Meet nine of the student-athletes from the incoming freshman recruiting class for the 2018 Penn State Altoona women's soccer team. Learn information and facts about each of the players below, as well as a brief scouting report on each player from Lady Lions head coach Pam Synder Etters.

AMANDA AYERS 

Nickname: Manda

High School: Lake-Lehman

Club Team: North Union Strikers

Soccer Positions: Midfield/forward 

Birthday: December 6

Favorite Food: Steak

Favorite Player: Alex Morgan  

Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): Manchester City

Best Soccer Memory: Winning districts two years in a row

College Major: Nursing 

Goals Scored in HS: 103

Assists in HS: 65

Any/All Soccer Honors: Made All-Stars in junior and senior years…lettered all four years…and named athlete of the week as a junior.

Coach's Note:

"I chose to recruit Amanda because she presents a high level of skill in the attacking midfield position. She is strong, quick, and reads the game extremely well. She knows when to pass and when to pull the trigger. Amanda also displays the quality of character I am looking for as we continue to rise as a program."

Fun Fact: Amanda is the neighbor of graduated senior, Shoshana Mahoney.

RILEY BARRETT

Nicknames: Ri, RB

High School: Shikellamy

Club Team: NU 99 Strikers

Soccer Position: Goalie

Birthday: August 31, 2000

Favorite Food: Anything Buffalo chicken

Favorite Sports Team: University of Connecticut women's basketball team

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): US Women's National Team

Best Soccer Memory: Saving two penalty kicks in a shootout to win the game in the first round of states as a junior.

College Major: Kinesiology

Goals Scored in HS: 2

Assists in HS: 7

Goals Saved in HS: 101

Shutouts: 36 in her career, including 11 as a senior

Any/All Soccer Honors: First team PHAC goalie...member of the 2016 district champs...Sunbury Daily Item scholar-athlete of the week.

Coach's Note:
"Riley is a high level goalkeeper that I feel will be a critical component in our team's success during her four years at Penn State Altoona. She is extremely athletic, fearless, and dynamic in net. She makes quality decisions, moves her feet well, and stays calm under pressure."

Fun Fact: Riley's high school assistant coach is a former Penn State Altoona women's soccer standout, Danika Mull (2008-11).

MEGHAN FLAUGH

High School: Central

Club Team: Centre Soccer Association, Keystone Storm Soccer

Positions: Outside/Inside defense

Birthday: October 4, 1999

Favorite Food: Mac and Cheese

Favorite Player: Julie Ertz

Favorite Sports Team: Penn State

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): US Women's National Team

Best Soccer Memory: Winning districts and going to states twice

College Major: Nursing

Goals scored in HS: 1

Assists in HS: 2

Any/All Soccer Honors: Altoona Mirror All-Star…three-time Mountain League All-Star…team captain.

Coach's Note: "Meghan is a strong and physical defender. What she lacks in flat out speed, she makes up for with a high level of soccer intelligence. Meghan has a ton of grit, and a never-give-up attitude. She is an aggressive, shutdown defender that reads the game well defensively, and attacks with purpose out of the back. Meghan is in it for the team, and she hates to lose."

Fun Fact: Lady Lions head coach Pam Snyder Etters coached Meghan when she was just 11 years old.

ALANA MASULLO
Nickname: Alana

High School: Bellefonte

Club Teams: Centre Force, HSA Storm

Soccer Positions: Anywhere but goal

Birthday: September 3, 2000

Favorite Food: Chinese

Favorite Player: Tobin Heath

Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): Portland Thorns

Best Soccer Memory: Scoring her first goal

College Major: Psychology

Goals Scored in HS: 5

Assists in HS: 5

Any/All Soccer Honors: 2016 Mountain League MVP…2016 Mountain League First Team…2017 All-State Selection…2017 Mountain League First Team.

Coach's Note:

"Alana is an extremely fast, technically sound defender. Her pace will undoubtedly match that of any opponent we face, and once she possesses the ball, she can attack with pace and precision. She is a very technically gifted player with a high soccer IQ. Alana was a converted attacker and will be able to give time in our attack when needed, as well."

Fun Fact: Alana initially tried out for Coach Snyder Etters' club team, but later played against them as a member of a different team, proceeding to shut them down offensively in league play.

SAMANTHA JONES

Nickname: Sam

High School: Mountain View

Soccer Position: Forward

Birthday: December 9, 1999

Favorite Food: Pancakes

Favorite Player: Sydney Leroux

Favorite Sports Team: University of Connecticut women's basketball

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): US Women's National Team

Best Soccer Memory: Assisting the goalie's goal and the goalie assisting her goal in the same game.

