MIAMI (April 21, 2016) – The FIU women's soccer program and Head Coach Thomas Chestnutt announced on Thursday an eight-player initial signing class which will join the program in the fall of 2016. The Panthers will be adding Isabella de Almagro, Felicia Davidson and Abigail Logue from the state of Florida and, Ashley Adams, Carina Baltrip-Reyes, Amira Griffin, Michaela Rouse and Bria Williams from across North America. There are more expected signings to the team upcoming.
 
"We are extremely excited about this class," said Chestnutt. "They are a strong group in all facets – character, game intelligence, athleticism, technical abilities and desire to succeed. When coupled with our current group, we will have good depth at all positions and upgrade our team with some very strong soccer players and more importantly good character people."
 
Ashley Adams • Fr. West Chester, Ohio. • F • Lakota West HS
Prep/Club – Four-year member of the varsity women's soccer team with the Firebirds, also playing junior varsity basketball at Lakota West… Earned All-GMC in her last two seasons, First-Team All-District in 2015 and earning Steven Cumming Sr. All-Star Team accolades… Led the Firebirds with eight goals last season and 14 in 2015… Also earned three state championships while a member of the Cincinnati United Premier Gold U13-U15 teams… Involved in peer counseling, Student Government and Relay 4 Life in high school… Earned all-academic honors all four years of prep career.
 
Personal – Birthday is October 9… Daughter of Lisa and Raynell Adams… Has an older sister, Kimberly… Comes from an athletic family… Grandfather Robert Stargel and cousin Bill Stargel played football at Harvard, while uncle Willard Stargel was a two-sport star at Cincinnati, where cousins Scott and Jason played, and another cousin David Stargel, ran track at Florida A&M from 1988-92… Plans to study criminal justice, with the hopes to become a white-collar crimes investigator.

Isabella de Almagro  • Fr. • Pembroke Pines, Fla. • F/M • American Heritage HS
Prep/Club – Played for American Heritage, which won state championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015… She amassed 26 goals and 19 assists through her first three years on the squad… Also a member of the Florida Premier League 2013 champion Weston FC and 2014 title-winning club Boca United FC... She has been playing club soccer since 2007 with West Pines United, Sunrise, Weston and Boca United… two-time recipient of the Academic Award in Math as American Heritage.
 
Personal – Birthday is July 16… Daughter of Theresa and Ignacio de Almagro… Has a twin brother, Ignacio and a younger brother, Ian… Potential major is undecided… An active athlete, she lists snow skiing, scuba diving, lobstering, boating, fishing and going to the beach as her hobbies… She has been playing the piano since 2004 and was a dancer for 10 years (2000-10)… Career goal is starting her own business.
  
Carina Baltrip-Reyes • Fr. • Round Rock, Texas • M • Robert E. Hendrickson HS
Prep/Club – Four-year letterwinner in soccer, also taking two letters in cross country for the Hawks… Won first-team all-district in soccer in 2014 and two-time all-district honors for cross country… Played for the Dallas Texans ENCL Team, winning a Conference Championship in 2013-14, finishing as a ENCL Championship Finalist in 2014 and UIL Regional Finalist in 6A in 2015… Earned KLMS Soccer MVP in 2011-12… Played for the Austin Texans Soccer Club from 2008-16… Qualified for Regionals in cross country in 2012… Participated as a Hendrickson High Ambassador in 2014… Academically, earned recognition for excellence as Top One Percent HHS Graduating Class, Pre-AP Algebra, inducted into the National Honor Society in 2014, Pre-AP Calculus in 2014-15, Exploring Computer Programming in 2014-15, Visual Arts Scholastic Event Regional Winner, State Qualifier and Medalist in 2015 and Advanced Placement Scholar in 2015.

Personal – Birthday is July 1… Daughter of Karen Baltrip-Cobb and Reinaldo Reyes… Has two older siblings, Ajante' and James… Brother James played collegiate soccer at Huston Tillotson University… Plans to major in bio-medical engineering, with plans to go to medical school after her undergraduate career ends… Enjoys ceramics, bowling and movies.
 
Felicia Davidson – Fr. • Miami, Fla. • D • Charles Flannigan HS
Prep/Club – Played soccer for three seasons for the Coral Springs Colts… Won a State Cup with the Sunrise Sting U16 club squad… Also played for the Boca United club team that captured the Disney Showcase Championship in 2015 and 2016 and was a finalist for the Florida State Cup in 2014.

Personal – Judith and Anthony Davidson… Has an older sister, Tiffany, and a younger brother, Julian… Plans to major in childhood education and health services, with plans to continue to play soccer and work in either the education or healthcare fields.
 
