Feb. 7, 2008
St. Bonaventure women's soccer head coach Manoj Khettry announced the signing of nine student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Thursday afternoon, the second day of the signing period. The nine-player class hails from five different states led by three from both New York and Ohio.
Coach Khettry on his second recruiting class: "Last year, assistant coach Rich Schreiner and I began creating and building a new culture here at St. Bonaventure, a culture comprised of young women who possess great character, commitment to both academic and athletic excellence, and passion for success. Our goal has been augmented with the signing of these nine young women. Every player in this class has the potential to earn substantial playing time as a freshman and can become an integral part of this program's future success. We were diligent and purposeful in our recruitment of these players. Much like our 2007 class, they represent some of the very best clubs in the country and come from a wide array of locales. In addition, many have played for some of the best high school soccer teams in the U.S. This group has experience competing for and winning championships with their club, ODP and high school teams, and they will bring that same level of accomplishment here to Bonas. I know that our current players are eager to welcome them into our soccer family. Personally, I am so excited that these nine young women will be joining our 11 returning student-athletes; they are going to make an immediate impact on the field and further enhance the culture of our program."
2008 St. Bonaventure Women's Soccer Signees (9)
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| Emily Buccilla | M | 5-7 | Fr. | Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington Central) | Ohio Premier
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| Tori Burchett | M/F | 5-2 | Fr. | Hinsdale, IL (Hinsdale Central) | Chicago Magic |
| Dakota Carroll | F | 5-5 | Fr. | Bryn Mawr, Pa. (The Shipley School) | Spirit United |
| Alicia D'Alessandro | D | 5-3 | Fr. | Niskayuna, N.Y. (Niskayuna) | Alleycats |
| Kaitlin Krisko | D | 5-10 | Fr. | Ashland, Ohio (Ashland) | Pennine United |
| Hannah Lapp | M/F | 5-4 | Fr. | Silver Spring, MD (James H. Blake) | Laurel Wildcats |
| Chelsea Smetzer | F/D | 5-7 | Fr. | Ashland, Ohio (Ashland) | Pennine United |
| Sara Stevens | D/M | 5-7 | Fr. | Rochester, N.Y. (Aquinas Institute) | Rochester Jr.Rhinos |
| Janelle Taylor | M/D | 5-5 | Fr. | Campbell Hall, N.Y. (Washingtonville Senior) | Albertson Fury 89 |
Emily Buccilla
Position: Midfield
Hometown: Pickerington, Ohio
High School: Pickerington Central
High School Coach: Angie Pinion
Club Team: Ohio Premier
Club Coach: Chris King
Height: 5'7"
Parents: Mark and Carol Buccilla
Bio
Three-year captain of Pickerington Central, a member of the Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division 1 ... earned All-Conference honors in each of her four seasons, including first team accolades on two occasions ... finished her career just two points shy of 100 with 35 goals and 28 assists ... turned in a dominating senior campaign, scoring 17 goals and dishing 12 assists en route to earning a spot on the second team All-District and team MVP honors for the third-straight season ... led Pickerington Central a berth in the District semifinals in 2007 ... played for the Ohio South State team the last three years ... a member of National Honor Society and future Presidential Scholar at SBU.
Khettry's take on Buccilla
"Emily is a very smooth central midfielder. She is two-footed, has great composure on the ball and is very savvy in tight spaces. She is also very good in the air and is an excellent striker of the ball from distance with either foot. She comes from a great club and high school environment (Ohio South) and has competed at a high level against excellent competition. She is an extremely bright player and a great competitor and I can see her challenging for playing time immediately either in midfield or as a central defender."
Emily Chose St. Bonaventure Over: South Alabama
Tori Burchett
Position: Midfield/Forward
Hometown: Hinsdale, IL
High School: Hinsdale Central High School
High School Coach: Skip Begley
Club Team: Chicago Magic Soccer Club
Club Coach: Scott Fonfara
Height: 5'2"
Parents: Keith and Patti Burchett
Bio
Member of the prestigious Chicago Magic Soccer Club team that won seven consecutive State Cup titles ... helped Chicago Magic claim the last three Super Y League National Championships and regional qualifiers since 2003 ... three-year member of the ODP Region II Pool team ... plans to major in Special Education.
