SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer Winthrop women's soccer recruits

As reported in today's Rock Hill Herald:

WOMEN'S SOCCER -- Coach Melissa Heinz has signed 11 players for the 2009 fall season. The coach brought in only forwards last year. This year's recruiting class is made up of six midfielders, two forwards, two defenders and a goalkeeper.

"I have never been more sure of a group of ladies to come help build our program up to the top and take us to a conference championship. I am excited to see how each of them compete on the field and achieve high off the field," Heinz said.

The 2009 women's soccer recruiting class are: Midfielders Kylie Long (Alpharetta, Ga.); Kylene Babauta (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Devon Mellichamp (Columbia); Ariel Kunde (Mesa, Ariz.); Allie Vandewater (Noblesville, Ind.); and Kathryn Leach (Alpharetta, Ga.); forwards Sydney Ransom (Concord, N.C.); and Gabrielle Corn (Cincinnati); defenders Daria Borowski (Germantown, Md.); and Becca Hamm (Cincinnati); and goalkeepers Sarah Schippers (Solon, Ohio)

Where is Devon Mellichamp (Columbia) from? What HS/club?

I was going to ask where are the SC players? From watching Winthrop the last 4 yrs, there are def some SC girls up to playing on that team.

Devon plays at Ridge View HS. She has played for Cola United in the past and most recently at Lexington.

HAving a child involved in South Carolina Soccer, I understand the statement....it is very interesting I heard at sub regionals coaches talking how weak the South Carolina pool is and how hard it is to keep SC kids in state. Most of the best players committed to LSU, Kentucky and others.

And besides Winthorp needs to recruit above the players they have and those are not in South Carolina, and if they are in SC they have committed to bigger schools.

Cause what I know about Coach Heinz is that she is trying to be competitive with the top programs...

There are many players in SC that could help the women's and men's program at Winthrop. Not as many with the men, but there are so many that would start for the women's program. I saw them play twice last year, and there are girls from all over the state that would help that program win.

Let's take a closer look at the challenges that Winthrop faces in recruiting for the women's team. As others have expressed, I would also like to see more South Carolina players on the Lady Eagles roster.

But......how many solid D1 players does the Palmetto State produce each year?

Dadof#2 mentions two players heading to LSU and Kentucky. Both of these players live in Winthrop's backyard (York County) but how does the Winthrop coach out-recruit LSU and Kentucky? Not only are both of these schools in the SEC, but both of the players being recruited probably want to go to college further than five miles from their home (only a guess).

Where is Winthrop at in the Palmetto State pecking order?

Definitely behind USC, Clemson, Furman and College of Charleston. Coastal Carolina has been consistently stronger than Winthrop in the Big South over the past five years. Wofford plays in a better conference and has a better academic reputation. Francis Marion has gotten the better of all Big South opponents in the past few years. Even Charleston Southern has now become Winthrop's equal in the BSC.

What South Carolina High School girls do you want Winthrop to recruit after USC, CU, FU, CofC, CCU, WU, FMU and CSU have had their pick of the litter? What's left? Can you expect Winthrop to compete for the Big South Championship by relying on what's left in the South Carolina talent pool? Is there enough to go around?

I think CCU may have a slight advantage over Winthrop by having a football program. Not a big one for sure but besides the beach, may be a factor. CCU seems to be getting kids from OH which is a pretty good soccer area. Once you get a few more are sure to follow once they get over the distance factor.

coastal ball,

Winthrop's leading scorer in 2006 & 2007 is from Ohio, does that mean a pipeline should be established from Rock Hill to the Buckeye state? Out-of-state recruiting has never been a problem for Winthrop as they have attracted players from Kansas, Utah, Japan and Australia.

Hurst,

Did not write my comment well....sorry. Meant to opine that having a football program at CCU may give them an edge over Winthrop as kids pick a school.

As for a Buckeye pipeline...only if its the other football.

Hurst,

Just curious... Where do the players go? USC-1,Clem-0,Furm-1,Chas-1, CCU-2. Not trying to name every school but with only 5 in state signings at the bigger schools you mentioned....is this a down year or do that many players leave home?

Off the top of my head, some of the class of 2009 is also heading to Winthrop - 1, Coker - 1, Lander - 2, Erskine - 1, CofC - 2, USC-Aiken - 1, Anderson - 1, Wofford - 1, Columbia College - 3.

I know there are more than this.

What do you mean is this a "down year"? Are you measuring it by the number of players that commit to certain in-state schools?

To me this is partially a chicken and egg argument. As in what comes first.....

Staying "home" and playing instate doesnt' seem to be a problem for the other D1 schools in the state.

Winthrop, on both the boys and the girls sides, appears to be purposefully not recruiting SC kids.

If one of my kids were being recruited to play at either USC or Winthrop and they were realistically going to be player 22 at USC and 14-16 at Winthrop as freshmen....guess where I'd be leaning them towards, everything else being equal?

The big state schools are always going to be first choice. Do UNC-W or UNC-A or UNC-C or NC State.....not recruit NC kids simply because their school isn't located in Chapel Hill? Uh, no....I don't think so.

Yes, a lot of kids want to go away to school. But the only kids in SC this effects with Winthrop are the York County kids.

