MONROE, La. --- The ULM women's soccer team and head coach Stacy Lamb announced Wednesday afternoon the addition of seven standout athletes from across the country to the program for the upcoming season. The class for the Warhawks includes some of the country's elite players from National Championship Club teams and prominent high school programs.
"This incoming class has a good mix of skills that not only fills holes on our team, but also gives us a wealth of depth," Lamb said. We have added the type of players essential to experiencing success in the Sun Belt Conference in what we feel is a balanced and complete group. The versatility and championship-level experience they bring will help us improve immediately."
The Warhawks class includes forward Lindsey Tubbs, midfielders Kelly Browne, Elissa Fralicks and Emily LyBarger, and defenders Stacey Carmack, Madeline Ocon and Brittni Shriver. Between the seven student athletes, ULM brings in individuals who have combined for 10 state, regional or club championships during their prep careers.
With the versatility of the seven newcomers, ULM will feature a Most will come in and compete for significant playing time immediately while providing depth for a team that enters its third season of play in the annually tough Sun Belt Conference.
The only true forward of the class, Lindsey Tubbs comes to ULM after a club career with 90'Red Lonestars out of Austin, Texas. Combining deceptive speed and a creativity with the ball, Tubbs led her team to a Texas State Championship appearance and was amongst the squads leaders in both goals and assists. Tubbs is expected to compete for immediate playing time in an attacking third that graduated one of its top offensive threats in Allison Matson.
"Lindsey is the 'go-to' type of player who has the ability to take defenders one-on-one," Lamb said. "She is hard-nosed and a threat to score anytime she gets the ball. Her speed and aggressiveness make her a dangerous addition that will be the difference in close matches. Her addition makes our attack instantly more creative and more productive."
One of the conference's stronger defensive teams a season ago, ULM added a trio of athletes to an already stacked defending third. Stacey Carmack, Maddy Ocon, and Brittni Shriver are expected to compete for playing time at defender and will be in the mix in the Warhawks midfield.
Ocon joins the Warhawks after a successful prep career at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nev. After leading her team to a Nevada State Championship, Ocon helped her club team, LV Rebels Select, to a 2007 Regional Championships. The 5-5 defender will join former teammates and current Warhawks Samantha Cashman and Tiffany Bombard at ULM.
"Maddy is the epitome of a student athlete," Lamb said. "She works as hard on the field as she does in the classroom and her work ethic and consistency set her apart from other players. She is a relentless player. Her experience and attitude will make her a natural leader among her peers on and off the field."
Clearwater, Fla.'s Shriver will join the Warhawks after leading the Countryside Lightning club team to Florida Championships in three of the last four seasons. A three-time all-county selection for Clearwater HS, Shriver also lettered in track & field for the Tornado.
"Creative, crafty, and deceptive, we look for Brittni to be involved in every scoring opportunity," Lamb said. "Her tactical understanding of the game will break down and punish opposing defenses while her ability to win a 50-50 tackle and transition quickly into the attack will make our team immediately more successful."
ULM's third defensive commitment, Stacey Carmack joins the program after a successful prep career at Granbury HS. A member of the DFW Tornados club team, Carmack also competed in track where she placed sixth in her district in the 100 meters. Her pure speed will allow her to also see playing time in the midfield.
"Stacey could be the fastest player to join our program and could be one of the fastest in the conference," Lamb said. "Technically and tactically Stacey has been an impact player on every team she has played and I expect the same as she joins our program."
In the midfield, the Warhawks added a pair of big-time players from the Colorado Rush Club team in Emily LyBarger and Kelly Browne. The tandem helped the Rush to Colorado State Championships in 2007 and 2008 and a first place finish in the 2008 Disney Soccer Showcase.
Hailing from Colorado Springs, Colo., the 5-7 Browne comes to ULM after completing her prep career at Air Academy HS. A four-year letter winner, Browne was named Team Captain last season in leading the team to a 5A Metro-League Championship.
"Kelly is one of the most complete student-athletes I have seen," Lamb said. "In the classroom she is a standout student, and on the field she is fast, aggressive, creative, deceptive?everything that encompasses a central player. She controls the pace and momentum of a game and could evolve into one of the best players to come through our program.
LyBarger joins ULM after completing her prep career at Battle Mountain HS in Eagle-Vail, Colo. A stand-out athlete in every way, LyBarger also lettered in softball and basketball and garnered all-conference and all-state honors in each.
"Emily is the total package: honors student, leader on and off the field, dedicated, strong in the air, and aggressive," Lamb said. "She is one of the most versatile players to come into our program and will have an immediate impact on our performance. We have seen her as a midfielder, forward, and defender and she has proven herself dominant in every position."
Rounding out the Warhawks incoming class is midfielder Elissa Fralicks of Bedford, Texas. A member of the DFW Tornados and a prep standout at Trinity HS, the 5-2 Fralicks has garnered Player of the Year and Team Captain honors for both squads while pacing the team to multiple Showcase Championships.
"Elissa is a talented midfielder whose consistency and understanding of the game will allow her to challenge for playing time as a midfielder or as a forward," Lamb said. "She is an opportunist whose instincts will generate scoring opportunities and her desire to compete and natural ability to lead will make everyone more productive."
The seven additions to the ULM soccer team will join the program for competition starting with the beginning of the 2008 fall season.
ULM head coach Stacy Lamb on the class
I couldn't be more excited about a group of student athletes than those in our 2008 signing class. At the conclusion of last season I was pleased with our improvement, but also aware that we needed to sign players who would make an immediate, positive impact on our program. I wanted to add players whose work ethic, dedication, commitment, and overall goals were consistent with those of our returning players. I wanted players committed to excellence in the classroom, motivated to improve and make one another better on a daily basis, and dedicated to not just competing ? but winning ? in the Sun Belt Conference. I believe we have done exactly that. We have added quality student athletes, we have added speed, and we have added overall athleticism. We have recruited across the country and we have added players from some of the best clubs in the nation. I think perhaps most important, we have added not just talented soccer players, but talented students and players and families who will work day in and day out to make not just our program, but also our university better.
