Terps Sign Two Soccer Players To National Letters Of Intent
2/6/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Feb. 6, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland women's soccer head coach Shannon Higgins-Cirovski has announced the signing of two recruits to national letters of intent to begin play at the university in the fall of 2003.
"This is a small class, but we are very excited about the two players we are bringing to College Park," said Higgins-Cirovski, who was named ACC Coach of the Year and inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002. "In addition to our veteran players Carly Viher and Valerie Lawrence, who will be returning from injuries for 2003, these signees will make a major difference for the upcoming season."
Coming to College Park to don the red and black will be defender Ashly Kennedy (Edgewater, Md./St. Mary's High School) and goalkeeper Anna Sheveland (Farmers Branch, Texas/R.L.Turner High School).
Kennedy is a member of the United States Youth National Team Pool. She was star at St. Mary's High School in Annapolis, Md. The four-year standout defender was selected to the NSCAA/Adidas All-American team in 2002. She scored the game-winning goal in the Saints' Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship game against Notre Dame Prep. The goal came in double overtime and made it three straight IAAM crowns for the Saints. Kennedy was named Baltimore Sun and Washington Post player of the year this past season. She has been selected All-State for the past four years and has been an All-South selection for the past two years. She has been a member of the Region I ODP squad for the past three years. Kennedy recently returned from Chula Vista, Calif., where she was training with the youth national team in January 2003. In club action, she has played and started for the elite Bethesda Dragons for the past six years. She led the team to the Maryland state club title on four occasions (1997-1999, 2001) as well being a semifinalist in the Region I club championship in 2001.
"Ashly is a well renown centerback," said Higgins-Cirovski. "She is strong, hard and good in the air. She is a real fighter on the field. She adds that grit and hardness that we have been looking for."
Sheveland comes to Maryland after having been the starting goalkeeper at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas. She has been a part of the Texas ODP since 1998 and in 2001 was named to the Region III ODP Pool. Sheveland was a first-team All-District selection in 2000 and 2001. She plays and starts for one of the premier club teams in the nation, the Dallas Texans. At 6-feet tall, she is a multi-sport star having lettered in soccer, basketball volleyball and track and field.
"Anna has great size, strength and athletic presence," said Higgins-Cirovski. "She will be contending for the starting goalkeeping position as a freshman. She has the ability to cover the goal with her 6-foot frame and has a lot of untapped potential."
