Kansas Soccer Snags Six during Early Signing Period
Feb. 4, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas women’s soccer coach Mark Francis announced Wednesday that the Jayhawks have signed six student-athletes to letters of intent during the early signing period. Tori Baldridge (Le Crescenta, Calif.), Whitney Berry (Wichita, Kan.), Nicole Chrisopulos (Rowlett, Texas), Amy Grow (Edmond, Okla.), Logan Reed (Dallas, Texas) and Shelby Williamson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) will all suit up for the Crimson and Blue next season.
“We are very excited about this class,” Francis said. “These young ladies are all talented soccer players, but in addition to that, they will significantly raise our level of athleticism.”
Baldridge is a 5-foot-9 defender from La Crescenta, Calif. She is a two-time All-Pacific League defender as well as a two-time all-area selection at Crescenta Valley High School. Baldridge was named one of the top 10 athletes in the area by the Glendale News Press and a pre-season All-American by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). She has played club soccer for Real So Cal.
Berry, a 5-foot-5 forward/midfielder from Wichita, Kan., has played three seasons with the Kansas State ODP team, and four years with the Region II ODP squad. She has scored 112 goals in her first three seasons of high school soccer and is a three-time all-state, all-region and all-conference selection. Berry was also tabbed an All-American by the NSCAA after her junior year. She has played club soccer for the River City Lady Tigers as well as the River City Fire in her career.
Chrisopolus, a 5-foot-3 midfielder from Rowlett, Texas, is a two-time All-District 11-5A selection. Her high school (Rowlett) has been the area champions the last two seasons as well as district champions in 2007-08. As a junior, Chrisopolus was named the Rowlett Offensive Player of the Year as well as a team captain. She has played club soccer for the Dallas Texans the last eight years, serving as the team’s captain over the past seven.
Grow, a 5-foot-8 forward from Edmond, Okla., has played for the Oklahoma State ODP team the last five years and was a Region III pool player. Grow has been named all-district and all-city in each of her three years at Deer Creek High School. She has scored 104 goals in her first three seasons with the Antlers, which is a school record. She has played eight years of club soccer for the Edmond Soccer Club Black, helping them to seven state championships and a national runner-up finish.
Reed, a 5-foot-10 goalkeeper from Dallas, Texas, has played on the North Texas State ODP team for four years and the Region III ODP squad for three years. She was awarded the Adidas Golden Glove, which is awarded to the top goalkeeper at the national tournament, last season at the Region III championships. Reed has also led her Region III ODP team to consecutive national titles in 2007 and 2008. She has helped Greenhill High School to back-to-back Southwest Prep Conference championships. She has played eight years of club soccer for Sting ’91, leading them to a No. 3 ranking in the Premier League’s West Division.
Williamson, a 5-foot-6 midfielder/defender from Colorado Spring, Colo., has played three years with the Colorado State ODP team. She is a three-time all-league selection at Air Academy High School and has twice been honored on the all-academic team. Last season her teammates named her the Defensive MVP. She has served as team captain of the Pride Predators ’91 for the past three seasons.
“We found out last season that in order to compete with the top teams in the country, you have to able to match their athleticism. This group will help us do that,” Francis said.
“It is a well-balanced class with a goalkeeper, a couple of forwards and two or three players that have some versatility to play in the back or in the midfield. Adding the group to our core of returning players and nine starters will give us a very talented and athletic team in 2009.”
