Lady Topper Soccer Announces 2012 Recruiting Class

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — WKU women's soccer head coach Jason Neidell announced on Monday the signing of five student-athletes for the Lady Topper soccer team. Chandler Clark of Edgewood, Ky., Alanna Clancey of Carmel, Ind., Haley Haffner of Noblesville, Ind., Lauren Moats of Nixa, Mo., and Nikki Hall of Hamilton, Ohio will play for WKU starting in the fall of 2012. All five players have played for teams that won either high school state titles or club state championships.

"We are excited to announce our 2012 recruiting class and welcome these fantastic young ladies into our Lady Topper family," said Neidell. "Coming off two Sun Belt championship game appearances and a regular-season title over the last five years, we feel that the best is still yet ahead for our program. These student-athletes will make significant contributions to our team, and we are eager for them to join our journey ahead."

Clark, a 5'8" midfielder, plays for the KSA Elite club team and was a member of the Kentucky Olympic Development Program (ODP) State Team in 2008. She led Notre Dame Academy to the 2011 Kentucky State High School Championship and a 24-3 record. She scored the game-winning goal in the title game, one of her 21 goals in her senior season. Clark was named All-State in 2010 and 2011, All-Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in 2011, and a nominee for Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011.

"Chandler is certainly one of the top prospects coming out of Kentucky this year," said Neidell of Clark. "Mainly a midfielder, Chandler offers the versatility to play a number of different positions and systems of play."

As a four-year starter in high school, Clark tallied 39 goals and 15 assists. She was also a two-year team captain, leading her team in 2010 and 2011. Clark is also a four-year starter on Notre Dame Academy's basketball team and a three-year captain. She has earned an All-District honor as a basketball player. Clark plans to major in either engineering or medicine.

"She is tremendous in the air and has good field awareness and instincts," added Neidell. "Chandler is a well-rounded student-athlete and a first-class individual."

Clancey, a 5'6" defender, plays for the Carmel Elite ECNL club and coach Ralph Richards. Carmel Elite ECNL won Indiana State Cup Championships three consecutive years from 2008-2010, as well as the 2011 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) B League National Championship. This championship promoted Carmel Elite into the ECNL's top league, widely considered the top club league in the nation.

She also was part of a Carmel High School team that went 22-0-1 in 2011 and won the Indiana State Championship. Carmel was ranked #1 in the nation by ESPN Rise for 2011. Clancey earned Second-Team All-State honors this past year as well as an Academic All-State recognition. She has also earned All-MIC Conference honors during her career. Clancey intends to major in education.

"Alanna will be a tremendous student-athlete at WKU both on the field and in the classroom," said Neidell about Clancey. "She is an athletic, no-nonsense defender who loves to compete. She takes pride in shutting down her opponents, but is also a natural at getting involved in the attack out of the back. Alanna is also an excellent student with a fun personality and a good head on her shoulders."

Haffner, a 5'8" midfielder, is a teammate of Clancey's with the Carmel Elite ECNL club team. She also played for Ohio Elite ECNL club team and coach Tim Lesiak prior to moving to Indiana. She was part of two Ohio State Cup Championship teams while with Ohio Elite ECNL. Haffner has also spent time with the Ohio South ODP team. She played three years at Mason High School in Mason, Ohio and earned a Second-Team All-GMC honor in 2010. Haffner was a starting midfielder for Noblesville High School and head coach Mike Brady. Noblesville was ranked #3 in Indiana in 2011.

"Haley is a very gifted technical player," Neidell said of Haffner. "She is smooth on the ball, has an excellent touch, and is very good in possession. She also has the size and athleticism to become a dominating presence in the midfield. Haley has a tremendous background in the game, having played with both Ohio Elite ECNL and Carmel Elite ECNL - two of the top clubs in the region."

Moats, a 5'5" forward/midfielder, is currently a member of the Scott Gallagher Illinois club and played for the Missouri state ODP team in 2010. Prior to moving to Missouri, Moats played for the Javanon club which won the 2007 and 2009 Kentucky State Cup Championships. She also played for the Kentucky state ODP team from 2006-2009. Moats earned All-State honors in 2010 and 2011 and was Nixa High School's team MVP in 2010.

A two-time captain for head coach Evan Palmer, Moats is the second-leading scorer in Nixa High School history. She has 51 career goals and 30 career assists with her senior year to go. Moats is also a letterwinner in basketball. Her father, Kyle, is the athletic director at Missouri State University and was previously the associate athletics director for national marketing at the University of Louisville.

"Lauren landed at WKU by way of our elite summer camp," said Neidell about Moats. "Her natural goal-scoring instincts along with a true passion for the game made Lauren a top priority for our program. A dual-sport athlete who moved from Kentucky to Missouri during high school, Lauren slipped under the recruiting radar. She is going to be an awesome college soccer player, and we feel fortunate to have discovered her."

Hall, a 5'9" goalkeeper, has been a part of three Ohio State Cup Championships for Ohio Elite ECNL. She also played for Ohio state ODP for two years. A four-time All-Conference selection at Ross High School, Hall led Ross to three consecutive conference titles from 2009-2011. Hall was named All-State in 2011 after setting a school record for fewest goals allowed in a single-season. She was team captain for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

"Nikki is another player who we feel slipped under the recruiting radar," said Neidell. "She is a very talented goalkeeper with good size and athleticism, soft hands, and a nice presence in goal. Nikki certainly has the pedigree to compete for our starting goalkeeper job right away, which will be wide open after graduating four-year starter Libby Stout."

WKU finished the 2011 season with a 13-6-3 record. The Lady Toppers reached the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship game for the second time in four years, defeating Middle Tennessee and North Texas.

Related News

Related Videos