IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa soccer team’s 2016 recruiting class has been ranked 28th out of 333 NCAA Division I programs by BigSoccer.com.
“Anytime others acknowledge your program like this it’s very exciting and positive,” said UI head coach Dave DiIanni. “I am not a resume, rankings, or labels type of soccer coach but we do feel like this incoming class will make an impact in our program not only next year but in the future years.
“With that being said it’s all about getting the student athletes to your campus in August and measuring them with the solid foundation of core players we have currently in our program. We will see what kind of results we can achieve with hard work, dedication, and commitment to one another.”
The Hawkeyes are one of five Big Ten Conference teams to boast a top 30 class. Rutgers earned a No. 10 ranking, while Wisconsin, Indiana, and Penn State rank 18th, 24th, and 26th, respectively.
Iowa’s class consists of nine players from five states — three from Michigan, two from Iowa, and one from Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, and Canada. There are three midfielders, two goalkeepers, two forwards, and two defenders. Three of the players played club soccer together for the ECL Michigan Hawks.
Isabella Blackman (MF – Bettendorf, Iowa), Sydney Blitchok (MF – Grandville, Mich.), Devin Burns (F – Green Oaks, Ill.), Hannah Drkulec (D – Windsor, Ontario, Canada), Olivia Fiegel (F – Springfield, Va.), Claire Graves (GK – Noblesville, Ind.), Cora Meyers (GK – Riverdale, Iowa), Leah Moss (D – Plymouth, Mich.), and Natalie Winters (MF/D – Plymouth, Mich.) will all join the Hawkeye soccer program in 2016.
Winters has been selected to three U.S. Women’s National Teams since signing in February.