Toledo Adds Nine Signees and a Transfer to 2017 Roster

TOLEDO, OH - Head coach TJ Buchholz and the Toledo women's soccer program has announced the signing of nine recruits and the addition of one transfer to the 2017 roster.

Signing their letters of intent to play with the Rockets are Claire Cahalan (Ann Arbor, MI), Grace Coelho (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), Audrey Fleming (Clinton Township, MI), Morgan Friday (Duluth, MN), Alaysia Grose (Mansfield, OH), Sophia Lewis (Sacramento, CA), Anita Mancini (Canfield, OH), Emily McGrath (Noblesville, IN) and Olivia Siko (Avon Lake, OH). The Rockets will also add Rachelle Topolewski from Saint Louis University.

"We are very excited to announce this 2017 class," said Buchholz. "This is our staff's first true recruiting class and it's a class that meets a variety of needs for our soccer program. We feel strongly about all the players committing to us today and a special thanks goes to assistant coach Jessica Nei for her outstanding work as the recruiting coordinator for the program."

The following is a look at the newest Rockets:

Claire Cahalan: 41980

Attends Father Gabriel Richard High School
Michigan U19 State Champion
Michigan U17 State Champion
Played in Sao Paulo, Brazil on of top club teams in Brazil

Cahalan: "I chose the University of Toledo because I love the way the team is so close and so competitive. I love how the academics come first. The campus is beautiful and I feel at home here. I'm so excited."

Buchholz: "Claire was the first player to verbally commit to our new staff at Toledo. She came to our ID camp in the summer of 2015 and really impressed us. Claire has a different playing style than what we typically see out of midfielders in this area. Once we dug deeper into her soccer background, we found that she spent part of her life playing in Brazil. When you watch Claire's creativity and confidence on the ball, you instantly notice a Brazilian influence. Once she came to the U.S .for high school, she continued to enhance her game with the highly successful Hawks soccer club out of Detroit. Claire will fit nicely into the group of midfielders we currently have on our roster."

Grace Coelho:

Attends Rancho Cucamonga High School
Four-year team captain
Led club team to NPL finals of Disney College Showcase
Team MVP in 2016

Coelho: "I was drawn to the wide variety of majors that Toledo offers and I am very impressed with the UT soccer staff, the program and what they have to offer their athletes."

Buchholz: "When I took the position at Toledo, we instantly began recruiting Grace. She plays for one of the best Southern California club coaches in Ted Small and historically his players have done extremely well in my programs. I first saw Grace play when she was a freshman in high school and I was amazed at how strongly she reads the game as a defender. We greatly value her high soccer IQ."

Audrey Fleming: 41978

Attends Regina Catholic High School
Senior captain and junior co-captain
All-catholic, all-league and all-district in 2016
All-state, all-region and all-district in 2015
All-region and all-district in 2014

Fleming: "I really feel at home in the Toledo Rockets community and there are a variety of opportunities given at the university."

Buchholz: "Audrey was late to come on our recruiting radar, but we are very happy to have her coming to Toledo. She plays for a strong Nationals club team out of Detroit and they have prepared her for the college level. Audrey has a toughness about her game in the defensive line that we really like. She can also attack out of the back and that makes her a strong fit for our soccer team."

Morgan Friday:

Attends Shattuck St. Mary's
CASL Champion
Minnesota State Cup Champion
Two-time MRl Champion
Two-time state cup runner-up

Friday: "Choosing Toledo was very easy. When I walked on campus, I felt so at home. Everyone is very welcoming. Toledo has everything I looked for in a school; engineering, soccer and another family to be a part of. Shattuck has been my second home for the last four years and I know Toledo will be the same."

Buchholz: "Morgan was the last player to commit to our 2017 class. Morgan battled injuries her junior year and wasn't able to really showcase her talent until her senior year. Once Morgan got healthy, she soared in her senior year as a goal scorer. Morgan is a tall-target forward that has a powerful shot. She reads the game well and is able to create space for other attackers going forward. Morgan has played her high school soccer for the prestigious Shattuck Academy in Minnesota. The year round academy and residency experience will help Morgan quickly transition to the college game at Toledo."

Alaysia Grose:

Attends Mansfield Senior High School
Two-year team captain and three-time team MVP
Three-time First-Team All-Ohio Cardinal Conference selection
Three-time first-team all-district selection
Honorable Mention All-OCC and all-district
Academic All-Ohio

Grose: "I chose UT because of the excellent anthropology department. The professor was extremely nice and welcoming. The campus is beautiful and the atmosphere is very welcoming, not just within the soccer program, but from the academic staff as well."

