Feb. 3, 2010
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's soccer program signed six standouts to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday, head coach Mike Friesen announced. The class will be on campus in time for the 2010 season, one in which the Aztecs will look to defend their Mountain West Conference tournament championship.
On the first day of the signing period, SDSU inked Rachel Boaz, Zoe Carroll, Megan Erskine, Carli Johnson, Haley Palmer and Monique Rootsaert.
"We are very excited about this recruiting class," Friesen said. "We feel like we have addressed our needs for next fall and that we will be an even more talented group than we were last year.
"This is a very talented group, but they are also a very fun group. I am excited to be able to coach them and to be a part of their lives on a day-to-day basis for the next four years."
Boaz, a goalkeeper from Murrieta, Calif., currently attends Murrieta Valley High School and plays for the highly successful So Cal Blues Soccer Club. At Murrieta Valley, Boaz helped the team reach the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section playoffs in 2007 and 2009. In 2008, Boaz was named the squad's defensive MVP, while guiding Murrieta Valley to an undefeated league season. One year later, Boaz was voted co-MVP of her team and received all-Southwestern Leage accolades after posting six shutouts, 68 saves and seven goals against in 10 league contests. In her final prep season, Boaz currently has six shutouts in seven games, while allowing just one goal.
"Rachel is a very good goalkeeper that has the potential to be exceptional," Friesen said. "She is willing to do anything that is asked of her, and continually wants to get better. She has good size and is very athletic. Rachel will be one of the top goalkeepers in our conference by the time she is finished at SDSU."
Hailing from Napa, Calif., Carroll signs with San Diego State out of Napa High School. The Mustang Soccer Club member has played on the Cal North State team in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and helped her squad win the State Cup championship in 2005 and 2006. Additionally, the midfielder guided her club team to a No. 1 national ranking in 2005 and 2006 and a No. 15 ranking in 2009. Through her first three seasons at Napa, Carroll has been on three straight MEL championship teams, named to three all-league teams and was the league's defensive player of the year in 2007 and offensive player of the year in 2009.
"Zoe is a very good player who will help us in the central midfield," Friesen said. "She has good vision on the field and has an ability to maintain possession that will help us start our attack. I have seen Zoe score from distance, which will also be an asset at the college level."
A teammate of Boaz on the So Cal Blues Soccer Club, Erskine, a midfielder, will step foot on Montezuma Mesa following her graduation from Buena High School in Ventura, Calif. At Buena, Erskine was the 2009 Channel League offensive player of the year and won the league's defensive player of the year award in 2008. Following the 2007 campaign, Erskine was a first-team all-league choice and returned to the pitch to earn all-CIF third-team accolades in 2008 and second-team all-CIF honors in 2009. In addition to her prep career, Erskine has ODP regional and state team experience beginning with the 2005 season. In 2008, Erskine won the national championship with the Region IV ODP `92 squad and was part of the 2009 ODP Regional IV team that advanced to the national championship.
"Megan will be one of the more physical, and athletic, players on our team," the 2009 MWC Coach of the Year said. "She has the ability to play at the highest levels and I am confident that her game will translate very well to the college level. She is a versatile player, but will probably spend most of her time as a holding midfielder for us."
Joining Carroll at SDSU, by way of Mustang Soccer Club, will be Carli Johnson. The Santa Rosa, Calif., native is currently attending Maria Carrillo High School and plays in the midfield. At the high school level, Johnson earned 2009 all-Empire MVP honors after her team won the league title, first-team all-league recognition her junior and senior seasons, and was named team MVP at the conclusion of her final campaign. In addition to the individual awards, Johnson was a four-year varsity letterwinner and two-time team captain. At the club level, Johnson was a five-time team captain while playing for Santa Rosa United (2000-09) and Mustang Soccer Club (2009-10). The ODP regional camp participant won the U.S. club soccer national championship in 2005 and has experience playing in the Cal North State Cup where she helped her team advance to the semifinals in 2002, 2007 and 2009, and to the finals in 2008 when her squad achieved a No. 3 national ranking.
"Carli is a very good soccer player," Friesen said. "She has a high soccer IQ and is technical and athletic enough to have an impact on our team. Carli is a very good ball striker and a good finisher as well."
Palmer commits to San Diego State out of Windsor High School in Windsor, Calif. Palmer plays her club ball with Santa Rosa United Soccer Club. The defender has ODP state team experience and has been on teams that have enjoyed great success (2005 U.S. national champions, 2006 State Cup finalists). At Windsor, Palmer was a four-time all-league pick, earning honorable mention accolades as a freshman, first-team all-league SCL as a sophomore and junior and first-team all-Empire SCL honors as a senior.
"Haley spent most of her time as a youth player as a wide midfielder and striker," Friesen said. "She has recently converted into a wide back and we are very excited that she will be able to attack from the back line for us. Haley is very good on the dribble and has a dangerous left foot."
Rootsaert signs with the Aztecs while currently enrolled at Archbishop Mitty High School. The San Jose, Calif., product and defender is a member of the De Anza Force Soccer Club. Rootsaert is a CYSA Cal North `91 State Pool player, who has played on CYSA Cal North U16 and U17 state championship squads and the 2009 GSSL title-winning club. Her teams have also advanced to the finals of the U17 Surf Cup Super Group and U17 North vs. South Premier tournaments. At Archbishop Mitty, Rootsaert has guided her squad to the Division II finals of the 2009 Central Coast Section playoffs and to the championship game of the 2009 Tri Valley Classic Invitational. On an individual level, Rootsaert garnered 2009 WCAL second-team honors, was selected to the 2007 USL North American Finals all-tourney team and chosen to compete in the U13 SuperY National ODP.
"Monique is similar to Haley (Palmer) in that she began as a midfielder or striker and has become a very good wide back," Friesen said. "I believe that Monique will be able to attack out of the back as well, and we are very excited to have players that have such an attacking mentality."
In addition to the six signees, SDSU recently added Danielle Martens, a transfer from Marquette, who is currently enrolled at San Diego State. The forward from Lee's Summit, Mo., was a top-75 recruit out of high school and played for two seasons at the Big East school. She will be eligible to play for the Aztecs in 2010.
As a freshman, Martens started 21 of the 22 games in which she played and finished second on the team in goals (3) and assists (2), while playing a major role in Marquette earning an NCAA berth. This past season, Martens suffered an injury which limited her to 13 games, one goal and one assist, while helping the Golden Eagles to a 15-5-3 record (7-3-2 Big East) and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
2010 San Diego State Women's Soccer Signing Class
Rachel Boaz
GK, Murrieta, Calif. (Murrieta Valley HS/So Cal Blues Soccer Club)
Zoe Carroll
MF, Napa, Calif. (Napa HS/Mustang Soccer Club)
Megan Erskine
MF, Ventura, Calif. (Buena HS/So Cal Blues Soccer Club)
Carli Johnson
MF, Santa Rosa, Calif. (Maria Carrillo HS/Mustang Soccer Club)
Haley Palmer
D, Windsor, Calif. (Windsor HS/Santa Rosa United Soccer Club)
Monique Rootsaert
D, San Jose, Calif. (Archbishop Mitty HS/De Anza Soccer Club)