May 3, 2004

VILLANOVA, PA. - Villanova University head women's soccer coach Ann Clifton recently announced the signing of eight players to National Letters of Intent. The Villanova women's soccer program will welcome two goalkeepers, two defenders, two midfielders and two forwards to the Main Line - making up the Wildcats' outstanding 2004 recruiting class.

Kayce (Elizabeth) Blandford is a defender who attended Notre Dame Prep and hails from Baltimore, Maryland. Blandford was an All-League, All-County and All-State player in each of her last three seasons for Notre Dame Prep, leading the program to an IAMM Championship. She also plays for the Bethesda Dragons club team and has helped lead the squad to Maryland State Championships six times and a Regional Championship twice. In addition, Blandford was a six-year member of the Regional Pool and Regional Team. She had the opportunity to take part in the Regional Europe Tour and the Adidas All-Star Europe Tour during her career.

"Kayce is a very talented marking back that will make an immediate impact on our defense," said Clifton. "She is very experienced and we look for her to have a tremendous presence on our program over the next four years."

One of the two goalkeepers to join the Wildcat program in 2004 is Amanda Chuda - who hails from Schenectady, N.Y. Chuda was a four-year varsity starter, with two seasons at Niskayuna High School and two seasons at Williston Northampton School. For Niskayuna High School, she was a voted a member of the school's Soccer Hall of Fame after helping guide the program to two Division titles, a Suburban Council Class A Championships in 2000 and a Section II Regional title in 2000. For the Williston Northampton School, Chuda helped lead the program to a New England Prep School League Championship in 2003 and co-championship in 2002, and was a Massachusetts All-Star in `03. She was also a member of the Capital United Blue Thunder Club Team, leading the team to a NY State Cup Championship in 2002 and a Directors Cup title in 2003. In addition, Chuda was on the Eastern NY State North ODP squad from 2000 through the present and the Rider Cup team from 2000-03.

"Amanda is a very athletic goalkeeper," said Clifton. "She is an outstanding leader and we look for her to challenge for time in the net. We are very excited to have her as part of our program."

The second goalkeeper who will join the Villanova program this season is Jamie Doehler, a native of East Greenwich, R.I., where she attended East Greenwich High School. Doehler accumulated a number of honors during her career, including second team All-State and second team All-Division status as a junior and first team All-State and first team All-Division accolades this past season. As a member of the Rhode Island Rays Club Team, she led the squad to State Cup titles in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. In addition, Doehler was on the Olympic Development Team from 1999-2001.

"Jamie arrives at Villanova as our second Rhode Island player," said Clifton. "She has held several leadership positions during her high school career and we look for Jamie to make an impact on the Wildcats with her work ethic and leadership."

An athletic forward/midfielder who arrives on the Main line from Newton, N.J. and Pope John XXIII High School is Kaley Guthrie. Guthrie's list of accomplishments is a long one. She was first team All-State (in 2003), All-Parochial (two-times), All-League (two-times) and All-West Jersey (three-times), as well as to being named Player of the Year in West Jersey in 2003. She led her Pope John XXIII team to a SCIL title in 2002 and 2003 and Team of the Year honors both seasons. In addition to her high school team, Guthrie also played for the PDA Galaxy club squad leading them to a 2003 State title, 2003 Regional title and a 3rd place finish at Nationals. Her Olympic Development experience includes the NJ State Team from 1999-2003, Region I Team in 2003, and ESP National Camp in 2003.

"Kaley is an extremely gifted athlete," said Clifton. "She combined her talent with a wonderful work rate. She can play numerous positions, but we know that just having her on the field will help the Wildcats to victory. We look for Kaley to be a great asset to our program over the next four years."

