Women's Soccer Inks 11 On National Signing Day
Feb. 7, 2018
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina women’s soccer coach Shelley Smith unveiled her 2018 signing class Wednesday, announcing the addition of 11 student-athletes.
The newest Gamecocks boast impressive individual and team achievements at the club soccer and international level.
“We’re excited about this signing class,” Smith said. “They bring in a lot of experience after playing at the top club levels. Internationally, they have played at the top levels also.”
This year’s class features two student-athletes from South Carolina as well as players from Florida, New York, New Jersey, Texas, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Michigan and Ontario.
“These players come from all over the country, and they’ve done a great job to seek each other out and learn about each other,” Smith said. “I think they’re going to be a great class together.”
The Gamecocks punched the program’s first ticket to the Women’s College Cup this past year and finished their 2017 campaign with a mark of 19-3-1. Carolina, which has reached the NCAA Elite Eight in three of the last four years, captured its second-straight SEC Regular-Season Title last fall after going unbeaten (9-0-1) in league play.
2018 Signing Class
Morgan Armstrong
Forward/Midfielder Davie, Fla. St. Thomas Aquinas Weston FC
Player Profile
Competed for Weston FC of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Played at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, leading the team to the state championship for the 2016-17 season
Attended American Heritage as a freshman and guided the soccer team to the state title for the 2014-15 season
Daughter of Ronda and James Armstrong
Samantha Chang
Midfielder Mississauga, Ontario John Fraser Secondary School Unionville Milliken Soccer Club
Player Profile
Tabbed the 2017 League 1 Ontario Young Player of the Year
Selected as the Senior Athlete of the Year as a junior while at John Fraser Secondary School
Competed for the Unionville Milliken Soccer Club in Canada
Daughter of Byoung and Debbie Chang
Jyllissa Harris
Forward/Midfielder Hazlet, N.J. Red Bank Catholic School PDA Gunners/Sky Blue
Player Profile
Competed for the PDA Gunners and Sky Blue of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Helped her club win the 2016 ECNL National Championship
Participated in the U.S. Soccer Federation ID2 Camp and was invited to the National ECNL ID Camp in 2017
Garnered All-Conference and All-State honors while leading Red Bank Catholic School in goals as a freshman, sophomore and junior
Red Bank Catholic won the Non-Public A South Section Title and the Non-Public A Co-Championship during her time there
Was a nominee for the High School All-American Game in 2017
Daughter of Jill and Eric Harris
Frances Ann Matise
Midfielder Dallas, Texas Highland Park Sting
Player Profile
Played for the Sting of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Competed for Highland Park High School, helping the team capture the state championship in 2017
Highland Park reached the state semifinal round in 2016
Earned the Fighting Scot Award (team honor) and received All-District and All-Tournament Team accolades while also serving as a captain for her school
Daughter of Fran and Mark Matise
Christy Lee Sheppard
Midfielder Mount Pleasant, S.C. Wando NASA Tophat
Player Profile
Competed monthly at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center from 2013-16
Took part in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Camp in 2013 and 2014
Part of the ODP Region 3 Pool from 2013-15 and also competed at the Nike ID2 Camp
Played club soccer for NASA Tophat and United Soccer Academy (USA) Mount Pleasant
Helped guide her club to the ECNL Region 3 Club Championship as well as a spot in the national quarterfinals
Part of a squad that also won the Disney Showcase Title and Las Vegas Players Showcase Championship in 2015
Daughter of Christy and William J. Sheppard
Amanda Martin
Defender Miami, Fla. Miami Country Day School Sunrise Sting/Orlando City
Player Profile
Competed at the Nike National Camp and was part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) that traveled to Brazil, Costa Rica and Italy
Played for the Sunrise Sting and Orlando City at the club level
Captained the Sunrise Sting and guided them to regionals before helping Orlando City advance to nationals
Played at Miami Country Day School, where she earned First-Team All-County honors and was selected as the Player of the Year for Dade County as a freshman
Miami Country Day won three-straight district championships and advanced to the regional finals three years in a row during her time there
Daughter of Marisol Ortega and Richard Martin
Kristen Parry
Midfielder Acton, Mass. Lawrence Academy FC Stars of Massachusetts
Player Profile
Competed for the FC Stars of Massachusetts of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Helped lead her the FC Stars to the ECNL playoffs three times in a stretch highlighted by an appearance in the National Semifinals in 2016
Played at Lawrence Academy, where she received a coaches award in 2016 before being tabbed the Team MVP in 2017
Earned All-League honors at Lawrence Academy and was a 2017 All-American candidate
Daughter of Stephanie and David Parry
Paige Mikula
Defender Richboro, Pa. Council Rock FC Pennsylvania Strikers
Player Profile
Played for the FC Pennsylvania Strikers of the U.S. Youth Soccer National League
Helped lead the Strikers to championships at the state, regional and national league level
Competed for Council Rock High School, where she garnered First-Team All-League honors and was selected as the Rookie of the Year
Council Rock won the Friends Schools League (FSL) Title during her time there
Daughter of Trish and Jim Mikula
Riley Tanner
Forward Caledonia, Mich. East Kentwood Midwest United/Michigan Hawks
Player Profile
Played for Midwest United FC (2017-18) and the Michigan Hawks (2015-17) at the club level
Participated in the 2016 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) Training Camp
Named to the 2017 National Tournament Top XI after helping the Hawks win the national title that year
Earned All-Conference, All-District and First-Team All-State honors while playing for East Kentwood High School
East Kentwood won its conference, district and region and made it to the state’s final four during her time there
Daughter of Bellatriz Rintala and Sean Tanner
Gina Giovinco
Forward Lynbrook, N.Y. Lynbrook Senior HBC Impact 00
Player Profile
Played for the HBC Impact 00 of the U.S. Youth Soccer National League
Invited to the U.S. Soccer National Training Center
Won three state championships, three regional championships and reached the national championship (bronze medal) while with HBC Impact 00
Collected All-Conference, All-County and All-State honors while playing for Lynbrook Senior and helped lead the school to the 2014 and 2015 conference championship
Daughter of Patricia and Joseph Giovinco
Sutton Jones
Defender Fort Mill, S.C. Charlotte Latin Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA)
Player Profile
Played for the Charlotte Soccer Academy (CSA) of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL)
Named the 2018 Female Defender of the Year in her final season at Charlotte Latin
Guided Charlotte Latin to the state championship in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and captained the team as a junior and senior
Received North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) All-Conference and All-State honors at Charlotte Latin in 2017
Daughter of Becky and C.T. Jones
