St. John's University Athletics
Women's Soccer Welcomes 16 For 2010
5/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
May 25, 2010
QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's head women's soccer coach Ian Stone has announced that 16 players will be joining the Red Storm for the highly anticipated 2010 campaign. Sarah Ashmore, Emily Brandon, Lauren Ferris, Jen Gibbons, Hailey Hemmer, Rachel Hoffman, Michelle Iannacchino, Lauren Manna, Casey Marks, Amy Marron, Michelle Murino, Francisca Okoko, Sandra Osborn, Madison Pellegrino, Kristina Quan and Morgan Ritter will start their college careers with St. John's in the fall of 2010.
"I am very excited about the incoming freshmen," Stone said. "They all bring different talents and characteristics to the program and will add a different dimension to the team. The underclassmen will have a chance to grow and learn from a team that earned its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance and has advanced to four straight BIG EAST Tournaments."
Sarah Ashmore • M/F • Fossil Ridge High School
A midfielder/forward from Fort Collins, Colo., Ashmore's contributions on the field helped lead her squad to the Colorado State Finals in 2007 and 2009. A very athletic player with good speed, she guided her team to the USA Cup Championship in 2006.
Emily Brandon • M/D • Suncoast Community High School
A two-time team captain of her high school squad and a three-time captain of her club team, Space Coast United, Brandon led her teams to championships during her tenure. She capped her senior year at Suncoast Community by leading her team to the District 4A Championship. A native of Wellington, Fla., She led Space Coast United to the Texas Showcase title in 2007 and the Disney Showcase championship in 2008, and earned the most MVP awards in the Region 3 Premier League in 2008.
Lauren Ferris • GK • Mt. Sinai High School
A goalkeeper from Mt. Sinai, N.Y., Ferris earned Suffolk County All-League honors in 2008 and 2009, and guided her squad to an undefeated record in league championship action. An Eastern New York ODP team member from 2004-09, she helped lead her team to the 2009 Region I ODP Tournament Finals. Playing club ball for the Albertson Fury, she anchored her squad as it won the NY State Cup Championship in 2009. She was also a member of the Region I Pool from 2006-07.
Jen Gibbons • M/D • Bellport High School
Out of Bellport, N.Y., Gibbons captained Bellport High for two years and earned All-New York State and All-Suffolk County accolades during that time. She is a familiar face to fellow incoming freshmen Ferris and Iannacchino, as they played club ball for Albertson Fury. Gibbons' strong play guided the Fury to the Region I finals in 2009 and to the Eastern NY State Cup Championship in 2009. A Region I Pool player, she was selected for the 2009 Inter-Regional event.
Hailey Hemmer • M/D • Saint Ursula Academy
Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, Hemmer played club ball for the Ohio Elite. A top midfielder and defender, Hemmer's tactical play on the field guided the Ohio Elite to the US Club Regionals, in addition to participating in the Red Bull National League in 2009.
Rachel Hoffman • M/F • Liberty High School
A four-year starter for Liberty High, Hoffman played club ball for Lehigh Valley United, captaining the team. Hoffman helped lead her squad to the Bethesda Tournament championship in 2009 thanks to her ability to cover the field and ignite the offense. At age 16, the Bethlehem, Pa., native was selected to the Eastern Pennsylvania ODP.
Michelle Iannacchino • D • Somers High School
One of the top defenders out of New York and Somers High in Somers, N.Y., Iannacchino earned all-county honors from 2007-09 and was an all-state selection in 2009. A team captain her junior and senior seasons, she played club ball for the Albertson Fury. She, along with Gibbons and Ferris, helped guide the Fury to the Region I finals in 2009 and to the Eastern NY State Cup Championship in 2009.
Lauren Manna • M/D • Bridgewater Raritan High School
A highly-touted midfielder/defender out of Martinsville, N.J., Manna has played in four New Jersey State Cup finals. Manna also played in the National League from 2009-10, in addition to being a part of the New Jersey ODP State team from 2008-09. She also helped lead her club team, the Montclair Thunderbolts, to a State Cup championship in 2009.
Casey Marks • F/D • Massapequa High School
A 2009 all-conference honoree, Marks was a versatile player and solid all-around contributor for Massapequa High, guiding her team to the Nassau County championship from 2007-09. She was a starter for the Eastern NY ODP team in 2009 and led her squad to the Region I ODP finals that same year. Marks, who hails from Massapequa Park, N.Y., played club ball for HBC Arsenal Intense.
Amy Marron • M/F • Westlake High School
A prolific scorer on the field, Marron is the New York Section I varsity all-time record holder with 139 goals scored. A Westlake High team captain in 2007, Marron is a three-time NSCAA High School Regional All-American, a three-time all-county first team selection and a four-time all-league and all-section honoree. The Valhalla, N.Y., native, led her club teams, the FC Killer Bees and the Syosset Sting, to state championships in 2007 and 2009, and guided her U16 squad to a 2009 state and regional championship.
Michelle Murino • M/D • Connetquot High School
Listed as an ESPN RISE Top 22 High School Player in New York State, Murino comes from Connetquot High School in Bohemia, N.Y., where she was an all-Long Island selection in 2009 and an all-county honoree in 2008 and 2009. Playing club ball for the HBC Arsenal Intense, she led her team to the Eastern NY State Cup championship in 2007 and 2008, and to the finals in 2009.
Francisca Okoko • F • Arundel High School
Out of Arundel High School in Gambrills, Md., Okoko guided her team to the Anne Arundel County Championship in 2008 and to the 4A East Regional Finals in 2008. A first team all-county selection and all-state honoree in 2008, she played for the Maryland ODP for three years and led her squad to a first-place finish in the regional championship in 2007 and 2008. A Region I Pool player, she was selected to the Inter-Regional squad in 2008 and 2009.
Sandra Osborn • M/D • Lake Stevens High School
A midfielder/defender out of Lake Stevens High, Osborn has been a four-year all-state honoree, earning second team accolades in 2006-07 and first team honors 2008-09. Playing club ball for the Northwest Nationals, the Lake Stevens, Wash., native helped lead her squad to a state championship in 2008. Osborn went to the same high school as current Red Storm women's soccer player Raelynne Lee.
Madison Pellegrino • F/M • Sabis International Charter School
A forward from Springfield, Mass., Pellegrino was an all-state honoree from 2005-08 and an all-Western Massachusetts selection from 2004-08. Team captain at Sabis International Charter School in 2008 and 2009, she led her team to the Western Mass finals in 2008 and to two semifinal appearances in 2006 and 2007. She also holds the school record in scoring with 166 points. Pellegrino is a Massachusetts ODP player and was a Region I ODP player.
Kristina Quan • M/F • Dr. E.P Scarlett High School
Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Quan was the 2009 MVP of her high school soccer academy. Playing mostly club ball with the SWU Pride, she was a big contributor in leading her squad to 12 City of Calgary championships, five Alberta (State) Provincial titles and to three Provincial championships.
Morgan Ritter • M/F • Notre Dame High School
An offensive threat, Ritter can do it all on the field, as she led Notre Dame High in scoring her junior and senior years with 19 and 11 goals, respectively, and closed out her career ranked No. 3 on her school's all-time scoring list. A team captain her senior year, the Northridge, Calif., native garnered all-league honors two-consecutive years. Playing club ball for Valley United, she guided her squad to the 2009 Slammer's Tournament championship and to the 2008 Pleasanton Rage Showcase title.
