Cougars Women's Soccer Welcomes 2021-22 Recruiting Class
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The University of Saint Francis Women's soccer program is excited to announce the recruiting class of 2022. With six new recruits, the Cougars are hopeful to regain their winning ways under Head Coach Ken Nuber.
The first recruit is Emma Cox from Indianapolis. A psychology major from Lawrence North High School, Cox was a two-year varsity captain, three year all-conference, three year all-country, two year academic all-state, and the top team player her senior year.
During her high school career, Cox was a member of two sectional championships and three sectional final appearances. Her biggest soccer influence has been her first high school coach, Mitch Holden, whom she said she wouldn't be where she is today without him.
"Emma is a strong midfielder with a great work ethic," Head Coach Ken Nuber said. "Emma has played at a high level with the Indiana Fire Juniors and will transition quickly into the college game. She will make our midfielder stronger!"
Cox played club soccer for Indiana Fire Juniors, and their coach John Simmonds wishes her all the best.
"We (Indiana Fire Juniors) are excited for Emma Cox to be continuing her soccer career at Saint Francis and Coach Nuber. Emma has been a key fixture on our Great Lakes Conference and state semifinalist Indiana Fire Jrs. 04 Red. We are confident Saint Francis is a great fit for Emma as a student athlete. We wish her the best of luck on this new phase of her soccer career in 2022.
Academically, Cox was on the honor roll all four years and was a two-year member of the National Honor Society.
The next recruit is Abigail Wozny from Perrysburg, Ohio. A pre-veterinary major, Wozny attended Perrysburg High School where she was named Athlete of the Week.
In addition, she was a district and sectional champion her junior year in 2020.
"Every time I came to visit our ID camp everyone was so welcoming, and the atmosphere was fun and competitive," Wozny said. "Lastly, I got along with the coach and the players very easily and I felt very comfortable and fit in with this team."
"Abby is a great young lady who will make an immediate impact in your program," Coach Nuber said. "She is a great athlete and a very creative player, and we are very excited to have her in the program! Abby also comes from an outstanding club program and has played at a high level of GTFC Impact."
The next recruit is Kiersten Parker, a pre-med major from Winona Lake. At Warsaw Community High School, Parker was the team captain, made all-conference three times, and was academic all-state three years running."Kiersten is a very athletic player who loves to attack!" Coach Nuber stated. "Her personality and work ethic are infectious and will make a positive impact on our program! She has played in highly competitive environments with both Fort Wayne United and Warsaw High School and will fit in nicely."
"Kiersten is going to be a great addition to the Cougar roster," said Jonathan Hoover, Warsaw High School's Head Coach. "Her speed and grit on the outside make her a very dangerous player that can cause issues for any opponent. She's a selfless teammate that will have a positive impact on those around her. I can't wait to see her impact on USF's program for the years to come!"
Academically, Parker made the honor roll all four years and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Raylinn Kappes is the next recruit from Switzerland County. A nursing major that attended Switzerland County High School, Kappes was the team captain her senior year, made all-conference from 2019-21, and all-sectional from 2019-21.
With her team, Kappes was a conference champion three years in a row and was also involved with Track. There, she was all-conference in Track for the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay in 2021. "I attended an ID camp at USF and immediately connected with the girls from the team that were at the camp," Kappes said when she came to campus. "Coach Nuber made me feel welcomed and gave me pointers on how to improve my game."
"Raylinn is a dynamic goal scorer with great speed and a nose to score goals," Coach Nuber said. "She will fit in very well both on and off the field. She led Switzerland County High School to a sectional championship and we are excited to have her at USF!"
Another recruit is Kayden Tassler, an athletic training major from Fort Wayne where she attended Northrop High School. During her senior year, she was named the team captain, made first team all-conference, and was Co-player of the year.
Tassler played for Fort Wayne United club soccer and always wanted to be a goalkeeper, but it wasn't until sixth grade that she got that opportunity.
"Kayden is a strong shot stopper and a very aggressive keeper who will compete well at the college level," Coach Nuber said. "Fort Wayne United constantly develops players who are college ready."
Another recruit is Emma Dellinger, a nursing major from Halan, Indiana. During her high school career, Dellinger was on varsity all four years, made first team all-conference her junior and senior years, and made the 2020 & 2021 Indiana Soccer Coaches Association Girls Academy All-State. "Emma is a tremendous athlete and very hard working player," Coach Nuber said. "Emma is exactly what we want in our program and can't wait to see her raise the level at USF. She is another Fort Wayne United player with great experience at a high level."
The next recruit is Wendy Escalante, a psychology major from Goshen where she attended Northridge High School."Wendy is a wonderful young lady who we are excited to see her develop," said Coach Nuber. "She comes from a great Northridge High School program and a very competitive Elkhart County United (ECU) club."
Fans, make sure to stay updated with all events and recaps of Saint Francis athletics by visiting Saintfranciscougars.com.