Five players have signed on to play women’s soccer for the College of Charleston starting in the fall of 2004, as announced by Head Coach Kevin Dempsey. Amanda Andrews, Nicole Blume, Kelly McGinty, Hayley Smith and Sarah Straub will make up the newcomer class of 2004.
Andrews, member of the U.S. National Team pool in 2000 and ’86 USYSA Region III ODP team from 1999-2003, plays club soccer at Charlotte Soccer Club. The native of Charlotte, NC attends Providence H.S. and is a key member of a squad that led Charlotte Soccer Club to four NCYSA State Cup titles and USYSA Region III Championship tournaments, including a berth in the 2003 Region III final match.
“Amanda has showcased herself as one of the top players at the club, Region III and National levels over the last five years,” said Coach Dempsey. “She is a versatile player and can maintain her play at the highest level regardless of position. She will have a major impact on our program beginning this fall.”
Blume is a transfer from N.C. State and played in 17 matches for the Wolfpack in two seasons, before sitting out in 2003, after recovering from multiple ACL injuries. From 1998-2000, Blume, from Springfield, VA, played with the USYSA Region I and Virginia ODP teams and was a member of the U19 U.S. National Team.
Dempsey adds, “The addition of Nicole is as exciting to us as it is to her to just be fully fit again after a few years of being injured. A happy and healthy Nicole Blume will be successful both on the field and in the classroom. She has played at the highest level with the youth National Team program and is proving since her arrival this Spring that she will be a top player in the Southern Conference.”
McGinty, from Mt. Pleasant, SC, was named to the first-team NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-America team in 2003. McGinty, who attends Wando H.S., is a marquee player with the Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club that led the U18 MPSC Ice side to six SCYSA State Cup titles and USYSA Region III Championship tournaments, including a berth in the 2001 Region III final match.
“Again, we have continued a tradition of having the best player in the area coming to the College of Charleston,” said Dempsey. “Kelly has a tremendous presence as a big target player who has the ‘uncoachable’ knack of finishing and scoring goals. We are confident, with hard work on her game, that she will continue that in college.”
Smith, who also plays club soccer with Charlotte Soccer Club, participated at USYSA Region III ODP Camp and was a member of the North Carolina ODP team since 1999. The senior from Charlotte, NC, attends Hopewell H.S., and is a member of the Charlotte Soccer Club team that won four NCYSA State Cup titles and USYSA Region III Championship tournaments, including a berth in the 2003 Region III final match.
“Hayley is a great competitor on top of the enormous amount of potential she will have brought out in her next year,” said Coach Dempsey. “She is a hard-nosed defender with great man-marking ability that will be a great addition to an already stingy and solid defense we have.”
Straub, a member of the North Carolina ODP program, played her club soccer both in North Carolina and then in South Carolina with Mt. Pleasant Soccer Club as a member of the U18 MPSC Ice, a team that won six SCYSA State Cup titles and USYSA Region III Championship tournaments, including a berth in the 2001 Region III final match. Straub, who is from Charlotte, NC, and attends North Mecklenburg H.S., has been an All-Conference, All-Region and All-State selection as a four-year letter winner.
“Having Sarah as part of our program will just increase the competitive environment we are building at the College of Charleston due to her unbelievable drive, work ethic and determination,” said Dempsey. “She is one of the toughest defenders we’ve seen and will, definitely, keep opposing players on their toes, both in training and in matches.”
The College of Charleston finished the 2003 season with 11 wins, the most since the 1999 season, when the Cougars went 11-8-1. The team finished third in the Southern Conference, its highest-ever. The previous mark was in 1999 when Charleston finished fourth in the standings.
