Soccer | 7/3/2023 12:34:00 PM

DENTON, Texas (July 3, 2023) – The Texas Woman's soccer team welcomes a star-studded signing class for the 2023 season, adding 14 new Pioneers to the roster.
 
"We are very excited about this class," TWU Head Coach Babak Abouzar said. "They all have played at a high level throughout their youth careers. Each player in this class will fill a positional void that we have as well as add depth to our team. With the returners who have put in a tremendous amount of work during the spring season and our incoming players, we look forward to having a very exciting Fall 2023 campaign."
 
Arianna Arboleda, an attacking midfielder from Irving, Texas, attended MacArthur High School and played club soccer for Dallas Texans ECRL 05 for six years and DKSC ECRL for one year. Arbodela said she began playing soccer when she was three years old.
 
A dual sport athlete in high school, including soccer and cross country, Arboleda won numerous awards throughout her high school campaign. In her freshman season, she was named soccer Freshman of the Year, soccer and cross country Varsity Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-District. During her sophomore year, she was named Second Team All-District and Most Outstanding Player. Then, following her junior season, she received First Team All-District honors, the Most Outstanding Player Award and broke the record for most assists in a single game in school history. In her final senior season, Arboleda was named First Team All-District, Offensive MVP, Academic All-District and Second Team Academic All-State.
 
Arboleda graduated with the most assists in a single career – 56. She led her team to two postseason appearances in 2021 and 2022.
 
Halee Avery, a midfielder from Fort Worth, Texas, attended Timber Creek High School, where she was a Second Team All-District and All-District Honorable Mention honoree as a four-year varsity soccer athlete. She additionally led her team to a bi-district postseason appearance, and, in her senior season, she guided her team to the Dallas Cup Championship Title. Most recently, she played club soccer for Solar.
 
Committed to serving her community, she assisted in coaching and refereeing youth soccer through the Upward Soccer Program.
 
Along with athletic achievements, Halee Avery was honored for her success in the classroom as well, earning Academic All-State honors. She plans to major in nursing at TWU.
 
Halee Avery additionally joins her twin Rylee Avery, both as Pioneer soccer signees.
 
Rylee Avery, a center defender, was named a First Team All-District honoree and Defensive MVP, while assisting in guiding her team to the 2022 Bi-District Championship Title. Most recently, following her senior season campaign, Rylee Avery was named First Team All-District, Academic All-District, Academic All-State and MVP of her team.
 
Along with her twin, Rylee Avery also played club soccer for Solar and served her community by spreading her passion for soccer through involvement with Upwards Soccer.
 
She will be majoring in Kinesiology at TWU.
 



A defender from Mansfield, TX, Erica Brelove joins the Pioneers as a dual-sport athlete in soccer and track, while attending Mansfield High School. A decorated student-athlete, Brelove is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time Second Team All-Conference and named First Team All-Conference in 2022. Most recently, in the 2023 season, she was honored as the Team MVP, First Team All-District, Second Team All-Region, Academic All-District and Academic All-State, and she was named to the 6A Super Elite Team. She guided her team to three playoff appearances, two conference championships, two area championships and two regional runner-up finishes. In her senior season, Brelove guided her high school team to a regional semifinal finish, and her club team to a regional quarterfinal finish.
 
Additionally, committed to academic excellence, Brelove was a four-time All-Academic honoree.
 
Brelove played for multiple club teams, but most recently with Solar. She also led her teams as the captain of both her high school and club soccer teams. Outside of athletics, Brelove served the community through Mission Arlington and Mission Mansfield. She also served as a member of her high school's National Honor Society and Black Student Association. She plans to major in computer science at TWU.
 
A transfer goalkeeper from the University of Houston, Amanda Farris joins the Pioneers as a sophomore from Bryan, Texas, who brings collegiate experience to the team. While attending Rudder High School and also playing for the Albion Hurricanes, Farris was named the District 18-5A Newcomer of the Year.
 
Also committed to success in the classroom, Farris graduated in the Top 2% at Rudder and plans to major in marketing at TWU.
 




Giselle Gutierrez attended Plano East Senior High School in Plano, Texas. A forward, she has played soccer for 10 years, while also playing basketball for two years. In 2022, she was named First Team All-District and Offensive MVP. Then, in 2023, Gutierrez earned First Team All-District honors and was named the Plano East Offensive Player of the Year. She additionally played club soccer with FC Dallas 05 for five seasons and Sting Black RL for one year.
 
Gutierrez plans to major in business at TWU.
 


