Emory University Head Women's Soccer Coach Sue Patberg has announced the team's incoming freshman class, a talented group of 12 players who will join the team for the fall of 2014.
Melinda Altamore – West Windsor, NJ – West Windsor Plainsboro South High School – Hibernian Fusion
Altamore is a four-year varsity starter for the West Windsor Plainsboro South High School squad, earning the team' overall Most Valuable Player honor once, and the Offensive Most Valuable Player award twice. In 2013, she was selected as one of the top-20 players in Central Jersey, in addition to earning spots on the All-State, All-County and All-Conference Second Teams. A senior captain, Altamore is also a student council representative and a member of the National Honor Society.
Melissa Ardizzone – Chappaqua, NY – Horace Greely High School – NY Rush
Ardizzone has been a member of the Horace Greely varsity team since the 2010 campaign, earning all-league honors from 2011-13, all-section selections in 2012-13, and an all-state award in 2012. She served as the varsity team captain in 2013, helping lead her team to the Section Semifinals. She has additionally been a member of the NY Rush club squad since 2008, including a stint as the team captain and leading the team to numerous championships, while also playing with the ENY ODP and the RUSH National Select Team. Off the field, she has been a member of the student government and a Midnight Run Executive during her junior and senior years, and a member of the Students Have a Responsibility Everywhere (SHARE) council her senior year. Ardizzone won the Class Advisor Award her junior year, and was a African Asian Anti-Poverty Association (AAAPA) Leader , sending books and school supplies to school in Uganda and Thailand through the EDUCATE program.
Kaitlyn Dorka – Vienna, VA – James Madison High School – FC Virginia ECNL
Dorka has been the captain of the James Madison High School team since 2011, and has been named to the All-Liberty District First Team in 2013 and was an All-Region Honorable Mention from 2012-13. In addition, she was nominated for the ECNL Combine/ id2 Player in 2012. Dorka helped the Washington Freedom finished first in the Super-Y Mid-Atlantic in 2009 and 2010, and was a Tampa Nationals finalist in 2010. She has also garnered a Scholar Athlete Award from 2010-13, and is a Feds Feed Family Food Drive leader, collecting over 500 pounds of canned food in 2012.
Teresa Durham – Atlanta, GA – North Atlanta High School – Tophat
The only local member of the incoming Emory class, Durham has been a member of the Tophat Soccer Club since 2005, helping her team to the Georgia State Championship in both 2012 and 2013. In addition, the club won the Region III Premier League Championship and the Southern Premier League Championship in both 2012 and 2013. Academically, she has been in the top-10% of her high school class and been named to the Principal's List Academic Honor Roll all four years. She was inducted into North Atlanta's chapter of the National Honor Society and elected Treasurer. Durham is also an International Baccalaureate Diploma candidate, and has served in Student Government and as a Children's Ministry volunteer at her church since freshman year.
Blair Ely – Nashville, TN – St. Cecilia Academy – TFC
Ely has been the top scorer at St. Cecilia Academic all four years, and broke the school record with 115 total goals. She is a two-year captain, earning Best Offensive Player and Player of the Year honors, while also claiming selections to the All-District, All-Region and All-State teams. Ely has been an active member of her high school's student government, serving as the Student Body President this year. She has also participated in a medical mission to Haiti, among many other community service and volunteer efforts, and is a Dominican Cross Service Award Winner. Additionally, she is an avid artist, winning numerous awards for her work.
Emily Franty – McMurray, PA – Peters Township High School – Century United
Franty was a four-year letter winning forward at Peters Township High School, where she was coached by Pat Vereb. She helped the team to State Championships in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and scored the game-winning goal in the 2012 championship match. The forward was named the team captain in 2013, while earning all-section recognition in 2012 and All-WPIAL honors in 2013. Franty has spent three years with the Pennsylvania West Olympic Development Program and helped lead her club team, Century United, to the Pennsylvania West and Region I Colonial League Championships, and to the United States Region I Semifinals. In the classroom, she is a four-year recipient of the Academic Achievement Award and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Lizzie Garrett Currie – Chicago, IL – Chicago Lab School – Eclipse Select ECNL
Garrett Currie is a six-year member of the Eclipse Select Soccer Club, playing year round as a member of the ECNL from 2010-14, where she was coaches by Rory Dames. She helped her team reach the Illinois State Cup finals and win the Midwest Regional Championship in 2011, while also advancing to the USYSA National Championships and placing fifth in the nation. Her squad achieved top-10 finishes in the ECNL each season from 2011-13, and were the champions at the 2014 Disney Showcase. Garrett Currie won the Chicago Lab School's English Award in 2011 and Chemistry Award in 2012, and was selected to the Peer Leadership Program during her senior year.
