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UA Little Rock announces 2019 soccer signing class

The UA Little Rock soccer teams cheers before a game.

The Little Rock women’s soccer head coach Mark Foster has announced his 2019 signing class. 

Among the 12 signees are Bizzy Canada, Marthe Taugbol, Kenedie St. Mary, Mari Young, Maddy Peake, Jessica Carmichael, Aislyn Sullivan, Julia Edwards, Ziva Payer, Allison Morrison, Emma Thompson, and Sarah Ovalle. This group of players will join the program this summer and begin competing for Little Rock in the fall of 2019.

“I am very pleased to announce our 2019 signing class,” Foster said. “The young ladies we have signed today are not only great soccer players, but more importantly, they are a wonderful group of girls. They have the right character and personality to fit in with the culture of excellence at Little Rock soccer, and help us build on the recent success in the classroom and on the pitch.”

Bizzy Canada is a fullback from Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas. She played for FC Dallas under coach Matt Veasey.

Marthe Taugbol, a central midfielder, joins the Trojans as another international signing as she comes to Little Rock from the Norwegian College of Elite Sports. She played for her club FL Fart under Finn Willy Taugboel, Henrik Digernes and Inger Ane Hol.

Kenedie St. Mary is a defender from The Woodlands High School in Texas. St. Mary played for Challenge Soccer Club under Russell Gee and Pat O’Toole.

Mari Young comes to Little Rock from Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School in Ontario, Canada as yet another international player signs with the Trojans. She is a forward who played for Burlington Youth Soccer Club under Casey Downey, Dino Colarossi and Alex Mickalow.

Maddy Peake is a forward from McKinney High School in Texas. She played for Solar Soccer Club under Volkan Ozcomert.

Jessica Carmichael joins the Trojans as a forward from Dripping Springs High School in Texas. She played for the Austin Texas 00G under JD Cochran.

Aislyn Sullivan is a midfielder from Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Sullivan played for United Soccer Academy Mount Pleasant under Kian Brownlee.

Coming from Keller, Texas is forward Julia Edwards. She lettered at Keller High School and played for FC Dallas ECNL under coach Dan Mariscal.

Ziva Payer, a forward, will also to Little Rock from Dripping Springs High School in Texas. She played for the Austin Texas 00G under JD Cochran.

Allison Morrison joins the maroon and silver as a defender from Collierville High School in Tennessee. She played for the Lobos under Clint Browne.

Emma Thompson is a forward from McKinney Christian Academy in Texas. Thompson played for Dallas Texans 01 under coach Jon Patterson.

Rounding out the 2019 class is midfielder Sarah Ovalle from Justin F. Kimball High School in Dallas, Texas. She played for Dallas Texans under Jon Patterson.

“With this signing class we have added strength and depth to every position within our squad,” Foster said. “By adding this freshman group to a brilliant group of returning players; the future is bright for Trojans soccer.”

This is Foster’s second recruiting class after taking over the Little Rock soccer program for his first season in 2018. Foster is eager to take the pitch for their spring season to begin in the coming weeks.