University of Tennessee Athletics
Soccer adds seven with 2008 signing class
April 10, 2008 | Soccer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ??? A talented group of student-athletes has signed National Letters of Intent to join the Tennessee women???s soccer program for the 2008 season. Head Coach Angela Kelly has gathered a recruiting class of seven high school seniors set to join the Lady Vols in the fall.
???As another fall fast approaches, we are very excited about our 2008 incoming class,??? Kelly said. ???In this particular class I feel we have a tremendous amount of athleticism combined with soccer knowledge and experience which can be a lethal combination.???
The 2008 signing class is comprised of Emily Dowd (Gainesville, Fla.), Chelsea Hatcher (Cincinnati, Ohio), Hannah Hut (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Lara Langworthy (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), Hannah Martin (Shelbyville, Tenn.), Emily Shore (Gainesville, Fla.) and Brittney Winn (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). The group includes five players who have earned all-state recognition during their high school careers and six who have participated in the U.S. Youth Soccer???s Olympic Development Program (ODP).
Emily Dowd, a four-time Golden Boot Award winner at Gainesville High School in Gainesville, Fla., joins the Lady Vols as the all-time scoring leader in Alachua County after recording 163 goals during her four-year high school career. Dowd helped the Lady ???Canes to two District 4-5A championships while earning two Most Valuable Player awards, a spot on the 2007 Florida Coaches Association All-State Team and a Florida Sports Writers Association All-State Team selection in 2004-05. Dowd has also found success on the club level, helping the Gainesville Hotshots to three straight Florida State Cup Final Fours from 2003-05. The forward played for one season with the Countryside Lightning in 2007 before moving on to the IMG Soccer Academy team which is currently ranked as the No. 1 club team in the country. During Dowd???s tenure, IMG has won both the Region III Premier League and the prestigious Disney Showcase Championship. She has also been a member of both the Florida State ODP squad and the ODP Region III team.
A four-year letterwinner, who spent two years at Berkeley Prep in Tampa, Fla., and two years at Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Chelsea Hatcher is a four-time All-State First Team selection. The midfielder has racked up the accolades during her high school career after helping Berkeley Prep earn a regional semifinal berth in 2004 and a spot in the Florida state semifinals in 2005 and pushing Seven Hills to an undefeated regular season and the regional final in 2006. The daughter of Cincinnati Reds first base coach Billy Hatcher, Chelsea has garnered fame of her own as a first team all-state, all-district, all-city and all-conference selection in each of the past two seasons with the Stingers. Hatcher plays her club soccer with fellow signee Emily Dowd at IMG Academy in Florida, where she has helped the squad to three Florida State Cup titles, two regional semifinal berths, the 2007 Region III Premier League Championship and the 2008 Disney Showcase crown. Hatcher is also active in the classroom as a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and a four-year Dean???s List honoree. In addition, Hatcher has earned three varsity letters in track and field and one in cheerleading and is an active member in Seven Hills??? Latin, Spanish and Service Clubs.
Hailing from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Hannah Hut spent one season at South Forsyth High in Cumming, Ga., and one year at Brookwood High in Snellville, Ga., before finishing her high school career at Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch. The four-year varsity letterwinner helped South Forsyth to the Georgia 5A State Championship as a freshman and guided Brookwood and Mountain Vista to the state quarterfinals during her sophomore and junior years. Hut played her club soccer with the GSA Phoenix ???90 for three years in Georgia, winning the 2004 and 2005 Region III Premier League Championship and the 2004 Georgia State title. Currently plays with Real Colorado, where she helped the squad to the 2006 US Youth Soccer National title. Hut has also participated on state ODP teams in Kansas and Georgia between 2002-06, earned a spot in the Region III ODP pool in 2004 and 2005, and was a member of the 2005 Georgia ???89 ODP team that reached the national championships.
