May 29, 2007

KINGSTON, R.I. -- University of Rhode Island women's soccer coach Zac Shaw has announced the incoming class for the 2007 season.

"I am very excited by both the depth and the quality of the incoming class." Shaw said. "All of these players have the potential to make an immediate and dramatic impact on our program while helping us realize our goal of playing good, attractive, attacking soccer."

Jessica Babice - Forward - Groveville, N.J./Steinert (Hibernian Breeze)
"Jessie is a dynamic and dangerous player that is strong enough to play back to goal or to spin and attack running into space. She is an outstanding one-on-one player with incredible speed that is comfortable with the ball and very dangerous around the goal. I am looking forward to watching her continue to develop and am very excited about her future here as a Ram."

Prior to URI: Was a three-time Regional All-American, Top 20 All-State selection, All-Area, and All-Conference selection...Brings a prolific scoring touch to the Rams roster...A two-time Conference Player of the Year, she was the leading goal scorer in the state of New Jersey in 2006...She scored at least one goal in 20 of her team's 23 games, totaling 40 for her senior year, while tallying two or more goals in a match 10 times...Is an extremely fast player and powerful runner, captaining her high school track team for two years and earning a bronze medal in 2003 in the Penn Relays...Also competed in dance for nine years, gymnastics for six years, and enjoys snowboarding and surfing in her spare time...A member of the National Honors Society and the Gifted and Talented Program at Steinert H.S.

Jillian DiBenedetto - Forward - Wellesley, Mass./Dana Hall (Aztecs Soccer Club)
"Jillian was a dangerous and prolific goal scorer in high school. Her outstanding foot speed will provide us with another attacking option."

Prior to URI: Was a Massachusetts All-State selection for 2006, and leading scorer in the Eastern Independent League with 21 goals and eight assists...Should add further attacking depth to the Rams...Captained her Dana Hall H.S. squad and helped lead the team to back-to-back Eastern Independent League Championships in both 2005 and 2006...Voted team MVP all four years as a prep...Additionally, DiBenedetto is a competitive runner, a dancer, and lacrosse player.

Anastasia "Tess" O'Keefe - Defender - S. Kingstown, R.I./S. Kingstown (Rhode Island Rays)
"Tess is a hard worker and a tough, athletic player that should adjust quickly to the level here. She has the ability to win the ball and keep the ball and I look forward to watching her develop over her career here. We are thrilled to add her and happy to have one of Rhode Island's best players again choose URI. Tess is also a fountain of useful knowledge about the area and seems to know everyone in South County!"

Prior to URI: An All-New England, Regional All-American and First Team All-State selection from the state of Rhode Island...Has been a Rhode Island Olympic Development Player since 2001 and has been on the club team that won the Rhode Island State Cup for four consecutive years...Known as "Tess" after a lobster boat her father worked on.

Angela Rocha - Midfielder - Charlestown, R.I./Chariho (Rhode Island Rays)
"I met and got to know Angela while doing a High School Clinic. She is a great person and I think has a very bright future as a player. At nearly 5'10 and still growing, she is still one of the fastest track athletes in the State and is totally dedicated to being the best player she can be. I am really looking forward to watching her develop in the next couple of years."

Prior to URI: Was an All-Conference High School Selection at Chariho High for head coach Clyde Britt...Was also one of top track athletes in Rhode Island, as well as being a dedicated soccer player...A long-time standout with the Rhode Island Olympic Development Program and has played for both Bruno United and the State Champion Rhode Island Rays.

Adrienne Ruhe Lischke - Forward - Kitchener, Ontario/Forest Heights Collegiate Institute (Burlington Flash)
"Adrienne is a very strong and powerful player that is very comfortable playing back to goal and does an excellent job holding the ball and combining, both to create chances for herself and for her team mates. A big time goal scorer in her own right, Adrienne is also very good at putting in the hard work that makes her team mates look good and that does not always show up in the box score."

Prior to URI: Was a Canadian Youth National Team Player...Also has been a member of Canadian National Training Centre (NTC) for four years...Three-time member of the Ontario Provincial team, representing Ontario in the Canada Games...While with the Burlington Flash, earned Ontario cup finalist honors two years in a row...Teammates with fellow URI signee Kaylen Shimoda for a year...Was a 2004 Golden Boot Award winner, given to her as the Ontario Youth Soccer League top scorer for that year.

Nelli Ruotsalainen - Defender - Espoo, Finland - Makelanrinne Sports H.S. (Puistolan Urhilijat)
"Nelli is a fast and technical player that will be expected to attack from her outside back position. Equally comfortable playing with either foot, we expect her to help us build play out of the back as well as work hard defensively. We are thrilled to add a player of Nelli's quality and pedigree and are very happy to be adding another Scandinavian to our roster."

Prior to URI: A starter on the U18 Finnish National Team...Voted one of the three Most Promising Young Players in Finland...Additionally, plays in the Finnish Women's Premier League for Puistolan Urhilijat...One of three team captains, she helped lead her squad to a promotion from the Finnish First Division to the Premier League...Attended a specialized sports high school, Makelanrinne, which captured the 2005 Finnish National High School Championship and competed in the World High School Championship in Denmark.

Kaylen Shimoda - Midfielder - Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar H.S. (Burlington Flash)
"Kaylen is a very quick and explosive player that is good with the ball at her feet and capable of creating and scoring goals on her own. She is much stronger than her slight build suggests and her balance with the ball and as an athlete is incredible. Her commitment to excelling in all phases of her life is very impressive and her ability to juggle soccer with her competitive figure skating is unbelievable. While I am looking forward to her contribution next Fall, I am very much looking forward to watching Kaylen develop as a player in the next several years."

Prior to URI: Has been a Canadian National Team pool player and member of National Traning Centre (NTC) Ontario since 2003...Was a member of the Ontario Provincial team...Helped guide her premier team, the Dixie 88s, to the Ontario Cup and Ontario Youth Soccer League Championships in 2004 and 2005...In 2006 her premier team - the Burlington Flash - were finalists in the Ontario Cup and runner-up in league play...In addition to being a standout soccer player, Shimoda is an extremely successful figure skater...By the age of 15, she was a triple Gold Medalist in the Test Stream disciplines of Skills, Dance, and Free Skate...A competitive skater since age 10, she most recently completed her Junior level and is currently working to complete her Senior Competitive, the highest level of competitive skating.

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HEAD COACH: ZAC SHAW

• 401-874-5233

• zshaw@mail.uri.edu

ASST. COACH JEN FRISCH

• 401-874-4840

• jenfrisch@uri.edu

ASST. COACH: EMILY SHAW

• 401-874-5233

• emily@uri.edu