February 2, 2011

2011 National Signing Day

MACON, Ga. – Fresh off a 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference championship season, Mercer University women's soccer coach Grant Serafy reloaded his roster Wednesday with a corps of six prospective student-athletes on National Signing Day. The Bears will look to replace the loss of seven of the most decorated seniors in program history with this year's class of incoming freshmen.  

Serafy welcomed the signatures of six new student-athletes to the Mercer community, many of whom he thinks will have an immediate impact on the quality of the program.

"Overall, it is a good group we have coming in for 2011," Serafy said. "We graduate seven seniors, six of which were major contributors to two championships over the past three years."

The signing list includes: Washida Blackman from Snellville, Ga.; Rachel Buffalo from Longwood,Fla.; Lauren Gassie from Winter Park, Fla.; Stephanie Giangiuli from New Market, Maryland; MacKenzie Stewart from Castle Rock, Colorado and Brianna Stampler from Davie, Fla.

 

For the second year in a row, Serafy has plucked teammates that have competed on the same club teams. Last season, freshmen standouts Casey Barrett and Nadja Kolliesuah came from the same club team in Ohio and this year Lauren Gassie and Rachel Buffalo teamed up on the Florida Rush Nike Premier club team.

"It will be a task to see which players from this group can step in and contribute and I am confident some will.  I fully expect these players to be part of the continued success of this program and to come in and uphold the great tradition of our soccer program."

Washida Blackman
Position: Forward
Hometown: Snellville, Ga.
High School: Brookwood High School
High School Coach: Sarah Crawford
Club Team: Gwinnett Soccer Association 93 Phoenix Red
Club Coach: Campbell Champman
Height: 5'7"

Washida Blackman, is a quick and talented striker who will graduate from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Ga this spring. The 5'7" forward is a two-time Gwinnett All-County selection and a Gwinnett County Super Six in 2010. While at Brookwood, she was also named twice to the Gwinnett Daily Post First Team in 2009 and 2010. She played club soccer with the Gwinnett Soccer Association 93 Phoenix Red, which won the Georgia State Cup in 2009 and 2010. Her 93 Phoenix Red team also won the elite Region III Premier League East and the Disney Soccer Showcase in 2009. The Disney Showcase is widely regarded as the one of the nation's elite club soccer tournaments. The Phoenix Red was also a US Youth Soccer Association Southern Regionals finalist in 2009. Blackman and her team were silver medalists at the Disney Soccer Showcase this past year as well.  

Mercer Head Coach Grant Serafy

"Washida is an outstanding striker and can play out wide or centrally. She has very good pace and excellent technique to go with that pace.  We are excited to have her join our program.  She has played many years for an excellent GSA club team that runs the same system we do and that will serve her well here.  She is more than capable of coming in and being a threat for us in the attack next fall."

 

 

 

Rachel Buffalo
Position: Defender
Hometown: Longwood, Fla.
High School: Lake Mary High School
High School Coach: Bill Eissele
Club Team: Florida Rush Nike Premier
Club Coach: Kate Healey & Allie Goff
Height: 5'7"

Rachel Buffalo is a central defender from Longwood, Fla. who played at Lake Mary High School and has been a member of the Florida Olympic Development Program since 2007.  TopDrawerSoccer.com has Buffalo listed as the No. 8 "Player to Watch" in the state of Florida. Buffalo lettered all four years in soccer at Lake Mary and her team recorded 50 wins during that time.  She is a 2009 and 2010 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Adidas All-Region III Team selection and a 2010 NSCAA All-America nominee. Buffalo is a three-time first team All-Conference selection and made the All-Central Florida second team in 2009-2010. She served as the team captain for her junior and senior seasons and was a member of a 2008 district championship team at Lake Mary. Buffalo also played for the Florida Rush Nike Premier club team that was a three-time Florida State Cup finalist in 2008, '09 and '10. Her Florida Rush team participated in the prestigious Region III Premier League. She also played on the ODP Florida State "A" team from 2007-2010 and was an integral part of two Region III finalist teams in 2009 and 2010.

Mercer Head Coach Grant Serafy

"Rachel is a tough central defender. She organizes the back line well and reads the game with a fine tactical acumen.  She is hard-nosed and tackles hard.  We graduate a lot of seniors from our back four, so Rachel will have a chance to come in and compete for a position in defense next fall."

