TEMPE, Ariz. – The 2016-17 Sun Devil women's lacrosse signing class will join last year's signing class, a combined supergroup of sorts that will be the pioneers for the beginning program. This year's class marks the last full signing class for the team before starting much-anticipated competition in 2017-18. Meet our newest class of Sun Devils below.
EMILY GLAGOLEV (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas High School | Midfield)
Glagolev is a two-sport athlete at Webster-Thomas High School in Webster, NY, playing both varsity lacrosse and varsity girls basketball.
MARIA VILLANTI (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima Senior High School | Defense)
Villanti is a four-year two-sport letterwinner in lacrosse and cross country and was named team captain for lacrosse her junior year. She is a two-time All-Greater Rochester Honorable Mention honoree for both cross country and lacrosse as well as a two-time First Team All-County honoree for lacrosse. Named to the NYS All-Tournament Team, she was named Section V Lacrosse Championship MVP and to the All-League First Team. Academically, she is a Scholar-Athlete, National Honor Society member, and Interact Club chair.
SOPHIA THOMAS (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley High School | Goalie)
Thomas is a two-time Brine National High School All-American and was named to the Mid-Penn Conference All-Star Team in 2015 when her team won the Mid-Penn Championship. A 2015 All-Sentinel Girls Lacrosse First Team honoree, she is the leading goalie in saves for the Mid-Penn Conference. Thomas also enjoys figure skating and has skated competitively since the age of six.
MAURA CISSEL (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis Senior High School | Midfield)
Cissel is a four-year letterwinner for lacrosse and swimming and three-year in field hockey for the Panthers, named team captain for her senior year in lacrosse and swimming. She was named Second Team-All County, Honorable Mention, MVP, and was nominated to represent AHS athletics at county. Cissel is also on the AHS Honor Roll and is a National Honor Society member.
KATE DOUGHERTY (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill High School | Attack)
Dougherty is a four-time letterwinner and three-time captain for the Eagles, garnering All-County and All-State Honorable Mention in 2015 as well as All-County First Team Attack and All-State Second Team in 2016. From 2014-16, she has 144 goals and 128 assists.
KYLIE KROEGER (San Diego, Calif./Mission Bay High School | Midfield)
The three-sport athlete (field hockey, soccer and lacrosse) is a two-time team MVP for field hockey (2015-16) and three-time MVP for lacrosse (2014-16). Kroeger also earned First Team All-League honors in 2016 and Second Team CIF League honors in 2014-15 for lacrosse. Kroeger was the first sophomore in the history of the field hockey program to receive team MVP. She is also a National Honor Society and two-time All-Academic Team member.
KELLY HARKIN (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek High School | Defense)
Harkin, a four-time letterwinner, was named team captain and received the Coaches Award at Johns Creek High School, also advancing to the state playoffs with her team. Outside of sports, she is a National Charity League member.
EMMA CARLSON (Lusby, Md./The Calverton School | Attack)
Carlson is a three-sport letterwinner (basketball, soccer, lacrosse) and was named team captain for all three her junior and and senior seasons. She is a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree for lacrosse, also earning the honor for soccer her junior season.
STEPHANIE PLOWDEN (San Diego, Calif./The Bishop's School | Midfield)
Plowden started her high school career on an exciting note, helping her team to a CIF Division I Championship in 2014 at Cathedral Catholic High School, which she attended only for her freshman year. At the Bishop's School, the Knights have won back-to-back League Championships and were ranked fourth in the San Diego CIF Open Division. Individually, Plowden is a two-time All-League honoree and was named to both the Under Armour All-America West Team and the USL San Diego National Team in 2016. Academically, she is a member of the National Society for High School Scholars, the Spanish National Honor Society, the honor roll, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Bishop's School yearbook.
HALEY GORKE (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett High School | Midfield)
Gorke is a four-year varsity letterwinner and a two-time All-County honoree. In 2014, she was named to the Georgia High School National Team and was named All-State and to the Georgia All-Star team in 2015. Her most exciting sports moment thus far was winning the state championship and she also has a twin sister. Outside of lacrosse, Gorke is a National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society member.
MADDY HUNTER (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake High School | Midfield)
Hunter, born in Scottsdale, will return to Arizona to be a Sun Devil after graduating from Sammamish's Eastlake High School in June. The four-year letterwinner was named both All-Conference and All-State in 2016 and has recorded the top number of draw controls in the state of Washington. She also ranked first in her conference for ground balls and second in number of goals. She started at the 2016 Washington State Lacrosse Championships as a true freshman and a senior and is a National Honor Society president as well as member of the Science National Honor Society. Hunter is also a triplet.
