SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento State head women's soccer coach Randy Dedini has announced the addition of five student-athletes for the 2010-2011 season.
The Hornets will add four high school athletes, Lauren Garcia (Folsom, Calif.), Danielle Hollister (Woodinville, Wash.), Jami Shimada (Bellevue, Wash.) and Gabriela Trenton (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), as well as junior college transfer Vanessa Nieto (Santa Rosa, Calif.)
"We are very excited about our 2010 class," coach Dedini said. "This class will be a great compliment to the strong group of returnees we have coming back in the fall and we expect this class to make an immediate impact to our program."
Lauren Garcia comes to Sacramento State from Folsom HS, where she was a three-year letterwinner for coach Mike McBride and the Bulldogs. She led the Bulldogs the Delta River League playoffs as both a sophomore and a junior. Garcia saw the field her sophomore year with current Hornet defenders Shea Roberts and Paige Tucker. Her sister Kristen just concluded a four-year career at Loyola Marymount. At the club level, Garcia has played the last eight years for San Juan Soccer Club, having led the team to multiple regional and national titles.
"Lauren is a technical and athletic defender with very good speed and a tremendous upside," Dedini said. "She will be able to play any position on our defensive back line."
Danielle Hollister is one of two newcomers from the state of Washington, having prepped at Woodinville HS in Woodinville, Wash. She is a two-time all-KingCo 4A honoree, including first team honors in 2009 at the forward position. She competes at the club level for Eastside Futbol Club, teaming with fellow signee Jami Shimada.
"Dani is an exciting player for us, as she gives us something a bit different than what we currently have on our front line," Dedini said. "She has a great combination of size, speed and brute toughness, and she’ll be able to hold balls for us and be just as dangerous of a play maker as a goal scorer."
Jami Shimada will make the trek to Sacramento from Newport HS in Bellevue, Wash., where she was a four-year letterwinner for coach Michael Smith. A standout defender, Shimada is a four time all-KingCo 4A honoree, earning first team honors for the first time as a senior. She comes from an athletic background, as her sister Kelsey is a pole vaulter at the University of Washington, and her cousin Kimiko Soldati was a 2004 U.S. Olympian in diving. She competes with Hollister at the club level for Eastside FC.
"Jami will be a gifted midfield player for us," Dedini said. "She has the ability to see, read and anticipate the game at an extremely high level, while being defensively sound. She rarely looses the ball in possession and will be a great addition to our already talented midfield line."
Gabriela Trenton is a familiar name to the Hornet soccer program, as her sister Christina just completed a career that saw her earn all-Big Sky Conference honors during her final three seasons. Gabriela joins the Hornets from Capistrano Valley HS in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., where she was a four-year letterwinner for coach Manny Romero. Despite playing mostly as a defender, Trenton earned South Coast League offensive player of the year honors in 2007, and was the second leading scorer on her team during her senior season. She competes at the club level for the Laguna Hills Eclipse .
"Gaby is a very versatile player who can easily adapt and play several positions for us," Dedini said. "Having watched her sister for the past four years, I believe she understands our system, she knows our returning players, and she’ll be comfortable with her new team and environment."
Vanessa Nieto will transfer into the program from Santa Rosa JC, where she was a second team all-West Region honoree by the NSCAA. A two-time all-Big 8 performer, Nieto played center-back in 2007 and 2009 for the Bear Cubs, redshirting the 2008 season. Prior to her time at Santa Rosa JC, Nieto was a 2007graduate of Maria Carrillo HS in Santa Rosa, Calif., where she was a four-time all-North Bay League selection. She played five years of club soccer for Santa Rosa United.
"As a two year transfer, Vanessa, will bring experience as well as talent to our defensive back line," Dedini said. "She is an extremely talented center back who will give us stability to a back line that lost two senior center backs."
