Feb. 4, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Feb. 4, 2015 - Penn State women's soccer head coach Erica Walsh has announced the signing of eight Nittany Lions for the 2015 season, which includes two of the top-10 overall recruits in the 2015 class and several members of the U.S. Women's National Teams.
"The Penn State Women's Soccer Class of 2015 is one of our most talented ever," Walsh said. "With the addition of these players, this squad will be one of the most athletic, talented and competitive teams we have had in my eight years with this program. Most importantly, we are adding an amazing group of people to our PSWS family and they will be an excellent addition to our team culture."
TAYLOR CAMPBELL-PHIPPS
Defender l 5-6 l State College, Pa. l State College Area HS / PDA ECNL/Challenge ECNL
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the ODP Region III '95 pool ... Invited to the 2009 U.S. Soccer U14 National Identification Camp ... Competed for State College Area High for two years ... Won the District 6 Class AAA championship both years ... Previously competed for The Woodlands (Texas) High for two years ... Played for PDA ECNL U16 and U17 for two years ... U16 team advanced to the 2012-13 National Finals and U17 team played in the 2013-14 ... Also competed with Challenge ECNL for two years ... Named to the 2011-12 ECNL National Showcase U15 All-Event Team.
PERSONAL
Taylor Campbell-Phipps was born on Oct. 3, 1996 in Nashville, Tenn. ... Parents are Jennifer and Vincent Phipps ... Plans to major in economics and work in orthopedic medicine.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"I chose Penn State because it was the perfect combination of academic rigor and a great athletic program."
ELLIE JEAN
Defender l 5-6 l Coventry, Conn. l Coventry HS / Oakwood Soccer Club
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the U.S. U-20 Women's National Team ... Also competed with the U-14, U-15, U-17 and U-18 teams ... Captained the U-17 team at the 2013 CONCACAF Women's U-17 Championship ... Rated as the No. 1 player in the Eastern Regional, No. 2 defensive player nationally and No. 5 overall player in for the class of 2015 by TopDrawerSoccer.com ... Competed for Oakwood Soccer Club for five years ... Two-time NSCAA All-American ... Did not play soccer at Coventry but competed in cross country ... Team captain in 2014 when she was named the Hartford Courant Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year and all-conference, all-state and all-New England honoree following a Class SS championship, State Open runner-up finish and 18th-place time at the New England Cross Country Championships.
PERSONAL
Elisabeth Charlotte Jean was born on Jan. 31, 1997 in Chattanooga, Tenn. ... Parents are Rebecca Bacher and Domingo Jean, stepfather is Kevin Bacher ... Domingo played for the New York Yankees and played in the Cincinnatti Reds', Colorado Rockies' and Yankees' minor league systems ... Has an older half-brother, D.J. ... Plans to major in nutrition.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"The atmosphere is amazing and as soon as I visited the campus it felt like home."
CECILIA KNAUB
Midfielder l 5-10 l Phoenixville, Pa. l Phoenixville Area HS / Penn Fusion
BEFORE PENN STATE
Invited to the U.S. U-18 Women's National Team training camp in August 2013 ... Earned three letters for Phoenixville Area ... Two-time team captain ... Phoenixville Area career assists leader (32) ... Recorded 24 points her senior season when the team won the PAC-10 Frontier Division Championship and was a PIAA District 1 AA Finalist ... All-Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association first team, Pennsylvania Female All-State Team, PAC-10 All-Academic Team honoree that season ... Two-time All-PAC-10 and The Mercury Newspaper All-Area first team selection ... Played for Penn Fusion Soccer Academy 96G for five years ... Team went undefeated in 2012-13 en route to a North East Conference Championship.
PERSONAL
Cecilia Frances Knaub was born on Jan. 11, 1996, in Phoenixville, Pa. ... Parents are Jim Knaub and Kathy Knaub-Hardy ... Kathy graduated from Penn State in 1984 ... Plans to major in economics.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"I chose Penn State for the opportunity to compete for one of the top programs in the country and to be a part of the Penn State family."
KALEIGH RIEHL
Defender l 5-8 l Fairfax Station, Va. I South County HS / Braddock Road Youth Club
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the U.S. U-20 Women's National Team, where she competed at the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and earned a cap against France ... Invited to U.S. U-20 training camps in 2014 and 2015 ... Played for the U.S. U-18 team in 2013 and 2014 ... The No. 10 overall recruit in the 2015 class by TopDrawerSoccer.com ... Competed for Braddock Road Youth Club '95 Elite for 11 years ... 2014 NSCAA All-American and team captain... Team was the National League Champion in 2013 and 2014 ... 2013 club also won the Virginia State Cup ... 2012 squad captured the USYS National, Region 1 and State Cup championships ... Did not play soccer at South County.
PERSONAL
Kaleigh Ann Riehl was born on Oct. 21, 1996, in Fairfax Station, Va. ... Parents are Lori and Mark ... Mark played soccer at Virginia from 1975-79 ... Has an older sister, Kristen ... Plans to major in kinesiology and become a physical therapist.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"I chose Penn State because of the phenomenal women's soccer program. The coaching staff is incredibly knowledgeable of the game and the girls made me feel welcomed."
