WHITECAPS HORAHAN SIGNS WITH SPARTANS

Melissa Horahan

WOMEN’S SOCCER (ANNOUNCEMENT)
MONDAY, JULY 5, 2010
RECRUIT SIGNING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHITECAPS HORAHAN SIGNS WITH SPARTANS

LANGLEY, British Columbia - The Trinity Western University Spartans women’s soccer team continued to stockpile an already daunting cupboard of talent Wednesday when coach Graham Roxburgh announced the signing of striker Melissa Horahan.

The 5-foot-8 Surrey product, who just graduated from Fraser Valley Christian, joins the Spartans after spending the last two years with the Vancouver Whitecaps Prospects program.

While Horahan has been battling knee injuries for the past two years, and will redshirt for her first year at TWU, Roxburgh is thrilled with having such a high end talent join the Spartans.

 “I am delighted Mel has chosen to attend TWU and be part of our soccer programs future,” said Roxburgh, who has led the Spartans to three national championships in the last five years (2009, 2008 and 2004).  “Mel is a very good player who has many strengths going forward and an ability to score goals. She has been involved with some excellent soccer environments and while she has had to deal with some injury setbacks I feel she has the ability and character to become a top level university player.

“I have been watching Mel for the last three years and I know that, in both who she is as a person and the quality she can perform on the field, she is a great addition to our program and one that will make us stronger for years to come.”

Horahan has an extensive background in playing high level soccer as she was named to B.C. provincial teams in each year from 2003 to 2008 and, while playing with her club team Surrey Nitro Elite, she won five metro league titles and three provincial championships.  

She also attended the University of North Carolina Girls Soccer Camp, which is a chance for elite level players from across the continent to train under UNC women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance, whose teams have won 20 of the past 28 NCAA championships.

Horahan, who will begin studying psychology in the fall at TWU but, as a redshirt for her first year, won’t see game action on the pitch until 2011, says she is delighted to become a Spartan and feels the Langley-based university is a perfect fit.

“I chose to come to Trinity to receive a quality education, be a part of a Christian environment and play on a high level CIS soccer team.”

Horahan joins an already impressive 2010 recruiting class that includes Jessica King of the Liverpool Ladies FC, Jennifer Castillo of the Vancouver Whitecaps reserve team, Jenna Di Nunzio of the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency program, Becky Schile of the Fraser Valley Action FC and Sarah Hannigan of the Coquitlam Silence Metro team.

The Spartans will begin their 2010-11 pre-season schedule in mid-August before kicking off the Canada West campaign on the road against Lethbridge (Sept. 11).

About TWU:

Trinity Western University, located in Langley, B.C., is a not-for-profit Christian liberal arts university enrolling over 4,000 students this year. With a broad based, liberal arts and sciences curriculum, the University offers undergraduate degrees in 41 major areas of study ranging from business, education and computer science to biology and nursing, and 17 other graduate degrees including counselling psychology, theology and administrative leadership. For more information, visit TWU's Official Athletics site at gospartans.ca.

About Canadian Interuniversity Sport:

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Fifty-two universities, 10,000 student-athletes and 550 coaches vie for 21 national championships in 12 different sports. The CIS also provides high performance international opportunities for Canadian student-athletes at Winter and Summer Universiades, and 32 World University Championships. For further information, visit www.universitysport.ca.

About CWUAA:

"Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98. Comprised of 13 schools, from Manitoba to B.C., the CWUAA produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in events such as the Olympics or Universiade Games."

-TW-

Last Updated: 2011-06-02
Author: Mark Janzen