Buchholz: "Alaysia was a player that faithfully attended our ID camps over the years and she consistently improved every time she came back. She comes from a remote area for soccer opportunities, but that has not been an obstacle for her continuing to become a dominant player. Alaysia has excellent athleticism that will serve her well at our level. She is excellent on the ball and a skilled passer."

Sophia Lewis:

Attends Christian Brothers High School
Two-year team captain
Team MVP and Offensive MVP
Capital Athletic League Offensive MVP
First-team All-CAL

Sophia Lewis: "The beautiful campus, a wide variety of classes and the supportive coaching staff all makes Toledo feel like home. I am very excited to excel on and off the field as a Rocket."

Buchholz: "Sophia comes to us from one of the top club soccer teams in the country. Her Davis Legacy club team out of California is ranked in the top 15 in the latest club rankings and Sophia has been a key part of their team's success on offense. Sophia is excellent at going at defenders in 1-on-1 situations. Her ability to create for herself on offense, is something we can't wait to utilize in the coming years. She also is an excellent passing forward who has a great knack for finding teammates in great scoring positions."

Anita Mancini:

Attends Canfield High School
Team MVP and Offensive MVP
First-team All-Ohio
District Player of the Year
Youngstown Vindicator Player of the Year
Two-time First-Team All-All American Conference selection
Two-time AAC Player of the Year
Two-time first-team all-district selection

Mancini: "I chose UT because the combination of the soccer program and the nursing program is a perfect fit for me. The coaches, players and the faculty that I have met during my visits have all been great and I am looking forward to being a part of the UT family."

Buchholz: "Anita has had an excellent prep career as a forward for Canfield High School. She scored some tremendous goals in high school and this success has garnered her first-team all-state honors in her senior year. Anita is one of those attacking players that creates something out of nothing. She has an excellent work rate and driven mentality that is going to fit well into our current soccer culture."

Emily McGrath: 41981

Attends St. Theodore Guerin Catholic High School
Teams Most Improved Player
State Cup Semifinalist
Sectional runner-up
ISL Champion
Indiana President's Cup Champion

McGrath: "Toledo feels like home. I couldn't see myself anywhere else."

Buchholz: "When we were looking for a goalkeeper for the 2017 class, we looked for someone that was an excellent shot stopper. Emily came to our ID camp in her junior year, and she really performed well in that environment. She is a confident goalkeeper that has a tremendous presence with her back line. She has been trained well in her prep career and we are excited to have her competing with our other goalkeepers in the program."

Olivia Siko: 41984

Attends Avon Lake High School
Senior captain
Two-time Team MVP
First-Team All-Ohio
Three-time First-Team All-Southwest Conference selection
Three-time First-Team All-Lorain County selection

Siko: "I chose to attend the University of Toledo because of the excellent reputation of its nursing program. After meeting with the coach and players and touring the campus, I knew it was the best fit for me academically and athletically."

Buchholz: "Olivia has had a tremendous amount of success in her high school career as an attacker. She is a powerful player that does an excellent job getting people involved in the attack. When Olivia attended our ID camps, we didn't have a spot open for her in an attacking position on our team. We asked Olivia to consider coming to Toledo to play a defensive role and she accepted. Olivia's offensive skill set will serve her very well in our possession oriented back line. Olivia's parents are both Toledo graduates and she has been a life-long supporter of the Rockets."

Rachelle Topolewski: 41985

Attends Our Lady of the Lakes High School
ECNL National Champion
Third-team all-state, all-region and all-district
Honorable mention all-state, all-catholic and all-district
Played in 11 matches with six starts at Saint Louis University.

Topolewski: "My sister, Meghan, played at UT and had a great experience. When the opportunity to continue my academics and my soccer career came, I toured campus, met the coaches and felt as though it would be a perfect fit."

Buchholz: "Rachelle joins our soccer program after spending two years at St. Louis University. Rachelle was a highly decorated defender when she came out of high school and she was part of a Hawks Club team that won the ECNL Club National Championship her senior year. Rachelle is an excellent defender that is smart and technical. She has already performed well in our spring practices and we are happy to have her at Toledo."

Toledo Adds Nine Signees and a Transfer to 2017 Roster

Related News

Related Videos

Footer