Anna Gurney – Bethesda, MD – Walt Whitman High School – Bethesda SC ECNL
Gurney is a four-year starter for the Walt Whitman High School varsity squad, leading the team in scoring for three of those seasons. She has been named to the All-Gazette Second Team and an All-Met Honorable Mention, and helped her team to the State Championship in 2013, scoring both goals in the championship match. Gurney plays club soccer for the Bethesda Freedom95 ECNL team, which was a State Cup Finalist in 2010 and 2011, and the Region 1 Colonial League Champion in 2010. She was on the Maryland Olympic Development team from 2009-12, including a role as the team's center midfielder in 2011 and helping the squad reach the finals of the Region 1 Rider Tournament. She also made a trip to Denmark and Sweden with the ODP squad in 2010. Gurney was also issued the Scholar Athlete Award for outstanding academic and athletic achievement, and is an AP Scholar Award winner. She participated in a two week mission trip to Costa Rica in 2013, helping to run a camp for underprivileged children.
Anu Kafi – McLean, VA – Langley High School – ECNL FC Virginia
Kafi is a four year varsity letter winner, starter and scholar athlete for the Langley High School squad, and was selected as the team's captain for the upcoming spring campaign. In addition, she has played club soccer for ECNL FC Virginia since 2009, serving as a team captain and helping lead the team to the Final Four of the State Cup in 2010. Kafi was selected to the DC ELITE Training Alliance Team in 2011. Off the field, she volunteers as a junior trainer with the Great Falls Soccer Club, working with kids ages six through 16, has spent over 100 hours working as a peer tutor in a children's hospital, and is a member of the National, Spanish, Math, Leadership and Science Honor Societies.
Katarina Pibl – Cary, NC – Grace Christian High School – CASL ECNL
Pibl has been a two-year captain of the Grace Christian High School team, and was the conference player of the year in 2012 and a two-time leading scorer. She is a three-time all-conference player, a two-time conference all-tournament selection, and the conference championship tournament most valuable player in 2011. She has helped lead her club team to qualify for the ECNL Nationals from 2011-13 and the North Carolina State Championship in 2011, while also attending ODP Region III Camps in 2009 and 2012. Pibl has gone on mission trips to both Belize and Uganda, while performing extensive additional community service during her time in high school. She is her school's valedictorian, in addition to earning the AP Scholar with Honor Award and the ACSI Distinguished Christian High School Award in Academics in 2013. Pibl is also a member of the National Honors Society, the Beta Club and the Art Club.
Bahar Ulusan – Bethesda, MD – Walt Whitman High School – MD Rush
A high school teammate of fellow class of 2018 member Anna Gurney, Ulusan also helped lead Walt Whitman to the State Championship in 2013. She was also an AP National Scholar Award winner last year, and volunteers weekly as a reading tutor.
Lindsay Wilson – Lafayette, CA – Campolindo High School – Lamorinda United
Wilson played for the Campolindo High School varsity squad, where she was coached by Ernesto Silva and won the Scholar Athlete award each of her four years. She helped lead her team to the DFAL Championship in 2013. Wilson also played club soccer for Lamorinda Soccer Club under coach Pedro Osorio serving as the team's starting outside back. She helped her club team win the NorCal NPL Championship, Las Vegas Players Showcase Championship, US Club National Championship (NPL), and USYSA State Championship in 2013, while also leading the squad to back-to-back US Club Regional Champions in 2012 & 2013. She traveled with her club team to Europe in 2012 posting a 10-1 record, reaching the quarterfinals of the Gothia Cup in Sweden, and winning the Denmark International Football Festival Championship. With Wilson on the squad, Lamorinda United was ranked first in both the state and the region, and 13th in the Nation, in December 2013. Academically, Wilson received the English Department award her sophomore year, and served as the Lifestyle Editor for her school's newspaper senior year.
