7/3/2003 - Women's Soccer
Navy Soccer?s Freshman Class Ranked No. 55

ANNAPOLIS, Md. ? Ten players will make up the Navy women?s soccer freshman class this fall which is ranked as the nation?s 55th-best recruiting class according to SoccerBuzz magazine. Additionally, Navy?s recruiting class is listed No. 11 in the Mid-Atlantic Region, the same region the Midshipmen finished the season ranked among the top 10 a year ago. Nearly 300 Div-I schools will sponsor women?s soccer this fall. Last year, there were 287 programs, while this season 12 programs have been added to increase the number to 299.

?I expect our freshmen to not only add depth to our team this fall, but many of them will challenge our upperclassmen for starting positions,? said 11th-year Navy head coach Carin Gabarra.

The 10-member freshman class includes local product Meggie Curran (Silver Spring, Md.) who led Our Lady of Good Counsel in Wheaton, Md., to four-consecutive Washington Catholic League championships with a combined 90-8-4 record. A Washington Post First-Team All-Met midfielder as a senior, Curran was also a member of the Bethesda Fury Soccer Club which claimed the 2001 state, region and national championship.

?Meggie comes from a national championship club team and will step in an make an impact almost immediately,? said Gabarra.

Woodbridge, Va., native Carmen Myers will provide strength at midfield. She helped guide Woodbridge High School to the 2000 state championship with an undefeated 21-0-0 record and the country?s top billing. The all-region member led the ?02 squad to second place in the state championship.

Colorado Storm club standouts Molly Burd, (Englewood, Colo.) and Kristi Coonfare (Aurora, Colo.) will continue their connection at the Naval Academy. Burd led Cherry Creek High School to the 2001 state championship with a 14-1-0 mark while garnering all-conference recognition as a senior. A 2003 First-Team All-State (Colo.) selection as a senior, Coonfare helped lead Smoky Hills High School to the 2002 and ?03 Centennial League Championships.

?Carmen, Molly and Kristi all come from clubs and high schools that have competed at a high level,? said Gabarra. ?I?m looking forward to the fall and seeing how the newcomers and veteran players mesh.?

A full listing of Navy?s 2003 recruiting class is as follows:

Kani Brownlee M/D 5-9 Fr. Kennesaw, Ga. (Sprayberry)

Molly Burd M 5-7 Fr. Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek)

Kristi Coonfare D 5-6 Fr. Aurora, Colo. (Smoky Hills)

Meggie Curran M 5-5 Fr. Silver Spring, Md. (Our Lady of Good Counsel)

Lindsay Duncan D 5-2 Fr. Redondo Beach, Calif. (South Torrance)

Kate Huppmann F 5-8 Fr. Emerald Isle, N.C. (Swansboro)

Austin Jones G 5-6 Fr. Nashville, Tenn. (The Harpeth School)

Emily Laraway M 5-5 Fr. Long Valley, N.J. (West Morris Central)

Lauren McCabe D 5-4 Fr. Encinatas, Calif. (La Costa Canyon)

Carmen Myers M 5-6 Fr. Woodbridge, Va. (Woodbridge)

G-o N-a-v-y