Ladyjacks Add Nine to the 2022 Signing Class
11/9/2022 10:14:00 PM | Women's Soccer
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin soccer program announced nine signees this afternoon in Lilian Adams, Gabrielle Gipson, Caelynn January, Reagan Kracja, Shaley Lewis, Emma McLaughin, Haley Roy, Ava Shannon, and Tiana Thompson.
Lilian Adams: 5-5 MID
Adams come to SFA from Liberty High School where she was a three-year member of the varsity team and team captain. She is a Top Drawer three-star recruit and currently plays for the Sting Dallas Black Soccer Club. When Adams was with FC Dallas, they made it to the Development Academy Nationals Final Four and placed in third.
Head Coach Tony Minatta said "Lilian is fantastic connector of the game. She is able to find her teammates feet exactly where they need the ball for them to be successful when they receive it. She has great pace as well and can attack on the dribble when it's on. Another great addition to any of our central midfield or frontline positions."
Gabrielle Gipson: 5-9 MID
Gipson currently attends Colleyville High School and plays as a midfielder. She was named to the Academic All-District team three years in a row. On the field, she was named to the First Team All-District Midfielder all three years and Utility Player of the Year all three years. She also plays for the Dallas Texans Club Team. Gipson also plays basketball and was named All-Conference Defender her junior year.
Coach Minatta said, "Gabi is an incredibly competitive individual who loves to mix it up physically in the middle of the park. She is a very versatile athlete who will be great in the air, strong in distribution and a defensive presence in the midfield. She also has an infectious personality and energy that you can feel when she walks into a room or on the field."
Caelynn "KK" January: 5-6 FWD/MID
January is a forward/midfielder and attends Fossil Ridge High School. She also currently plays for the number 24 ranked team in the nation, DKSC ECNL, and has been a consistent starter throughout her career. January plays on that team with fellow signee, Emma McLaughlin.
"KK has got pace for days and will be a great addition to our backline in 2023. She is a hard nose defender, willing to get into the tackle, but also can fly forward into the attack and has an incredible shot from range. She carries herself with a quiet confidence that explodes into pure energy when she is on the field," said Coach Minatta.
Reagan Krajca: 5-7 FWD/MID
Krajca comes to SFA from Aledo High School where she plays as a forward/midfielder and has been on the varsity team all four years. She was named to the First Team All-District junior year and got an honorable mention her freshman year. Krajca was a part of the Aledo team that won their district championships her freshman and sophomore seasons. She was also captain of her club teams, Dallas Texans, and Solar in FDL, from 2019-2021 and team captain for her high school team this season.
"Reagan is an incredibly hard worker who earned an opportunity to join this class by showing her character and work ethic at our camps," said Coach Minatta "She is a versatile player that can play multiple positions and brings that toughness that you need when games are tight. She is a really strong addition that adds depth to a team that sorely needed that this past season."
Shaley Lewis: 5-3 FWD
Lewis is a forward for College Station High School. Academically, she was named to the 2021 and 2022 District 19-5A All-Academic Teams. On the field, she was named to the First Team All-District Team and Offensive MVP.
Coach Minatta said, "Shaley is a tremendous young athlete who is as competitive as they come. She will actually be joining our team this spring and we can't wait to be able to help start developing her into a Division 1 player. She is fast, tough and will run through a brick wall for her team!"
Emma McLaughlin: 5-5 MID
McLaughlin currently attends Flower Mound High School and plays as a midfielder for her high school, and for her club team DKSC ECNL where she plays with KK January. She is also an XVI US Soccer National Champion, made the ECNL Playoffs with DKSC ECNL twice, and made the Top Drawer Soccer Top 50 regional ranking 5 times. Top Drawer also ranks her as a three-star recruit and the 45th best player in her club's region. McLaughlin also runs track at Flower Mound and has accumulated multiple achievements such as; AAU Junior Olympics Qualifier - Heptathlon 3 times, AAU Junior Olympics Regional Champion - Heptathlon 2 Times, UIL State Qualifier, 6A Cross Country State Champion Cross Country (Team) 2 times, and Regionals Qualifier for track & field.
"We are so excited to have Emma coming next fall! She is an incredibly athletic player who has a tremendous drive and dedication to succeed," said Coach Minatta "She is a multisport athlete who knows what it is to compete at highest levels of competition both in team and individual sports. She can play multiple positions on the field, but will help us most coming in on the outside."
