April 6, 2009
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
- Iowa soccer wallpaper
- Iowasoccer.com
IOWA CITY, IA – Sometimes the easiest place to recruit is right in your own back yard. Such is the case with Iowa soccer and their recruitment of Coralville’s own Gabby Ainsworth.
For the last three years, Ainsworth has been in Faribault, MN, competing for U-18 team at Shattuck-St. Mary’s Academy, a prep school for elite-level soccer players with year-round training. She has an extensive soccer background, playing in matches all across the country and beyond. Ainsworth was also the captain of the Iowa Olympic Development Program from 2005-2007 and played in the Brondby Cup in Denmark in 2006 with fellow incoming recruit Jenny Kahler.
Ainsworth played at West (H.S.) in 2005 and earned first team all-conference honors before moved to Shattuck-St. Mary’s prior to the 2007 season. She chose Iowa over Wright State, Penn State, Florida State, Dayton, Northern Iowa and USC.
A projected defender at the collegiate level, Iowa Head Coach Ron Rainey believes Ainsworth has a lot of room to grow.
“Gabby has blossomed both as a soccer player and student the last two years at Shattuck Academy,” Rainey said. “It will be great having an area player like herself contributing to the team. We look forward to her adding a presence for our defense.”
Ainsworth is one of five incoming recruits to join the Hawkeyes next fall from the state of Iowa, but is not the first from the Coralville/Iowa City area. Current Iowa junior Jackie Kaeding graduated from West (H.S.) back in 2005, while former Hawkeye forward Kelsie Full (2004-2007) went through Iowa City (H.S.) before making the short drive to the University of Iowa campus.
Ainsoworth jokingly claims to be the best dancer at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, but also likes to film documentaries and ice skate in her free time. Her favorite professional team is Sky Blue-FC in New Jersey, while her favorite player is Fanta Cooper, who was drafted by Sky Blue last fall.