Joining the Wildcats' talented midfield is Stacia Hartung, a native of New York who attended Greece Olympic High School. Hartung was a four-time All-County performer, who also earned All-City honorable mention three times and first team All-City accolades in 2003. She is a member of the Rochester Jr. Rhines Club Team, where she earned 2003 Youth All-America Team status. In addition, she spent five years on the New York State West Team as well as 2003 playing for the 2003 regional team, inter-regional U-19 region I team and at the ESP Camp. Hartung was also invited to the U-19 National Team Camp in Carson, Calif.

"Stacia will arrive on the Main Line as a very dedicated student-athlete," said Clifton. "We will look for her to use the Regional and National Team experience to make an immediate impact on the Wildcats. She possesses outstanding vision and ability to be a major offensive threat from the midfield position. We are excited to have her in the blue and white."

Arriving at Villanova all the way from Phoenix, Ariz., where she attended Horizon High School, is forward Nikki Mabery. After much success as a freshman and sophomore at Horizon, Mabery chose to make a name for herself playing Select Soccer as a junior and senior. She helped her Select team to a Disney Cup Runner-up in 2003 and a President's Day Championship in 2004. Mabery also played for the Sereno Golden Eagles Club Team. She led her club team to state titles every year in which she played, in addition to three regional titles, and a National Championship in 2003. Mabery was a member of the state ODP squad every season, and earned a spot on the Las Vegas All-Star Team.

"Nikki will bring a U-17 Youth National Championship with her as she travels east to Villanova," said Clifton. "She is a very determined player with outstanding drive to be the best. Her sophistication of the game as a forwatd will be a great asset to Villanova. We will look for Nikki to challenge for major time during her freshman campaign."

Traveling north from her home in Marietta, Ga., to join the Villanova program is defender Meghan Irrgang, who attended the Marist School and played for the United Quest Red 85's Club Team. Irrgang anchored her high school team to State Championships in 2001 and 2003, and a No. 1 state ranking in `03. She was named to the All-County Soccer Team as a junior in 2003. Irrgang had similar success for the United Quest Red 85's. She guided her club squad to four State Championships (2000, 2002-04), and a Region III finals appearance in 2002. Irrgang also led the 85's to a Raleigh Shootout title in 2000 and a Score at the Shore title in 2003. This June, she will compete at the Club Regionals in Austin, Texas. Her vast soccer experience also includes ODP play, where Irrgang was a six-year member of the Georgia `85 ODP Team. They won the Region II Championship in 2002 and placed third at ODP Nationals in 2003.

"We are excited to attract such an accomplished player as Meghan Irrgang," said Clifton. "Meghan is a very strong players that will bring depth to our talented back four. Her experience will be a tremendous asset to our program. Meghan will be the first player from Georgia to play soccer for the Wildcats."

A second high-touted New Jersey player to join the Wildcats is midfielder and Bridgewater, N.J. native Melissa Murowski, who attended Watchung Hills Regional. Murowski began her high school career garnering freshman of the year honors, and only got better. She was a second team All-Area standout in 2000, first team All-County in 2001-03, first team All-Conference in 2001-03 and first team All-State in 2003. Murowski led her high school squad to two conference championships, a Group 3 Sectional title in 2001 and a Group 4 Sectional title in 2002. In addition to her high school experience, she also has vast club and ODP soccer experience. Murowski played for the PDA Galaxy club team, helping guide the squad to State Cup titles in 2001 and 2003 and Regional titles in 2001 and 2003. She also was a member of the NJ State ODP Team in 1999-2003, the Region I Pool in 1999 and played in Las Vegas at the Club National in March 2004.

"Melissa comes to Villanova as a fiery competitor," said Clifton. "She has the ability to be a ball winner in the midfield and start to build out attack. We are excited to have Melissa join our program. She is a complete student-athlete that will leave her mark during her career on our team and the Villanova Community.

These eight players will arrive at Villanova University in August and join a program that had its finest season in history one year ago. The 2003 Wildcats set a school record for wins in a season (15), made its third straight NCAA appearance, won its first-ever Big East Conference Championship and made its first-ever NCAA Sweet 16.