Feb. 4, 2011
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Head Coach Ron Rainey announced Thursday that 10 recruits will join the University of Iowa soccer program next fall. The recruits include Abby Zimmerman, Kiley Beck, Katie Brown, Marissa Hurt, Cloé Lacasse, Melanie Pickert, Jordan Rakas, Caitlin Schnorbach, Anne Marie Thomas and Nicole Urban.
Zimmerman, a forward from Bettendorf, Iowa, will be a great addition to the Iowa attack. The daughter of Rob and Stacy Zimmerman was a three time all-conference selection and named to the Iowa state all-tournament team following her junior season. Abby was also active in basketball, volleyball and track. She currently holds the Bettendorf high school records in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays.
“Abby is a great Iowa product who is extremely athletic and a hard worker on the field,” Rainey said. “She can play in attacking positions and is looking forward to representing Iowa in the fall.” Beck, a goalkeeper from Rockford, Ill., joins the Hawkeyes after winning three consecutive conference titles with her Boylan Central Catholic team. The daughter of Tom and Julie Beck recorded seven shutouts in 2010 and competed for the Rockford Raptors club team for six years. “Kiley will add depth to the goalkeeper position,” said Rainey. “She has confidence as a player and will train hard to get better.”
Brown, a native of Ann Arbor, Mich., will add valuable depth in Iowa’s backfield. The daughter of Donald and Colleen Brown has a wealth of experience as she has competed with the Michigan Hawks for seven years and was a team captain. Katie was also named the captain of the 2009 all-area team. She has also been a member of the Region II ODP team.
“Katie brings a wealth of experience as an Olympic Development (ODP) team member and high level club player,” said Rainey. “She can play both in the back and the midfield. She will compete to get out on the field immediately.”
Hurt joins the team from Ankeny, Iowa. The prospective midfielder comes from a family of Hawkeyes as her great uncle ran track for Iowa. Hurt was a member of the Ankeny High School team that set a record for most shutouts in a season (16). The daughter of Greg and Bev Hurt also played club ball under former Iowa assistant coach Eric Golz. Marissa was also a member of the Region II ODP Pool for the 1993 age group.
“She comes from an excellent club soccer program and we are excited to have her represent her home state of Iowa,” Rainey said. “She is another versatile player who can see time in the back or the midfield.”
Lacasse, a native of Sudbury, Ontario, is a great addition to Iowa’s attack. The daughter of Paul and Manon Lacasse was named the MacDonald Cartier MVP three times as well as the MVP of the high school volleyball team and the Sudbury female athlete of the year following her junior year. Cloé competed for the Sudbury Canadians for 12 years and was the top scorer in multiple seasons.
“Cloé is a goal scorer pure and simple,” said Rainey. “She has that mentality to put the ball in the back of the net and she does some of the little things that help create attacking chances in games.”
Pickert, a defender from Canton, Mich., helped lead her defense to 14 shutouts during her sophomore campaign and is a three-time all-state honoree. The daughter of Keith and Mary Pickert played with fellow Hawkeye newcomers Katie Brown and Jordan Rakas on the Michigan Hawks club team for seven years. Melanie was team captain and a member of the 2007 and 2008 squads that earned State Cup Championships. Mel is also a Region 2 ODP team member.
“Mel is the second of three players from the Michigan Hawks, Michigan ODP, and Region 2 ODP team in addition to Brown and Rakas,” Rainey said. “She is a strong athlete who can win balls in the air while also controlling a back line. Her international experience will help her compete for time right away.”
Rakas, a defender from Holt, Mich., completes the trio of Hawkeye newcomers from the north. The daughter of Marc and Deb Rakas competed with Brown and Pickert on the Michigan Hawks team for six years. Jordan was a three time all-conference selection for her efforts on the Holt High School soccer team.
“Jordan is the final player from Michigan who has played with the Hawks club, ODP, and Regional team ODP,” Rainey said. “She is athletic and steady and can play any position in the back. She will also compete to get on the field right away.”
Schnorbach, a native of Edina, Minn., adds depth to Iowa’s goalkeeper roster. She completed a high school career in which she only allowed 15 goals in four years, including zero goals allowed during her sophomore season. The daughter of Peter and Maura Schnorbach also competed in the Edina Soccer Club (2002-05), Plymouth Soccer Club (2005-07), Bangu Tsunami Soccer Club (2007-09) and for Eden Prairie United (2009-11). Schnorbach was also on the team that claimed the Disney College Showcase Championship in 2008.
“Caitlin, along with Kiley, will join Emily Moran as our three goalkeepers for the team next year,” said Rainey. “We feel she has come from a strong club program and that will help her transition to the college game.”
Thomas, a defender from Kentworth, Ill., was a member of the New Trier High School team that earned back-to-back conference championships in 2009 and 2010. The daughter of Mike and Karen Thomas was named rookie of the year following her first season of high school soccer and was named all-conference and defensive player of the year during her junior campaign. Anne Marie also competes on the FC United U9-U18 team.
“Anne Marie is a defender who has a great love of the game,” said Rainey. “She has a nice tactical knowledge of the game and will push herself and others on the team as she comes to campus in the fall.”
Urban is a forward from Lisle, Ill. The daughter of Steven and Margo Urban is a three time all-conference selection and two time Lisle Senior High School soccer team MVP. Nicole holds three records at her high school, including most career goals (105 prior to her senior season), most goals in a single season (41during her freshman year) and most points in a single season (101 during her junior season).
“Nicole has an infectious personality and competes on the field,” Rainey said. “She will be fun to train and we are looking forward to her joining our other attackers in the fall.”
Iowa’s 10 newcomers come from four states and one Canadian province. They are expected to join the Iowa team in the fall of 2011.
“The 2011 class has a mix of different position players and players that will help our team both in training and competition next year,” Rainey said of his 2011 recruiting class. “On paper, I feel this is a strong group. Now, the key will be for all of them to improve over the next several months and then be ready to compete with our current Iowa team in August to help the Hawkeyes.”