GAINESVILLE, Fla. - University of Florida head coach Becky Burleigh announced Tuesday the 11 players who will join the Gator soccer program
for the 2009 fall season.

Several newcomers have experience with U.S. National Youth teams, including Erika Tymrak (Bradenton, Fla.). She was part of the U.S. National team that was runner-up in the first-ever FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in New Zealand last November. Tymrak, a 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Youth All-American, was named to the U.S. National U-20 player pool following national camp earlier this month in Chula Vista, Calif. Holly King (Ashburn, Va.) was part of the U.S. National U-16 and U-17 player pool and played with the Region I Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2006-08. Annick McBryar (Indialantic, Fla.) played with the U-14, U-15 and U-16 U.S. National Teams, serving as captain of the U-15 U.S. National team. She was member of Satellite High School's 2007 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A championship and 2008 runner-up teams. McBryar graduated last December and has enrolled at the University of Florida for the spring 2009 semester. Natalia Torosian (Mount Laurel, N.J.) was part of the U.S. National U-15 and U-16 player pools and was named the 2008 NSCAA/adidas High School Player of the Year for the state of New Jersey. She and Kayla Bala (Lakeland, Fla.) were both named to the 2008 NSCAA)/adidas Girls High School All-America team. Bala was a member of George Jenkins H.S. team that was runner-up in the FHSAA 5A state championship last weekend in Tampa.

Florida's class contains several players with considerable Olympic Development Program (ODP) experience. Jo Dragotta of Tampa, Fla., was invited to the 2007 U.S. League's Super Y-League ODP National camp and is a three-year member of the Florida ODP team. Goalkeeper Kendall Graham was part of the 2008 Florida ODP Inter-Regional team. She is a three-time All-Hillsborough County selection for Newsome High School. A five-year ODP participant, Alicia Nalley of Tampa was named the Pinellas County Player of the Year after turning in 27 goals as a junior for East Lake High School. Brooke Thigpen of Jacksonville has been a part of the Region III ODP since 2006 and the Florida ODP since 2004. She was part of The Bolles School's 2008 FHSAA Class 3A Championship team and the team was runner-up in last weekend's state championships. Brittany Burrows of Tampa was a two-time Florida State ODP selection to the ’91 team. Natalie Juncos was a three-time Minnesota ODP selection before her family relocated to Brandon, Miss., for her junior year.

"We are excited about this incoming class because they bring so much talent and experience," Burleigh said. "Several of these players have experience with U.S. Youth National teams and all have played extensively with their club and high school programs. I look forward to working with them next season."

During the 2008 season, Florida turned in a record of 19-4-1, which included becoming the first team to post an 11-0 record in SEC play since the league started round-robin play in 2004. The Gators advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 and won its ninth SEC title. The Gators ranked No. 10 on the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.

2009 University of Florida Newcomers
Name    Position        High School     Hometown
Kayla Bala      MF      George Jenkins High School      Lakeland, Fla.
Brittany Burrows        MF      Alonso High School      Tampa, Fla.
Jo Dragotta     MF-F    Gaither High School     Tampa, Fla.
Kendall Graham  GK      Newsome High School     Tampa, Fla.
Natalie Juncos  MF      Northwest Rankin High School    Brandon, Miss.
Holly King      MF      Broad Run High School   Ashburn, Va.
Annick McBryar* D-MF    Satellite High School   Indialantic,
Fla.
Alicia Nalley   F       East Lake High School   Palm Harbor, Fla.
Brooke Thigpen  F       The Bolles School       Jacksonville, Fla.
Natalia Torosian        F-MF    Lenape High School      Mount Laurel,
N.J.
Erika Tymrak    F-MF    Edison Academic Center  Bradenton, Fla.
*enrolled at UF for spring, 2009 semester

Kayla Bala (Ball-ah)
2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Girls High School All-America selection…2008 NSCAA/adidas High School Girls All-Region III (South) team member…Part of Florida’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) since 2005 and part of regional ODP pool since 2006…Member of the Real Salt Lake of Tampa club team that claimed 2008 Florida State Cup U-17 title…Part of Valrico Fury's club team that reached the 2007 Florida State Cup U-16 final…Member of George Jenkins' 2008 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A state championship soccer team…George Jenkins H.S. is No. 2 on the ESPN RISE Fab 50 list (as of Feb. 3, 2009) and was runner-up n the 2009 FHSAA 5A semifinals…Four-time all-state selection…Honor Roll student throughout high school career…Vice-president of senior class and member of the
National Honor Society.

