Lady Jacket Soccer Announces ’05 Recruiting Class (Mar. 21, 2005)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings head women’s soccer coach Don Trentham announced his 2005 high school recruiting class on Monday.  Trentham signed 10 high school seniors to national letters of intent including three from Montana, three from Washington, two from Idaho, one from Colorado, and one from Utah.

“This is the biggest recruiting class I’ve had here,” said Trentham, who has been at the school three years.  “We will finally have our roster up to 25 for next fall.  That’s where I believe it needs to be.  This class will give us good depth at every position and will make next fall’s preseason the most competitive we’ve ever had.  I am very pleased with this recruiting class.  My assistant coach Kevin Petritz played an important role in helping to bring in this class.”

The Yellowjackets were 12-4-3 last year and finished ranked tenth in the Far West Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.  It was the first winning season in the program’s history and the first time the team has been ranked regionally.  MSUB will switch to the Midwest Region for the 2005 season since the school moved to the Heartland Conference.

2005 Yellowjacket NLI Signings

Erin Vinnedge is a 5-foot-3 outside back from Great Falls, MT.  She was a four year letter winner at C.M. Russell High School where she earned honorable mention all-state honors as a senior.  She scored two goals and had seven assists in helping the Rustlers advance to the state semifinals.  Vinnedge was a four year honor roll student and earned academic all-state honors three times.  Her sister Kelsey started all 19 games as a sophomore for the Yellowjackets last year.

Trentham on Vinnedge:  “Erin has that great work ethic that a coach wants from a player.  I’ve seen her develop over the past three years and believe she still has a lot of growth potential as a player.  I expect her to compete for playing time as an outside back next season.”

Allison Egan is a 5-7 goalkeeper from Butte, MT.  She lettered three years at Butte High School, earning all-conference honors as a junior and senior and all-state honors as a senior.  In her junior season she was named the team’s best defensive player, and as a senior she won the team’s best offensive player award.

Trentham on Egan:  “Allison is a terrific athlete with a lot of upside to her game.  In high school and ODP she has played and excelled at a variety of positions.  As an incoming freshman we will train her as a goalkeeper, but there may also be an opportunity for her to compete for a spot as a field player.”

Emily English is a 5-5 goalkeeper from Whitefish, MT.  She lettered four years at Whitefish High School where she earned all-conference and all-state honors as a senior.  She helped her team to three state tournaments, two state championship games, and a state title.

Trentham on English:  “Emily has a great passion for the game and has worked very hard during her high school career to become a better player.  Her hard work and dedication have given her an opportunity to play in college, and I suspect she will make the most of the opportunity.”

Mandy Ploskonka is a 5-5 center midfielder from Federal Way, WA.  She lettered four years at Federal Way High School where she led the league in total points as a senior.  She scored four goals with 15 assists to earn second team all-state honors.  She was also named first team all-area, first team all-league, first team all-city, and the all-city MVP.  Ploskonka was twice named a Seattle Times “Player to Watch”. 

Trentham on Ploskonka:  “We were very fortunate to sign Mandy as she had many good options.  In high school and club soccer she was a very dominant force in the center.  We are hopeful she will continue to be just as dominant at the college level.”

Katie Ginther is a 5-2 center midfielder from Puyallup, WA.  She lettered three years at Emerald Ridge High School where she helped her team to the state finals and a No. 7 national ranking as a junior.  She was named first team all-league as a junior and second team all-league as a senior.  Last year Ginther was the team MVP and led the team to the Narrows League Championship.

Trentham on Ginther:  “Katie will be a nice fit into the midfield next season.  She is hard working and distributes the ball very well.  I expect her to compliment our other midfielders very well.”

Melissa Carlson is a 5-1 center midfielder from Renton, WA.  She lettered four years in both track and soccer at Charles A. Lindbergh High School.  She scored five goals with eight assists as a senior.  Carlson earned first team all-league honors as a junior and honorable mention honors as a sophomore.

Trentham on Carlson:  “Melissa has had a great background in high school and club soccer enabling her to step right into the college environment.  It may take some time for her to adjust to the collegiate level, but her tactical awareness should help make the transition a smooth process.”

Kelsey Knight is a 5-7 outside midfielder from Boise, ID.  A graduate of Timberline High School, she played for the Boise Capital Soccer Club.  She also played three years for the Idaho ODP State Team. 

Trentham on Knight:  “We will look to Kelsey to help add depth to our outside midfield position.  She plays very simply with an economy of efficiency, yet reads the game well and should develop into a solid player.”

Sara Gress is a 5-8 midfielder from Boise, ID.  She lettered two years at Mountain View High School and one year at Meridian High School.  At Meridian as a sophomore she helped the team to the state playoffs for the first time in school history.  At Mountain View she earned second team all-conference honors as a junior and first team honors as a senior. 

Trentham on Gress:  “Sara’s passion for life carries over to the soccer field where she excelled as a player in high school.  She is solid in the air, helps keep possession for the team, and serves a good long ball.  I expect to see Sara compete for a starting spot at the center or outside midfield position.”

Whitney Prescott is a 5-6 outside back from Colorado Springs, CO.  She lettered three years at Rampart High School and is currently in the middle of her senior season.  Last year as a junior she earned 5A Metro League honorable mention honors after helping her team to the regional playoffs. 

Trentham on Prescott:  “Whitney is a solid defender who will compete for time as an outside back and possibly a center back.  Her ability to make strong tackles, win balls in the air, and help begin the attack from the back will give her a great opportunity to make an immediate impact.”

Micah Merrill-Johnson is a 5-6 outside back from Salt Lake City, UT.  She lettered three years in both soccer and basketball at East High School.  Merrill-Johnson helped the team to the state championship and an 18-1-1 record as a senior.  East HS also played in the state title game in her sophomore and junior years.  Merrill-Johnson’s sister Margot recently finished her career at MSU Billings where she started every game in four years and set the school career points record.  Margot was also an Academic All-America as a senior.

Trentham on Merrill-Johnson:  “Micah was a starting outside back for her high school and club teams, which were among the best in the region.  This allowed her to experience a great deal of success.  I am hopeful she will bring the success she had as a high school player to help us continue the success we had as a program last fall.  She also has great speed and is a very intelligent player who reads the game well.”