College Major: Undecided

Goals Scored in HS: 61

Assists in HS: 27

Any/All Soccer Honors: Second team all-star as a sophomore and a junior…first team all-star in her senior year…member of the 2014 district champion team.

Coach's Note:

"Sam came to me with a desire to attend Penn State while being heavily recruited by some other very solid programs, andshe has trusted my vision and excitement for this class. What I most admire about her is her clear and genuine desire to help generate team success. She is a very strong power forward with surprising speed. A very strong and accurate leg, I expect her to truly balance our attack and make us perpetually dangerous and difficult to defend as a united front. She carries the attitude of a true teammate with the skill to match."

Fun Fact: Sam has Coach Snyder Etters' favorite "Best Soccer Memory" out of the newcomers.

SADIE MCCONNELL

Nickname: Sade

High School: Northern Bedford

Club Team: HSA Storm

Soccer Positions: Striker, midfielder

Birthday: June 13, 2000

Favorite Food: Fettuccine alfredo

Favorite Player: Carli Lloyd

Favorite Sports Team: US Women's National Team

Best Soccer Memory: When she broke the school record for goals scored all four years

College Major: Kinesiology

Goals Scored in HS: 135

Assists in HS: Over 100

Any/All Soccer Honors: 2015, 2016, 2017 Sideling Hill All-Star…2015, 2016, 2017 Bedford Gazette All-Star…2015, 2016, 2017 Altoona Mirror All-Star…Bedford County MVP in 2015.

Coach's Note:
"Sadie is an extremely fast forward/winger with a ton of tricks up her sleeve. She has a strong and accurate shot and is as likely to assist on your goal as she is to score her own. Sadie is not afraid to try new tricks or take defenders in 1v1. Physically stronger than she appears, she's also able to handle aggressive defending while still maintaining quality ball possession. She's really a team player."

Fun Fact: Sadie has played for Coach Snyder Etters on and off since she was 11.

KILEE SNYDER

Nickname: Ki

High School: Chestnut Ridge

Club Team: HSA Storm

Soccer Position: Midfield

Birthday: August 4, 2000

Favorite Food: Any kind of fruit!

Favorite Player: Julie Ertz

Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): US Women's National Team

Best Soccer Memory: Scoring a tie breaker freshman year to send her team to district playoffs.

College Major: Biology

Goals scored in HS: N/A

Assists in HS: N/A

Any/All Soccer Honors: Varsity letter winner in her freshman and sophomore years before discontinuing high school soccer.

Coach's Note:

"Kilee is a physical, gritty player. A very versatile player in terms of field position, she is hard working, determined, and fearless. A strong tactical tackler, she knows when to stay on her feet and when to slide in desperation. She's quite fast and deceptively strong. She's a smart and patient defender, and an aggressive attacker. She's often labeled as the girl you hate to play against, but the kind of person who will always have the back of her teammates."

Fun Fact: Kilee is also a cheerleader, but don't be fooled!

JENNIFER WORLEY

Nickname: Jen

High School: Altoona

Club Team: AC United

Soccer Position: Defender

Birthday: December 21, 1999

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Player: Mia Hamm

Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Penguins

Favorite Soccer Team (if different from above): Argentina

Best Soccer Memory: Sharing in the love of the sport with her sister in high school soccer

College Majors: Psychology and Criminology

Goals scored in HS: 0

Assists in HS: N/A

Any/All Soccer Honors: Varsity captain…Altoona Mirror first team all-star.

Coach's Note:

"Jen is a central defender that, while physically very strong, plays with a high level of soccer intelligence. She reads the game very well and is quick to close gaps on attacking players. She is a competitor and will never give up on a play."

Fun Fact: Coach Snyder Etters saw Jen play in a local indoor soccer league this past winter and was happy to find out that she was a high school senior who had not yet committed to a college. As one of the top competitors in the league, Coach Snyder Etters is thrilled to now have her joining her squad.

CIERRA RHODES

High School: Altoona

Club Team: HSA Storm

Positions: Defense/Forward

Birthday: March 30, 2000

Favorite Food: Chicken alfredo

Favorite Player: Carli Lloyd

Favorite Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite Soccer Team: Women's US

Best Soccer Memory: Tournaments for her club team

College Major: Accounting

Goals Scored in HS: 5

Assists in HS: N/A

Any/All Soccer Honors: Letterman as a freshman.

Coach's Note:

"Cierra is the player you can always count on to bring humor to the field. While she is sarcastic and genuinely funny, she's serious on the field and a very determined outside back. She has enough pace to keep stride with quick forwards and hates getting beat. She's a reliable and steady defender. Her team is her family, and she will work hard in support of her teammates. Cierra is also a capable forward and can give time in both positions without dropping the level of play in the field."