Haley Roy: 5-2 MID
Roy is from Houston, Texas and plays for Cypress Creek High School and the Dynamos. She won overall MVP in 2020, 2021, and 2022, won Defensive MVP in 2020, and Offensive MVP in 2022. Roy was also named First Team All-District 17-6A all three years, and the Academic All-District Team all three years. She was also on the USC All-Regional League and is tied for second in goals for her high school in 2022.
Coach Minatta said, "Haley is an incredibly dynamic and creative player that can play a variety of different positions in the midfield or the frontline. She is a craft dribbling, who has a knack for connecting the ball and finding her teammates with key passes, but also is comfortable attacking on the dribble in the open field. We can't wait for her to arrive this fall!"
Ava Shannon: 5-2 MID
Shannon currently attends Atascocita High School and plays midfield for them as well as the Houston Dash, where she plays with fellow signee Sophia Dean. Top Drawer ranks Shannon as a four-star recruit, the 110th best player in the 2023 class nationwide, the 16th best player in Texas, and the 41st best midfielder in the country. She played ECNL, GA, and DA leagues and her team reached Final Four in GA Champions League and was a GA National Talent ID Selection.
"Ava is a very talented player who can slot into any of the central midfield positions, or even in the attack. She is a student of the game and has an incredibly high soccer IQ," said Coach Minatta "She is a relentlessly competitive player who never stops working when she is on the field. Incredible addition to this program."
Tiana Thompson: 5-3 FWD
Thompson comes to SFA from Klein High School and plays as a forward. She also plays with the Challenge Soccer Club-ECNL. Academically, Thompson is a member of the National Honor Society and was named to the Academic All-District Team for three years. On the field, she is a four-year varsity letterman, a Top Drawer three-star recruit, a First Team All-State Midfielder in 2022, and an All-District Player for three years. Thompson is also a four-year varsity letterman with the Klein track team where she reaches area qualifiers in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays in 2021 and 2022.
Coach Minatta said, "Tiana is a tough competitor that will go out and play any position that a coach asks her to, and does it incredibly well. As a wing player, she has a knack getting crosses into the box from incredibly tough angles. She can play on the backline or frontline, and will bring quality depth to our wide positions."
Lilian Adams: 5-5 MID
Adams come to SFA from Liberty High School where she was a three-year member of the varsity team and team captain. She is a Top Drawer three-star recruit and currently plays for the Sting Dallas Black Soccer Club. When Adams was with FC Dallas, they made it to the Development Academy Nationals Final Four and placed in third.
Head Coach Tony Minatta said "Lilian is fantastic connector of the game. She is able to find her teammates feet exactly where they need the ball for them to be successful when they receive it. She has great pace as well and can attack on the dribble when it's on. Another great addition to any of our central midfield or frontline positions."
Gabrielle Gipson: 5-9 MID
Gipson currently attends Colleyville High School and plays as a midfielder. She was named to the Academic All-District team three years in a row. On the field, she was named to the First Team All-District Midfielder all three years and Utility Player of the Year all three years. She also plays for the Dallas Texans Club Team. Gipson also plays basketball and was named All-Conference Defender her junior year.
Coach Minatta said, "Gabi is an incredibly competitive individual who loves to mix it up physically in the middle of the park. She is a very versatile athlete who will be great in the air, strong in distribution and a defensive presence in the midfield. She also has an infectious personality and energy that you can feel when she walks into a room or on the field."
Caelynn "KK" January: 5-6 FWD/MID
January is a forward/midfielder and attends Fossil Ridge High School. She also currently plays for the number 24 ranked team in the nation, DKSC ECNL, and has been a consistent starter throughout her career. January plays on that team with fellow signee, Emma McLaughlin.
"KK has got pace for days and will be a great addition to our backline in 2023. She is a hard nose defender, willing to get into the tackle, but also can fly forward into the attack and has an incredible shot from range. She carries herself with a quiet confidence that explodes into pure energy when she is on the field," said Coach Minatta.