Brittany Burrows
2008 and 2005 Florida State Olympic Development Program (ODP) selection to ’91 team…Member of the Countryside Lightning club team since the 2007-08 season…Countryside Lightning claimed titles in 2007 Orange Classic – Millennium flight, 2007 Norcross Nike Cup, 2007 & 2008 US Soccer Region C Championships and 2007 adidas Columbus Day Classic…Also played for Clearwater Chargers club team for three years after moving from the Dallas where she played for D’Feeters Soccer Club of Farmers Branch, Texas, from 2002-04…Four-year member of Alonso High School’s soccer team…Alonso H.S. reached Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 6A regional semifinals…Also competed in high school volleyball and track…Captain and MVP of Alonso H.S.’s volleyball team as a senior…Owns a 4.7 weighted GPA…National Society of High School Scholars, Who’s Who Among American High School Students and four-year High Honor Roll selection…Recipient of Hillsborough County District Scholar and Female Athlete of the Year awards in 2005…Father, Norm, played football for Woody Hayes at The Ohio State University while her mother, Marilyn, is a former cheerleader for the Florida Gators.

Jo Dragotta (Dra-GA-ta)
Three-year member of Florida’s Olympic Development Program’s (ODP) state team…Invited to 2007 United Soccer Leagues Super Y-League ODP National camp…Appears on ESPN RISE top players list for Central Florida…Five-year member of the Hillsborough County United Club Team…Club team advanced to the 2008 Florida State U-19 semifinal…Four-year member of Gaither High School’s soccer team…Three time All-Sunshine Conference and All-Hillsborough County selection…Scored 14 goals as a junior and 10 as a senior at Gaither H.S.…Member of the Gaither High School’s National Honor Society.

Kendall Graham
Member of Florida’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) Inter-Regional Team in 2008…Goalkeeper for the Valrico Fury Soccer Club that advanced to the Florida State Club semifinal from 2000-2007…Part of the 2006 US Club Soccer Florida Cup championship team...Team captain of the 2009 aewsome High School’s soccer team that reached the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A regional final…Newsome H.S. reached FHSAA 5A state semifinal in 2007 and regional final in 2009, 2008 and 2006…2008 Florida Athletic Coaches Association 5A All-State selection…Named to the All-Hillsborough County soccer team from 2005-2007…Named Hillsborough County Player of the Year in 2007…Winner of the State Farm All-Around Sportsmanship Award in 2007…2005-09 All-Western Conference selection…Also played flag football, earning the 2007-08 All-Western Conference MVP honor…Named to the Newsome High School’s Honor Roll.

Natalie Juncos
Three-year member of the Bangu Tsunami Soccer club in Minneapolis, Minn…Two-year member of the Mississippi Fire 90 club team in Jackson, Miss...Club team claimed the 2008 state championship...Member of the Minnesota State Olympic Development Program (ODP) team in 2004, 2005 and 2007…Played for Lourdes High School in Rochester, Minn…2006 Minnesota All-State selection…Earned a spot on all-conference team in 2005 and 2006…MVP of Lourdes H.S. team in 2006…Captain of Northwest Rankin High School as a senior…Also participated in swimming and cross country at Lourdes H.S., earning Minnesota All-State and all-conference swimming honors in 2003 and 2004…Northwest Rankin H.S.'s most outstanding cross country runner in 2007…Earned Lourdes H.S.’s team “Cougar Award” as a junior…Currently attends Northwest Rankin High School in Brandon, Miss…Father, Luis, swam for Argentina in the 1984 Summer Olympics and mother, Valentina, was a member of Argentina’s 1988 Olympic swimming team.

Holly King
Ranked as the No. 25 recruit on the ESPN RISE Fab 50 list - also No. 30 on TopDrawer Soccer recruit list…Member of Virginia’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2002-09…Named to 2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Youth Girls All-Region I team…Region I ODP from 2006-08…Part of U.S. National U-16 and U-17 player pools…Nine-year member of the Loudoun Hotshots Soccer Club that was 2008 Washington Area Girls Soccer U-17 finalist.…Loudoun Hotshots reached 2006 state cup final and the 2005, 2007 and 2008 semifinals…Turned in 15 goals and 13 assists to lead Broad Run H.S. to the 2008 Virginia High School League Group AA state  championship…High school won 2006, 2007 and 2008 Dulles District championships…Three-year member of the Virginia All-Dulles District and all-regional Teams…Named to 2008 All-Metro first team by the Washington Post…Two-time member of the Virginia All-State team and named the 2008 Group AA All-State, All-Region II and All-Dulles District Player of the Year…Played varsity basketball for two years…Honor roll  student…Student Council
vice-president.


