July 31, 2009
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's soccer program has added Grace Shevlin, Hayley Marsh and Kaitlyn McCluney to the team, head coach Mike Friesen announced Friday. All three arrive on Montezuma Mesa having played on the Division I level and will be eligible to play this season.
Shevlin, who will be a junior in 2009, comes to SDSU after spending her freshman and sophomore campaigns at Long Beach State. The San Diego native helped the 49ers to a share of the Big West Conference regular season championship as a freshman, while playing in 15 matches and making 13 starts. That season, LBSU posted a record of 13-7-0 (6-2-0). As a sophomore, Shevlin played on a Long Beach State team that posted a record of 14-5-4 (7-0-1) and won the Big West regular season title. Despite falling in the conference tournament championship game, the 49ers earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
"Grace Shevlin is a very technical and creative player, who started for Long Beach State in the NCAA Tournament last year," Friesen said. "She will mostly play in the midfield and will spend some time up front for us. We are extremely excited to have a San Diego Surf player in our program."
Marsh, hailing from Littleton, Colo., arrives at San Diego State having led Western Kentucky to a 15-2-4 (7-1-3 Sun Belt) record as a freshman last season. Playing and starting all 21 games, Marsh tallied a team-best eight assists for the regular-season runner-up Hilltoppers. Marsh and WKU were one game away from a berth in the NCAA Tournament as they were defeated in the conference tournament title match.
"Hayley Marsh is an accomplished player having played at Western Kentucky last season and club soccer for the Colorado Rush, which has won the national championship two years in a row," Friesen said. "She is a center back, who is a very good communicator, which will be a huge help for us. Marsh is physical and good in the air."
McCluney, from Fullerton, Calif., spent her freshman season at Tulsa where the Golden Hurricane finished with an 8-9-3 (3-6-2 Conference USA) record. A goalkeeper, McCluney played in just one game, logging 45 minutes of action after a prep career at Lutheran High which included all-Trinity League accolades and a pair of varsity letters.
"We are expecting Kaitlyn to come into camp and challenge for playing time right away," Friesen said.
The Aztecs get their season underway Friday, Aug. 21, when they play host to Fresno State at 4 p.m. PT at SDSU Sports Deck.