An outside defender from Buda, Texas, Karis Hickey joins the Pioneers after playing at Moe and Gene Johnson High School, where she also ran track for one season. She earned All-District honors all four years, including Honorable Mention, Second Team and First Team. Additionally, after her junior season, she was named the MVP of her team, and, following her senior season, she was named Defensive MVP. She guided her team to the District Playoffs during her freshman season. Outside of high school, she played club soccer with Surf for three seasons and Classic Elite for one season.
 
Hickey was also honored for her commitment to academic excellence, earning Academic All-District honors all four years and THCSA Academic All-State after her senior season. She plans to major in criminal justice at TWU.
 

Lindsey Hughes attended Lake Ridge High School in Mansfield, Texas. A defender and defensive midfielder, she has played soccer for eight years. During her high school campaign, Hughes was named a two-time Second Team All-District and the Offensive Player of the Year. While playing for Lake Ridge, Hughes also played club soccer with DKSC Duarte 04G and FDL Rivera 05/04.
 
She has won numerous invitationals and tournaments, including placing first at the 2017 Hurst United Turkey Shoot XXVI, winning the 2019 Plano Premier Invitational League and the 2020 5v5 Winterstorm Tournament. In her senior season, she guided her team to a third-place district finish and a playoff appearance.
 
Hughes was also honored for her academic efforts, being named an Academic All-District honoree and serving as a member of the Lady Eagles Soccer Leadership Council. She also commited her time to serving her community through various efforts including the Ronald McDonald House in Fort Worth, Adopt a Street, Mission Mansfield and her local soccer camp.
 
At TWU, Hughes plans to major in Nursing.
 
A transfer from Northeastern State University, Sydney Kurtz joins the Pioneers as a goalkeeper from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Kurtz brings collegiate experience and will make a difference in the net for the Pioneers. While in high school, she played club soccer with West Side Alliance, Houston Dash and Challenge.

While balancing athletics, she also graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA and enjoys giving back to her community by working at assisted living facilities and refereeing youth soccer.

Kurtz plans to major in Communication Sciences at TWU.
 


Ailyn Oliveros, a midfielder from Dallas, Texas, was a decorated high school soccer player, attending Science and Engineering Magnet School at Townview and Sunset High School.
 
During her four years, she was named First Team All-District as a freshman, Defensive MVP as a sophomore and received All-District Honorable Mention Honors her junior year. Oliveros led her team to the District and Bi-District championship title three times, while also appearing in three postseason playoffs. Additionally, she played club soccer for DKSC 2018.
 
Oliveros plans to major in Medical Technology at TWU.
 
Dani Pruitt, a forward from Carrollton, Texas, played soccer, volleyball and ran track while attending Hebron High School. She played club soccer for three seasons with DKSC Weird FDL 05. Outside of athletics, Pruitt enjoyed serving her community in various capacities through Miracle League and also as a member of several student organizations including Circle of Friends, Hands of Hope, Student Council and Science National Honors Society.
 
Pruitt plans to major in biology at TWU.
 



From Quinlan, Texas, Bailee Radney attended Ford High School and joins the Pioneers as a midfielder. A dual-sport athlete, Radney played soccer and volleyball, earning numerous accolades in both sports. She is a two-time First Team All-District honoree in soccer and was named Offensive MVP as a sophomore. In volleyball, she was a two-time First Team All-District honoree, a Second Team All-District member her sophomore year and the Newcomer of the Year during her freshman season.
 
Also committed to excellence in the classroom, Radney received the Academic Achievement Award for volleyball and soccer all four years of high school. She graduated as the Salutatorian of her class in 2023. She plans to major in nursing at TWU.
 
Radney played club soccer for Sting Dallas Royal ECNL.
 
Joining the Pioneers from Double Oak, Texas, Rachel Ryter, a midfielder, played club soccer most recently with Sting Black ECNL, while attending the Christian Academy of America. A quick player with the ability to easily move the ball through the middle, Ryter's ability to find the back of the net will make an impact for the Pioneers. Ryter also enjoys serving others, as she traveled to Cambodia in high school to work with children and build homes.

She plans to major in Psychology at TWU.
 


From Wylie, Texas and Wylie East High School, Alyssa Striker joins the Pioneers as a forward. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Striker played soccer and ran cross country and track. A decorated soccer player, Strike earned numerous awards throughout her high school career, including three First Team All-District honors, a Second Team All-District honor and the Blue Heart Award. Following her senior year, in which she guided her team to a State Semi-Finalist finish, she was awarded the Defensive Player of the Year honor and Academic All-State.
 
She led her team to three back-to-back District Championships and one Area Championship. Also dedicated to success in the classroom, Striker was a member of the National Honor Society and earned two Academic All-District accolades. Outside of high school soccer, Striker played for Sting Soccer Club for six seasons.
 
With a star-studded signing class, the Pioneers look ahead and are ready for a successful Fall 2023 season.