Women's Soccer
2009 Recruiting Class

March 4, 2009

KU women's soccer announces members of 2009 recruiting class

KUTZTOWN, Pa. — The women’s soccer program, headed by coach Erik Burstein, has announced its 2009 recruiting class, which includes 16 incoming freshmen.

The Golden Bears, coming off of a PSAC playoff run and their seventh straight season of 10 or more wins, welcome in three new forwards in Molly Cooper (Palmyra/Palmyra), Stephanie Barnett (Blandon/Fleetwood) and Kelly Rozembersky (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury). Rozembersky also will play on defense for KU.

Also joining KU will be seven midfielders, who may also play at other positions. They are Sarah Black (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin), Julia DiFerdinando (Chadds Ford/Garnet Valley), Morgan Muracco (Washington Twp., N.J./Paul VI), Julie Phegley (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central), Rachel Nutto (Vernon Twp., N.J./Vernon Twp.), Rhea Weaver (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) and Megan Zimmerman (Warminster/William Tennent); defenders Candace Suter (Mifflintown/Juniata), Elyse Sultzbach (Lititz/Warwick), BrieAnn Shipkowski (Manheim/Manheim Central) and Seneca Spina (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg); and keepers Alyssa Hackelberg (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) and Megan Heerwagen (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial) also will play for KU in 2009.

KU went 12-6-2 last season, putting together streaks of eight straight wins and 11 straight games without a loss. Coach Burstein is 22-12-5 in his two years at KU, the best winning percentage in KU soccer history. Last season’s team cracked the nation’s top 25 and was in the region’s top 10 throughout the majority of the season, finishing tied for fifth.

"As our program continues to improve, it is very important we find the right mix of talent and personalities so we can continue progressing toward our goals,” Burstein said. “This class, without question, is the most talented I have ever recruited in my entire career. The overall depth and abilities of these young women are extraordinary and I am completely confident they will significantly raise the standard of play in our program. As the current players in our program continue to develop, as they do every year, we must work hard to identify and recruit only those individuals who can meet the very high demands and expectations we place on each and every player in our program. I am completely confident we have achieved that with this 2009 class. Our current squad of players, who continue to impress me each and every day, with the addition of the 2009 class, should yield some very entertaining and very exciting soccer."

The 2009 class will join a young core of players, which includes last season’s PSAC East Rookie of the Year, Chelsea Bressler (fr. Cleona/Annville-Cleona).

"The entire KU women's soccer team is very excited to welcome these 16 talented student-athletes to our family,” Burstein said. "We had a great run of results last fall, and that will be very difficult to match, but with the addition of the players in this 2009 class, we certainly have everything we need to match our achievements from last year, if not exceed them. There is no questions the 2009 season will be excited and hopefully more successful than 2008."

2009 RECRUIT CAPSULES:
Stephanie Barnett (Blandon/Fleetwood) is a four-year varsity letterwinner with Fleetwood High School, leading her team to the PIAA semifinals her sophomore year and the PIAA final her junior year. She was an all-state selection as a junior. She will complete her senior season in the spring 2009 before joining KU in the fall.

Sarah Black (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) will join the KU midfield for the 2009 season. She was a three-year varsity letter winner and team captain in her senior season at Lower Dauphin High School. She was part of the District 3 Finalist and State Semi-Finalist teams in 2006 and 2008. In 2007, Black was named a Mid-Penn 2nd team All-Star. Black also was a 2006 varsity letter winner for cross country. While at KU she plans to major in elementary education. Black was a member of the honor roll all four years, while being named to the National Honor Society, the Spanish National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars.

Molly Cooper (Palmyra/Palmyra) will join the Golden Bears at the forward position. At Palmyra High School, she is a team captain and four-year varsity starter. She holds the Palmyra freshman scoring record. Her honors include first-team Mid-Penn All Star, and All Lebanon Count, Mid-Atlantic Regional team, as well as Patriot News Big II honorable mention. She was a member of the distinguished honor roll.

