Florida Head Coach Becky Burleigh announced the Gators' 2017 signing class today.
Six to join Gator Soccer in Fall of 2017
Monday, February 13, 2017 | Soccer
This talented group brings experience from state, national and international competitions.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida welcomes six to the Gator soccer team for the fall of 2017, Head Coach Becky Burleigh announced Monday.
This class brings experience from state, national and international levels – including some from the sport's top events. Deanne Rose was a member of Canada's bronze medal team at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, scoring Canada's first goal and assisting the game-winner in the bronze medal match. She and another signee, Lais Araujo, both represented their nations in 2016 Women's Under-20 World Cup play, with Araujo serving as Brazil's team captain.
The other members of Florida class also bring impressive credentials. Madison Alexander of Dorr, Mich., has been a member of U.S. Youth National teams. The three other signees are from Florida. Samantha Earle was the 2013 Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) 2A State Player of the Year while with Gulliver Prep. She also plays for Sunrise Soccer club, winners of the 2016 Disney Showcase. Lauren Evans of Lithia has attended Olympic Development Program (ODP) and id2 Player Development Program (PDP) Nike camps. She was part of Newsome H.S. teams which advanced to the 2016 and 2017 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A semifinals. Ailey Tebbett is the sixth from Gainesville to sign with the Gator soccer team. The goalkeeper from Oak Hall School also plays for Florida Elite Soccer Academy, winner of the 2015 U-16 Disney Soccer Showcase.
The 2016 Gators won their second consecutive Southeastern Conference tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. The team ranked No. 10 on the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. The eight-member senior class turned in a four-year record of 71-18-5 (78.2 percent), which ranked No. 5 among the 2016 senior classes.
Florida soccer starts spring action this Sunday when North Florida visits the James G. Pressly Stadium. Match time is 6 p.m. and admission is free.
Madison Alexander
Current captain of Alliance Academy 99 soccer club…Member of club for eight years and coached by Abrahm Shearer…Team was Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA) 2015, 2014 and 2013 State Cup champions and reached semifinal in 2016 and 2012…2014 Region II champion…Part of "Best 11" at both the 2014 U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) and 2016 Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Championship events…Named to 2016 ODP All-Star 1999 team after leading all in ODP Thanksgiving Interregional play with five goals…Top scorer of 2014 National League play…Part of U.S. Under 14 and U15 National Team rosters…Part of state and regional Olympic ODP for five years…Advanced to four Interregional ODP Tournaments (2013-16)…attended two ODP and three US Youth Soccer national team camps…Played one season for Hamilton High School team and coached by Lauren Robinson, earning 2015 all-conference and all-area honors…Earned Grade Point Average awards at Hamilton H.S. and will graduate this spring.
Lais Araujo
Captain of Brazil's 2016 Women's Under-20 World Cup team which advanced to the quarterfinal round last November in Papua, New Guinea…Started each of Brazil's four matches at 2016 U-20 World Cup, including playing the entirety of the final three matches…Earned 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I All-America second team honors as a forward for ASA Junior College in Brooklyn, N.Y…Set ASA Junior College program career records for goals (20) and assists (16) in 21 matches…2015 Region XV Division I Player of the Year and part of 2015 All-Region team while with ASA Junior College
Samantha Earle
Three-year member of Sunrise Soccer 98/99 club team where coached by Russ Morgan and Diego Phillips…Sunrise Soccer won 2016 Disney Showcase – Black Division team title…2015 Southern Region 3 Premier League champions…Advanced to 2016 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) nationals…Five-year member of Gulliver Prep team and coached by Everton Edwards and Bongo Vassell…Gulliver Prep was 2013 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A runner-up and reached 2016 Class 2A semifinal…Team reached 2014 FHSAA 2A regional semifinal and 2015 regional final…2013 Class 2A Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-State selection…2013 FACA 2A State Player of the Year…2013 The Miami Herald All-Dade Class 3A-1A first team and second team in 2016…Missed play due to anterior cruciate ligament tears (left-November 2014 and right-June 2016)…Also ran track at Gulliver Prep…National Honor Society member…Will graduate from Gulliver Prep this spring.
