CCU

Women's Soccer Signs Eight Student-Athletes to National Letters-of-Intent

       

Women's Soccer Signs Eight Student-Athletes to National Letters-of-Intent

CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina University women’s soccer program and head coach Rohan Naraine have announced the signing of eight student-athletes to National Letters of Intent. Joining the Lady Chanticleers in the fall of 2008 are Jessie Benchley (Hudson, Ill./Normal Community West), Kelsie Dreisbach (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West), Dana Gentile (Utica, N.Y./Whitesboro (Herkimer C.C.)), Molly Johnson (Park Hills, Ky./Notre Dame Academy), Sam Schuller (Charlotte, N.C./Providence), Tori Strengari (Newark, Del./St. Mark’s), Marissa Terry (Charleston, S.C./James Island) and Jennifer Thomas (Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County).   Benchley, a midfielder, was an All-Big 12 Conference First Team selection her junior year at Normal Community West High School. She led the area in assists and helped the Wildcats to a berth in the state tournament. Benchley also was a varsity soccer scholar-athlete and was an All-Intercity First Team selection. Benchley scored 16 goals her sophomore season and helped the Wildcats to the super-sectionals in 2006. She played club soccer for the Central Illinois Select for four years, advancing to the U.S. Club regionals each year. She also played for the Kickers United Futbol Club, which took second at the U.S. Club National in the summer of 2007. Benchley is in the National Honor Society and is the President of the Varsity Club at Normal Community West.   Dreisbach, a forward/midfielder, earned All-Greater Miami Conference First Team honors her junior year and was named Lakota West’s Offensive Player of the Year her junior and senior seasons. She earned a varsity letter all four years for the Firebirds and was an honorable mention on the Cincinnati Enquirer All-Star team her sophomore season. Dreisbach was named to the Greater Miami Conference Second Team her sophomore and senior seasons and she helped the Firebirds win the conference her freshman year. Dreisbach played club soccer for the Cincinnati Futbol Alliance, who were champions of the Buckeye Premier League in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Dreisbach also is an Honor Roll student at Lakota West.   Gentile, a forward, already is on campus at Coastal and will play for the Lady Chants in the spring season. She was a two-time First Team All-American at Herkimer County Community College in New York. She was the nation’s leading scorer in 2007 in junior college and was the Region II Player of the Year. Gentile also played basketball and lacrosse at Herkimer, where former Lady Chant Stepheney Gerhardt went to junior college. She was a First Team All-Central New York selection at Whitesboro High School her senior season, scoring 42 goals on the year. Gentile ended her high school career with 117 goals and 41 assists. She was the leading scorer in the Tri-Valley League, was a Section III All-Star and was the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2006. Gentile played club soccer for Coliseum Soccer Club, who won the 2007 Italy Cup.   Johnson, a midfielder, earned three varsity letters at Notre Dame Academy, helping the Pandas to a state semifinal berth her senior season. Johnson was on the Northern Kentucky All-Star team and earned All-Region honors at Notre Dame. She also earned the “Push it to the Limit” Leadership Award her senior season. She helped the Pandas to three district championships her last three seasons. Johnson also played basketball at Notre Dame, earning two varsity letters and being named to the District All-Tournament team her senior season. Johnson played club soccer for the Northern Kentucky United Soccer Club, who were state semifinalists in 2006 and 2007. Johnson was named Academic All-State all four years at Notre Dame.   Schuller, a defender/midfielder, has earned two varsity letters going into her senior season at Providence High School in Charlotte. She was named an All-Southwestern 4A player after her junior season and helped the Panthers to a conference championship in 2007. She also helped Providence to a state finals berth her sophomore year. Schuller is in the National Honor Society and has made A-B Honor Roll at Providence.   Strengari, a midfielder/defender, was named to the All-Catholic Conference Second Team as a junior at St. Mark’s High School in Delaware. She helped the Spartans to the state playoffs in 2007. She was on the teams in 2005 and 2006 that both were runners-up in the state finals. Strengari also played volleyball and swam at St. Mark’s. She was the co-captain on the volleyball team her senior year and qualified for the state finals in the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly in swimming. She also was named the school’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2008. Strengari played club soccer for Hockessin, helping the team win the State Cup championship in 2004-05 and was part of the first place Cup Division team for the Philadelphia Are Girls Soccer in 2005-06. She was a four-year Honor Roll student at St. Mark’s.   Terry, a forward, has earned two varsity letters at James Island High School and is the captain of the 2008 team. She earned the Trojan Award her junior year and was named to the Viking Cup All-Tournament Team in 2007. Terry is the sister of Coastal women’s soccer senior-to-be Chelsea Terry.    Thomas, a midfielder/forward, was a varsity starter for Loudoun County High School her junior season. She had assists in her first six games before an injury sidelined her for the season. The Raiders went on to a 16-1 record and a Dulles district championship in 2007. She is a starter for the Raiders in 2008. She attended Heritage High School her freshman and sophomore seasons and started on varsity both seasons. Her travel team, the Loudoun Hotshots, finished eighth in the nation and second in the state in 2007. That team also placed in the top bracket at the Disney Tournament and won the Jefferson Cup and the Score at the Shore tournament. Thomas also played basketball at Loudoun County. She is an Honor Roll student at Loudoun County.   Coastal ended the 2007 season after recording a school record 15 wins, a Big South regular season championship and a first trip to the Big South Tournament championship game in school history.