Northern Arizona Soccer Welcomes 10 Newcomers To The Lumberjack Family

Women's Soccer / February 07, 2018

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Ten future Lumberjacks will officially join the Northern Arizona women's soccer team in the fall of 2018, adding to an already talented array of players. Head Coach Andre Luciano and his staff are excited to welcome the newest additions to the NAU Soccer and Lumberjack family.


Maggie Bender \| Midfielder \| Nevada Bender will join the Lumberjacks as a midfielder from Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nev. where she served as a captain and four-year starter on the soccer team. In her four years on the team she received the Coaches Award in 2014, Best Teammate Award in 2015 and Offensive MVP in 2016. She was also named to the Nevada Preps 4A All-Southern Nevada Team, All-Southeast League Team and All-Sunrise Region Team and garnered the 2016 Sunrise Region Championship title. Bender also competed for the Players Soccer Club for seven years as a seven-year starter and for Nevada's Olympic Development Program for five years. Bender was a part of the State Cup Championship title in 2016 as a part of the Players Soccer Club. She will join the Lumberjack family as a dental hygiene major.		Claire Davies \| Defender \| Oregon Davies comes to Northern Arizona from Hood River Valley High School in Oregon where she was a multi-sport athlete in soccer and track and field. Davies was a captain, four-year starter and four-year letterwinner for her soccer team recording 62 goals and 23 assists. Offensive minded she was named MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, All-State First Team and All-State Second Team. In track, Davies was a two-year starter. In addition to high school, Davies competed for Thorns Academy for a year, BSC Oregon as a two-year starter and ECNL FC Portland as a captain and starter over a two-year period. Upon arriving in Flagstaff, Davies plans to pursue a degree in microbiology.

Sydney Dennis \| Midfielder \| Nevada A four-year starter and two-year captain from Nevada's Pahrump Valley High School, Dennis will join the Lumberjack family to continue her soccer career as a midfielder. Dennis has recorded 62 goals and 23 assists for her high school team. In 2016, she was named MVP and was a Second Team All-State selection. In 2017, she was Offensive Player of the Year and was a First Team All-State selection. Dennis also competed on the track team for two years. In addition to high school play, Dennis competed for six years as a midfielder and starter for Players SC. Her team won the state championship in 2016. She will join the Lumberjack family as an early childhood education major.		Sam Larberg \| Forward \| Washington Larberg is a tri-sport varsity athlete in soccer, tennis and track and field at Sumner High School out of Lake Tapps, Wash. Larberg was a two-year captain, four-year starter and letterwinner for the soccer team and was named First Team All-League, two-time Second Team All-League and garnered the "Heart of the Spartan" Award. She was also the team's leading forward with 15 goals and 4 assists in 2017 and 42 goals in her four-year career. Her team was back-to-back League Champions in 2014 and 2015 and State Qualifiers the last four years. In track and field, Larberg holds the school record in the 4x400 meter relay (3.59). In addition to high school, Larberg competed with the WPFC ECNL as a two-year starter. She comes to Northern Arizona as a biomedical science major.

Alexa Marchini \| Goalkeeper \| California Clovis, California native, Marchini will come to Northern Arizona as a goalkeeper who plans to pursue a degree in special education. Marchini attended Buchanan High School where she competed on the soccer team as a two-time captain, three-year starter and four-year letterwinner. Her team garnered a 56-26-14 record while finishing as two-time CIF Trac champions, Clovis North Stampede tournament champions and state semifinalists over the course of four years. In addition to high school, Marchini competed for Crossfire, Alliance, Odyssey and San Juan combining as a six-year captain and seven-year starter. Her team was named the 2012 NorCal Spring League Gold Champions, the 2015 NPL League Champions and was a NHB Cup U17 Flight I Finalist in 2016.		Rylee Mitchell \| Midfielder \| Arizona Mitchell will stay in her home state of Arizona to continue her soccer career under Luciano as a midfielder. She attended Basha High School where she was a captain, four-year letterwinner and three-year starter. Mitchell earned Offensive MVP, All-District First Team and All-Division I Second Team in 2016. In addition to high school, Mitchell competed with AZ Arsenal and Thunder combining for 12 years. She was a six-year starter for AZ Arsenal and helped her team to the 2014 State Championship title. She was also a six-year starter and two-year captain for Thunder. Mitchell loves everything about Flagstaff from the soccer program to the weather and that it is not too close or far from home.