Khettry's take on Burchett
"Tori is one of the best wide midfielders I saw amongst all the 2008's that we considered recruiting to Bonas. She is an outstanding crosser of the ball from either side; she can shoot with either foot and is extremely comfortable with her back to goal and playing in or dribbling out of tight spaces. Tori is going to provide consistently accurate service and I can see her becoming a dominant force out wide (in midfield or up top), not just on our team, but in the conference. She has played at an extremely high level in club, ODP and in high school and I know that Tori will make us a more dynamic attacking team immediately."
Tori Chose St. Bonaventure Over: Colorado College, Dayton, Illinois State, Iowa, Louisville and North Carolina of Wilmington
Dakota Carroll
Position: Forward
Hometown: Bryn Mawr, Pa.
High School: The Shipley School
High School Coach: Chris Nelson
Club Team: Spirit United
Club Coach: Sean McCafferty
Height: 5'5"
Parents: Glenn and Tina Carroll
Bio
Led The Shipley School to a 13-4-2 record and a Friends League title in 2007 ... as team captain, she totaled 57 points on 18 goals and 21 assists en route to being named first team All-Southeastern, All-League and All-Mainline ... surpassed the 50-goal and 150-point plateau during her senior campaign ... earned the same accolades in her junior season ... helped The Shipley School capture the Inter-Catholic League Championship as a sophomore before it switched divisions ... named to the Inter-AC first team and All-Mainline team in 2005 ... five-year member of the Eastern Pennsylvania State Team that won the National ODP Championship in the spring of 2007 ... former Region I Pool Team member ... plans on majoring in Psychology.
Khettry's take on Carroll
"Dakota is an extremely sophisticated attacking player. Not only does she have a knack for scoring goals, but also for creating opportunities for others. Dakota loves soccer and is a student and fan of the game. Most forwards her age don't have the ability to do the things she does effortlessly; she can combine with others to get behind defenders, she has great vision to see runs into space and she is an excellent passer of the ball. Dakota will be another quality attacking player who will make us more dangerous immediately. She will also give us the option of playing with three very competent and dangerous forwards."
Dakota Chose St. Bonaventure Over: Army, Bucknell, Connecticut, Delaware, James Madison, New Hampshire, Northwestern and Villanova
Alicia D'Alessandro
Position: Defense
Hometown: Niskayuna, N.Y.
High School: Niskayuna High School
High School Coach: Bryce Colby
Club Team: Alleycats
Club Coach: Meaghen Pastiglione
Height: 5'3"
Parents: Christian and Karen D'Alessandro
Bio
Led Niskayuna to a 41-19-6 record in her three years as a starter ... converted from striker to defense after her sophomore season, resulting in back-to-back selections to the All-Suburban Council first team, All-Section first team and Times Union All-Star team ... named to the Class AA All-State fourth team as a senior in 2007 ... team captain as a junior and senior ... earned a gold medal at the 2007 Empire State Games as a member of the Adirondack region team ... a standout sprinter on the track and field team, she participated in the Nike Indoor Nationals in 2006 at Maryland ... won the Class B Sectional Championship in the 55-meter dash in 2005 ... will be a Presidential Scholar at SBU and plans to major in English ... won numerous High School academic awards, including National Student Leadership Award and French Excellence Award.
Khettry's take on D'Alessandro
"Alicia is a very hard-nosed, competitive and fast defender. She is comfortable on either side and is very skilled with her feet. She is confident enough with the ball that I can see her possibly playing wide midfield as well. Her speed and ability to read play will be a great asset on both sides of the ball and I know we are going to love her pace getting up and down the flank. Alicia is another player who will challenge for playing time right away. She is one of three players in this class to be named All-State in high school (Janelle Taylor and Katie Krisko)."
