Photo Courtesy: Bennett Scarborough

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's soccer team has signed 11 players for the 2011 season announced today by head coach Renee Lopez.

The incoming class features players from all over the map as the 11 incoming Spartans hail from Illinois (3), Maryland (2), North Carolina (3), South Carolina (1), Texas (1) and Virginia (1).

"We are extremely excited about the incoming freshman class," said head coach Renee Lopez.  "They will add depth to both our attack and defensive units. This class will help push our program to the next level as we strive to be more competitive in the A-Sun.  These girls place great value on work ethic on the field and in the classroom. Numerous incoming athletes come from very challenging high school academic programs.  This class has trained at very high levels with very reputable clubs. I look for many of these players to be large contributors for us on the field in 2011."

Katelyn Allen (Geneva, Ill.) played every position on the pitch during her prep and club career.  At Geneva High School she played for head coach Megan Owens and was named the team's Offensive Player of the Year and earned All-Conference honors at the end of her junior season.  Allen was also an all-area selection and a two-time all-area athlete of the week.

Allen was also a member of the basketball team at Geneva HS and was a team captain.  The incoming Spartan played club soccer with the Fox Valley Strikers under the direction of Jim Winslow. 

Michelle Calmeyn (Elk Grove, Ill.) will arrive in Spartanburg after a strong prep and club career as a forward.  At Elk Grove High School, Calmeyn was a three sport athlete, aside from soccer, she was a member of the cross country and basketball teams. She served as a team captain the last three seasons for head coach Dan Klaus and as a junior, she led the conference in goals (22) and assists (10).  At the end of her junior season, she was a First-Team All-Conference and All-Area selection, as well as earning a spot on the Daily Herald's First-Team All-Area squad. 

Calmeyn played basketball for four years and was a captain during freshman and sophomore campaigns.  She was part of the cross country team for two years (freshman and sophomore) and set course records at Elk Grove's home facility each year.  She played club soccer for the Aces Elite Soccer Academy, ranked the seventh best club team in the state of Illinois.  Under the tutelage of Stein Garcia, a National Awards Finalist and a holder of a National "A" License, Calmeyn has led the team in scoring the last three years.  Aside from her accomplishments on the field, Calmeyn has also coached youth soccer and served as a volunteer for the Special Olympics.

Brianne Marcell (Simpsonville, S.C.) will make the short trip up I-85 as she will arrive on campus after finishing up her career at Greenville Technical Charter High School under direction of Tony Koutsos.  As a junior, Marcell served as a captain and was named team MVP, while earning all-region honors after scoring 14 goals and recording 12 assists from her midfield position.  She also helped the team win its first-ever playoff game in school-history.  Marcell currently owns the school records for career goals and assists after tallying 31 goals and 25 assists during first two years with the program.  Marcell was also a two-year letterwinner as a member of the varsity basketball team.

Marcell played club soccer for Tri-County and played as a midfielder and a defender for Shannon Goodacre.  During her time with the club, the team won a total of nine different tournament championships, most recently the club claimed the 2010 CASA Soccer Classic Championship.

Melissa Pereira (Cary, N.C) will join the Upstate program after a strong club career.  She played for head coaches Jason Wolfe and Pete Sadin during her time as a member of the Triangle Futbol Club (TFC) 92 Navy.  She played for the same club system as current Spartans Rachel Collins, Jessica Jackyra and Alyssa Librizzi.  Pereira, a defender, started nearly every game for her club team.  Her U-16 Super Y team qualified for nationals and her Super 20 team qualified for nationals. 

Pereira, who will graduate from Green Hope High School, didn't participate in high school soccer but was a four-year letterwinner in cross country.  Instead of participating in high school soccer, she instead chose to practice with a local boys club team (TFC 93B White).

Jasmynn Reber (McKinney, Texas) is the first signee for Coach Lopez from the Lone Star state.  Reber, a forward/midfielder combination player, was a four-year letterwinner at McKinney North High School for head coach Lance Lovett.  In 2009, Reber finished with 14 points as she tallied three goals and five assists and increased her output a season later with 19 points (5 goals, 4 assists).  She was an All-District First-Team selection in both 2009 and 2010 as Reber helped lead McKinney North to back-to-back playoff appearances.  She was also a member of the All-District Academic Team in 2010.

Reber played club soccer for Jason Gotsblach as a member of the Dallas Texans Red West.  Playing both the midfield and forward positions, she averaged four goals and six assists over her last three seasons.  She is a three-time winner of the Rotary Club Academic Excellence Award in 2009, 2010 and 2011.  Reber has also been named to the National Honor Society (2010 & 2011) and she attended the National Medical Youth Leadership Seminar in San Francisco in 2009.

Samantha Ritts (Prince Frederick, Md.) will join the Spartans after a decorated prep career as a center back.  She was a four year letterwinner at Calvert High School as a member of the varsity soccer team under the direction of head coach Dawn Lister.  She was a Second-Team All-Conference selection at the conclusion of her freshman and sophomore campaigns.  Ritts earned First-Team All-Conference accolades as a junior and senior and was also a First-Team All-County selection as a senior.  As a senior, she was voted the team's MVP and earned Calvert County Defender of the Year honors.

