Lady Vols Soccer ⚽️ SEC TOURNAMENT 11/3-11/10

#1,729
#1,729
mad4vols said:
Please tell us more
Click to expand...
Unfortunately thats all I got. My daughter was playing in a U11 tournament at the same complex the game took place at. I may have gotten to watch 10 minutes. In my eyes, they played pretty well. I admittedly dont watch a lot of soccer but there didn't look to be a big talent difference from our girls to thier professionals.
 
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#1,739
#1,739
Soccer Signing Class Ranked No. 6 Nationally

20DB3ABF-5035-4DA4-952F-E96DE7B2ECAC.jpeg
Kimberly HoodSoccerMarch 07, 2022
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee soccer head coach Brian Pensky has announced the addition of 10 signees in the program's 2022 recruiting class. The group features nine versatile field players and one goalkeeper. Two signees enrolled in January while the remaining eight will begin their careers on Rocky Top in the fall.

The 2022 signing class, ranked at No. 6 by TopDrawerSoccer.com, will join a Tennessee squad looking to build off a 2021 campaign that saw UT compile its first 20-win season and clinch an SEC Tournament Championship for the first time since 2008. The Big Orange finished the 2021 season ranked No. 11, having advanced to the NCAA Round of 16.

The group includes five players rated inside the IMG Academy Top-150 club player rankings.

"We are very excited about this class," Pensky said. "They're an extremely talented group that work hard and are going to be fun to coach. We can't wait to get them on campus and keep building on the success we found last season."

A detailed listing of Tennessee's 2022 signees, including high school honors and notable achievements, can be viewed below.

Ally Brown
College Grove, Tenn.
Ravenwood High School
Defender

Notables:
  • Ranked #24 overall and #6 Defender by Top Drawer/IMG Academy
  • Named to the 2021 Tennessee High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State Team
  • Part of the Sockers FC squad that won a Mid-America Division Championship and Central Conference Championship in 2019
  • Attended USWNT U17 camp in 2019 and 2020
  • Plays club with fellow signees Ava Weimer and Kennedy Price

Intangibles:
  • Left-footed
  • Skilled passer
  • Can play left back or in the midfield
Brown: I immediately fell in love with the campus. After meeting with the coaches and the team, I knew this was a place where I would be encouraged and cared for.

Macaira Midgley
Wolverine Lake, Michigan
Walled Lake Western High School
Midfielder

Notables:
  • Ranked #32 overall and #12 Midfielder by Top Drawer/IMG Academy
  • Called into U-20 USWNT camp in 2021
  • Named to the 2020 ECNL All-Conference Team
  • Played for the Michigan Hawks from 2014-2022, making the ECNL national finals in 2019
  • Invited to US Club Soccer ID2 Camp in 2018
  • Enrolled early in January 2022

Intangibles:
  • Fierce competitor
  • Natural leader
  • Quick, skillful and very light on her feet
Midgley: I chose the University of Tennessee because it just felt like home. I have a lot of respect for the coaches. I know they offer many different tools that will help me become the best player and person possible, and the team is like one big family. It's an environment where you give everything you have for your teammates. The team has a bright future with the girls currently on the team and with all the amazing recruits coming in, so I am really excited to be a part of that.

Layla Shell
Midlothian, VA
Midlothian High School
Defense

Notables:
  • Ranked #76 overall and #17 Defender by Top Drawer/IMG Academy
  • Earned VHSL First Team All-Region and First Team All-State honors
  • Won a 2019 Region 4B Championship
  • Named to 2020-2021 ECNL Mid-Atlantic U17 All-Conference First Team
  • Four-time ECNL Mid-Atlantic Conference Champion
  • Attended U18/U19 WNT Virtual Camp
  • Invited to YNT Regional ID in Columbia, SC
  • Made the ECNL National Playoffs Final Eight on two occasions
  • Attended U.S. U-14 YNT Camp
  • Plays club soccer with fellow signee Kameron Simmonds and Dakota Brown
  • Enrolled early in January 2022

Intangibles:
  • Very composed, good passer over short and long distances
  • Strong presence in the air
  • Good communicator and a natural leader