Lauren Evans
Current member of Tampa Bay United club team and coached by Jim Cote…Previously a nine-year member of West Florida Flames soccer club…West Florida Flames won 2013 Florida Under-14 State Cup and advanced to National Cup XII in Aurora, Colo…Named to all-star team at 2013 United Soccer League (USL) Super Y ODP camp…Three-time Region III Olympic Development Program selection and a Region III player pool invitee in 2013…Florida ODP team member from 2012-15…Invited to 2014 ODP National Training camp in Phoenix, Ariz…attended 2012 & 2013 id2 Player Development Program (PDP) Nike Camp…Four-year member of Newsome High School team and coached by Kelly Townsend…Newsome H.S. won four consecutive district titles and advanced to 2016 and 2017 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A semifinal…Turned in 18 goals and 14 assists in junior season…2016 Tampa Bay Times All-Tampa Bay second-team selection…Tribune All-Hillsborough County first team (2016) and honorable mention (2015)…Also part of Newsome H.S. track & field team, earning Most Valuable Player honors as a sophomore and hold school triple jump record….Father, Jerome Evans, played fullback on the Gators' 1996 National Championship team…Honor Roll student throughout four-year high school career…Will graduate from Newsome High School in spring of 2017.
Deanne Rose
Forward on Canada's 2016 bronze medal Olympic team…Played in quarterfinal, semifinal and scored the first goal and assisted on game-winning goal in Canada's 2-1 victory over Brazil in the bronze medal match…Also played two matches in Olympic group play, including starting final group match win versus eventual Olympic champion Germany…Appeared in 20 matches with Canada National Team since 2015, including 12 starts and five goals - made 16 appearances in 2016 alone…Helped Canada win 2016 Algarve Cup, playing in each match…Made Canadian youth program debut in 2014 at age 15…represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016 and at FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016…Canada's 2016 U-17 Player of the Year…Member of Scarborough GS United club team.
Ailey Tebbett
Four-year member of Florida Elite Soccer Academy of Jacksonville, Fla., and coached by Sean Bubb…Florida Elite was 2015 Disney Soccer Showcase Under-16 champion…Part of 2014 Florida Olympic Development Program (ODP) state player pool…Six-year member of Oak Hall School team and coached by Paul Carreiro…Recorded 10 shutouts and 175 saves in 2016-17 season plus added three penalty kick goals…Totaled 1,075 saves during Oak Hall career and served as team captain each season…The Gainesville Sun All-Area first-team member in 2013, 2014 and 2016 and was an honorable mention selection following seventh grade…2014 area's best goalkeeper…Prep Zone Athlete of the Week as a senior…National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society member…Will graduate from Oak Hall School in spring of 2017.
This class brings experience from state, national and international levels – including some from the sport's top events. Deanne Rose was a member of Canada's bronze medal team at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, scoring Canada's first goal and assisting the game-winner in the bronze medal match. She and another signee, Lais Araujo, both represented their nations in 2016 Women's Under-20 World Cup play, with Araujo serving as Brazil's team captain.
The other members of Florida class also bring impressive credentials. Madison Alexander of Dorr, Mich., has been a member of U.S. Youth National teams. The three other signees are from Florida. Samantha Earle was the 2013 Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) 2A State Player of the Year while with Gulliver Prep. She also plays for Sunrise Soccer club, winners of the 2016 Disney Showcase. Lauren Evans of Lithia has attended Olympic Development Program (ODP) and id2 Player Development Program (PDP) Nike camps. She was part of Newsome H.S. teams which advanced to the 2016 and 2017 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A semifinals. Ailey Tebbett is the sixth from Gainesville to sign with the Gator soccer team. The goalkeeper from Oak Hall School also plays for Florida Elite Soccer Academy, winner of the 2015 U-16 Disney Soccer Showcase.
The 2016 Gators won their second consecutive Southeastern Conference tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16. The team ranked No. 10 on the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. The eight-member senior class turned in a four-year record of 71-18-5 (78.2 percent), which ranked No. 5 among the 2016 senior classes.
Florida soccer starts spring action this Sunday when North Florida visits the James G. Pressly Stadium. Match time is 6 p.m. and admission is free.
| 2017 Florida Soccer Signing Class | |||
| Name | Position | High School/Previous School | Hometown (Club Team) |
| Madison Alexander | Forward | Hamilton H.S. | Dorr, Mich. (Alliance Academy) |
| Lais Araujo | Midfielder | Colegio Estudio Maria A. Santos/ASA Junior College | Salvador, Brazil |
| Samantha Earle | Forward | Gulliver Prep School | Key Biscayne, Fla. (Sunrise Sting) |
| Lauren Evans | Midfielder | Newsome H.S. | Lithia, Fla. (Tampa Bay United) |
| Deanne Rose | Forward | St. Thomas Aquinas CCS | Alliston, Canada (Scarborough GS United) |
| Ailey Tebbett | Goalkeeper | Oak Hall School | Gainesville, Fla. (Florida Elite Soccer Academy) |
Madison Alexander
Current captain of Alliance Academy 99 soccer club…Member of club for eight years and coached by Abrahm Shearer…Team was Michigan State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA) 2015, 2014 and 2013 State Cup champions and reached semifinal in 2016 and 2012…2014 Region II champion…Part of "Best 11" at both the 2014 U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) and 2016 Olympic Development Program (ODP) National Championship events…Named to 2016 ODP All-Star 1999 team after leading all in ODP Thanksgiving Interregional play with five goals…Top scorer of 2014 National League play…Part of U.S. Under 14 and U15 National Team rosters…Part of state and regional Olympic ODP for five years…Advanced to four Interregional ODP Tournaments (2013-16)…attended two ODP and three US Youth Soccer national team camps…Played one season for Hamilton High School team and coached by Lauren Robinson, earning 2015 all-conference and all-area honors…Earned Grade Point Average awards at Hamilton H.S. and will graduate this spring.