Alicia Chose St. Bonaventure Over: Charlotte
Kaitlin Krisko
Position: Defense
Hometown: Ashland, Ohio
High School: Ashland High School
High School Coach: Jerry White
Club Team: Pennine United
Club Coach: Wayne Jentas
Height: 5'10"
Parents: John and Marlene Krisko
Bio
A three-time Ohio Cardinal Conference first team selection and reigning back-to-back OCC Defensive Player of the Year ... helped lead Ashland to a 64-11-8 record and a pair of District and Regional runner-ups ... named to second team All-State and NSCAA All-Region team as a senior ... also named team Defensive Player of the Year last three seasons ... totaled 17 points on four goals and nine assists from defense over last two years ... member of the Pennine United since 2002 ... led Pennine United to State Cup semifinals ... played both high school and club with fellow NLI signee Chelsea Smetzer ... Presidential Scholar at SBU and plans to major in Pre-Med.
Khettry's take on Krisko
"Katie is a prototypical Center Back: tall, good in the air and can strike a great long ball with either foot. Katie gives us the added option of attacking directly out of the back. She will give us a physical presence that our team has not had previously; especially on services into the box and set-pieces. Katie is also very comfortable on the ball and is a talented soccer player. She is going to help us build skillfully out of the back on the attacking side and defensively she will help us deal with big, physical forwards that we encounter. She is an intelligent soccer player and a player who will benefit greatly by being in a college soccer environment and by working with our Strength and Conditioning Coach, Darren Fiske."
Kaitlin Chose St. Bonaventure Over: South Alabama
Hannah Lapp
Position: Midfield/Forward
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
High School: James H. Blake High School
High School Coach: Mary Moser
Club Team: Laurel Wildcats
Club Coach: Michael Vawter
Height: 5'4"
Parents: David Lapp and Susan Baker-Lapp
Bio
Played the last three seasons for a Laurel Club team that captured the Maryland Cup Championship and a berth in the USYSA Region 1 semifinals ... helped Laurel to a pair of tournament titles, a WAGS Spring League championship and USYSA Region 1 Summer League first place finish ... spent one season on the Maryland ODP team ... as a team captain last season at James H. Blake, she was named to the Montgomery Country Senior All-Star team ... prior to the season, she was deemed the Montgomery Gazette Player to Watch ... her father, David, played collegiate soccer at Earlham College with St. Bonaventure head coach Manoj Khettry ... her mother, Susan, also attended Earlham College ... will be a Presidential Scholar at SBU and plans to major in Biology.
Khettry's take on Lapp
"I have known of Hannah since the day she was born, as her father and I were college teammates. Hannah is the kind of player any program would be lucky to have. Because she is calm under pressure and can play simply at a quick pace, Hannah would succeed at any level, as is evident by the other schools that recruited her. She is, by nature, a team player, working hard defensively while doing her job and making great runs off the ball. Playing up top or in the midfield, Hannah will make us better right away. She is also becoming very dangerous as an individual attacker and we expect her to make a splash on the stat sheet."
Hannah Chose St. Bonaventure Over: Boston, North Carolina of Wilmington and Maryland
Chelsea Smetzer
Position: Forward/Defense
Hometown: Ashland, Ohio
High School: Ashland High School
High School Coach: Jerry White
Club Team: Pennine United
Club Coach: Wayne Jentas
Height: 5'7"
Parents: Doug and JoAnn Smetzer
Bio
Teammate of fellow signee Kaitlin Krisko at Ashland ... a two-time All-Conference and All-District team selection ... helped lead Ashland to a 64-11-8 record and a pair of District and Regional runner-ups ... enjoyed a breakout junior and senior campaigns, totaling 85 points on 30 goals and 25 assists ... as a senior, named to the Ohio Cardinal Conference first and All-District first team after setting career-highs in points (46), goals (16) and assists (14) ... earned Team MVP honors in junior season ... scored 14 goals and handed out 11 assists for 39 points in 2006 ... member of the Pennine United since 2002 ... led Pennine United to State Cup semifinals.