Amira Griffin • Fr. • Lawrenceville, Ga. • M/F • Brookwood HS
Prep/Club – Played three years for the Brookwood Broncos, earning 2015 All-Region 8 Six-A Team and 6A All-County Teams… Also played for the Northwest Rankin Cougars in Flowood, Mississippi for one year, playing soccer and running track… Played club soccer with the Mississippi Futbol Club (previously the Chicago Fire Juniors of Mississippi) and won the 2013 Mississippi Fire Spring Classic Championship, the 2013 Vulcan Cup Championship, 2012 US Club Soccer National Championship and three times (2009-2011) the MYSA State Cup Championship… Also ran Varsity Track and earned a 2013 District Championship…
 
Personal – Birthday is March 11… Daughter of Gail and Andre Griffin… Has five older brothers: Michael, Robert, Sean, Alexander and Chris… Plans to major in nursing in hopes to eventually become a pediatrician.
 
Abigail Logue • Fr. • St. Johns, Fla. • F • Creekside HS
Prep/Club – Four-year starter of the Varsity soccer program for the Knights, tallying 74 goals and 25 assists in her career… A three-time member of the 4A All-State Team and also named All-St. John's County… The Knights won two District Championships the last two seasons, earning a trip to the Regional Finals in both of those seasons… Her FYSA ODP team, the JFC Storm, earned back-to-back State Championships in 2013 and 2014… She played on the 2010 ODP State Team and 2014 ODP State Team.
 
Personal – Birthday is October 21… Daughter of Kristine and Timothy Logue… Has two older siblings, Ryan and Emily… Plans to major in business.
 
Michaela Rouse • Fr. • Allen, Texas • M • Allen HS
Prep/Club — Earned four letters for the Allen Eagles, serving as captain this past season… Was an honorable mention all-district performer and Newcomer of the Year as a freshman, a two-time first-team all-district selection as a sophomore and junior, as well as Team MVP as a sophomore and an honorable mention all-district winner as a junior... Led the team in scoring as a sophomore and was selected Wylie All-Tournament Team… On the club level, her Dallas Texans squad was an ECNL National Finalist in two different seasons (2013, 2014)… She served as the captain of the Texans from 2008-16… As a student, she captured a bevy of awards: Academic All-State in 2016, Eagle Scholar Award, Outstanding World History Student, Outstanding Spanish II Student, Outstanding World Geography Student, Peer Tutor Award and a three-time winner of the PTSA Citizenship Award… She is a three-year member of both the National Junior Honor Society (2012-14) and National Honor Society (2014-16).

Personal – Birthday is September 16… Daughter of Lisa and Randal Rouse… Father played football at Southeastern Louisiana… Is the third of four children, with an older sister, Gabrielle, and brother, Jacob, with one younger brother, Noah… Plans to major in physical therapy… Enjoys volunteering, reading, shopping and hanging out with family and friends.
 
Bria Williams • Fr. • Lewisville, Texas • F • Lewisville HS
Prep/Club – Started four years of soccer for the Lewisville Farmers, while also playing volleyball for two seasons… Took home Newcomer of the Year in 2012 and won four Offensive Player of the Year at her school… Earned second-team all-district in 2013 and 2014, with an honorable mention nod in 2015… Scored 10 goals and registered five assists in district play, the toughest district in the state of Texas, housing the last seven Texas State Champions… Her Solar ECNL National placed in the North American League in 2015 and won the Champions League in 2014… Played for the Solar Chelsea ECNL squad from 2014-16, the Liverpool FC 99 Classic League from 2010-14.
 
Personal – Birthday is August 12… Daughter of Cheryl and Kevin Williams… Father ran track in college… Plans to major in geology, plans to find a job in a geoscience field, with hopes to play professional soccer … Enjoys drawing and watching soccer.

 

Ashley Adams	F	West Chester, Ohio	Lakota West HS
Isabella de Almargo	F/M	Pembroke Pines, Fla.	American Heritage HS
Carina Baltrip-Reyes	M	Round Rock, Texas	Robert E. Hendrickson HS
Felicia Davidson	D	Miami, Fla.	Charles Flannigan HS
Amira Griffin	M/F	Lawrenceville, Ga.	Brookwood HS
Abigail Logue	F	St. John's Fla.	Creekside HS
Michaela Rouse	M	Allen, Texas	Allen HS
Bria Williams	F	Lewisville, Texas	Lewisville HS

 
   
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of Conference USA. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and the FIU Football Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.