Julia DiFerdinando (Chadds Ford/Garnet Valley) will join KU in the midfield. At Garnett Valley High School she was named to the All-Delco first team and the All-Central League first team her senior season. In 2005, she was an All-Delco honorable mention, leading her team in assists. She also was named to the Southern Chester County League second team.

Goalkeeper Alyssa Hackelberg (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) from Randolph High School was a three-year varsity letter winner in soccer. She was named to the all-county team in 2007 and again in 2008 along with all-conference and all-state honors. Hackelberg was named the athlete of the week twice in her career. She also was a standout softball player, receiving all-county honors in 2007 and was a three-year varsity letterwinner as well. Hackelberg, who had a 3.26 GPA and was a member of the honor roll, will major in education.

Another goalkeeper set to join the Golden Bear roster is Megan Heerwagen (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial). While playing at Brick Memorial High School, she was a two-year varsity letterwinner. Heerwagen also was a member of the A-South Championships and Sectional Championships teams. Heerwagen, a member of the distinguished honor roll and the National Honor Society, plans on majoring in education while at KU.

Morgan Muracco (Washington Twp., N.J./Paul VI) was a four-year letter winner and earned second-team all conference and second-team all parochial honors while guiding her team to three straight playoff appearances (2006-2008).

Rachel Nutto (Vernon Twp., N.J./Vernon Twp.) was a three-year letterwinner and captained her team in her senior year. In 2008, Nutto earned all league and all county first team honors and was named to the SCIL Festival all tournament team. She was also a two-year letter winner in basketball and lacrosse. A four-year honor roll student, Nutto plans to major in special education at KU.

Julie Phegley (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) was a three-year letter winner and team captain in her senior year. She helped guide Hunterdon Central to two conference championships, three county championships and was named second-team all conference in her senior year. Phegley was also a member of the PDA Pride who finished runner-up in the 2005/2006 US Youth Soccer National Championships. She plans to major in elementary education at KU.

Kelly Rozembersky (Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury) is a four-year varsity letterwinner with Roxbury High School, where she was a All-Morris County first team selection and All-Area first team selection all four years. She was named to the All State Group 3 third team in 2007 and 2008 and the second team in 2009. She was a member of the Iron Hills Iron Division Conference champions all four years and a state finalist in 2006. In 2009, she served as Roxbury’s team captain, winning the Coach’s Award and MVP Defender award. She will major in psychology.

BrieAnn Shipkowski (Maheim/Manheim Central) is a four-year varsity letterwinner at Manheim Central High School, being selected as a first team all-star her junior year. She will complete her senior season in the spring 2009 before joining KU in the fall.

Seneca Spina (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) was a three-year letter winner and earned first-team all Skyline Conference, first-team all county and third-team all west jersey honors at Phillipsburg High School. A High Honor Roll student, Seneca plans to major in finance at KU.

A first-team all star while at Warwick High School, Elyse Sultzbach (Lititz/Warwick) will join the Golden Bear defense that held opponents to a 1.01 goals against average.

Candace Suter (Mifflintown/Juniata) will be another addition to the KU defensive unit. She is a member of the Juniata High School, where she was named to the 2008 Tri-Valley League MVP. Other honors and achievements she has received are 2007 Patriot News Honorable Mention, 2006 Juniata County Tournament MVP and was the second overall points scorer for Central Pennsylvania in 2006 and 2007.

Rhea Weaver (Hummelstown/Lower Dauphin) was a four-year letter winner in both Women’s Soccer helping her team to the district finals in both 2005 and 2008. She was also a 4 year letter winner in Cross Country. A member of the English Honor Society, Rhea plans to major in Business Management and Marketing at KU.

Megan Zimmerman (Warminster/William Tennent), a four-year varsity letter winner in both basketball and soccer will join the Golden Bears soccer team as a midfielder. In soccer, she was a third team All-Suburban One League in 2008 while at William Tennent High School. Zimmerman plans to major in Secondary Education/Math while at Kutztown. At William Tennent, she was a member of the distinguished honor roll, earning a 3.96 GPA. She was ranked 13th in a class of more than 500 students.