Dakota Brown
Culpeper, Va.
Eastern View High School
Midfielder

Notables:
  • Ranked #46 overall and #19 Midfielder by Top Drawer/IMG Academy
  • Played ECNL for Richmond United, winning four conference championships
  • Invited to 2019 ECNL National Training Camp in Portland
  • Attended 2020 ECNL National Selection Game
  • 2021 ECNL All-Conference Mid-Atlantic
  • 2021 YNT Regional ID Camp
  • Invited to 2021 U-18/19 USWNT Virtual Camp
  • Plays club soccer with fellow signee Layla Shell and Kameron Simmonds

Intangibles:
  • Versatile, can play multiple positions
  • Great field presence
  • Skilled dribbler and passer
Brown: I chose the University of Tennessee because it felt like home away from home. The large college atmosphere was always something I wanted to be a part of, and the soccer program is just untouchable. From the coaching staff to the team, I knew that Tennessee was the perfect school for me!

Abby Reisz
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Upper Arlington High School
Goalkeeper

Notables:
  • Ranked #80 overall and #7 Goalkeeper by Top Drawer/IMG
  • USWNT U-18 player pool, two-time ECNL National Training Camp selection, and two-time US Club Soccer ID2 Camp Selection
  • 2021 High School All-American
  • Earned Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches All-State honors twice, the only player in Ohio history to do so as both a forward and a goalkeeper
  • 2021 Columbus Dispatch Central Ohio Fall Sports All-Star
  • Three-time All-Conference, two-time All-District, two-time All-Region, and 2021 Conference Player of the Year
  • Was a two-year captain for Upper Arlington and twice named team MVP, finishing her high school career ranked #10 all-time in career goals, #7 in career shutouts, and #2 in single-season shutouts
  • Best XI, ECNL National Training Camp
  • Made it to the ECNL Champions League U15 Elite Eight and U17 Final Four

Intangibles:
  • Dynamic athlete
  • Great reflexes and reaction time
  • Talented with her feet
Reisz: I wanted to be part of a championship program, and UT not only had that, but also amazing people, a real family feel, excellent academics, and a campus environment that just felt like home.

Kennedy Price
Franklin, TN
Battle Ground Academy
Defense

Notables:
  • Ranked #186 overall and #50 defender
  • Four-time All-District, All-Region, All-State Selection
  • Led Battle Ground Academy to back-to-back Division II-A State Championships (2019, 2020)
  • Division II-A State Runner-Up (2021)
  • ECNL Ohio Valley All-Conference Team
  • Multiple YNT ID Camp Invites
  • Three-time ODP Region III team
  • 2020 ODP National Team
  • Plays club with fellow signees Ava Weimer and Ally Brown

Intangibles:
  • Excellent speed
  • Versatile, can play anywhere on the back line
  • Loves to attack down the wing
Price: There are so many reasons I chose Tennessee. My academic opportunities are endless and the campus is incredible. The women's soccer team is awesome! The comradery among players is unmatched and the level of play is top in the country.

Tierney Bailey
Taylorsville, Utah
Taylorsville High School
Defense/Midfield

Notables:
  • Won a 2020 UYSA State Championship with Utah Avalanche

Intangibles:
  • Great height and good presence in the air
  • Fantastic long ball
  • Very versatile, can play multiple positions
Bailey: I chose to attend the University of Tennessee because I love the family atmosphere.

Leah Klurman
Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
Defense

Notables:
  • 2021 Nj.com defender of the Year
  • Two-time NJ.com/Star-Ledger First-Team All-State in (2020, 2021)
  • Three-time NJ Top 20 Players by NJ Girls Coaches Association (2019, 2020, 2021)
  • Finished her career at Scotch-Plains-Fanwood High School with 35 goals and 19 assists
  • Played in the 2021 Girls High School All-American game

Intangibles:
  • Aggressive with great speed
  • Natural competitor and a gifted athlete
  • Very versatile, can play multiple positions
Klurman: I chose to attend the University of Tennessee because I fell in love with the university as a whole. I wanted to attend a school with a competitive program along with strong academics. The coaching staff showed the most interest in me, and I could tell right away that they believed in me. The team environment is amazing, and I am so excited to join the family.