Lara Langworthy was a four-year letterwinner at Brentwood Academy in Brentwood, Tenn. The Murfreesboro, Tenn., native helped the Eagles to a regional championship in 2006 and served as a captain in 2007. Though she sat out her sophomore year due to injury, Langworthy had plenty of time to collect several honors during her career including 2006 and 2007 all-state selections, a spot on the National Christian School Athletic Association All-America team in 2006 and All-South Region honors in 2007. Langworthy???s club credentials include seven state championships with Real Madrid, including four straight from 2004-07. Last year, Real Madrid earned a regional semifinal berth and was ranked seventh in the nation. Langworthy joins former club teammates Anna Fisher and Molly Delk and fellow signee Hannah Martin on the Lady Vol roster. Langworthy was also a four-year track and field letterwinner at Brentwood, and a volunteer with Junior Girls Bible Study, Big Sister/Little Sister and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
A four-year letterwinner at Central High School in Shelbyville, Tenn., Hannah Martin served as the Golden Eaglettes??? captain in 2007. Martin is a four-time first team all-district selection and was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State Team, as well as being selected district Midfielder of the Year as a senior. Martin helped to lead Central to three district championship games and one district title during her career. Martin joins the Lady Vols from Real Madrid in Brentwood, which she helped claim six state championships, including the last three straight. In 2007, Real Madrid finished third in its region and seventh in the nation. Martin joins former Real Madrid teammates Anna Fisher and Lara Langworthy on the UT roster. The midfielder was also a member of the Tennessee ODP team and a participant in the regional ODP pool. In addition to her work on the soccer pitch, Martin also earned four letters in track and field and participated in several student organizations at Central, including the National Honor Society, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Spanish Club. Martin is also an excellent student, ranking eighth in her class with a 4.0 grade point average and making the Principal???s List as a sophomore, junior and senior.
A native of Gainesville, Fla., Emily Shore joins the Lady Vols after spending four years as a captain of the varsity squad at Oak Hall School in Gainesville. Shore helped the Lady Eagles to capture three district championships, while earning the Gainesville Sun Player of the Year Award each year from 2005-07. Following her senior season, Shore earned a spot on the 2007 Florida Coaches Association All-State Team. During her junior season, Shore scored in every game for Oak Hall and finished her career with 133 goals and 79 assists. Shore began her club career with the Gainesville Hotshots, serving as a captain for five seasons before playing with the Countryside Premier Under-17 squad that made the regional finals in 2006-07. Most recently, Shore played alongside fellow signees Chelsea Hatcher and Emily Dowd at IMG Academy, helping them to the 2007 Region III Premier League Championship and the 2008 Disney Showcase title. Off the pitch, Shore earned a spot on the honor roll as a junior and senior and is involved in the Community Action Board, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Spirit Club and Ecology Club at Oak Hall.
As a four-year letterwinner at Siegel High in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Brittney Winn helped the Stars to two district titles, three regional championships and a state semifinal berth in 2006. As a senior captain, Winn led Siegel to a 17-8-1 record, earning all-area, all-district and all-state recognition along the way. With 61 goals, Winn finished her high school career as the Stars??? all-time scoring leader and also chipped in 36 assists during her tenure. Winn plays her club soccer for the SRFC Lady Strikers, where she served as a captain for two years. Winn helped to guide the Strikers to a regional semifinal berth and six Tennessee state championships from 2001-06. Off the field, Winn is a member of the National Honors Society and was recognized as an NSCAA All-American Scholar as a senior. She is also involved in Alpha Delta Kappa, Beta Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Siegel.
???We are counting down the days until we can get all seven young women onto campus,??? Kelly said. ???We trust that they are all training with and without the ball to be as ready and prepared as possible, so that they will contribute significantly this fall.???
The seven signees will join 15 returning letterwinners for Tennessee as well as five redshirt freshmen on next year???s squad. The Lady Vols will be looking to earn their eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth in 2008.
| Lady Vol Soccer 2008 Signing Class | |||
| Name?? | Height?? | Hometown/School?? | Club Team |
| Emily Dowd | 5-6 | Gainesville, Fla./Gainesville | IMG Academy |
| Chelsea Hatcher | 5-7 | Cincinnati, Ohio/Seven Hills School | IMG Academy |
| Hannah Hut | 5-5 | Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista | Real Colorado |
| Lara Langworthy | 5-7 | Murfreesboro, Tenn./Brentwood Academy | Real Madrid |
| Hannah Martin | 5-6 | Shelbyville, Tenn./Central | Real Madrid |
| Emily Shore | 5-5 | Gainesville, Fla./Oak Hall School | IMG Academy |
| Brittney Winn | 5-5 | Murfreesboro, Tenn./Siegel | SRFC Strikers |