Honestly.......I think it stinks that Winthrop doesn't recruit more in-state kids. I think its a copout and an excuse for being too lazy and un-creative in building ties within the local and/or state community.....clubs, schools, tournaments, etc.

If they are 5th or 6th choice its because they have allowed themselves to be 5th or 6th choice. As a resident of YC with a whole family of soccer playing kids....they have done ZERO to reach out to anyone in the community that I'm aware of, in any way shape or form.

And unless they pay their own way in terms of generating revenue....schools like that should be threatened with having their funding cut for soccer.

Not saying that they should....but why should my tax dollars go to pay for some kid from Canada to come down here and go to school for free? If there isn't the requisite quality of player here.....fine, recruit elsewhere. But thats not the case. All the other D1 schools in SC seem to be able to keep some local kids....

Its like Free Trade versus Fair trade. How many 17 year old US kids are being recruited to play in England or Spain or wherever? Not too many....they have work visa issues to deal with. You better be a world class player if you expect to go to England.

You think thats the case with these kids coming to Winthrop? I don't think so.....very good players? Of course...that much better than a kid at CESA Premier or CUFC Elite or MPSC or Bridge or wherever? Maybe maybe not.

Hurst,

I guess I meant the number of SC kids commiting to USC, Clemson and Furman...is that typical. Just trying to get educated on the SC soccer situation. I am more familiar with the "Region 2" area.

Do you know the number of soccer scholarships that the schools in the So Con and Big So allocate to women's soccer? I was told C of C had 10.

Big Daddy you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to Winthrop soccer at least on the men's side. I don't know much about the women's program there. I actually played at Winthrop several years ago, so I know a little bit of what I am talking about. You can argue Winthrop is the best team or one of the best teams in the state over the past five years. I don't know a coach in the country that would not recruit a player that would help him win NO MATTER where he is from. I can tell you the coaching staff at Winthrop does a tremendous amount of work with soccer in the community and that part of the state. We used to be out every weekend working with team and kids as a team. I also know that they DO actively recruit from SC. They are just very selective, since they have gotten burned in the past. Yes they have recruited some of the same players from SC that have ended up at USC and Clemson. I also know the coach looks out for what is best for the interest of players, and has told many that it may be in their best interest to go to school away from home. Even through I grew up in South Carolina and the talent pool and level has grown each year, it is still not good enough. There is no question there are many players in the state that would make any of the rosters of State schools, but there are only a hand full each year that are going to contribute a lot or be game makers. Don't blame the college coaches, they are all working to better the state level, and are just doing the job they are paid to do. Last time I looked we have same very good college programs in this state.

Maybe, maybe not.

Where to start? Ok, on the personal level. Again....I have lived here for 10 years and have 4 kids of wildly varying ages who play or have played soccer. I am really, really unaware of what you are talking about regarding community involvement. I know they have dabbled with Discoveries, but I think even that link isn't what it was. And there are a ton of kids and families up here who aren't associated with Discoveries.

I see no player or coaching clinics, no invitations to games, no mass mailers to my house....nothing. The better players in Greenville go to Furman or CLemson camps and the kids all know the coaches and vice versa. Same thing in Mount Pleasant with C of C. I've witnessed it in both locations....there is a connection between the better players in that area and those coaches. Don't see that going on here.

Ironic.....that no Winthrop coach appears to be involved with SC ODP? What better way to get to know the better state players? And thats been the case for at least the last handful of years. Current ODP coaches (and from last couple of years)......are from USC, Furman, Wofford, C of C, CCU, Newberry, Lander, etc. No Winthrop.

How about CESA player Combine attendance. They weren't on the final pre-list.....altho I thought I heard that someone did come from the women's side.....there was no men's attendance. Why? Even if you find no players....at least "look" like you care enough to come.

In terms of recruits....statistics don't lie. There are some outstanding players from the state and from York County in the class of 2009 and 2010. Combined....the mens program and womans program has 1 instate recruit? USC recruits inside the state harder than that. Compare C of C class of 2009 to Winthrop. Heck....there are 3 or 4x more kids from the Discoveries 90 team going to C of C than Winthrop has total SC recruits!!!

I don't mean to seem negative to Winthrop. Good luck to them and God bless them. There are different philosophies to recruiting......some football coaches love recruiting Juco players. Maybe Winthrop would prefer international players.

But I have heard Winthrop "people" say they don't recruit hard in SC because they feel they are the 5th or 6th choice in state. And with that approach I guarantee they will never be more than that. And I'd also say....that as the economy tightens and dollars shrink.....there needs to be a little more accountability for decision making. What is more cost effective from a recruiting perspective? Actively working state and region ODP, events like CESA Combine, and building and mining club relationships in the State? Or traveling all over the world looking at players once?

I understand.....the real answer is you need to do both. So lets see them do both.

Is the talent pool as deep in SC as Georgia or NC? No. But there are probably 14-18 kids per year that go on to play D1 soccer. I think CESA this year......probably has 8-10 on their own. How about Winthrop starts signing 2-3 SC kids per year....then Big Daddy will be happy.

Great thread on "Lundy goes local"......imagine. A highly successful coach with a great reputation fishing in local waters....