Kameron Simmonds
Midlothian, Virginia
James River High School
Forward

Notables:
  • Attended Jamaican U-20 National Team camp in December 2021
  • Has played with the Jamaican U-17 National Team
  • 2019 First Team All-State selection
  • 2019 Regional Player of the Year
  • 2019 Team MVP for James River High School
  • Invited to Washington Spirit Player ID Camp
  • Plays for Richmond United ECNL, earning U-16 First Team All-Conference Honors and U-18 Second Team All-Conference honors
  • Father (Greg Simmonds) played at Howard and then professionally
  • Plays club soccer with fellow signee Layla Shell and Dakota Brown

Intangibles:
  • Natural goal-scorer
  • Fast, strong and powerful
  • Dangerous with both feet
Simmonds: I chose the university of Tennessee because I felt like it set me up to be the most successful on and off the field. I also chose UT because of the incredible environment throughout the entire campus!

Ava Weimer
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin High School
Defense

Notables:
  • Three-year captain for Franklin High School
  • Earned All-Conference Honors in 2019
  • Named 2019 Defender of the Year
  • Attended two ECNL National Team Camps
  • Named TopDrawerSoccer.com player to watch
  • Plays club with fellow signees Ally Brown and Kennedy Price

Intangibles:
  • Great focus and attention to detail
  • Natural leader on the field
  • Tough, physical player
Weimer: I fell in love with the campus, coaches, and team. UT allows me to pursue the career paths I want to take. The academics fit me and my goals in life. I am excited to play at such an amazing soccer program.
 
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#1,742
#1,742
Tks for all the content, Mad!

Coupla notes: The player in the first photo from the match/scrimmage with Racing Louisville is Lindsey Brick. She is a centerback who transferred in
from Syracuse last year, where I believe she was a freshman starter on a team that's been at or near the bottom of the ACC for a few years--maybe even more than a few years. A Junior now, she's got good size, a strong right leg and is fairly athletic--but she played very little last year after we got into the SEC schedule. She could be in the mix to take Wrenne French's centerback spot, opposite Lawson Renie, but there are surely other contenders as well.

French is the only starter we've lost from last year's team--but it's a big hole to fill. I would not have said that at the start of last season, frankly, as I considered our starting centerbacks from the previous two years (one of whom was French) to be an obvious team weakness. I rated her very average, at best (and her partner, below average). But she really grew into the position last year and, equally important, was a major leader on the team, as you'd hope any four-year starter to be. And her leadership will definitely be missed. She became noticeably more confident and composed with the ball, which had been a weakness, and she and Lawson Renie, a converted forward, played consistently well last season. I'm not sure if I'd call Renie a natural centerback--but she's certainly got some key qualities that a good CB must have--good size, seems to read the game well, and is composed with the ball.

This season we'll have Renie and a player to be named who's going to have little if any collegiate CB experience. That's easily the biggest question mark spot for the 2022 squad, and so it will be crucial for the coaches to find someone athletic, smart, composed for the spot. It will be interesting to see who grabs it--and it's possible that it could take a few games into the fall season to sort it out, as the coaches take a look at multiple candidates.

As for the signing class, it is a big and seemingly versatile class that is heavy with defenders. If we get 4/5 starters out of this group it will have proven to be a good class, and even better if at least three of them turn out to be good SEC players. I've seen video of Reisz and I'll be surprised if she is not a /good/ collegiate keeper. I've seen video of Simmonds and she's looks to have some serious potential to be a potent forward. Shell and D. Brown played for multiple years with Simmonds on some very good Richmond United ECNL teams, and they're rated pretty highly, so I look forward to seeing those two along with Midgley, Klurman and Price. The latter two are said to be athletic, and Price apparently has exceptional speed and seems destined for outside back. She was an Ole Miss commit before changing her mind and signing with the Vols. Midgley is small but talented. She should be an asset in the midfield if she can hold up to physical SEC play. The hope is that we can not only stay at or near the top of the SEC but become a genuine national contender. Sorry to go on, as usual!
 
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#1,743
#1,743
turbovol said:
Tks for all the content, Mad!

