April 12, 2002

COLUMBIA, SC – The University of South Carolina women’s soccer program has announced nine players who have committed to play for them beginning in the 2002 season. Fresh off a four-game turnaround in 2001, head coach Shelley Smith and her staff are looking to continue the rebuliding of the USC women’s soccer program in her second year this fall.

“We are excited about our first recruiting class here at South Carolina,” said USC head coach Shelley Smith. “They are a talented group that will complement the strong core of returning players and add some much needed depth. There are opportunities for these newcomers to make an immediate impact in their first season. We have some versatile players who we will place in positions where their strengths are most helpful to the team.”

South Carolina will enter this fall after finishing the 2001 year as one of the most improved team’s in the nation with an 8-7-1 record.

Name Pos. Hometown HighSchool Club Team
Stacy Bunchman D Oak Ridge, Tenn. Oak Ridge HS Lady Express (Brentwood)
Kimberly Criss D/M Knoxville, Tenn. Bearden HS Lady Express (Brentwood)
Lindsay Haney F/M Duluth, Ga. Duluth HS Brookwood Steamers
Abigail Markham D/M Brentwood, Tenn. Harpeth HS Lady Express (Brentwood)
Ashleigh Messervy F/M Summerville, SC Summerville HS Fury (Mount Pleasant)
Katherine Stokes F/D Charles Town, WV Jefferson HS Onslow Ice
Amanda Thurber M Fayetteville, Ga. Starrs Mill HS AFC Lightning
Camille Toney F/M Beavercreek, Ohio Beavercreek HS Hammer FC
Jackie Welch D Cape Coral, Fla. Mariner HS Cape Coral Cyclones

Stacy Bunchman D Oak Ridge, Tenn. (Oak Ridge HS) LADY EXPRESS (Brentwood, Tenn.)

– Earned Team MVP honors and named All-State her senior season – Earned All-District honors all four years and All-Region first team three consecutive years – Named team captain her junior and senior years at Oak Ridge – Set the all-time school record for assists her junior year in 2000 and finished with 54 – Member of high school team that was District Champions from 1998-2001 – Also owns school record for most varsity soccer matches played (96) – A member of National Honor Society and President of Youth Advisory Board for city of Oak Ridge – Daughter of Bob and Debbie Bunchman

Kimberly Criss D/M Knoxville, Tenn. (Bearden HS) LADY EXPRESS (Brentwood, Tenn.)

– Leading scorer for high school team three of four years, including senior year with 33 goals scored and 18 assists – Earned All-State honors in 2001-2002 as well as All-Region and All-District honors – 2001 All-Region MVP – Named Knoxville News Sentinel High School Athlete of the Week in Sept of 2001 – Member of Mu Alpha Theta and National Honors Society – Mentioned in 2001 Who’s Who in America High Schools – High School team reached semifinals of state tournament last Spring and finished fourth – Daughter of George and Jennifer Criss

Lindsay Haney F/M Duluth, Ga. (Duluth HS) BROOKWOOD STEAMERS

– Named to Atlanta Journal-Constitution list of All-Gwinett Players in 2001 – Daughter of Walt and Lissa Haney

Abigail Markham D/M Brentwood, Tenn. (Harpeth HS) LADY EXPRESS (Brentwood, Tenn.)

– Named All-State in 1999 and 2000 – Also Garnered All-Mid-State and All-District honors in 1999 and 2000 – Reached the state Div. II state tournament semifinals in 1998 and 2000 and state finals in 1999 – Daughter of John and Vicki Markham

Ashleigh Messervy F/M Summerville, SC (Summerville HS) FURY (Mount Pleasant, SC)

– Named All-State (4A) her junior season (2001) with 48 goals scored – Selected as Outstanding Newcomer in Soccer for the state of South Carolina by The South Carolina Sporting News in 2001 – Member of high school team that finished in second place in Lower State Championship – Member of USYSA State Select Team from 1997-2001 – Has been a varsity soccer player all four seasons – Currently has scored eight goals on the 2002 season – Chosen by high school guidance dept. to attend the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. – Recognized by Summerville Kiwanis for three years of vounteer work to support the YMCA and other local charities – Daughter of James and Linda Messervy

Katherine Stokes F/D Charles Town, West Va. (Jefferson HS) Onslow Ice

– Served as captain her senior year and was named all-state, all-region and all-conference at Jefferson HS – Earned All-Area Player of the Year honors after scoring 27 goals and accumulating 10 assists as a senior – Lived and played soccer in Germany as a junior for Breitenfelder Club – Three-time all-conference and all-area selection at Lejeune and Jefferson HS – Named MVP as a freshman and sophomore for Lejeune High School, before moving to Germany – Scored 31 goals as a sophomore and 27 as a freshman – Originally born in Beaufort, S.C. – Daughter of Chris and Sandra Stokes

Amanda Thurber M Fayetteville, Ga. (Starrs Mill HS) AFC LIGHTNING

– Named captain for high school team her junior and senior seasons – Member of Georgia High School State Champions in 1999 and 2000 – Currently in 2002 season, Thurber has scored six goals with three assists with Starss Mill opening 2002 season with a 4-1-1 record – Named Fayetteville Daily News Athlete of the Week in 2000 – Won Starrs Mill 110% Award in 1999 and 2000 – Scored 13 goals her junior year, six goals her sophomore year and 11 her freshman season – A member of National Honor Society and is Senior Class Vice President – Serves as a peer mediator and is a member of Beta Club – Daughter of Bill and Karen Thurber

Camille Toney F/M Beavercreek, Ohio (Beavercreek HS) HAMMER FC

Jackie Welch D Cape Coral, Fla. (Mariner HS) CAPE CORAL CYCLONES

– Holds Lee County (Fla.) single-season record for goals scored with 57 in one year – Earned all-conference and all-area honors – Cape Coral City Female Athlete of the Year (2001) – Ft. Meyers Newspress Girls Soccer Player of the Year 2000-01 – Selected to Florida State Senior All-Star Team – Named team MVP in 2001-02 – Daughter of Vincent and Lenora Welch