Khettry's take on Smetzer
"Chelsea is unquestionably one of the best athletes in this recruiting class. She is fast, naturally strong, a ferocious competitor and a versatile soccer player. Chelsea can play any of the wide positions and will probably see playing time as a forward, wide midfielder and outside back. I think Chelsea's developmental ceiling is extremely high and, physically, she will be at or near the top of our team immediately. She will challenge for playing time right away - just where on the field will depend on our team needs, but I know she has the determination and the character to win consistent playing time and I feel that we are extremely fortunate to be getting a player with her potential."
Chelsea Chose St. Bonaventure Over: Duquesne, Toledo and Wright State
Sara Stevens
Position: Defense/Midfield
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
High School: Aquinas Institute
High School Coach: Daniel Shoniker
Club Team: Rochester Jr. Rhinos
Club Coach: Rene Tadal
Height: 5'7"
Parents: James and Kristen Stevens
Bio
Starter at central defense on Aquinas Institute team that captured the New York State Class AA State championship ... four-year starter and team co-captain as a senior ... helped Aquinas Institute to a 52-17-9 record over four years and three Section V titles ... All-League selection in each of the last three season, highlighted by first team selection past two seasons ... named to Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Starting 11 as a senior ... as a junior, dished out an Independent League-high eight assists ... named to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Returning Impact Player List and All-Great Rochester team ... member of the Rochester Jr. Rhinos ... played club with current St. Bonaventure players Jamie Dentino, Megan Vos and Amanda Prestigiacomo ... in her club career, she lead her team to four consecutive NY State Cup Finals, winning the championship in 2004 and 2006.
Khettry's take on Stevens
"Sara is another fast defender who is also skillful, versatile soccer player. She reads play well, has great 1v1 defending skills and people never get behind her. A couple of Sara's strengths are her organizational and leadership qualities. As we graduated two senior defenders, Sara will no doubt help us remain disciplined defensively. She is comfortable in the air and has the speed to play wide as a defender, though she can also play in the center of our defense. Sara will make us faster, more athletic and more composed immediately."
Sara Chose St. Bonaventure Over: Binghamton, Central Michigan, James Madison, Marist, Marshall, Siena and Stony Brook
Janelle Taylor
Position: Midfield/Defense
Hometown: Campbell Hall, N.Y.
High School: Washingtonville Senior High School
High School Coach: John Shepherd
Club Team: Albertson Fury 89
Club Coach: Paul Riley
Height: 5'5"
Parents: Thomas and Tonia Taylor
Bio
Finished in the top 10 in school history in both goals (26) and assists (19) ... helped Washingtonville to pair of New York State Tournament berths and Section IX Championships over five seasons ... team appeared in Section IX finals other three seasons ... led the team in both goals (12) and assists as a senior ... named to All-State sixth team, NSCAA All-East Region II team and Times Herald Region first team ... will enter fifth season with the Albertson Fury 89 club team ... helped Albertson Fury 89 win State Open Cup in 2006 ... part of Quickstrike FC club that finished second at the U-20 Super Y National Championships in 2007 ... former Region I Pool Team member ... has spent the last four years on the Eastern New York State team ... older sister, Meghan, played soccer at Binghamton until 2005 and professionally in Iceland for one season ... other sister, Brittany, is a senior on the Connecticut soccer team and a member of the U.S. U-21 National team ... plans on majoring in Psychology.
Khettry's take on Taylor
"Janelle was our first commitment of 2008. She comes from a GREAT soccer family, as both her older sisters played collegiate soccer. She comes from one of the best soccer environments in the country (Eastern N.Y.) and every time I have seen her play since she committed, she has been a little better. Janelle is one of the most composed of the defenders we have seen in all our recruiting efforts and she is skillful enough to also play central midfield. She has a wonderful understanding of how to play in a zonal system, is equally adept on both sides of the field and is special over the ball on set pieces. I can see her being a main stay in our back four for years to come."
Janelle Chose St. Bonaventure Over: George Mason, North Carolina of Wilmington and Towson
