June 14, 2011

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By Miquel Jacobs
Media Relations Assistant

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s soccer coach Shelley Smith has announced that Lani Smith and Alexa Gainey will join the team for the Fall 2011 season. Both players will have four years of eligibility with the Gamecocks and join a recruiting class of five student-athletes that signed National Letters of Intent on Signing Day earlier this year.

Smith (Solon, Ohio // Hathaway Brown HS) joined the Gamecocks in the spring semester and participated in the spring soccer season. A 5’8 forward, she is a two-time Northeast Ohio All-Area First Team selection and helped lead Hathaway Brown to the Ohio state high school championships game in three consecutive seasons, taking home the title in 2007 and 2009. She twice competed at the Super-Y ODP National Camp and played her club soccer for International. Her club team won the Region IV championships in 2008.

Gainey (Florence, S.C. // West Florence HS) signed a letter of intent to play for the hometown Gamecocks, making her the lone Palmetto State native in the 2011 signing class. She is a five-year member of the South Carolina ODP program and a four-time All-Region selection at West Florence High School. She played her club soccer for SC United FC.

Gainey and Smith add attacking prowess to a signing class that was defensive oriented with one goalkeeper, three defenders and a midfielder. The duo join the class of Sabrina D’Angelo (GK // Welland, Ontario), Ariane Lukens (MF // Arvada, Colo.), Christa Neary (D // West Deptford, N.J.), Andie Romness (D // McLean, Va.) and Ali Whitney (D // Downington, Pa.).