JULIA BURNS (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place High School | Attack)
Burns received All-State accolades for field hockey as well as All-County (2015) and All-Conference (2014) and is a member of the Foreign Language Honor Society. Her most exciting moment in sports thus far was scoring the game-winner in double overtime.
CARYN TAKEUCHI (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern High School | Attack)
Takeuchi will graduate from Suffern High School in 2017 where she is a member of the Mountain Lion lacrosse team and plays for Metro Magic club team. Her favorite moment in lacrosse is the start of the game and, outside of athletics, she likes to draw.
KASEY GEDDIS (Weston, Fla./Saint Thomas Aquinas | Midfield/Defense)
The four-year varsity letterwinner for lacrosse was named First Team All-County, First Team All-District, and was named a member of the South Florida National Team. Academically, she is a National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, and Principal's Honor Roll member.
ASHLEY MCNEILL (Langley, British Columbia, Canada/Walnut Grove Secondary | Midfield/Defense)
McNeill has been playing for Team British Columbia for the last three years and counts getting an offer to attend and play for ASU one of her most exciting moments in sports thus far. Outside of lacrosse, she also enjoys water skiing and running.
ERIN DiBERNARDO (Orange County, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic High School | Midfield)
DiBernardo is a three-time All-County honoree, receiving First Team All-League honors twice and has been a member of the U19 Regional Team since 2013. She was named Best in Position for varsity lacrosse in 2013 as well as Team MVP and Academic All-American in 2015. She is, notably, the fourth person in her immediate family to play Division I college sports.
DANIELA WRIGHT (Philadelphia, Pa./The Agnes Irwin School | Midfield/Attack)
Wright was a member of the Under Armour Uncommitted Team in 2015 as well as a member of the 2014-16 Inter-Ac Championship team. Additionally, she was a member of the 2015 PAISAA State Championship team as well as the 2014 and 2016 State Runner-up squads. She was ranked No. 10 in the country by Nike/Lacrosse Magazine and No. 3 by STEPS Lacrosse North America. LAXPOWER ranked her team the No. 1 team in Pennsylvania. Outside of lacrosse, Wright also ran cross country all four years of high school.
GRACI FULKERSON (Apex, N.C./Apex High School | Attack)
Fulkerson was named Player of the Year in 2016, also receiving All-American, All-Metro, and All-Conference honors. In 2014 and 2015, she was selected as a member of the North Carolina National Lacrosse Team and is a three-time SWAC All-Conference Academic Award winner. She played in the 2015 and 2016 Powerade State Games of NCHS Lacrosse Showcase and is ranked in the top-10 in the state of North Carolina in goals, ground balls, and assists. When Fulkerson was younger, she competed and placed in regional USA Triathlon races.
RILEY PURCELL (Alamo, Calif./San Ramon Valley High School | Midfield/Attack)
Purcell won a EBAL Championship with the San Ramon Valley Wolves, also competing for the Bay Area Wave club team. The two-year varsity letterwinner also received an AP Scholar Award.
LIA WILLIS (Waldorf, Md./North Point High School | Defense/Midfield)
Willis is a varsity letterwinner for both track and lacrosse at North Point High School in Waldorf, Md. where she received the Scholar Athlete Award in 2015 as well as the Minds in Motion Scholar-Athlete Award (3.25 GPA or better). In track, she won All-County and All-Conference honors in four different events in 2014 and for lacrosse, she won the Coaches Award from her high school team in 2016. A four-time NPHS Honor Roll member, she was named to the Brine National Lacrosse Classic All-American Tournament team in 2015.
TAYLOR CARSON (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh High School | Attack)
Carson has competed in both lacrosse and soccer and was named All-Conference in 2015 and All-County in 2016. The third leading scorer in the Nassau County playoffs during her sophomore season (2015), she helped lead her team to the championship that same season. As a freshman, she and her team beat rival Garden City for the first time in 18 years. Interestingly, Carson has 25 first cousins.
KATIE HENDRIX (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor High School | Defense)
Hendrix was named lacrosse team captain for her junior and senior seasons and has been a four-year lacrosse letterwinner and two-year field hockey letterwinner. A two-year member of the Orange County National Team, she was named Most Valuable Lacrosse Player and All-League as well as All-League and Most Valuable Defender for field hockey.