Ritts, a Co-Captain during her senior year, finished with four goals and three assists.  She also earned scholar athlete honors each of her four years at Calvert.  She played club soccer for Chris Johnson as part of the Crofton Athletic Council for the U-18 Wolves.  In 2009, playing advanced club soccer, her team, the Freestate U-18 Phoenix advanced to the U.S. Club Soccer Regionals.  She also played rugby with the PAX Rugby club and was a member of Calvert's Advanced Orchestra as a violin player.  Ritts served as a volunteer soccer coach and assisted with the Calvert County Special Olympics.

Stefany Saura (Raleigh, N.C.) will join the Spartans after wrapping up her prep career under head coach Michele Miller at Cardinal Gibbons High School.  As a midfielder, Saura has been a varsity starter since her freshman season.  Saura has helped lead Cardinal Gibbons to a 58-8-6 mark since beginning her career in 2007.  The team has claimed two conference titles, reached the state semifinals twice (2008 & 2009) and reached the state championship match in 2010.  During her career, Saura has tallied 15 goals and 18 assists.

Saura played club soccer with the Triangle Futbol Club as a midfielder for Jason Wolfe and Pete Sadin.  She played for the same club system as current Spartans Rachel Collins, Jessica Jackyra and Alyssa Librizzi.  Saura was an outside midfielder and the team claimed a pair of championships during her club career.  In 2009, they took home the CASL College Showcase Championship and in 2010, the team claimed the title at the NSMC Visit Lake Norman Kickoff.  Saura has also played with the USL Super Y League during her summers and during the summer of 2010 her team claimed the Super-20 South Atlantic Division Championship.  Saura is also a member of the National Honor Society, active in her church (St. Michael Church) and has volunteered with the local soup kitchen.

Katrina Savoy (Waldorf, Md.) is a forward/midfield combination player who will arrive in Spartanburg after concluding her career at Thomas Stone High School for head coach Andrew Prozik.   She is a four-year high school starter and in 2008 she was voted the Charles County Player of the Year.  In 2008 and 2010, Savoy was a First-Team All-SMAC selection and was a second team pick in 2009.  She was a First-Team All-County selection at the conclusion of each season.  Savoy also picked up offensive MVP honors at Thomas Stone as a sophomore, junior and senior.

Savoy participated in club soccer with the Maryland Rush under the direction of Adam Ritchie.  She played for the same club system as current Spartans Courtney Mack and Kayli Moore.  Savoy was a two-time selection to the Maryland Futsal All-Tournament Team.  She played Super Y soccer beginning in 2006 and since 2007 she has been a Super Y ODP Camp Selection.  She was also a member of the track and field team at Thomas Stone in 2007 and 2008 and as a sophomore she was voted the team's most outstanding runner.

Samantha Seelinger (Apex, N.C.) will join the Upstate women's soccer program after wrapping up her prep career at Apex High School.  Seelinger was a defender for the Cougars as she played for head coach Kevin Todd.  She was a member of the varsity squad for two seasons (2009 & 2010) and she earned Second-Team All-Tri-9-Conference honors in 2010.  She also participated in club soccer for Sean Nahas as a member of the '92 CASL Spartan Elite.

Katrina Spinner-Wilson (Richmond, Va.) will arrive at Upstate after her prep career at Douglas Southall Freeman High School is over.  She played soccer for four years at Douglas Southall Freeman as a midfielder for head coach Kent Dohrman.  As a sophomore, she was named First-Team All-Conference and earned Honorable Mention honors on the All-Region squad.  After her junior season, she earned First-Team All-District accolades after being named team MVP.  She also earned a spot on the Second-Team All-Region team and the Richmond Times-Dispatch Second-Team All-Metro team.  She was also an all-academic selection while serving as a captain during her senior season.  Spinner-Wilson participated in club soccer as a midfielder for the Richmond Kickers and head coach Jennifer Woodie. 

Aside from participating in soccer, Spinner-Wilson also played field hockey and basketball.  As a member of the field hockey squad, she earned the coach's award as a junior and also earned First-Team All-District and Honorable Mention All-Region honors.  She served as a team captain as a senior and was again a First-Team All-District and Honorable Mention All-Region selection.  She was a four year starter on the varsity basketball team.  Spinner-Wilson was a member of her high school's Beta Club, French Club, Younglife and Big Brother Big Sister program.  She was also a Girl Scout and earned the Silver Award.

Alyssa Wood (Collinsville, Ill.) will arrive in Spartanburg after wrapping up a decorated prep career at Collinsville High School.  She was a four-year letterwinner as a midfield/forward combination player for head coach Clay Smith.  Wood was also a member of the volleyball team during her time at Collinsville and earned numerous awards.  The incoming Spartan earned the junior varsity volleyball team's Most Improved Player award and in 2008, she was voted the junior varsity's MVP.  In 2009, she was named the varsity volleyball team's Most Improved Player and as a senior in 2010, she earned team MVP accolades and was honored with the team's Most Heart award.

Wood was also a member of the Student Council, Spanish Club, Freshmen Focus, Saturday Scholars and she was also selected to the National Society of High School Scholars.  She was also active in club soccer as she played for Mike Voegele as a midfield/forward combination player for the Panathinakos.