Coastal Women's Soccer announces 2018 recruiting class

The Coastal Carolina women’s soccer program will feature seven new freshmen in the 2018 season as the program announced their latest recruiting class on Feb. 13.

The latest recruiting class is made up of an evenly mixed group of forwards, midfielders and defenders. Five different states are featured in this recruiting class – South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, Georgia and Virginia.

Head Coach Paul Hogan gave his thoughts on the latest recruiting class.

“First and foremost, we like these kids,” said Hogan. “We have gotten to know them for a couple years. Women’s soccer recruiting starts very early and a lot these players committed to us when they were juniors. They definitely filled up a lot of voids for us.”

Of the 16 players of the combined recruiting classes of 2017 and 2018, seven of them are from the states of Georgia and Virginia.

Hogan talked about what it is like getting players that are in close proximity to the campus of Coastal Carolina.

“Any time that you can get kids where their parents can come and see them play a lot it makes a difference,” said Hogan. “Georgia has been really good to us, giving us players like Mackenzie Gibbs, Kendal Parks, Brooke Horist and Ambria Shutts. This year, we have Mackenzie Cherry and Caiden Price. Concord Soccer Club, a select soccer program in Georgia, has been very good to us.”

Loranna Austin, a forward from Blythewood, South Carolina, is lone recruit from the Palmetto State while midfielders Gianna Flowers and Brayleigh Jones are from North Carolina. Emilia Leturgez is a defender and midfielder hails from Point Pleasant, NJ and Jordan Farley rounds out the recruiting class and is a defender from Chesapeake, Va.

Rylee Atteberry, last season’s starting goalkeeper who was named Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week on numerous occasions, gave her take on the new recruits.

“When you lost who we lost after last season, our coaching staff did a really good job of going out and getting the players we need for the new season,” said Atteberry. “I have been able to meet a few of the players and they are extremely talented and I am looking forward to practicing with them.”

Atteberry finished last season with 78 saves, which is sixth all-time on saves in a single season in Coastal Carolina history. She also allowed only 27 goals last season, which is ninth all-time on goals allowed in a single season in Coastal history.

Elisabeth Rockhill, a returning player from last year’s freshman class, also gave her take on the new class and talked about how last season prepared her to teach the new recruits.

“We have some great players coming in, especially from an attacking standpoint,” said Rockhill. “I’m looking forward to being able to help them out in progressing their game and giving them advice.”