Lais Araujo
Captain of Brazil's 2016 Women's Under-20 World Cup team which advanced to the quarterfinal round last November in Papua, New Guinea…Started each of Brazil's four matches at 2016 U-20 World Cup, including playing the entirety of the final three matches…Earned 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I All-America second team honors as a forward for ASA Junior College in Brooklyn, N.Y…Set ASA Junior College program career records for goals (20) and assists (16) in 21 matches…2015 Region XV Division I Player of the Year and part of 2015 All-Region team while with ASA Junior College
Samantha Earle
Three-year member of Sunrise Soccer 98/99 club team where coached by Russ Morgan and Diego Phillips…Sunrise Soccer won 2016 Disney Showcase – Black Division team title…2015 Southern Region 3 Premier League champions…Advanced to 2016 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) nationals…Five-year member of Gulliver Prep team and coached by Everton Edwards and Bongo Vassell…Gulliver Prep was 2013 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A runner-up and reached 2016 Class 2A semifinal…Team reached 2014 FHSAA 2A regional semifinal and 2015 regional final…2013 Class 2A Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) All-State selection…2013 FACA 2A State Player of the Year…2013 The Miami Herald All-Dade Class 3A-1A first team and second team in 2016…Missed play due to anterior cruciate ligament tears (left-November 2014 and right-June 2016)…Also ran track at Gulliver Prep…National Honor Society member…Will graduate from Gulliver Prep this spring.
Lauren Evans
Current member of Tampa Bay United club team and coached by Jim Cote…Previously a nine-year member of West Florida Flames soccer club…West Florida Flames won 2013 Florida Under-14 State Cup and advanced to National Cup XII in Aurora, Colo…Named to all-star team at 2013 United Soccer League (USL) Super Y ODP camp…Three-time Region III Olympic Development Program selection and a Region III player pool invitee in 2013…Florida ODP team member from 2012-15…Invited to 2014 ODP National Training camp in Phoenix, Ariz…attended 2012 & 2013 id2 Player Development Program (PDP) Nike Camp…Four-year member of Newsome High School team and coached by Kelly Townsend…Newsome H.S. won four consecutive district titles and advanced to 2016 and 2017 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 5A semifinal…Turned in 18 goals and 14 assists in junior season…2016 Tampa Bay Times All-Tampa Bay second-team selection…Tribune All-Hillsborough County first team (2016) and honorable mention (2015)…Also part of Newsome H.S. track & field team, earning Most Valuable Player honors as a sophomore and hold school triple jump record….Father, Jerome Evans, played fullback on the Gators' 1996 National Championship team…Honor Roll student throughout four-year high school career…Will graduate from Newsome High School in spring of 2017.
Deanne Rose
Forward on Canada's 2016 bronze medal Olympic team…Played in quarterfinal, semifinal and scored the first goal and assisted on game-winning goal in Canada's 2-1 victory over Brazil in the bronze medal match…Also played two matches in Olympic group play, including starting final group match win versus eventual Olympic champion Germany…Appeared in 20 matches with Canada National Team since 2015, including 12 starts and five goals - made 16 appearances in 2016 alone…Helped Canada win 2016 Algarve Cup, playing in each match…Made Canadian youth program debut in 2014 at age 15…represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016 and at FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016…Canada's 2016 U-17 Player of the Year…Member of Scarborough GS United club team.
Ailey Tebbett
Four-year member of Florida Elite Soccer Academy of Jacksonville, Fla., and coached by Sean Bubb…Florida Elite was 2015 Disney Soccer Showcase Under-16 champion…Part of 2014 Florida Olympic Development Program (ODP) state player pool…Six-year member of Oak Hall School team and coached by Paul Carreiro…Recorded 10 shutouts and 175 saves in 2016-17 season plus added three penalty kick goals…Totaled 1,075 saves during Oak Hall career and served as team captain each season…The Gainesville Sun All-Area first-team member in 2013, 2014 and 2016 and was an honorable mention selection following seventh grade…2014 area's best goalkeeper…Prep Zone Athlete of the Week as a senior…National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society member…Will graduate from Oak Hall School in spring of 2017.
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