Aggies Add Five Early Enrollees for 2016 Campaign
Jan 19, 2016 | Soccer
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Soccer squad announced the arrival of five early enrollees for the upcoming 2016 season. Cienna Arrieta (F – El Paso), Jenna Byers (MF – Tulsa, Okla.), Bri Davis (D – Temple), Jordan Hill (D/F – Frisco) and Callyn Walton (D – College Station) all enrolled and began classes on Tuesday.
"We are very excited about having five great players added to our roster," A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. "I think each of these five have shown throughout their young careers that they can be great players, but they're also quality students having graduated high school early. Four of them graduated a semester early and one, Cienna, graduated a full-year early.
"They are people who have been leaders on their high school and club teams and people we think can bring special skill and components to our side."
Arrieta has been a star with the Texas Rush 98 ECNL squad since 2013. She also helped lead New Mexico Rush in winning the state cup title. Arrieta was a three-year letterwinner in track & field at El Paso's Eastwood High School, competing in the High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, 100 Meter Hurdles, 300 Meter Hurdles and sprint relays. She earned All-District accolades on 15 occasions, including three times each in the Long Jump, 100 Meter Hurdles and 300 Meter Hurdles. Arrieta set the school record in the 100 Meter Hurdles and High Jump as a junior and was named District 1-6A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2013. She was also graduated a year early and in the top five percent of her class. Arrieta earned Academic All-District 1-6A First Team honors as a hurdler as a junior.
"Cienna is a very athletic and gifted forward," Guerrieri said. "She has good speed and a great nose for goal. She is someone who should be able to come in and compete pretty quickly for playing time with our other talented forwards at A&M. She is the first player we've had from El Paso since the mid-90s when Nicky Thrasher came to Aggieland (and became an All American). Cienna is also the first player to come into our program from the Texas Rush soccer club, and I know that Nick O'Shea, Stuart Fitzsimmons, Darron Rush and all of the great coaches in that club are very proud of her and the way she developed in their program."
Byers was a three-year letterwinner at Holland Hall Prep School and a member of the TSC Hurricane 98 ECNL squad. She earned All-Southwest Preparatory Conference honors and led the team in scoring all three of her seasons at Holland Hall. Byers was also a two-year standout on the field hockey squad for the Dutch. She is a four-year captain for the TSC Hurricane 98 ECNL unit.
"Jenna is a talented, all-around central midfield player," Guerrieri said. "She has very good vision and she's very strong technically. Jenna is excellent in the air and she's someone who can change the game in the course of a few seconds. She comes to us from the Tulsa Soccer Club program, guided by Coach Kerry Shubert and Donivan Bradshaw, who have developed Jenna into the best player in Oklahoma."
Davis was a three-year letterwinner and junior captain at Belton High School and a member of the Lonestar 98 ECLN team for four years. The star defender helped the Tigers amass 32 shutouts as a freshman and sophomore. In 2014, Belton yielded just three goals in 22 matches with Davis on the backline. She was named All-District 8-5A First Team as a freshman and sophomore and District 8-5A Defensive MVP recognition as a sophomore. Davis was also a track star at Belton, finishing third in the district meet as a freshman and sophomore. A standout in the classroom, Davis earned Academic All-District three times in soccer and twice in track & field.
"Bri, you will see from her height, can be a very dominating factor in the air," Guerrieri said, "but she's also a very gifted athlete who can quickly close opponents down defensively. She's strong with the ball and will be able to help us create as we possess the ball into the attack. Bri has developed into a terrific defender under the coaching of Wes Schevers and the rest of the great Lonestar Soccer Club staff of coaches and mentors."
Hill is a second-generation Aggie who was a two-year letterwinner at Frisco High School and has played with the Dallas Sting 98 ECNL for the last two years. As a junior, she garnered District 9-5A First Team and TASCO All-Region Second Team recognition. As a sophomore, Hill was the District 18-4A Offensive Player of the Year, All-District 18-4A First Team, TASCO All-State 4A Second Team and the leading goal scorer in District 18-4A with 40 goals and 14 assists. She also garnered TASCO Academic All-State recognition as a junior.