Coupla notes: The player in the first photo from the match/scrimmage with Racing Louisville is Lindsey Brick. She is a centerback who transferred in
from Syracuse last year, where I believe she was a freshman starter on a team that's been at or near the bottom of the ACC for a few years--maybe even more than a few years. A Junior now, she's got good size, a strong right leg and is fairly athletic--but she played very little last year after we got into the SEC schedule. She could be in the mix to take Wrenne French's centerback spot, opposite Lawson Renie, but there are surely other contenders as well.

French is the only starter we've lost from last year's team--but it's a big hole to fill. I would not have said that at the start of last season, frankly, as I considered our starting centerbacks from the previous two years (one of whom was French) to be an obvious team weakness. I rated her very average, at best (and her partner, below average). But she really grew into the position last year and, equally important, was a major leader on the team, as you'd hope any four-year starter to be. And her leadership will definitely be missed. She became noticeably more confident and composed with the ball, which had been a weakness, and she and Lawson Renie, a converted forward, played consistently well last season. I'm not sure if I'd call Renie a natural centerback--but she's certainly got some key qualities that a good CB must have--good size, seems to read the game well, and is composed with the ball.

This season we'll have Renie and a player to be named who's going to have little if any collegiate CB experience. That's easily the biggest question mark spot for the 2022 squad, and so it will be crucial for the coaches to find someone athletic, smart, composed for the spot. It will be interesting to see who grabs it--and it's possible that it could take a few games into the fall season to sort it out, as the coaches take a look at multiple candidates.

As for the signing class, it is a big and seemingly versatile class that is heavy with defenders. If we get 4/5 starters out of this group it will have proven to be a good class, and even better if at least three of them turn out to be good SEC players. I've seen video of Reisz and I'll be surprised if she is not a /good/ collegiate keeper. I've seen video of Simmonds and she's looks to have some serious potential to be a potent forward. Shell and D. Brown played for multiple years with Simmonds on some very good Richmond United ECNL teams, and they're rated pretty highly, so I look forward to seeing those two along with Midgley, Klurman and Price. The latter two are said to be athletic, and Price apparently has exceptional speed and seems destined for outside back. She was an Ole Miss commit before changing her mind and signing with the Vols. Midgley is small but talented. She should be an asset in the midfield if she can hold up to physical SEC play. The hope is that we can not only stay at or near the top of the SEC but become a genuine national contender. Sorry to go on, as usual!
Click to expand...
Love reading your insights and opinions, it gets me super excited about the upcoming season.
 
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#1,744
#1,744
LVFL Rhian Wilkinson Head Coach for the NSWL Portland Thorns discussed their first preseason match.
I hope she is successful and has a good season.
 
#1,750
#1,750
Vol Soccer signee class ranked No. 6 in country

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Lady Vols soccer team is replenishing its squad with a top-ranked signee class for the 2022 season.

This class has been named No. 6 in the country by topdrawersoccer.com and will look to add to the team’s skillset that took them to the NCAA round of 16 last this past season. Among this group, five have been rated inside the IMG Academy Top-150 club player rankings.

“We are very excited about this class,” Pensky said. “They’re an extremely talented group that work hard and are going to be fun to coach. We can’t wait to get them on campus and keep building on the success we found last season.”

Ally Brown, the No. 24 overall player and No. 6 defender in the country, has been named to the Tennessee High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State Team and attended the USWNT U-17 camp in 2019 and 2020.

“I immediately fell in love with the campus,” Brown said. “After meeting with the coaches and the team, I knew this was a place where I would be encouraged and cared for.”

Macaira Midgley is the No. 32 ranked overall player and No. 12 ranked midfielder in the country coming out of high school in Michigan. Midgley was called into the USWNT U-20 camp in 2021 and was invited to the US Club Soccer ID2 Camp in 2018. She is also an early enrollee at Tennessee looking to get her start on Rocky Top early.

“I chose the University of Tennessee because it just felt like home,” Midgley said. “I have a lot of respect for the coaches. I know they offer many different tools that will help me become the best player and person possible, and the team is like one big family.”

The other eight signees had similar things to say about UT and how it is one big family and the soccer team is just one small subset of that family. Among the other signees, the Lady Vols will be joined by Kameron Simmonds, who played on the Jamaican U-17 National Team and attended the U-20 National Team camp this past December.
 
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