 

 

 

 

Lauren Gassie
Position: Forward/Midfielder/Defender
Hometown: Winter Park, Fla.
High School: Winter Park High School
High School Coach: Ken Hammond and Brian Hinz

Club Team: Florida Rush Nike Premier
Club Coach: Cory Sheffield & Kate Begley
Height: 5'5"

 

Lauren Gassie has led Winter Park High School, in Winter Park, Fla. for the most goals and assists in a season in two of her four years as a starting varsity player. She served as the team's captain her junior and seniors years and also has extensive club and ODP experience in the state of Florida. She was a teammate of Rachel Buffalo on the Florida Rush Nike Premier club team this past season and played up a year on a Florida Rush Nike Premier U18 club team that was the 2009 State Cup champions and runners up in 2007 and 2008. Gassie also played on the same ODP '92 "A" team for four seasons and was a two-time Region III finalist.

Mercer Head Coach Grant Serafy

 "Add Lauren to another one of our incoming players that is very versatile," Serafy said. "She has played as a left back and I recently saw her as an attacking midfielder.  She reads the game well and is has superb technical ability on the ball.  She has a great touch and distributes the ball cleanly and precisely to her teammates.  Lauren will make a fine addition to our squad."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephanie Giangiuli
Position: Forward/Midfielder
Hometown: New Market, Maryland.
High School: Linganore High School
High School Coach: Coach Putterman
Club Team: FC Frederick Premier Team 92
Club Coach: Brad Roos
Height: 5'4"

Stephanie Giangiuli was a two-sport athlete at Linganore High School in New Market, Maryland. The highly talented forward/midfielder leaves the Lancers program as the all-time leader in goals (45) and assists (19). She earned the Golden Boot award in all four of her varsity seasons at Linganore. She was an All-State honorable mention her sophomore and junior seasons and a first team All-Area selection her freshman through junior years. She was also a first team All-Conference selection her freshman through junior seasons and went on to set the school's single-season records for most goals scored (15) and most assists (7). Giangiuli played for head coach Brad Roos and the FC Frederick Premier Team 92. Her 92 team took home the 2008 Maryland State Cup Championship and was a Regional semi-finalist that same year.  FC Frederick was also a State Cup finalist and Regional Wild Card team in 2010. She also played on the Maryland ODP team in 2007 and 2008. The 2008 Maryland ODP team played several international matches in Sweden and Denmark.

Mercer Head Coach Grant Serafy

 "Stephanie can play in the midfield or up top. She is a relentless worker.  She runs non-stop up top and seems to never tire trying to find space to receive the ball – that is a very good sign for a player – we certainly like players that want the ball.  Her work rate will serve her well in our program."

 

 

 

 

 

 

MacKenzie Stewart
Position: Forward
Hometown: Castle Rock, Colo. 
High School: Douglas County HS
High School Coach: Ron Kingery
Club Team: Colorado Storm COPA 93
Club Coach: Scott Dedycker
Height: 5'7" 

 

MacKenzie Stewart is a tough 5'7" forward from Castle Rock, Colorado. She was named first team All-Conference and honorable mention All-State her senior year at Douglas County High School by The Denver Post. As a junior she was a second team All-Conference selection after leading her team with 10 goals on the year. Played on the No. 3 club team in Colorado; Storm COPA 93. The Colorado Storm COPA 93 won the Las Vegas College Showcase in 2010 and was a State Cup champion in 2007 and 2008.   

 

Mercer Head Coach Grant Serafy

"MacKenzie comes from an outstanding club team in Colorado where she played up top," Serafy said.  "She is another versatile player that can play wide or centrally and can play up top in a 4-4-2 or in a 4-3-3.  She is exceptional at winning balls in the air and I am excited to see her hit the field for the Bears this fall."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brianna Stampler
Position: Midfielder
Hometown: Davie, Fla.
High School: Archbishop McCarthy HS
High School Coach: Mike Sica
Club Team: Team Boca White
Club Coach: Brian Dooley
Height: 5'2"

Brianna Stampler is a four-year varsity player at Archbishop McCarthy High School and a two-year captain. Stampler had three 10-goal seasons in high school, leading the team in scoring two of those years. She was an All-County Honorable Mention her freshman year and a First Team All-County her junior season. Stampler played on Team Boca U17&U18 White of the Region III Premier League. Her Team Boca U17 were Florida State Champions and Regional semifinalists and her U18 team participated in the State Cup and was invited to Regionals in Tennessee. She has four years experience on the Florida State ODP team.

 

 

Mercer Head Coach Grant Serafy

"Brianna is an exceptional central midfield player.  Despite not being the tallest player, she can win balls in the air and that shows a lot of heart and courage.  She combines that toughness with outstanding technical ability on the ball.  She can hold the ball in congested situations and find simple passes to help orchestrate an attack – crucial qualities for a central midfielder."