This release will be updated as NLI's and signees are cleared by the Sun Devil Athletics compliance office.
EMILY GLAGOLEV (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas High School | Midfield)
Glagolev is a two-sport athlete at Webster-Thomas High School in Webster, NY, playing both varsity lacrosse and varsity girls basketball.
MARIA VILLANTI (Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima Senior High School | Defense)
Villanti is a four-year two-sport letterwinner in lacrosse and cross country and was named team captain for lacrosse her junior year. She is a two-time All-Greater Rochester Honorable Mention honoree for both cross country and lacrosse as well as a two-time First Team All-County honoree for lacrosse. Named to the NYS All-Tournament Team, she was named Section V Lacrosse Championship MVP and to the All-League First Team. Academically, she is a Scholar-Athlete, National Honor Society member, and Interact Club chair.
SOPHIA THOMAS (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley High School | Goalie)
Thomas is a two-time Brine National High School All-American and was named to the Mid-Penn Conference All-Star Team in 2015 when her team won the Mid-Penn Championship. A 2015 All-Sentinel Girls Lacrosse First Team honoree, she is the leading goalie in saves for the Mid-Penn Conference. Thomas also enjoys figure skating and has skated competitively since the age of six.
MAURA CISSEL (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis Senior High School | Midfield)
Cissel is a four-year letterwinner for lacrosse and swimming and three-year in field hockey for the Panthers, named team captain for her senior year in lacrosse and swimming. She was named Second Team-All County, Honorable Mention, MVP, and was nominated to represent AHS athletics at county. Cissel is also on the AHS Honor Roll and is a National Honor Society member.
KATE DOUGHERTY (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill High School | Attack)
Dougherty is a four-time letterwinner and three-time captain for the Eagles, garnering All-County and All-State Honorable Mention in 2015 as well as All-County First Team Attack and All-State Second Team in 2016. From 2014-16, she has 144 goals and 128 assists.
KYLIE KROEGER (San Diego, Calif./Mission Bay High School | Midfield)
The three-sport athlete (field hockey, soccer and lacrosse) is a two-time team MVP for field hockey (2015-16) and three-time MVP for lacrosse (2014-16). Kroeger also earned First Team All-League honors in 2016 and Second Team CIF League honors in 2014-15 for lacrosse. Kroeger was the first sophomore in the history of the field hockey program to receive team MVP. She is also a National Honor Society and two-time All-Academic Team member.
KELLY HARKIN (Johns Creek, Ga./Johns Creek High School | Defense)
Harkin, a four-time letterwinner, was named team captain and received the Coaches Award at Johns Creek High School, also advancing to the state playoffs with her team. Outside of sports, she is a National Charity League member.
EMMA CARLSON (Lusby, Md./The Calverton School | Attack)
Carlson is a three-sport letterwinner (basketball, soccer, lacrosse) and was named team captain for all three her junior and and senior seasons. She is a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree for lacrosse, also earning the honor for soccer her junior season.
STEPHANIE PLOWDEN (San Diego, Calif./The Bishop's School | Midfield)
Plowden started her high school career on an exciting note, helping her team to a CIF Division I Championship in 2014 at Cathedral Catholic High School, which she attended only for her freshman year. At the Bishop's School, the Knights have won back-to-back League Championships and were ranked fourth in the San Diego CIF Open Division. Individually, Plowden is a two-time All-League honoree and was named to both the Under Armour All-America West Team and the USL San Diego National Team in 2016. Academically, she is a member of the National Society for High School Scholars, the Spanish National Honor Society, the honor roll, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Bishop's School yearbook.
HALEY GORKE (Suwanee, Ga./North Gwinnett High School | Midfield)
Gorke is a four-year varsity letterwinner and a two-time All-County honoree. In 2014, she was named to the Georgia High School National Team and was named All-State and to the Georgia All-Star team in 2015. Her most exciting sports moment thus far was winning the state championship and she also has a twin sister. Outside of lacrosse, Gorke is a National Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society member.
MADDY HUNTER (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake High School | Midfield)
Hunter, born in Scottsdale, will return to Arizona to be a Sun Devil after graduating from Sammamish's Eastlake High School in June. The four-year letterwinner was named both All-Conference and All-State in 2016 and has recorded the top number of draw controls in the state of Washington. She also ranked first in her conference for ground balls and second in number of goals. She started at the 2016 Washington State Lacrosse Championships as a true freshman and a senior and is a National Honor Society president as well as member of the Science National Honor Society. Hunter is also a triplet.
