Women's Soccer Signs 10

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida soccer team made tremendous strides for the 2010 season, signing 10 players out of high school to join the roster next fall. All 10 signees are from the state of Florida and share the accolades and experience to bring UNF soccer to the next level as they set their sights on the Atlantic Sun Championship.

In the 2010 signing class, the Ospreys inked Heather Botelho, Kelly Carlton, Nicole Carter Alyssa Doheny, Megan Dorsey, Taylor Gillespie, Lauren Hopfensperger, Thea Linkfield, Keara Murphy and Brianna Swift.

"I am really excited about this particular signing class," said head coach Linda Hamilton. "All of these players will bring their unique skills to compete at the Division I level and bring balance and depth to our team. We are young and we are developing a soccer program here at UNF that will compete every year for our conference title. By bringing in the best recruits, it will continue our mission to be the best team in the conference year after year. I believe that this talented class is the first step to our consistency."

Reaching players in the North Melbourne, Fla. region, the Space Coast United club soccer team has provided UNF with three players. Dorsey, Botelho and Murphy played together on Space Coast, going to the final four in the state cup championships three years in a row (2007-09).

In addition, Dorsey and Murphy were chosen recently to the All-Space Coast girls soccer first team.

Dorsey is the first from her high school to receive a scholarship to play soccer at the Division I level. The Melbourne, Fla. native played goalkeeper for Palm Bay High School, recording 230 saves in her senior season, averaging more than 10 a game.

The 5-foot-11 goalkeeper was selected as both MVP and team captain during her junior and senior seasons. Dorsey participated as a goalkeeper in the Olympic Development Program from 2005-08. Dorsey also played on the MEGU club soccer teams from U9 all the way to U18.

Murphy hails from Melbourne Beach, Fla. where she played varsity midfielder for four seasons at West Shore Junior/Senior High School. She finished her senior season with 10 goals and 14 assists. In 2007 and 2008, she was selected as a Florida 3A Regional Soccer Finalist.

Murphy also excelled in track and field, lettering in her sophomore year. Along with being a captain on the field, Murphy has led by example in the classroom, receiving the West Shore's Academic “Excellence Achieved” award all four years of high school.

Botelho played center midfielder at Bayside High School. The Palm Bay, Fla. native led Brevard County (Cape Coast Conference) in assists in the 2009 regular season. In her junior year she recorded the most assists in the county by a male or female. Botelho's four year campaign at Bayside will be remembered for her school and county single-season record setting 37 assists.

During her junior season Botelho received Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year and MVP for her team. In her final year (2009-10) at Bayside, Botelho helped lead her team to the team's first Class 6A District Championship.

Botelho also made an impact in the classroom, making the honor roll all four years and earning the District Area 1 award for academic excellence and volunteer work. In the community, she participated as president in the Space Coast Embassy Program where she helped provide soccer equipment to children in need from Haiti, the Ukraine and locally.

Developing their skills together on the Real Salt Lake Florida club soccer team, Linkfield and Carter will come to UNF with a good feel for one another, after winning the State Cup Championships in 2008.

A varsity letter winner at Countryside High School four years, Linkfield spent most of her career playing outside midfield. In her senior year, Linkfield scored 33 goals and had 15 assists en route to being selected as her team's MVP.

The Safety Harbor, Fla. native, was a member of the National Honor Society.

Carter, a St. Petersburg native, was a four year letter winner at St. Petersburg High School. Playing as outside midfielder, Carter was the assist leader her last three seasons. During her senior year, Carter tallied 20 assists and seven goals en route to helping her team to the Pinellas County Athletic Conference Championship.

In addition, Carter was selected First Team All-County for her ball crossing ability. She was recognized in the 2010 Bright House Sports Network Senior Soccer Challenge and selected to the Super Y National ODP Team for the 2009 season. Academically, Carter was the Ebony Award and Doorway Scholarship winner.

Coach Hamilton, catering to the local contingent, has brought in three local players from the North Florida region. Hopfensperger, Swift and Gillespie were recently selected to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-Star North team.

Hopfensperger joins the Ospreys from St. Augustine, Fla. where she played for Pedro Menendez High School all four years. As a forward, she totaled 175 goals throughout her career, breaking the St. John's County career scoring record.

Hopfensperger was named to the 2009 Florida 4A All-State team after tallying 51 goals in a season and was selected as the Falcons' MVP three times. Being on the A-B honor roll, Hopfensperger played club soccer for seven seasons at JYSC in Jacksonville, Fla. and was a state cup finalist in U15.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Swift comes to North Florida with many accolades. While playing at Bartram Trail High School, Swift accumulated 73 goals, 63 assists and helped her team to compile a record of 90-8-10 during her four year campaign as a starter. In her senior year, Swift helped lead her team to a District 4A State Champion runner-up.

Swift also made tremendous strides in the classroom where she was a part of DECA, an international association that focuses on studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship skills in business. Brianna Swift chose the same university as her older sister, Katelin. Katelin is a former soccer player at UNF (2006-09), she is fifth on the Ospreys' all-time career records list with 30 goals and was the only Division I player at UNF to be announced as an ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 First Team recipient.

Gillespie, a teammate of Swift at Bartram Trail, earned All-Conference in 2007and was selected to the 2008 and 2009 Times Union First Team. In addition, Gillespie was recently nominated 2009 All-Region First Team.

Carlton, a defender, comes to UNF from Forest High School in Ocala, Fla. During her high school campaign, she played three years on varsity after missing her freshman year due to an injury. In her junior year, she helped lead a defense that allowed only three goals during the regular season. In the spring of 2009, she played on the Gainesville Soccer Alliance, where she played defense and midfield.

Throughout her soccer career, Carlton has been recognized for her performance on the field and in the classroom. She received the Marion County Interscholastic Athletic Conference award and All-Conference First Team honors in 2008 and 2009. She was selected all-area in 2008 and to the First Team Class 5A All-State Team the same year. Carlton also was chosen to the 2008 Florida Class 5A Academic State Champion Team. Academically, Carlton was a part of the National Honors Society Leadership Board.

Doheny joins the Ospreys as a walk-on from Largo, Fla. Doheny was a four year starter and a three year captain as a goalkeeper at Pinellas Park High School. Of this year's signees she is one of two goalkeepers signed. Doheny, in the net had a save percentage above 85 percent, while having faced over 800 shots during her high school career. While playing club soccer with the Clearwater Chargers, Doheny played in 75 games, made 514 saves and recorded 40 shutouts.

In her career she received the Pinellas Park High School Rookie of the Year award. Doheny was chosen to the St. Petersburg Times All-County team, Pinellas County Athletic Conference team, as well as multiple All-Conference nominations. In addition she earned the Pinellas Park High School Team “Life Time” award.

Doheny is a member of the National Honor Society and is a sergeant of the Pinellas Park Police Explorer program. Doheny has shown her involvement in the community with her participation in the Florida Public Service Association's State Competition team.

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