Oregon Soccer Lands 10 on Signing Day

by TopDrawerSoccer
February 13, 2015

Oregon Women’s Soccer Head Coach Kat Mertz announced on Wednesday that the program has signed 10 players to National Letters of Intent. The Ducks will be replacing nine graduating seniors from a team that finished 7-10-2 (3-7-1) and finished in 10th place in the Pac-12.

Bayley Bruner (Draper, Utah), Sofia Chambers (Westlake Village, Calif.), Marissa Everett (Canyon Lake, Calif.), Kyra Fawcett (Bountiful, Utah), Taylor Kuroda (Honolulu, Hawaii), Malika Markham (Las Vegas, Nev.), Brianne Parsons (Santa Rosa, Calif.), Grace Sponaugle (Sandy, Utah), Sydney Van Steenberge (McMinnville, Ore.) and Hannah Wilson (San Antonio, Texas) all are set join the Oregon women’s soccer team this fall.

UO will be bringing in two defenders, four forwards and four midfielders in this year’s class. The makeup of the class includes three players from California, three from Utah and one each from Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii and Texas.

Bayley Bruner 
5-7 | Forward | Draper, Utah | Corner Canyon HS | Utah Avalanche

Bruner was a team captain, team MVP and all-region performer for Corner Canyon High School during her junior and senior seasons. As a freshman she helped lead her school to a state title, and they appeared in the state playoffs in the following three years. She was the leading goal scorer for Corner Canyon and top ten in 4A in Utah as a senior. On the club level, she played on the Utah Avalanche for eight years where she was also the team captain. Bruner was a member of the Utah ODP team for five years. Her parents are Jon and Cathy, and she has one older brother, Jordan Anderson (22), and one younger sister, Jessica (15).

Coach Mertz on Bruner…
“Bayley is a tireless worker with great pace and a determined mindset on the field. We are looking forward to her ability to run at defenders and her dangerous presence in the attack.”

Sofia Chambers 
5-7 | Midfielder | Westlake Village, Calif. | Agoura HS | Real So Cal

Chambers was a four-year starter at Agoura High School and a first team All-Marmonte League selection her freshman and sophomore seasons. Her senior year she was named team captain and earned second team All-Marmonte League honors as a junior. She logged 12 years of club soccer for Real So Cal and participated on the California South ODP team. She helped her California South ODP team to Region IV Championships in 2013 and 2014, and ODP National Championships in 2011, 2013 and 2014. In the classroom, she has been an Agoura Honor Roll and Dean’s List recipient since 2009, and she was named Agoura’s Student of the Month in December of 2012. Her parents are Jana and Adam Chambers, and she has one younger sibling, Quinn (13).

Coach Mertz on Chambers…
“Sofia has a tremendous passion for Oregon and our program. Her vision and playmaking ability as a midfielder will be a great addition to our team.”

Marissa Everett
5-4 | Forward | Canyon Lake, Calif. | Temescal Canyon HS | So Cal Blues

Everett is a three-time first team All-Sunbelt League selection who helped Temescal Canyon High School to the Sunbelt League Championship in 2012 and 2013. She was an All-CIF honorable mention selection her freshman season, and then earned first team All-CIF honors the following year as a sophomore. She played club on Arsenal FC from 2008-12 and then the So Cal Blues from 2012-15. On Arsenal FC she was the Surf Cup Champion in 2011 and a Surf Cup Finalist in 2010. On the So Cal Blues she was the Surf Cup College Champion from 2012-14. Academically, she was a Sunbelt League All-Academic Award recipient all four years of her high school career. Her parents are Donald and Amy, and she has one younger brother, Jake (11).

Coach Mertz on Everett…
“Marissa brings a creative poise to the game that we are excited to add. Her attitude towards training and improving as a player is exceptional. We are looking forward to her savvy ability on the ball.”

Kyra Fawcett
5-8 | Midfielder/Forward | Bountiful, Utah | Woods Cross HS | Utah Avalanche

Fawcett received first team all-state accolades in Utah during her sophomore and senior seasons, and she earned a spot in the Girls’ High School All-American game as a senior. She logged second-team all-state honors her freshman and junior years, and she was named the team’s co-captain in 2013 and 2014. She played for the Utah Avalanche for 10 years (2005-15) and was the leading goal scorer from 2011-14. Her club team was the Utah State Champions from 2008-10, and she also competed for the Utah ODP team from 2010-13. In the classroom, she received high honor roll accolades each term from 2011-14 and was awarded the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence Certificate in 2011. Her parents are Brad and Kim, and she has one younger brother, Alex (14).

Coach Mertz on Fawcett…
Kyra possesses a great attacking mentality, one that we are looking forward to. Her vision and ability to strike from distance will be a great threat for us in the attack.”

Taylor Kuroda
5-3 | Forward | Honolulu, Hawaii | Iolani School | Surf Hawaii

Kuroda competed for Surf Hawaii for 10 years where she was the team captain and leading goal scorer. Her club team won seven state championships and was Patedores Cup finalists, Las Vegas Players Showcase finalists and Surf Cup finalists as well. She was invited to play on the Region 4 ODP team for a year. She did not play soccer for her high school, but she was on the headmaster’s list at the Iolani School her freshman and sophomore years, and was a top scholar – for students with a 4.0 or above – her junior year. Her parents are Michelle Pinacate and Shawn Kuroda.

