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Five Join Women's Soccer

Feb. 29, 2016

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State women's soccer head coach Erica Dambach announced the addition of five Nittany Lions to the 2016 class Monday. The five Nittany Lions bring the 2016 class to a total of seven student-athletes, as Amanda Dennis (Palmetto, Fla.) and Emma Hasco (Upper St. Clair, Pa.) joined the Penn State women's soccer family earlier this semester.

"We are incredibly excited about our class of 2016," head coach Erica Dambach said. "Each of these players brings a wealth of talent and experience and will help us to build on the success of this past season. Most importantly they are tremendous additions to our Penn State Soccer family environment and will help to strengthen our incredible culture."

Becca Hamilton
Defender | 5-8 | Howell, New Jersey | Howell HS/PDA

BEFORE PENN STATE
 Played high school soccer for Howell High School...During her time with Howell soccer, Hamilton was a four-time letterwinner...Named the Howell High School Rookie of the Year (2012)...Two-time team captain...Three-time team MVP...Two-time First Team All-Shore Conference honoree (2014-15)...Received all-state honors in 2015...Also was a four-year letterwinner in basketball and golf...Played club soccer for PDA...PDA won the ECNL National Championship in 2015...Two-time ECNL conference champions (2014-15)...Was named to the TopDrawerSoccer 2015 ECNL National Finals U17 Best XI.

PERSONAL
 Rebecca Hamilton was born on August 26, 1998, in Red Bank, New Jersey...Parents are David and Michelle...Siblings are Brittany and Marissa...Plans to major in business.

WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
 "From the moment I first walked onto the beautiful campus it felt like home. Penn State has a great academic reputation that will set me up to succeed in life. I really respect the coaching staff because of their passion, winning mentality and competitive drive to win championships. Penn State provides everything I'm looking for."

Madison Moroi
Forward | 5-5 | New Albany, Ohio | Ohio Premier

BEFORE PENN STATE
 Did not play high school soccer...Played club soccer for Ohio Premier...Her club team finished fifth in the nation in 2013...Ohio Premier won back-to-back USYSA Ohio State Cup titles.

PERSONAL
 Madison Takara Moroi was born on October 7, 1997, in New Albany, Ohio...Parents are Cora Moroi and Shige Moroi...Has one sibling, Morgan...Plans to major in biology.

WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
 "Penn State has a strong reputation for athletic excellence and a dream of mine is to play for a top NCAA Division I soccer program and hopefully contribute to a national championship. The coaches and players at Penn State are the top in women's soccer and are great people. In my communications and visits they made me feel comfortable and motivated; and they are mentors I hope to emulate one day. When I stayed at the Penn State Women's Soccer ID Camp, it felt like home to me; and I knew then that I wanted to be a Nittany Lion!"

Bristol Pizzuto
Goalkeeper | 6-1 | Whitehouse Station, New Jersey | Hunterdon Central HS/PDA Nitro

BEFORE PENN STATE
 Played high school for Hunterdon Central...Played club soccer for PDA Nitro...Her club team finished as a semifinalist in the National Premier League in 2015...Three-year starter in net for Hunterdon Central...Tallied 264 saves in her high school career and recorded 28 shutouts...Recorded 98 saves and 10 shutouts during her senior year for Hunterdon Central...2015 Hunterdon Democrat All-Area Team...Named the 2015 Hunterdon Democrat Player of the Year...Hunterdon Central won the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex county title three times.

PERSONAL
 Bristol Pizzuto was born on July 15, 1998, in New Brunswick, New Jersey...Parents are Carmen and Debbie...Has five siblings, Jen, Michelle, Emily, Charlotte and Isabelle...Plans to major in biology or kinesiology.

WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
 "When I got the opportunity to commit to Penn State it was like a dream come true. The academics along with the campus are great! What really sold me was training with the outstanding coaching staff at the summer camp, meeting the team, and getting a feel of the life of a Penn State women's soccer player. The coaches and everyone who works with you at Penn State really care about you and want you to excel to the best of your ability. After visiting the school, I knew nothing could top it."

Laura Suero
Defender | 5-6 | Royersford, Pennsylvania | Spring-Ford HS/FC Bucks Freedom

BEFORE PENN STATE
 Played high school soccer for Spring-Ford...Spring Ford won the PAC 10 Tournament twice (2013-14)...2015 PAC 10 Liberty Division champions...2013 PIAA AAA state finalists...PIAA AAA state quarterfinalists in 2014 and 2015...Four-time recipient of the team defensive MVP award...PAC-10 Second Team All-Conference as a freshman (2012)...Three-time PAC-10 First Team All-Conference honoree (2013-15)...Three-time Pottstown Mercury All-Area First Team (2013-15)...Two-time All Southeastern Pennsylvania Team (2014-15)...2014 Gatorade Player of the Year Nominee...2015 Pottstown Mercury All-Area Player of the Year...2015 East All-American Team...Played club soccer for FC Bucks Freedom...FC Bucks Freedom made the national final eight in 2013 and won the Northeast Conference championship in 2014.

PERSONAL
 Laura Emma Suero was born on January 20, 1998, in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania...Parents are Beth and Neil...Has one sibling, Nicholas...Plans to major in recreation, park, and tourism management.

WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
 "I chose Penn State because they have an amazing academic program, a high level soccer program, and the best coaching staff. Also, the atmosphere at Penn State is welcoming and I knew it was the school for me."

Sarafina Valenti
Goalkeeper | 5-6 | Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania | Boyertown HS/Berks Ajax

BEFORE PENN STATE
 Played high school soccer for Boyertown...Four-time Pac-10 First Team All-Conference honoree (2012-15)...2015 All-Southeast Pennsylvania All-State Team...2015 Regional All-American ...Reading Eagle's Tri-County Girls Soccer Player of the Year in 2015...Tallied 52 shutouts during her four-year career in net for Boyertown...Played club soccer for Berks Ajax...During her time with Berks Ajax, Valenti won numerous championships, including the 2015 Bloomberg U-17 Showcase, 2015 U-17 Mason-Dixon Cup, 2014 Horizon Indoor Cup and the 2014 FC Delco Players Cup - Premier Division.

PERSONAL
 Sarafina Rosemarie Valenti was born on August 8, 1998, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...Parents are Isabella & the late Thomas Valenti...Has four siblings, Isabella, Nicole, Angela and Marie...Plans to major in aerospace engineering.

WHY I CHOSE PENN STATE
 "Penn State has one of the top engineering programs in the country. The women's soccer program is second to none. My oldest sister graduated from Penn State as a bio-medical engineer and I have always loved coming here to visit her."