Feb. 8, 2002
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina University head soccer coach Debbie Hensley announced that six student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent with the Catamounts, including Megan Chambers (Roswell, Ga.), Casey Davis (Marietta, Ga.), Natasha Moore (Fountain Inn, S.C.), Marie Nicolini (Cary, N.C.), Emily Pierce (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Natalie Turgeon (Raleigh, N.C.).
The class features two pairs of teammates as Chambers and Davis play for the same club team in the Atlanta area, while Nicolini and Turgeon are both club and high school teammates in Raleigh. Western, the 2001 Southern Conference regular-season champions, just completed its third season of competition and now has a full complement of recruited athletes.
Chambers is a standout defender who led her club teams to two championships and two runner-up finishes in the Georgia State Cup in the last five years. Her 1998 team placed third at regionals. This 2001 defensive MVP for Roswell High School will lead her team through this spring's Georgia high school season in the competitive Atlanta metro area.
Davis, a sweeper out of Walton High School, led her team to the Georgia State Tournament semifinals in 2000. A two-time All-State Honorable Mention selection, Davis will captain her high school squad this spring. She is also the captain of her Metro North Navy club team that was a 2001 finalist in the Georgia State Cup and most recently was crowned champion at the prestigious 2001 Orange Bowl Classic.
Moore is a forward from the seven-time South Carolina State Champion St. Giles United soccer club team. A key offensive threat for Hillcrest High School, she was the 2001 MVP and helped lead her squad to the state championship in 1999 and a runner-up finish in 2001. Moore is a member of the South Carolina Olympic Development Program (ODP). Her sister, Nardia, is currently an all-conference performer for the Catamounts.
Nicolini, a speedy midfielder/forward, was a force on her CASL Elite club team, which won the 1999 Region III Championship, as well as state championships from 1996 through 1999. At Cardinal Gibbons High, Nicolini is a captain and earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region honors both as a sophomore and junior. She is also a standout on her high school track team as a sprint champion in the 60 and 100 meters events, taking first place in 25 of the 27 races in which she competed. She is a member of the North Carolina ODP.
Pierce, the first Tennessee native to join the WCU soccer program, was a 2000 regional pool member in the ODP. The 5'8" defender/midfielder has been a state champion in the club ranks the past two years, most recently with the Brentwood Lady Express. Pierce is a two-time all-region and all-area pick out of Red Bank High School. She additionally picked up All-State honors, earning her team's MVP award as a senior. Pierce is also a district champion hurdler for her school's track team.
Turgeon led CASL Spartan Elite of Raleigh to the 1999 Region III Championship. She is the team's career assist leader and second leading scorer, while splitting time between center midfield and forward. The same team is a four-time state champion, while reaching the finals in 2001. Turgeon was a NCISSAA First Team All-State midfielder, captain and team MVP as a junior at Cardinal Gibbons. The two-time First Team All-Conference and All-Region performer is also a standout on the basketball court, serving as captain and leading her team to an excellent season to date.
"The addition of these six student-athletes will help us get to the next level," Hensley said. "Each of them has the ability to make an immediate impact on our team. This class just adds to the excitement surrounding the future of this program."
Western Carolina University, which had no seniors on last year's team, will welcome back five all-conference performers and all 11 starters from the 2001 Southern Conference Championship team. The Catamounts are coming off their best season in school history compiling a 16-6 record and reaching the finals of the SoCon Tournament.
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