"Jordan is very athletic and has the ability to play in a variety of positions," Guerrieri said. "She's an excellent defender, but she's also pretty explosive going forward. Jordan has received some outstanding coaching as a young player from Matt Grubb in the FC Dallas youth program and for the past couple seasons in the highly successful Sting Soccer Club under Anthony "Tatu" Pecorari and their wonderful coaches."
Walton joins Grace Wright to give the Aggies two College Station natives on the 2016 roster. A third-generation Aggie, Walton was a two-year letterwinner at A&M Consolidated High School. She has played five years with the Challenge Soccer Club 98 ECNL team, serving as a captain the last three years. As a junior, Walton was named the A&M consolidated MVP and earned All-District 18-5A First Team recognition. In her freshman campaign, she earned All-District 14-5A First Team status along with being named the A&M Consolidated Newcomer of the Year. She helped lead the Challenge 98 to the ECNL National Playoffs in 2012 and 2014. In 2013 she played up with the Challenge 97 ECNL squad as they made a run through the ECNL National Playoffs.
"Callyn is an athletic, tough, and very intelligent defender," Guerrieri said. "She has played in both the midfield and on the backline in her career. Callyn has received some wonderful coaching from the Challenge Soccer Club staff, both here in Aggieland as well as in Houston with Stuart Self, Chris Maravalli, Pat O'Toole and the rest of their staff. I'm very excited about having her in the team."
The Aggies have now had nine freshmen early enrollees over the last three years, including Mikaela Harvey, Stephanie Malherbe and Haley Pounds in 2014 and Mia Hummel in 2015.
The Aggies finished the season ranked No. 9 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll and posted a 17-7-2 record. The Maroon and White appeared in their 21st consecutive NCAA Division I Championship, advanced to the Second Round for the 18th consecutive year, appeared in the Sweet 16 for the 14th time in program history and earned their sixth Elite Eight showing.
"We are very excited about having five great players added to our roster," A&M head coach G Guerrieri said. "I think each of these five have shown throughout their young careers that they can be great players, but they're also quality students having graduated high school early. Four of them graduated a semester early and one, Cienna, graduated a full-year early.
"They are people who have been leaders on their high school and club teams and people we think can bring special skill and components to our side."
Arrieta has been a star with the Texas Rush 98 ECNL squad since 2013. She also helped lead New Mexico Rush in winning the state cup title. Arrieta was a three-year letterwinner in track & field at El Paso's Eastwood High School, competing in the High Jump, Long Jump, Triple Jump, 100 Meter Hurdles, 300 Meter Hurdles and sprint relays. She earned All-District accolades on 15 occasions, including three times each in the Long Jump, 100 Meter Hurdles and 300 Meter Hurdles. Arrieta set the school record in the 100 Meter Hurdles and High Jump as a junior and was named District 1-6A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2013. She was also graduated a year early and in the top five percent of her class. Arrieta earned Academic All-District 1-6A First Team honors as a hurdler as a junior.
"Cienna is a very athletic and gifted forward," Guerrieri said. "She has good speed and a great nose for goal. She is someone who should be able to come in and compete pretty quickly for playing time with our other talented forwards at A&M. She is the first player we've had from El Paso since the mid-90s when Nicky Thrasher came to Aggieland (and became an All American). Cienna is also the first player to come into our program from the Texas Rush soccer club, and I know that Nick O'Shea, Stuart Fitzsimmons, Darron Rush and all of the great coaches in that club are very proud of her and the way she developed in their program."
