It’s been a busy month for Krista McKendree. First she took over as Women’s Soccer head coach at the University of Evansville. Now she has signed eight newcomers who will be attending UE as freshmen, and will begin their first season of soccer in August.

The eight newcomers join more than 20 veterans who led the 2007 Aces to a second place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference. The newest additions include Kasey Cartwright of Park Forest, Illinois; Taylor Childs of Whitby, Ontario; Haley Hancock of Evansville, Indiana; Colleen Marty of Imperial, Missouri; Samantha Conrad of Gilbert, Arizona; Allison Dragues of St. Louis, Missouri; Shannon MacNaughton of Kingwood, Texas, and Stephanie Pitstick of Xenia, Ohio.

"I am very excited about this incoming class,” says Coach McKendree. “They each bring a different dimension to our team. All of them have a desire to improve and win, and those are two very important qualities I want in student-athletes. Coming into a senior-led team can be a scary or nerve-racking thing, but this class is up to the challenge. They know they are going to have to work extremely hard to see the field, but I have confidence they will do just that. They realize this team is very talented and are excited to learn from the current players. They are hungry to win and want to help THIS team become champions. They know what is expected of them and are eager to get here in August and get to work. I am looking for Sam, Kasey, Shannon, Allison, Taylor, Colleen, Haley, and Stephanie to thrive in the daily competition.

"I can’t say enough about how competitive this pre-season is going to be. Everyone has a taste in their mouth for success and are willing to do whatever it takes. They believe in themselves, but more importantly they believe in each other."

Kasey Cartwright goes into her senior soccer season at Marian Catholic High School in Illinois this spring as a two-time member of the All-East Suburban Catholic Conference team. The central midfielder totaled 13 goals and seven assists as a sophomore, and added 21 goals and 12 assists last season. She was chosen for the all-area team as a junior.

Taylor Childs is not the first player from Ontario to join the Purple Aces’ women’s soccer program, but she is the first player on the team right now from Canada. Childs played two years ago on the Team Ontario U16 squad, and helped lead the team to the 2006 Gold Medalists victory at the Canadian Nationals. She was also a member of the U16 Canadian National Training Camp.

While Childs comes from the north, Samantha Conrad is the Aces’ newest addition from the southwest United States. A senior at Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Arizona, Conrad was a four-time all-state selection, earning first team honors as both a junior and senior after capturing second team all-state laurels as a sophomore and honorable mention all-state honors as a freshman.  She helped Gilbert High School to the Class 5A state finals this year as a senior, after leading them to the state quarterfinals in 2005 and the state semifinals in 2006.  She finished her senior season with 15 goals and 18 assists.

Allison Dragues goes into her senior year at Nerinx High School in St. Louis as one of the top scorers in the region. She has scored 25 goals and added 19 assists in her first three seasons, including 14 goals and eight assists last season. She has also been a member of the St. Louis Soccer Club national championship club team that has also won three Missouri state titles.

The only Evansville product is Memorial High School senior Haley Hancock, who can play on defense or in the midfield. She was a four-year letterman at Memorial, and helped lead coach Angie Lensing’s Tigers to second place in the 2006 IHSAA state tournament. Hancock also played for Evansville Elite and SWI Blitz. She was a member of the all-city academic team.

Colleen Marty played forward and outside midfielder while at Nerinx Hall High School in Missouri, where she set a school record with 20 goals in one season, scored 38 goals in her career, and earned all-conference honors. She helped lead the Markers to the District championship, and just two losses all season. She was Offensive MVP at Nerinx Hall.

Shannon MacNaughton has primarily played in the midfield, and she has earned back to back all-district honors early in her career at Kingwood High School in Texas. She has totaled nine goals and three assists for 21 points so far during the current 2008 season. MacNaughton helped lead her 2007 team to the regional finals and a 21-5-2 record. The 2008 team is off to an 11-3 start.

Stephanie Pitstick is a goalkeeper at Carroll High School in Xenia, Ohio who posted 28 shutouts during her high school career and allowed only 0.53 goals per match. She helped lead the Patriots to one Mid-Miami League championship and one second place finish. She was a first team selection in the Greater Cincinnati League, and second team all Mid-Miami League.