Madison Montgomery \| Defender \| Arizona Montgomery, born in Colorado Springs, Colo., will come to Northern Arizona University from Highland High School in Chandler, Ariz. as a defender. As a captain and four-year starter under Head Coach Andy Barber, she recorded 19 goals and 18 assists over the course of 56 games played. Montgomery was a part of the 2014-15 state championship team and in the 2016-17 season was named Offensive MVP and was an All-Section First Team selection. Montgomery also competed for Arsenal SC for 10 years. In her time with Arsenal, she was a two-year captain and notched an Arizona State Championship title in the 2014-15 season under Head Coach Jeff Bricker. She comes to Northern Arizona as a biomedical science major.		Sydney Nickell \| Defender \| California A captain and four-year starter from Murrieta Valley High School, Nickell will join the Lumberjack family as a defender. Nickell was a two-time All-League selection and was named Scholar Athlete. Her team continued their season in the CIF Playoffs for the first time in five years. Nickell also competed as a starting midfielder/defender for the Strikers ECNL for a year, Arsenal ECNL for two years and West Coast ECNL for two years. She will join the Lumberjack family to pursue a degree in microbiology.

Ana Rivera \| Forward \| Hawaii Rivera comes to Northern Arizona from Castle High School where she was a three-year starting forward. Prior to Castle, she started for a year at Sacred Hearts Academy. Rivera was named Oahu Interscholastic Association East Division I Player of the Year and OIA Division I First Team All-Star in 2016 as the Division's leading scorer. She was also named to the State All-Tournament Division I First Team in 2017. In addition to high school, Rivera competed for Hawaii Surf Soccer Club as a seven-year captain and starter, Leahi Soccer Club as a three-year starter and Eastside Soccer Club as a three-year captain and starter garnering a multitude of accolades from Hawaii State Cup champion in 2013 to San Diego Surf Cup champion in 2016. Rivera comes to Flagstaff as a kinesiology major.		Joey Wright \| Midfielder \| Nevada Rounding out this year's signing class is Wright who is coming to Flagstaff from Las Vegas, Nev. Wright attended Shadow Ridge High School where she played and started for three years. As a midfielder, she was named two-time Offensive Player of the Year, was an All-Northwest Team selection and was a three-time Scholar Athlete Award recipient. Wright also competed for seven years with the FC Warriors and two years with the ECNL FC Heat. The FC Warriors were State Champions in 2013 and finished as State Champion Finalists in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Off of the field, Wright was named Valedictorian for her accomplishments in the classroom. She will come to Flagstaff to pursue a journalism degree.

Welcome to the Lumberjack family! #Jacks4Life

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Maggie Bender \| Midfielder \| Nevada Bender will join the Lumberjacks as a midfielder from Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nev. where she served as a captain and four-year starter on the soccer team. In her four years on the team she received the Coaches Award in 2014, Best Teammate Award in 2015 and Offensive MVP in 2016. She was also named to the Nevada Preps 4A All-Southern Nevada Team, All-Southeast League Team and All-Sunrise Region Team and garnered the 2016 Sunrise Region Championship title. Bender also competed for the Players Soccer Club for seven years as a seven-year starter and for Nevada's Olympic Development Program for five years. Bender was a part of the State Cup Championship title in 2016 as a part of the Players Soccer Club. She will join the Lumberjack family as a dental hygiene major.		Claire Davies \| Defender \| Oregon Davies comes to Northern Arizona from Hood River Valley High School in Oregon where she was a multi-sport athlete in soccer and track and field. Davies was a captain, four-year starter and four-year letterwinner for her soccer team recording 62 goals and 23 assists. Offensive minded she was named MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, All-State First Team and All-State Second Team. In track, Davies was a two-year starter. In addition to high school, Davies competed for Thorns Academy for a year, BSC Oregon as a two-year starter and ECNL FC Portland as a captain and starter over a two-year period. Upon arriving in Flagstaff, Davies plans to pursue a degree in microbiology.

Sydney Dennis \| Midfielder \| Nevada A four-year starter and two-year captain from Nevada's Pahrump Valley High School, Dennis will join the Lumberjack family to continue her soccer career as a midfielder. Dennis has recorded 62 goals and 23 assists for her high school team. In 2016, she was named MVP and was a Second Team All-State selection. In 2017, she was Offensive Player of the Year and was a First Team All-State selection. Dennis also competed on the track team for two years. In addition to high school play, Dennis competed for six years as a midfielder and starter for Players SC. Her team won the state championship in 2016. She will join the Lumberjack family as an early childhood education major.		Sam Larberg \| Forward \| Washington Larberg is a tri-sport varsity athlete in soccer, tennis and track and field at Sumner High School out of Lake Tapps, Wash. Larberg was a two-year captain, four-year starter and letterwinner for the soccer team and was named First Team All-League, two-time Second Team All-League and garnered the "Heart of the Spartan" Award. She was also the team's leading forward with 15 goals and 4 assists in 2017 and 42 goals in her four-year career. Her team was back-to-back League Champions in 2014 and 2015 and State Qualifiers the last four years. In track and field, Larberg holds the school record in the 4x400 meter relay (3.59). In addition to high school, Larberg competed with the WPFC ECNL as a two-year starter. She comes to Northern Arizona as a biomedical science major.

