Feb. 26, 2008

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State soccer head coach Heather Cairns has announced that one more player has signed to compete for the Aggies in the 2008 season. Forward Marissa Sanchez joins seven other incoming freshmen that signed with USU earlier this month. Sanchez is a native of Twin Falls, Idaho and attends Twin Falls High School.

"We are excited to add Marissa to our class of 2008 graduates," Cairns said. "She is a hard-nosed player with pace that will allow her to get behind defenders. Marissa is dangerous in front of the goal because she is not afraid to get on the end of crosses or to battle with defenders to get a shot off."

Sanchez earned first-team all-region after her junior season at Twin Falls High School and was the top goal scorer with 58 goals, while she also led the team in assists. She played for the Boise Capitals club team for two seasons and helped her team become state champions both years.

USU's signing class is now at eight players as Sanchez joins freshmen Brittney Boyack, Shantel Flanary, Molli Merrill, Megan Rhoads, Chandra Salmon, Summer Tillotson and Alexis Venable.

Utah State returns nine starters and 17 letterwinners from last season's squad that posted a 10-11-0 record, tying the most-ever wins in the program's 12-year history. Utah State's 5-2-0 conference record ties the previous program-record mark of five league wins set in 2006. This year, USU also set records for most points in a season (114), most goals in a season (40) and most assists in a season (34).

Utah State Soccer 2008 Signing Class
NAME              	POS  	HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
Brittney Boyack    	F    	Las Vegas, Nevada (Spring Valley HS)
Shantel Flanary   	F    	Highland, Utah (Lone Peak HS)
Molli Merrill      	GK   	Bountiful, Utah (Bountiful HS)
Megan Rhoads       	D    	Sandy, Utah (Brighton HS)
Chandra Salmon     	M    	Provo, Utah (Provo HS)
Marissa Sanchez 	F  	Twin Falls, Idaho (Twins Falls HS)
Summer Tillotson   	D    	Sandy, Utah (Alta HS)
Lexi Venable       	D    	Layton, Utah (Northridge HS)