Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 11/29/11
From Press Release
Before the first draw, ground ball and goal of her debut season at California, Ginger Miles inked her inaugural recruiting class, the first-year head coach announced Monday. Seven new Golden Bears – including a high school All-American, a member of the ESPN RISE’s Watch List and the sister of a current Cal player – will join the program next fall.
“We are happy to announce seven new additions to our Golden Bear family,” Miles said. “This group of student-athletes has a proven track record both on the field and off. Their dedication and work ethic will make them tremendous additions to our locker room. Athletically, they will make a significant impact on the future of the program at every position. I am confident this group will continue the tradition of academic excellence as they all bring with them the drive, character and determination it takes to be successful at a place like Cal.”
Signees Nicole Beck and Michele DeVincent both hail from Pennsylvania – Beck from Horsham and DeVincent from Maple Glen – and play for the same club team – Ultimate Goal. A prolific scorer who plays in attack and midfield, Beck collected 153 goals in her first three seasons at Hatboro-Horsham High School. She earned national notoriety as a junior last spring, when she appeared on ESPN RISE’s Watch List, and also claimed U.S. Lacrosse High School All-Academic Team honors this season. A defender for Upper Dublin High School, DeVincent earned third-team All-Suburban One American Conference honors after her team won its fourth consecutive league title and reached the Pennsylvania state tournament for the first time.
Another attack/midfield player, Molly Coates earned a 2011 U.S. Lacrosse High School All-America honorable mention for her play for the Kent Denver High School team. From Greenwood, Colo., Coates, like Beck, also plays high school field hockey.
Brynn Gasparino, an attack/midfield from Darien, Conn., is the sister of Cal sophomore midfield Paige Gasparino. The younger Gasparino earned All-FCIAC first-team and all-state honors for her play with the Darien High School team. Gasparino was also a member of Darien’s swimming and diving team her first two years in high school.
A goalkeeper from Mercer Island, Wash., Helen Hansen led her Culver (Ind.) Academy team to the Indiana state championship in 2011. She also plays golf and basketball in high school and currently serves as the varsity golf captain at the Culver Academy.
Taylor James is a San Francisco Bay Area native from Alamo, Calif. She scored 64 goals as a junior midfield on Monte Vista High School’s 2010-11 team. James plays for the BearLax club and next year will join fellow BearLax products Amelia Burke, Ana Cyr, Hayley Olson and Teresa Li on the Cal squad.
Lizz Lavie, from Alexandria, Va., claimed academic All-America honors last year for St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School, whose team has won the last five state titles. Lavie, an attack, has also played four years of varsity soccer.
Cal opens the 2012 season with a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match on Feb. 19 at Saint Mary’s in nearby Moraga, Calif.
2011 Cal Lacrosse Recruits
Nicole Beck
Position: Attack/Midfield
Hometown: Horsham, Pa.
High School: Hatboro-Horsham High School
Club: Ultimate Goal
Michele DeVincent
Position: Defender
Hometown: Maple Glen, Pa.
High School: Upper Dublin High School
Club: Ultimate Goal
Molly Coates
Position: Attack/Midfield
Hometown: Greenwood Village, Colo.
High School: Kent Denver High School
Club: Team 180
Brynn Gasparino
Position: Attack/Midfield
Hometown: Darien, Conn.
High School: Darien High School
Club: Connecticut Chargers
Helen Hansen
Position: Goalkeeper
Hometown: Mercer Island, Wash.
High School: Culver (Ind.) Academy
Taylor James
Position: Midfield
Hometown: Alamo, Calif.
High School: Monte Vista High School
Club: BearLax
Lizz Lavie
Position: Attack
Hometown: Alexandria, Va.
High School: St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School
Club: Capital Lacrosse Club
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