Central Michigan University Athletics
2/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Central Michigan soccer coach Peter McGahey announced Wednesday that the Chippewas have signed eight players to National Letters of Intent.
The class comprises six homegrown Michigan student-athletes and two from Ontario. Position-wise, there are three defenders, two midfielders, two goalkeepers and one forward.
"When we look at this class, it begins to fit the philosophy about how we want to go about playing, what our identity with Chippewa soccer is going to have to be to reach the championship levels," said McGahey, who is in his fourth year in charge of the program. "I think this class goes a long way toward that."
The goalkeepers are Morgan Britain of Wolverine Lake, Mich., and Brianne Wallbridge of Mississauga, Ont. The defenders are Taylor Zimmerman of Burlington, Ont., Allison Viazanko of Harriston Township, Mich., and Kayla Roodbreen of Chesterfield, Mich. The forward is Aubree DeRoo of Hudsonville, Mich.; and the mids are Megan Riley of Novi, Mich., and Marleida Bringard of Midland, Mich.
Each sports an extensive resumé that features a high level of success on the club-soccer level, along with several who excelled at their respective high schools.
"The class is predominantly right within our recruiting wheelhouse of Michigan, Canada - right in our strong areas," McGahey said. "I think it is representative of student-athletes who are both successful in the classroom, a very high-achieving academic class, but also have really accomplished some things soccer-wise with real translatable skills.
"We have student-athletes who have the foundation and the background to move into our Championship Culture in a very positive way."
The Chippewa program is now in its fourth year of McGahey's tenure, and the roster, overall, has taken on the look and personality he had envisioned.
Character, skill level, problem-solving and competitiveness are among the traits that McGahey said he prizes in recruits.
"I think this class brings that grit, that competitiveness, that identity that will work and be successful in the MAC," he said.
 | Marleida Bringard • Midfielder • Midland, Mich./Midland HS High School/Club: Three-year letterwinner … team captain for 2016 season … totaled 25 goals and 21 assists for career … named Second Team MIHSSCA Division 1 in 2015 … two-time First Team District 16 Division and All-SVL honoree (2014-15) … earned Honorable Mention SVL and District 16 Division 1 in 2013 … two-time All-Academic SVL (2014-15) … played club soccer with WAZA F.C. … 2015 MRL champions … 2014 state champions. | ||
 | Morgan Britain • Goalkeeper • Wolverine Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central HS High School/Club: Three-year letterwinner ... team captain … two-time KLAA All-Conference and all-district team honoree … help WLCHS advance to the district finals in 2014 and 2015 … Honor Roll member (2013-16) … KLAA Scholar Athlete (2014-pres.) … played club soccer with Michigan Jaguar FC … team was a US Soccer Region 2 finalist in 2015 … placed second in the Red Division of US Soccer National League U17 (2015) … participated in US Soccer National Championship event (2015) … won a Michigan Youth Soccer State Cup championship in 2012 and 2014 and advanced to the state finals in 2013. | ||
 | Aubree DeRoo • Forward • Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS High School/Club: Four-year varsity letterwinner … named team captain (2015-16) ... won a regional and state championship in 2013-14 and 2014-15 … three-time district champion (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15) … played club soccer with Georgetown Rangers (2005-12), Grand Rapids Crew Juniors (2012-15) and Midwest United FC (2015-16) … state cup quarterfinalist in 2012-13 and 2013-14, semifinalist in 2014-15 and champion in 2015-16 … ODP regional pool (2011-15) … on ODP Michigan state team (2012-14) … lead her team in scoring in 2013-14. | ||
 | Megan Riley • Midfielder • Novi, Mich./Novi HS High School/Club: Four-year varsity letterwinner … named to KLAA All-District Team, all-conference team and all-state honorable mention in 2014-15 … MHSAA District and Regional champions and state semifinalist in 2012-13 …played club soccer for Michigan Jaguars FC ... MSYSA State Cup champion in 2013 and 2015 and a finalist in 2014 … semifinalist in 2013 and 2014 and finalist in 2015 at the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championship … won a Midwest Regional League Premier I Division championship in 2013 and 2014 … U.S. Youth Soccer National League finalist 2013-15 … finished sixth out of the best eight teams in the nation at the U.S. Youth Soccer national championship. | ||
 | Kayla Roodbreen • Defender • Chesterfield Mich./L'Anse Creuse HS High School/Club: Four-year letterwinner … earned all-conference, all-district, all-region, all-state honorable mention recognition in 2015 … also named team and MAC MVP as a junior … received MAC White Division First Team, second team all-county, all-district and team MVP honors in 2014 … earned all-district team recognition in 2013 … two-time academic excellence award winner … also earned three letters in basketball … played club soccer with WAZA FC 98 Black … won a state cup championship in 2014 … finished as state cup runners-up in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015. | ||
 | Allison Viazanko • Defender • Harrison Township, Mich./L'Anse Creuse HS Club: Played club soccer with Michigan Hawks … won a regional and state cup championship in 2012 and 2013. | ||
 | Brianne Wallbridge • Goalkeeper • Mississauga, Ont./ St. Marcellinus Secondary High School/Club: Won ROPSSAA and OFSAA championships in 2015 … recorded 11 shutouts, including clean sheets in the provincial championship quarterfinal, semifinal and championship games … served as team captain in 2014 … allowed one goal during league play while tallying 11 shutouts … captured Ontario Youth Soccer League championships from 2013-15 … won a Ontario-Quebec Cup title in 2014 … had one career goals and three assists … played club soccer with Dixie Soccer Club … also captained varsity basketball team in 2015. | ||
 | Taylor Zimmerman • Defender • Burlington, Ont./Nelson HS High School/Club: Team captain ... totaled 21 goals goals and 12 assists as a senior … named team MVP as a junior … earned academic honors as a junior and senior … played club soccer with the Burlington Bayhawks … captured an Ontario Provincial League championship in 2015 … won back-to-back Ontario Cup championships (2012-13) … won a national championship in 2012. |