Annick McBryar (Ah-nick - rhymes with sonic) Ranked as the No. 33 recruit on the ESPN Rise Fab 50 list…From 2005-07, played with the U-14, U-15 and U-16 U.S. National Teams, serving as captain of the U-15 U.S. National team…As part of U-15 U.S. National team, invited to the first Nike Friendlies in Carson, Calif…Part of the Florida State Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2004-09 and the Region III ODP team since 2005…Moved up to the 1990 age group for the 2007 ODP Regional camp and for the 2006 national competition...Played with 2007 Region III ODP team in Costa Rica and invited to the Region III ODP team’s 2009 trip to Brazil...Named Region III ODP team captain at Interregional held in Jackson, Miss., in December of 2008…Member of the Real Salt Lake of Tampa club team that claimed 2008 Florida State Cup U-17 title…Won state championships in 2005 and 2006 with the Indialantic Force and in 2007 with Space Coast United Club…Part of the Competition Championships team at the 2007 adidas ESP Camp and named to the adidas ESP All-Star East team…Member of Satellite High School's 2007 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A championship team…Satellite H.S. also reached 2008 FHSAA 5A final…Satellite H.S.'s Rookie of the Year in 2006 and three-time all-area and All-Space Coast team selection…Graduated in December of 2008 from Satellite H.S. with a 4.0 grade point average…National Honor Society and member of Environmental Action, Math and Journalism Clubs…Enrolled at the University of Florida in January of 2009.

Alicia Nalley (A-lee-sha Nall-ee)
Five-year member of Olympic Development Program (ODP) and two-year member of Florida 1991 state team…Part of Clearwater Soccer Club for seven years…Club reached 2008 Florida State Cup round of 16, 2007 quarterfinal and 2005 final…2007 and 2008 U.S. Club Regional champion…Part of East Lake High School's 2008 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 5A semifinal team…East Lake H.S. reached 2007 regional final and regional semifinal in 2009 and 2006…2007 5A all-state team selection…Pinellas County Player of the Year as a junior after turning in 27 goals…2008 and 2007 All-Pinellas County Athletic Conference North first team selection…Named to the Dean’s List at East Lake H.S.…Student Government vice president.

Brooke Thigpen
Member of Florida’s Olympic Development Program (ODP) from 2004-08…Member of the Region III ODP since 2006, traveling to Costa Rica with the team in 2007, Spain in 2008 and Brazil in April…Eight-year member of the Jacksonville Fury Club team, winning the 2007 Orange Classic…Named the 2007 Orange Classic MVP...In 2006, the Fury advanced to the State Cup final and reached the Disney Showcase semifinals…Member of The Bolles School’s 2008 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 3A state championship soccer team…Bolles was runner-up in the 2009 3A state championships and advanced to the 2006 3A state semifinals…2008 and 2007 Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-State Class 3A team…Nominee for 2008 Gatorade State Player of the Year and Wendy’s High School Heisman…2007 and 2008 all-area selection and Bolles' offensive MVP…Member of the 2006 & 2007 All-State Track team…Part of Bolles' school-record 1600-meter relay team…Named to Jacksonville's 2006, 2007 and 2008 All-City team for track…Member of National and Spanish Honor Societies…Ranks in the top-10 percent of class.


Natalia Torosian (Na-TAL-ya Tor-rose-e-an)
2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas Girls High School All-America selection…ESPN RISE Soccer All-America first-team selection in fall of 2008…2007 NSCAA/adidas Girls Youth All-America selection…Part of U.S. National U-15 and U-16 player pool…2008 NSCAA High School Player of the Year for the state of New Jersey…Named to both 2008 NSCAA/adidas High School Girls All-Region II (East) and 2008 NSCAA/adidas Youth Girls All-Region I teams…2007 NSCAA/adidas Youth All-Region selection…Part of TopDrawer Soccer Players to Watch list since 2006…Member of New Jersey Olympic Development Program (ODP) since 2005 and Region I ODP team since 2006…Member of the New Jersey ODP U-17 Team that won the Region I ODP Tournament and reached the 2008 US Youth Soccer ODP National Championship match…N.J. ODP claimed 2007 US Youth Soccer ODP title…Plays for MLU Fire club team…Led Lenape High School to 2007 and 2008 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group IV state titles…2008 Star-Ledger New Jersey State Player of the Year…2008 Philadelphia Inquirer South Jersey Player of the Year…2006, 2007 and 2008 all-state selection…Four-year honor roll student at Lenape H.S.

Erika Tymrak (TIM-rack)
Part of the U.S. National team that was runner-up in the 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in New Zealand…Named to U.S. National U-20 player pool following national camp last week in Chula Vista, Calif.…2008 National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas Girls Youth All-America selection…Ranked as the No. 8 recruit on the ESPN RISE Fab 50 list…Named Player of the Match after recording four assists in the U.S. U-17 National Team's 9-1 win versus Trinidad & Tobago in the CONCACAF Championships in July of 2008…2008 NSCAA/adidas Youth Girls All-Region III selection…2008 member of the Region III Olympic Development Program (ODP) and the Florida ODP team…Five-year member of the club soccer team at the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Fla…Led the team to the 2008 Florida State Cup semifinal…Named 2008 IMG Soccer Player of the Year…IMG's Most Valuable Player in 2007, 2006 and 2005…National Junior Honor Society at Out of Door Academy…Attends Edison Academic Center.