rockeville Center, N.Y.), Fatima Nasser (Dearborn, MI), Jordan Roseboro (Mechanicsville, Va.) , Megan Siebert (Troy, MI) and Hannah Tatro (Delmont, Pa.).

Highlighting the 2009 class are two All–Americans, three National ODP Payers, six Regional ODP Players and three National Champions.

"I am very proud of the class we were able to attract this year and I believe it is a tribute to the current players and the success we have had over the last few years,” said Taliaferro.  “All the players in this class are very competitive and know how to win games at the highest level.  I think we have some very special attacking personalities and look forward to implementing them into the program."

Cassidy Banks, a 5-5 defender, plays for the 2007 National Championship club team, McLean Freedom.  The McLean Freedom have been the 2007 Region I Premier League Champions, Region I Tournament Champions and National Champions, the 2008 and 2009 State Cup Champions.  Cassidy had been a part of the both the Region I Team and the Virginia State Team.  Banks’ intended major at Miami is Pre-Law.

"Cassidy is tactically aware in her positioning and plays a simple and necessary style that compliments her teammates.  Her decision making in transition often creates goal scoring opportunities," said Taliaferro.

Ali Brennan, a 5-11 goalkeeper and teammate of Cassidy Banks and Jordan Roseboro, also plays for the National Champion McLean Freedom.  In 2008, Brennan was named as an ESPN Rise Magazine High School All-American and to the NSCAA/Adidas High School All-South Team.  Ali posted 18 shutouts during the 2008 high school season allowing just 3 goals.  Brennan is also the team captain of the McDonogh Basketball Team.  Brennan intends to major in Marine Biology at Miami.

“Ali may arguably be the top goalkeeper in the country in her class.  She has the size, athleticism and big game experience that will be key to her success at Miami.  I look forward to her development over the next four years as she has all the physical tools to play at the elite level,” added Taliaferro.

Samantha Falk, a five-time state champion in club soccer, included four straight from 2005-08 with the Albertson Fury.  The 5-6 forward was her high school team’s offensive leader at Jericho High compiling 38 goals and 70 assists in her four year high school career.  Falk’s father Jeff Falk, played both baseball and Football at Tulane.  Samantha will major in Communications and Journalism at the University of Miami.

"Sam is a scrappy forward who likes to be exposed in the attack.  She is relentless to play against because of her work rate and confidence to attack defenders 1 v 1 to finish at any cost"

Kate Howarth, a 5-6 forward, who currently plays for the ODP Region II team, led her Powers Catholic High School team in Flint, Michigan to a runner-up finish in the 2007 state playoffs and has scored 48 goals alongside 31 assists in three seasons.  A state champion power-lifter, Howarth has been named Power’s offensive MVP every year since 2006 and named to the Michigan Dream Team in 2008.  Also since 2006 her club team, the Michigan Hawks, won the state championships each year and were also regional champions in 2007.  She will be a Pre-Med major at Miami.

"Kate is a true goal scorer and is willing to work for every opportunity.  Her balance between power and finesse is very difficult to defend around the goal."

Emilie Huser, a 5-2 midfielder from Shattuck St. Mary’s in Fairbault, Minn., is the No. 31 overall ranked player by Top Drawer Soccer and was named an NSCAA/Adidas All-American in 2007.  Emilie has been a part of US Soccer’s U14, U16, U17, and U18 National Programs, playing in the 2007 Nike Friendlies with the U-16 National Team.   Huser has also been a part of the Region II team since 2005.  Since 2006, she has scored 33 goals with 29 assists at Shattuck.  Huser intends to major in Bio-Medical Engineering with a Pre-Med core.

"Emilie is very quick in creating space to get faced up in the attack.  She recognizes the demands of a game and will expose teams individually or combining to get behind defenses.  Her creativity with and without the ball often makes for numbers up situations in the final third.”

Kim Hutchinson, a 5-4 midfielder at Kellenburg Memorial High School is a three-time team captain and was her team’s MVP her sophomore season.  She has spent three seasons playing for the Eastern New York ODP team who were the Region I Champions in 2008.  Hutchinson comes to Miami from the very successful Rockville Centre Tornados who played in the Region I premier league.  Kim will major in Communications/English here at Miami.

"Kim is a true play maker who will lead a team by dictating the rhythm of the game. She is very good at penetrating out of the midfield off the dribble to create a shot for herself. "

Fatima Nasser, a 5-5 defender, has been a part of the US Soccer U17 National Program and is the 88th overall ranked recruit by Top Drawer.  Fatima is also a teammate of Kate Howarth’s on the Michigan Hawks who have won three straight state championships, including the regional title in 2007.  Nasser is currently a member of the Region II team and intents to study Pre-Law at Miami.  Her brother Hussein currently attends and plays soccer at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan.

"Fatima plays with a lot of flare and has the ability and desire to stay involved in the attack out of the back.  She is a very exciting player to watch, and will give us a new dimension on our back line.”

Jordan Roseboro, a defensive center mid with her National Championship McLean Freedom club team, is ranked 46th overall by Top Drawer soccer. She scored 69 goals in her final two and half seasons at Atlee High School.  Originally from Chicago, the 5-3 Roseboro was a part of the Region II team and the U14 US Soccer National Development Camp, before moving to Virginia where she was a part of the Region I team from 2007-2008.  Jordan’s intended field of study is in pre-physical therapy.

"Jordan is a very smart and crafty player who controls a game in the midfield.  She is someone you don't want to take off the field because of her competitive and passionate play."

Megan Siebert, ranked 74th overall by Top Drawer, has been a part of US Soccer’s U16 and U17 National Programs.  This 5’6 midfielder is a five-time state champion with Vardar also claimed a regional championship in 2008.  Megan has been on the Region II team for the past five seasons.  Megan’s sister Kim, is currently a freshman on the University of Michigan soccer team.  Megan plans to study pre-physical therapy here at Miami.

“Megan has good composure under pressure and can tactically breakdown a team.  Her vision and ability to serve a precise ball often exposes defenses.”

Hannah Tatro, 5-7 defender and four-time letterwinner at Greesnsburg Salem High School, scored 11 goals her senior season.  She has international and interregional experience playing with the Region I team and has also played for the PA West ODP team since she was 12. Tatro intends to study Health and Science at Miami.

"Hannah is a very strong physical defender with tremendous speed and desire.  She communicates well to organize and lead the team from a defensive position."

As the case has been the last two seasons, the Hurricanes are looking for big things from their freshman class, especially in the tough Atlantic Coast Conference.  Over the past two years, there have been three freshman All-Americans, Brittney Steinbruch and Lauren Singer in 2007 and Vikki Alonzo in 2008.

The 2008 Hurricanes finished the season with a 10-9-3 overall record and received their second-straight invitation to the NCAA Tournament and their third in program history.  Miami loses 2 starters from last season and will return 18 letterwinners.