Reagan Krajca: 5-7 FWD/MID
Krajca comes to SFA from Aledo High School where she plays as a forward/midfielder and has been on the varsity team all four years. She was named to the First Team All-District junior year and got an honorable mention her freshman year. Krajca was a part of the Aledo team that won their district championships her freshman and sophomore seasons. She was also captain of her club teams, Dallas Texans, and Solar in FDL, from 2019-2021 and team captain for her high school team this season.
"Reagan is an incredibly hard worker who earned an opportunity to join this class by showing her character and work ethic at our camps," said Coach Minatta "She is a versatile player that can play multiple positions and brings that toughness that you need when games are tight. She is a really strong addition that adds depth to a team that sorely needed that this past season."
Shaley Lewis: 5-3 FWD
Lewis is a forward for College Station High School. Academically, she was named to the 2021 and 2022 District 19-5A All-Academic Teams. On the field, she was named to the First Team All-District Team and Offensive MVP.
Coach Minatta said, "Shaley is a tremendous young athlete who is as competitive as they come. She will actually be joining our team this spring and we can't wait to be able to help start developing her into a Division 1 player. She is fast, tough and will run through a brick wall for her team!"
Emma McLaughlin: 5-5 MID
McLaughlin currently attends Flower Mound High School and plays as a midfielder for her high school, and for her club team DKSC ECNL where she plays with KK January. She is also an XVI US Soccer National Champion, made the ECNL Playoffs with DKSC ECNL twice, and made the Top Drawer Soccer Top 50 regional ranking 5 times. Top Drawer also ranks her as a three-star recruit and the 45th best player in her club's region. McLaughlin also runs track at Flower Mound and has accumulated multiple achievements such as; AAU Junior Olympics Qualifier - Heptathlon 3 times, AAU Junior Olympics Regional Champion - Heptathlon 2 Times, UIL State Qualifier, 6A Cross Country State Champion Cross Country (Team) 2 times, and Regionals Qualifier for track & field.
"We are so excited to have Emma coming next fall! She is an incredibly athletic player who has a tremendous drive and dedication to succeed," said Coach Minatta "She is a multisport athlete who knows what it is to compete at highest levels of competition both in team and individual sports. She can play multiple positions on the field, but will help us most coming in on the outside."
Haley Roy: 5-2 MID
Roy is from Houston, Texas and plays for Cypress Creek High School and the Dynamos. She won overall MVP in 2020, 2021, and 2022, won Defensive MVP in 2020, and Offensive MVP in 2022. Roy was also named First Team All-District 17-6A all three years, and the Academic All-District Team all three years. She was also on the USC All-Regional League and is tied for second in goals for her high school in 2022.
Coach Minatta said, "Haley is an incredibly dynamic and creative player that can play a variety of different positions in the midfield or the frontline. She is a craft dribbling, who has a knack for connecting the ball and finding her teammates with key passes, but also is comfortable attacking on the dribble in the open field. We can't wait for her to arrive this fall!"
Ava Shannon: 5-2 MID
Shannon currently attends Atascocita High School and plays midfield for them as well as the Houston Dash, where she plays with fellow signee Sophia Dean. Top Drawer ranks Shannon as a four-star recruit, the 110th best player in the 2023 class nationwide, the 16th best player in Texas, and the 41st best midfielder in the country. She played ECNL, GA, and DA leagues and her team reached Final Four in GA Champions League and was a GA National Talent ID Selection.
"Ava is a very talented player who can slot into any of the central midfield positions, or even in the attack. She is a student of the game and has an incredibly high soccer IQ," said Coach Minatta "She is a relentlessly competitive player who never stops working when she is on the field. Incredible addition to this program."
Tiana Thompson: 5-3 FWD
Thompson comes to SFA from Klein High School and plays as a forward. She also plays with the Challenge Soccer Club-ECNL. Academically, Thompson is a member of the National Honor Society and was named to the Academic All-District Team for three years. On the field, she is a four-year varsity letterman, a Top Drawer three-star recruit, a First Team All-State Midfielder in 2022, and an All-District Player for three years. Thompson is also a four-year varsity letterman with the Klein track team where she reaches area qualifiers in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays in 2021 and 2022.
Coach Minatta said, "Tiana is a tough competitor that will go out and play any position that a coach asks her to, and does it incredibly well. As a wing player, she has a knack getting crosses into the box from incredibly tough angles. She can play on the backline or frontline, and will bring quality depth to our wide positions."
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