Women’s recruit: Ridley’s Allen happy she was pursued by Univ. of Louisville

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/31/09

Ridley senior midfielder Shaela Allen has signed a letter of intent to play next year at the University of Louisville.

Allen said Louisville, a second-year program that burst on the scene last year by going 12-4, pursued her from the beginning.

“I actually decided to go to Louisville because they had been looking at me the past two years,” she said. “They seemed the most interested.

“I could tell the program (the Cards are 6-3 this year and now play in the Big East) is going to keep building and getting a lot of Philly girls.”

Indeed, the Cards have built with a strong Philadelphia connection. The team’s top scorer is sophomore Bergan Foley (Gwynedd Mercy Academy) and sophomore Kelsey McDowell (Penn Charter) is one of the top defenders. Freshman Brooke Campbell (Conestoga) is seeing some time and one of the assistants is former James Madison great Lisa Staedt (Springfield-Delco).

Allen is undecided on a major, but is considering sports medicine or physical therapy.

“I thought the campus was so beautiful and everybody was so nice and friendly,” Allen said. “The city is a few blocks away and everything is brand new. It seemed like that was the right place to go.”

Allen is also excited about the season for the Green Raiders, always a contender in the Central League.

“I think we’re going to be really good this year,” she said. “Our defense is coming along and I think we’re going to be right up there. There are some good teams, but they are all beatable. If we put in our hard work we’re going to get something out of it.”