KRISTIN SCHNURR
Forward I 5-7 I Bristow, Va. I Patriot HS / McLean ECNL/VSA Heat
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the USYS ODP Region 1 team from 2011-14 ... Played for McLean ECNL 96 Girls Green for the 2014-15 season, which won the 2014 U18 Virginia State Cup ... Previously competed for VSA Heat for 11 years ... Captured the US Youth Soccer National Championships U-17 Girls Golden Ball Award in 2014 ... Won the State Cup with VSA Heat 96 in 2012 and 2014 ... 2014 VSA Heat 96 team also was the USYS Region 1 Champion and a USYS National Finalist ... Member of VSA Heat 94 that won the 2012 USYS National Championship and was a USYS National Finalist in 2013 ... Played for Patriot her freshman and sophomore years, earning Washington Post All-Met, All-Region and All-District honors each season ... Competed for Patriot's track team for two years and cross country for one year.
PERSONAL
Kristin Rose Scnurr was born in Fairfax, Virginia on Jan. 8, 1997 ... Parents are Karl and Shelly Schnurr ... Plans to major in kinesiology and become a physical therapist.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"When I first visited Penn State, it felt like home to me. I fell in love with the campus as well as all the spirit I saw everywhere I turned. Everyone takes so much pride in wearing their Blue and White. I also knew Penn State would be the perfect place for me to be challenged academically and athletically."
MARISSA SHEVA
Midfielder l 5-3 l Sellersville, Pa. l Pennridge HS / Penn Fusion
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the U.S. U-14 and U-15 Women's National Teams ... Earned two letters for Pennridge in soccer ... One of the most successful cross country runners in Pennridge history, holding the top-two spots in school history at the state championship meet ... Also competed in outdoor track, where she finished 25th at the Foot Locker Nationals and seventh at the Northeast Regionals ... Named first team all-league and all-district in 2011 when Pennridge was the league and district champion, and was the Pennsylvania state runner-up ... Garnered first team all-league, all-district and all-state recognition when the team earned its second-straight league championship and was the district finalist ... Played six years with Penn Fusion '96 Gaels alongside fellow newcomer Cecilia Knaub ... Led the 2014 and 2013 teams in points, recording 17 in 2014 and 20 in 2013 ... Team won the ECNL Northeast Conference in 2013 and the MidAtlantic Conference in 2012.
PERSONAL
Marissa Maeve Sheva was born on April 22, 1997 in Sellersville, Pa. ... Parents are Bryan and Bernadette ... Has a younger brother, Cameron, and an older sister, Caitlyn ... Caitlyn competes in track and cross country at East Carolina ... Plans to major in engineering ... Will also be competing for Penn State's track and field team.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"I chose PSU because I think it is the university that will help me be successful due to it being so competitive both academically and athletically."
CHARLOTTE WILLIAMS
Forward l 5-4 l Rochester, N.Y. l Brighton HS / Revolution Empire/Penn Fusion
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the 2012 USYS U-16 ODP Region 1 team ... Over her four letter-winning seasons at Brighton, scored 47 goals and recorded 25 assists ... 2014 NSCAA All-America pick following a 15-goal, two-assist senior season ... Played in the High School All-American Game that year ... Four-time All-State Class A honoree ... Three-time All-Monroe County selection ... 2013 All-Greater Rochester and Monroe County Division II Player of the Year when she scored 13 goals, including a hat trick, and dished 11 assists ... 2012 second team all-state when the Barons won the New York Section V Class A championship ... Played club for Revolution Empire and Penn Fusion ... Attended Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont for three years from November to April where she skied competitively and was ranked sixth nationally among 1996-born athletes ... Won the 2012 USSA National Junior Finals and placed fourth in the USSA Junior Olympics in 2011.
PERSONAL
Charlotte Marsh Williams was born in New York City on Sept. 27, 1996 ... Parents are Courtney and Sandy Williams ... Sandy was a member of the United States ski team from 1982-92 and competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics and two world championships ... Courtney participated in track for the University of Rochester ... Has an older brother, Alex, and a younger sister, Elizabeth ... Plans to work in business after graduation.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"I feel that Penn State can provide me with the opportunity to fulfill my dreams."
NIKKI DRIESSE
Midfielder l 5-5 l Wayne, N.J. l Florida State/Wayne Hills HS / PDA Charge ECNL
BEFORE PENN STATE
Member of the U.S. U-20 Women's National Team that competed in the 2014 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada ... Participated in a training camp for the U.S. U-18 team in 2012 ... Played on the Region I and II ODP teams from 2007-08 ... Played at Florida State from 2013-14, playing in 48 matches, recording one goal and eight assists ... In 2013, was the only Seminole freshman to play in all 28 matches, making 27 starts and resulting in 2,099 minutes on the pitch ... Named to the All-ACC Freshman Team, Soccer America All-Freshman First Team, TopDrawerSoccer.com Freshmen Best XI Second Team and the ACC All-Academic Team that season ... All-league, all-county and all-state honoree each of her four years at Wayne Hills, putting up 222 points (88 goals, 46 assists) over her career ... Played with PDA Charge ECNL for seven years, winning a state title.
PERSONAL
Nickolette Taylor Driesse was born on Nov. 8, 1994 in Wayne, N.J. ... Parents are Michael and Giselle ... Has two older brothers, Ronnie and Michael ... Plans to major in sociology with a minor in business.
WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
"When I came on my visit, everything just felt right. I know the coaches are going to push me exactly the way I want and need to get to where I want to be. Not to mention the incredible school pride, it doesn't get better than this!"