Megan Buckingham is the type of player most any college would want. The Michigan Hawks standout is a smart and solid prospect who seems to improve each year, which is exactly what all the top programs want from potential recruits.

The talented 2014 graduate did not make those programs wait long though . . . she recently gave her verbal commitment to North Carolina.

“Everything about their program: their campus, the academics and the state just made me happy,” she said. “I felt as though I was at home when I was there.”

When she was sifting through potential destinations, Buckingham had a firm idea of what she wanted from her ultimate destination.

“I look for dedication and motivation from a college,” she said. “It’s important that a coach knows what he/she wants to do with the team and has a record with them to prove that they can get results.”

Sounds a lot like what a program looks for in a player.

Buckingham is set to become rivals with current teammate Ashton Miller, as the fellow Michigan Hawks player will be attending Duke beginning in 2014.

Miller explained her decision this way:

“I think Duke appealed to me because overall it had everything that I was looking for – the campus was gorgeous, the girls were extremely nice and the soccer is great,” she said. “That’s what went into my decision to commit early.”