Signing day gives soccer team six new players

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Football players get all the attention for signing letters of intent on signing day, but that same day was a big day for the women’s soccer team.

Coach Brent Anderson received six of those letters last week on National Signing Day.

"This year we were looking some specific positions," Anderson said. "This year we had players playing center-mid that weren’t really center-mid."

Brianne Larsen, from Orem High School and the Salt Lake Tribune’s 4A Player of the Year, will help out at the center-back position. Ashley Burdett, from Mountain Crest, and Camille Broderick, from Pleasant Grove, will bolster the center-midfield positions for the Wolverines.

Utah Valley also added the Deseret Morning News’ 4A Player of the Year, Kaitlyn Thomas, a midfielder from Orem. To round out Utah Valley’s recruits from that championship Orem team, forward Jamie Lyons also signed with the Wolverines. Kelsey Kimball, from Timpview, rounds out the new class.

It’s not certain whether any of the incoming players will see time right away, but they will be given opportunities to earn time in the regular rotation this fall.

"We didn’t lose any players really this last year, but I don’t think anything is really set at any position. It’s wide open, really," Anderson said.

Last year Utah Valley had the best recruiting class in the United Soccer Conference, but that’s not exactly enough.

"We need to not necessarily focus on how we do in the USC but compete regional and our overall schedule," Anderson said.

Compared to other teams in the region, Anderson said he thinks he did all right. All six girls played for successful club teams in addition to their high school teams. Anderson also said this year’s class is better than the top USC class he brought in last year.

Anderson didn’t look very hard out of Utah because he doesn’t have much, as far as scholarships go, to offer them. He stuck with the in-state girls and hopes that will get this team playing better.

"We talked to some girls early on, and I told them what we could offer, but they already had good offers from other places. It makes it tough, but you deal with what you got to deal with," Anderson said.

He dealt with it and will have six fresh faces on the pitch in 2008, and now he is looking for his next batch of young talent.