Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Women's Soccer Announces National Signing Day Recruiting Class
2/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Florida Atlantic University women's soccer and Head Coach Patrick Baker are pleased to announce the first five signees for 2017 as part of Wednesday's National Signing Day.
The Owls, fresh off a conference finalist finish to the 2016 season, have added the following quintet for the upcoming year:
- Ashlyn Kitterman - Defender - Bixby, Oklahoma - Jenks High School - Tulsa Soccer Club Hurricane ECNL
- Miracle Porter - Forward - Palm Coast, Florida - Matanzas High School - Florida Force SC
- Sammy Vitols - Midfielder - Orlando, Florida - Lake Nona High School - Orlando City ECNL
- Brianna Waggoner - Goalkeeper - Oviedo, Florida - Oviedo High School - Orlando City ECNL
- Allyssa Woodring - Defender - Palm Harbor, Florida - Palm Harbor University High School - Tampa Bay United ECNL
Here are more details on the first batch of newcomers to the FAU women's soccer roster:
Kitterman finished up her high school career at Jenks High in Oklahoma and played for Tulsa Soccer Club Hurricane of the Elite Clubs National League as well. She was a two-time MVP of her high school squad and three-time Best Defensive Player. She was chosen one of the top 11 players of the weekend at ECNL Phoenix by TopDrawerSoccer.com, and was part of a Texas Conference Championship-winning squad in 2015.
Why Kitterman chose FAU:
"I chose Florida Atlantic University because of the beautiful location and the supporting coaching staff. I first saw the campus online and I loved it, but seeing it in person really made me realize it was the place for me."
Coach Baker on Kitterman:
"Ashlyn is a terrific athlete and her recruiting story is unique in many ways. She has that special blend of skill, speed, toughness and athleticism. When she takes a calculated run out of the back, it's hard to miss her pace and playmaking abilities. On the other side of the ball, she is a good 1v1 defender and isn't afraid to put a challenge in at the appropriate time. Ashlyn is currently the only member of our recruiting class outside the state of Florida, but we expect big things from this Oklahoma native. We had an opportunity to work with her over the summer and very quickly realized we had a special young lady that is going to do well in the classroom and on the soccer field."
Porter holds the Florida state record (since 1997) with 238 goals, and that total ranks fourth in the entire nation. She broke the Matanzas High School career mark her sophomore year and was the team's Offensive Player of the Year four times and Team MVP three times. She led Volusia County in scoring all four years. Porter also played for Florida Force SC, was a member of the state of Florida's U.S. Olympic Development Program and eventually was chosen as a member of the Region III ODP team, just one of 18 selected from 11 states in the southeastern U.S.
Why Porter chose FAU:
"I chose to go to Florida Atlantic University because when I first met Coach Baker, I really liked his style in the way he does things on and off the field. It normally takes me some time to get comfortable with a coach or to even speak sometimes because I'm shy, but Coach Baker made me feel comfortable right from the start and he is the coach I felt could help my game the most. Another reason I wanted to go to FAU is because they have a good medical program and I plan to major in that field of study. I'm excited about what has been happening at FAU the past four years and want to help the 2017 team in any way that I can."
Coach Baker on Porter:
"Miracle could be one of the best attacking players ever to come out of Florida and we are excited to have her in Boca Raton for the next four years. She is a gamechanger and can hurt teams in so many ways. Miracle can beat you for pace, quickness, with the ball, without the ball, with her passing and with her shot. She makes the game easy for others and the players around her better, which are great traits for a young player. Her scoring process in high school and club is well-highlighted, but when Miracle is surrounded with equal qualities, it's going to make for a special career at FAU. Miracle will continue to be an attacking threat in college and we look forward to seeing her score a lot of goals while representing FAU women's soccer."
Vitols has been part of a Lake Nona High team that won four straight district championships, and she was Team MVP and their top goal scorer as a junior. Twice she was named All-Metro and twice All-Conference. The Orlando native also suits up for the ECNL Orlando City squad.
Why Vitols chose FAU:
"The reason I chose FAU is because it felt like home to me soon as I saw the campus, the coaching staff made me feel beyond welcome."
Coach Baker on Vitols:
"When I saw Sammy play for the first time, she became a priority in our recruiting efforts. She is a tremendous left-sided player that can get up and down the flank. Sammy is a very good 1v1 player and has shown great service range. We needed to add a quality left-sided player to our roster and she has been a dynamic addition. Watching her play throughout the 2016 year, she continues to compete at a very high level and can change a game with one run / shot / service. Sammy continues to improve herself and will be a welcomed wide-player option in our midfield. We look forward to having her here this summer and she already represents our 'Live Like Champions' theme."
Waggoner tended goal at Oviedo High and for Orlando City ECNL. In high school, her squads won two district titles, two conference championships and the 2015 FHSAA Class 5A State championship. As a senior, she has allowed just 0.2 goals per game and was named Oviedo team captain. At Orlando City, her U17 squad finished in the top 16 nationally, the U16 was sixth in the country, and the team won a Disney Showcase in penalty kicks.
Why Waggoner chose FAU:
"The reason I chose FAU is because the minute I stepped on the beautiful campus I knew this is where I wanted to spend my college career. Then when I met the coaching staff and players, I just knew this atmosphere was the place for me. I love that this team is just one big family."
Assistant/Goalkeeping Coach Michael Crane on Waggoner:
"We are extremely excited to welcome Bri to our FAU family. Her experiences playing at Orlando City have prepared her to make the next step to the college environment. She has a proven record of academic and athletic success that will mesh well into our 'Live Like Champions' mantra. Her commitment to development has been tremendous throughout the recruiting process but I am most excited for Bri's future here at FAU."
Woodring has been part of many tremendously successful teams, as her Palm Harbor University High squad made two Florida state final fours, and her Tampa Bay United club team of the ECNL won three state titles. She was named Pinellas County High School Soccer Hot Shot of the Week in 2016 and 2017 as well.
Why Woodring chose FAU:
"I chose FAU because I felt like I belonged here and I wanted to spend my next four years being a part of such a great environment with an awesome coaching staff and players. Also, I felt like this was the best opportunity for me to further my education because of all the options this school offers."
Coach Baker on Woodring:
"Allyssa is a very talented midfielder and plays both sides of the ball well. We have enjoyed watching her and her TBU team train and play the last three years. Her development under Jim Cote has prepared her to make an immediate impact at the college level. She possesses good size and strength, but also has good skill and passing range to her game. When you think of how we have built our midfield, she brings a skill set that continues to strengthen the dimensions in that area of the field. Allyssa loves to compete and her teams usually win, and we needed to continue to add that mentality to our program. We are excited to have her join our FAU women's soccer family and look forward to her career as an Owl."
The five newcomers will join an expected 22 returnees for the 2017 season. The holdovers will soon participate in their brief spring slate, which will be officially announced soon. The 2017 regular season opener is tentatively scheduled for mid-August.