JULIA BURNS (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place High School | Attack)
Burns received All-State accolades for field hockey as well as All-County (2015) and All-Conference (2014) and is a member of the Foreign Language Honor Society. Her most exciting moment in sports thus far was scoring the game-winner in double overtime.
CARYN TAKEUCHI (Montebello, N.Y./Suffern High School | Attack)
Takeuchi will graduate from Suffern High School in 2017 where she is a member of the Mountain Lion lacrosse team and plays for Metro Magic club team. Her favorite moment in lacrosse is the start of the game and, outside of athletics, she likes to draw.
KASEY GEDDIS (Weston, Fla./Saint Thomas Aquinas | Midfield/Defense)
The four-year varsity letterwinner for lacrosse was named First Team All-County, First Team All-District, and was named a member of the South Florida National Team. Academically, she is a National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, and Principal's Honor Roll member.
ASHLEY MCNEILL (Langley, British Columbia, Canada/Walnut Grove Secondary | Midfield/Defense)
McNeill has been playing for Team British Columbia for the last three years and counts getting an offer to attend and play for ASU one of her most exciting moments in sports thus far. Outside of lacrosse, she also enjoys water skiing and running.
ERIN DiBERNARDO (Orange County, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic High School | Midfield)
DiBernardo is a three-time All-County honoree, receiving First Team All-League honors twice and has been a member of the U19 Regional Team since 2013. She was named Best in Position for varsity lacrosse in 2013 as well as Team MVP and Academic All-American in 2015. She is, notably, the fourth person in her immediate family to play Division I college sports.
DANIELA WRIGHT (Philadelphia, Pa./The Agnes Irwin School | Midfield/Attack)
Wright was a member of the Under Armour Uncommitted Team in 2015 as well as a member of the 2014-16 Inter-Ac Championship team. Additionally, she was a member of the 2015 PAISAA State Championship team as well as the 2014 and 2016 State Runner-up squads. She was ranked No. 10 in the country by Nike/Lacrosse Magazine and No. 3 by STEPS Lacrosse North America. LAXPOWER ranked her team the No. 1 team in Pennsylvania. Outside of lacrosse, Wright also ran cross country all four years of high school.
GRACI FULKERSON (Apex, N.C./Apex High School | Attack)
Fulkerson was named Player of the Year in 2016, also receiving All-American, All-Metro, and All-Conference honors. In 2014 and 2015, she was selected as a member of the North Carolina National Lacrosse Team and is a three-time SWAC All-Conference Academic Award winner. She played in the 2015 and 2016 Powerade State Games of NCHS Lacrosse Showcase and is ranked in the top-10 in the state of North Carolina in goals, ground balls, and assists. When Fulkerson was younger, she competed and placed in regional USA Triathlon races.
RILEY PURCELL (Alamo, Calif./San Ramon Valley High School | Midfield/Attack)
Purcell won a EBAL Championship with the San Ramon Valley Wolves, also competing for the Bay Area Wave club team. The two-year varsity letterwinner also received an AP Scholar Award.
LIA WILLIS (Waldorf, Md./North Point High School | Defense/Midfield)
Willis is a varsity letterwinner for both track and lacrosse at North Point High School in Waldorf, Md. where she received the Scholar Athlete Award in 2015 as well as the Minds in Motion Scholar-Athlete Award (3.25 GPA or better). In track, she won All-County and All-Conference honors in four different events in 2014 and for lacrosse, she won the Coaches Award from her high school team in 2016. A four-time NPHS Honor Roll member, she was named to the Brine National Lacrosse Classic All-American Tournament team in 2015.
TAYLOR CARSON (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh High School | Attack)
Carson has competed in both lacrosse and soccer and was named All-Conference in 2015 and All-County in 2016. The third leading scorer in the Nassau County playoffs during her sophomore season (2015), she helped lead her team to the championship that same season. As a freshman, she and her team beat rival Garden City for the first time in 18 years. Interestingly, Carson has 25 first cousins.
KATIE HENDRIX (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor High School | Defense)
Hendrix was named lacrosse team captain for her junior and senior seasons and has been a four-year lacrosse letterwinner and two-year field hockey letterwinner. A two-year member of the Orange County National Team, she was named Most Valuable Lacrosse Player and All-League as well as All-League and Most Valuable Defender for field hockey.
This release will be updated as NLI's and signees are cleared by the Sun Devil Athletics compliance office.