May 28, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Women’s soccer head coach Shelley Smith has announced the addition of transfer Kaleigh Kurtz. She joins the Gamecocks after playing her freshman season at Richmond. Kurtz will have three years of eligibility.
“I think Kaleigh is a tremendous addition to our team. She brings plenty of experience from the club level, plus playing a year of college. She played a lot of minutes for Richmond and did very well for them, and she also plays in the W-League. With all of those experiences she has, we’re excited for her to join us,” Smith said.
Kurtz, a native of Greer, S.C., started all 18 games on the Spiders’ backline in the fall, recording one assist, 17 shots and seven shots on goal.
A four-star recruit coming out of high school, she was ranked No. 127 nationally according to TopDrawerSoccer. Kurtz was the 28th ranked defender in the country and was the 15th ranked player overall in the South Atlantic region. A four-time ECNL All-Event Team selection and an ECNL Top Performer in 2012, she helped lead Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA) to seven state championships, and a regional championship and sixth-place finish at Nationals in 2012 alongside current Gamecock Chelsea Drennan.
“We looked at her out of high school and have always been impressed by her athleticism and determination she shows on the field. She has some tremendous qualities that I think will be exciting to work with and see her progress as a defender in our conference,” Smith added.
Kurtz is currently in her second season as a member of Carolina Elite Cobras in the W-League. Two of her teammates have South Carolina ties in incoming freshman Savannah McCaskill and former Gamecock All-American Blakely Mattern.
As a prep player, Kurtz was a four-year starter at Riverside High School in Greer where she was a three-time all-state selection. She led Riverside to four consecutive regional championships and the 2010 3A state championship.
