web Charlotte

March 30, 2009

Charlotte, NC - The nationally-ranked Charlotte 49ers women's soccer team, which has captured three straight A-10 titles, has received six commitments for 2009. The 49ers, who return 22 letterwinners and 10 starters for Coach John Cullen's first-season, welcome five in-state starts including three state and region ODP players. Jessica Barton of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Carrie Dail of Hubert, North Carolina, Lacey McGowan of Fayetteville, Georgia, Jennifer Nye of Huntersville, North Carolina, Taylor Rovito of Pittsboro, North Carolina and India Winford of Winston-Salem, North Carolina join the 49ers roster.

"We are very excited to add this group to the Charlotte Soccer family," Cullen said. "We believe each of these young players will be tremendous additions to our program on the field, in the classroom and within the community. These players bring many different intangibles and attributes and each has a special uniqueness that we admire. We are very proud to add these players to our strong squad with the aim of continually pushing on as program. As a coaching staff we feel these ladies have been well prepared through ODP, Club and High School soccer to come in and rise to the challenge of playing at the college soccer level. We're truly excited and confident that each of them will make our team stronger immediately."

Barton, a 5-foot-6 goalkeeper, was a three-time All-State selection at North Carolina's Jacksonville High School. She is a three-time All-Region selection and four-time All-Conference selection. She helped her CASL club team capture the 2007 Region III Premier League East Championship and the 2007 USL Super Y South Atlantic Championship. The Jacksonville, North Carolina native was a member of the North Carolina ODP team for five years and the Region III ODP team for three years.

Dail, a 5-foot-5 midfielder , was a three-time NSCAA All-Region selection. She helped her `90 OCSA Coastal Crew club team capture the 2008 national championship. As a sophomore, she helped North Carolina's Swansboro High School win the 2006 State Championship. She is a three-time All-Conference and NSCAA All-Region selection. The Jacksonville Daily News named her to their All-Area team three times. She played for the East team in the North Carolina state games. She has been a member of the North Carolina ODP team for four years. Not only does she excel at soccer but she is a standout track and field athlete that has earned All-Conference honors in track and field and cross country three times.

McGowan, a 5-foot-9 defender, is a three-time All-Region selection. She led Fayetteville, Georgia's Whitewater High School to the 2007 4A State title and three appearances in the 4A State Final Four. She has earned All-Region honors three times and was named second-team All-State as well. She was team captain for her AFC Lightning Club team for four years. This multitalented athlete not only excels in soccer but on the basketball court as well. She was named All-Region in basketball.

Nye, a 5-foot-5 defender, earned All-Conference honors in 2007. She played at Huntersville, North Carolina's Hopewell High School for former 49ers women's soccer standout Lindsey Ozimek's husband Eric. She helped Hopewell capture a conference championship in 2006. She is a member of the National Honor Society as well as French National Honor Society.

Rovito, a 5-foot-4 defender, earned All-Region and All-State honors at Cary, North Carolina's Green Hope High School. She has been the captain of her ODP team since 2003. She also has played on the Region I and Region III ODP teams. She has guided two different club teams (Albertson Fury, `90 and CASL Spartan Elite `90) to their only state cup championships. In 2007, she played for former national team coach Tony DiCicco in the prestigious Adidas ESP Camp in California.

Winford, a 5-foot-4 forward/midfielder, led Winston-Salem, North Carolina's RJ Reynolds High School to a ranking of third in the final 4A poll in 2006. She has scored 33 goals in her first three seasons including 15 goals as a sophomore in 2007. She is a three-time NSCAA All-Region selection as well as a three-time team midfield MVP. As a junior, she earned All-State honors after recording 11 goals with seven assists.

These six newcomers will join 10 returning starters and 22 returning letterwinners as the 49ers begin their first season under Cullen against Appalachian State at Transamerica Field, Friday, August 28 at 7 pm. The 49ers begin their quest for their fourth straight A-10 Championship against Duquesne at Transamerica Field, Friday, September 25 at 7 pm.