Coach Mertz on Kuroda…
“Taylor is a pacey, competitive and driven player. We look forward to her tenacity and vision as an attacking player. Her ability to get forward and create scoring opportunities will be a great asset.”

Malika Markham 
5-6 | Midfielder | Las Vegas, Nevada | Bishop Gorman HS | Heat FC

Markham was the starting right midfielder as a freshman on a Bishop Gorman team that won the state championship in 2012. She competed for the Heat FC club team from 2008-14 where she was the team co-captain from 2010-13 and the sole captain in 2014. She and the Heat FC were USYS Nevada State Champions and USYS Regional IV Quarterfinalists in 2010 and 2011. In 2012 and 2014, they won the Surf College Cup. From 2008-11 she was a member of the Nevada ODP team, and she also earned a U.S. Soccer Training Invite in 2011. Her junior and senior year she attended the ECNL PDP Invite. Academically during her time at Bishop Gorman, Markham was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and the President’s List. Her parents are Matt and Daisy, and she has one younger sibling, Nikoa (11).

Coach Mertz on Markham…
“Malika is a player who will battle in the trenches. Her presence in the defensive midfield role will add depth to our team.”

Brianne Parsons
5-7 | Defender | Santa Rosa, Calif. |Maria Carrillo HS | Santa Rosa United

Parsons hails from high-school powerhouse Maria Carillo High School where she helped guide her team to not only four North Coast Section Championships (2011-14), but also two NSCAA National Championships in 2012 and 2013. Her senior year she was the team captain, the league defensive MVP, a first team all-league selection and an All-America selection. She played 10 years (2004-2014) of club for Santa Rosa United. She helped Santa Rosa United to two ECNL Conference Championships in 2012 and 2013, and they advanced to the ECNL National Playoffs in 2013 and 2014. She also was a Northwest Region ECNL PDP participant in 2013 and 2014. Her parents are Julie and Guy, and she has one older sister, Courtney (25), who played at San Diego as a goalkeeper.

Coach Mertz on Parsons…
“Bri is a steady, composed defender who works extremely hard. Her ability to play in different areas of the back will be an asset to our defense.”

Grace Sponaugle
5-7 | Defender | Sandy, Utah | The Waterford School | Utah Avalanche

Sponaugle was a three-time first team all-state honoree and the 2012 Utah 2A MVP. Along with being a two-time team captain, she won two 2A Utah State Championships (2011-12), was a state finalist all four years at The Waterford School and was named to the All-Salt Lake Tribune Team her senior year. She played with her club team, the Utah Avalanche, for 10 years, and made it to the ECNL National Qualifiers. She also logged four years of time with the Utah ODP team. In the classroom she earned academic high honors at The Waterford School. Her parents are Lee and Lisa, and she has one younger brother, Jackson (16).

Coach Mertz on Sponaugle…
“Grace is a solid and athletic center back. Her passion and love for the game will add a great deal to our team.”

Sydney Van Steenberge 
5-4 | Midfielder | McMinnville, Ore. | Perrydale HS | Crossfire United

Van Steenberge won Special District III Player of the Year honors three years in a row (2011-13) and was also a first team all-league selection during that same time span. As a junior, she was her high school’s co-captain while netting 24 goals and 15 assists. She helped lead Perrydale to three-consecutive league championships, two quarterfinal appearances and one semifinal appearance in the state tournament. On the club level, she played for the ECNL’s Crossfire United and was selected to the Oregon All-Star Team at the National ECNL ID Camp. Prior to playing with Crossfire United, she competed with Tualatin Hills United and earned league championships in 2012 and 2013. Academically, her and her Perrydale team claimed the Oregon Academic All-State Team Award from 2011-13 and she was a member on the school’s honor roll during her junior and senior years. Her parents are Robert and Christie, and she has one younger sister, Summer (13), and one younger brother, Bob (11).

Coach Mertz on Van Steenberge…
“Sydney is a motivated player with great passion for Oregon. She is composed on the ball and possesses a tireless love for the game of soccer.”

Hannah Wilson 
5-4 | Forward | San Antonio, Texas | Alamo Heights HS | SA United

Wilson helped set the school record for wins (21-1-0) her senior year at Alamo Heights High School. She nabbed all-district honors during her sophomore and junior seasons on the soccer field, and in track and field she set three school records in the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays. She played club for SA United from 2004-15 and for Lone Star most recently from 2014-15. She won the Texas State Cup in 2010, the Premiere League in 2014 and advanced to the Regional III tournament in 2015. Wilson also competed for the Texas ODP team from 2009-14 and at the Region III ODP Camp in the same time frame. Her parents are Torri and Bob, and she has one older sister, Jessica (24), and two older brothers, Linden (26) and Ethan (22).

Coach Mertz on Wilson…
“Hannah is a great addition to our Duck family. She has the ability to play multiple positions and her athleticism is top notch.”

Trending Videos
 
IMG Academy Top 150 Rankings
see full ranking:
Boys Girls