Alexa Marchini \| Goalkeeper \| California Clovis, California native, Marchini will come to Northern Arizona as a goalkeeper who plans to pursue a degree in special education. Marchini attended Buchanan High School where she competed on the soccer team as a two-time captain, three-year starter and four-year letterwinner. Her team garnered a 56-26-14 record while finishing as two-time CIF Trac champions, Clovis North Stampede tournament champions and state semifinalists over the course of four years. In addition to high school, Marchini competed for Crossfire, Alliance, Odyssey and San Juan combining as a six-year captain and seven-year starter. Her team was named the 2012 NorCal Spring League Gold Champions, the 2015 NPL League Champions and was a NHB Cup U17 Flight I Finalist in 2016.		Rylee Mitchell \| Midfielder \| Arizona Mitchell will stay in her home state of Arizona to continue her soccer career under Luciano as a midfielder. She attended Basha High School where she was a captain, four-year letterwinner and three-year starter. Mitchell earned Offensive MVP, All-District First Team and All-Division I Second Team in 2016. In addition to high school, Mitchell competed with AZ Arsenal and Thunder combining for 12 years. She was a six-year starter for AZ Arsenal and helped her team to the 2014 State Championship title. She was also a six-year starter and two-year captain for Thunder. Mitchell loves everything about Flagstaff from the soccer program to the weather and that it is not too close or far from home.

Madison Montgomery \| Defender \| Arizona Montgomery, born in Colorado Springs, Colo., will come to Northern Arizona University from Highland High School in Chandler, Ariz. as a defender. As a captain and four-year starter under Head Coach Andy Barber, she recorded 19 goals and 18 assists over the course of 56 games played. Montgomery was a part of the 2014-15 state championship team and in the 2016-17 season was named Offensive MVP and was an All-Section First Team selection. Montgomery also competed for Arsenal SC for 10 years. In her time with Arsenal, she was a two-year captain and notched an Arizona State Championship title in the 2014-15 season under Head Coach Jeff Bricker. She comes to Northern Arizona as a biomedical science major.		Sydney Nickell \| Defender \| California A captain and four-year starter from Murrieta Valley High School, Nickell will join the Lumberjack family as a defender. Nickell was a two-time All-League selection and was named Scholar Athlete. Her team continued their season in the CIF Playoffs for the first time in five years. Nickell also competed as a starting midfielder/defender for the Strikers ECNL for a year, Arsenal ECNL for two years and West Coast ECNL for two years. She will join the Lumberjack family to pursue a degree in microbiology.

Ana Rivera \| Forward \| Hawaii Rivera comes to Northern Arizona from Castle High School where she was a three-year starting forward. Prior to Castle, she started for a year at Sacred Hearts Academy. Rivera was named Oahu Interscholastic Association East Division I Player of the Year and OIA Division I First Team All-Star in 2016 as the Division's leading scorer. She was also named to the State All-Tournament Division I First Team in 2017. In addition to high school, Rivera competed for Hawaii Surf Soccer Club as a seven-year captain and starter, Leahi Soccer Club as a three-year starter and Eastside Soccer Club as a three-year captain and starter garnering a multitude of accolades from Hawaii State Cup champion in 2013 to San Diego Surf Cup champion in 2016. Rivera comes to Flagstaff as a kinesiology major.		Joey Wright \| Midfielder \| Nevada Rounding out this year's signing class is Wright who is coming to Flagstaff from Las Vegas, Nev. Wright attended Shadow Ridge High School where she played and started for three years. As a midfielder, she was named two-time Offensive Player of the Year, was an All-Northwest Team selection and was a three-time Scholar Athlete Award recipient. Wright also competed for seven years with the FC Warriors and two years with the ECNL FC Heat. The FC Warriors were State Champions in 2013 and finished as State Champion Finalists in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Off of the field, Wright was named Valedictorian for her accomplishments in the classroom. She will come to Flagstaff to pursue a journalism degree.