Byers was a three-year letterwinner at Holland Hall Prep School and a member of the TSC Hurricane 98 ECNL squad. She earned All-Southwest Preparatory Conference honors and led the team in scoring all three of her seasons at Holland Hall. Byers was also a two-year standout on the field hockey squad for the Dutch. She is a four-year captain for the TSC Hurricane 98 ECNL unit.
"Jenna is a talented, all-around central midfield player," Guerrieri said. "She has very good vision and she's very strong technically. Jenna is excellent in the air and she's someone who can change the game in the course of a few seconds. She comes to us from the Tulsa Soccer Club program, guided by Coach Kerry Shubert and Donivan Bradshaw, who have developed Jenna into the best player in Oklahoma."
Davis was a three-year letterwinner and junior captain at Belton High School and a member of the Lonestar 98 ECLN team for four years. The star defender helped the Tigers amass 32 shutouts as a freshman and sophomore. In 2014, Belton yielded just three goals in 22 matches with Davis on the backline. She was named All-District 8-5A First Team as a freshman and sophomore and District 8-5A Defensive MVP recognition as a sophomore. Davis was also a track star at Belton, finishing third in the district meet as a freshman and sophomore. A standout in the classroom, Davis earned Academic All-District three times in soccer and twice in track & field.
"Bri, you will see from her height, can be a very dominating factor in the air," Guerrieri said, "but she's also a very gifted athlete who can quickly close opponents down defensively. She's strong with the ball and will be able to help us create as we possess the ball into the attack. Bri has developed into a terrific defender under the coaching of Wes Schevers and the rest of the great Lonestar Soccer Club staff of coaches and mentors."
Hill is a second-generation Aggie who was a two-year letterwinner at Frisco High School and has played with the Dallas Sting 98 ECNL for the last two years. As a junior, she garnered District 9-5A First Team and TASCO All-Region Second Team recognition. As a sophomore, Hill was the District 18-4A Offensive Player of the Year, All-District 18-4A First Team, TASCO All-State 4A Second Team and the leading goal scorer in District 18-4A with 40 goals and 14 assists. She also garnered TASCO Academic All-State recognition as a junior.
"Jordan is very athletic and has the ability to play in a variety of positions," Guerrieri said. "She's an excellent defender, but she's also pretty explosive going forward. Jordan has received some outstanding coaching as a young player from Matt Grubb in the FC Dallas youth program and for the past couple seasons in the highly successful Sting Soccer Club under Anthony "Tatu" Pecorari and their wonderful coaches."
Walton joins Grace Wright to give the Aggies two College Station natives on the 2016 roster. A third-generation Aggie, Walton was a two-year letterwinner at A&M Consolidated High School. She has played five years with the Challenge Soccer Club 98 ECNL team, serving as a captain the last three years. As a junior, Walton was named the A&M consolidated MVP and earned All-District 18-5A First Team recognition. In her freshman campaign, she earned All-District 14-5A First Team status along with being named the A&M Consolidated Newcomer of the Year. She helped lead the Challenge 98 to the ECNL National Playoffs in 2012 and 2014. In 2013 she played up with the Challenge 97 ECNL squad as they made a run through the ECNL National Playoffs.
"Callyn is an athletic, tough, and very intelligent defender," Guerrieri said. "She has played in both the midfield and on the backline in her career. Callyn has received some wonderful coaching from the Challenge Soccer Club staff, both here in Aggieland as well as in Houston with Stuart Self, Chris Maravalli, Pat O'Toole and the rest of their staff. I'm very excited about having her in the team."
The Aggies have now had nine freshmen early enrollees over the last three years, including Mikaela Harvey, Stephanie Malherbe and Haley Pounds in 2014 and Mia Hummel in 2015.
The Aggies finished the season ranked No. 9 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll and posted a 17-7-2 record. The Maroon and White appeared in their 21st consecutive NCAA Division I Championship, advanced to the Second Round for the 18th consecutive year, appeared in the Sweet 16 for the 14th time in program history and earned their sixth Elite Eight showing.
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