(Antigonish, NS) – StFX X-Women Soccer head coach Graham Kennedy is pleased to announce the 2020 recruiting class. Joining the X-Women program will be goalkeeper Jordyn Pratt, defender Cassidy Byrne, and forward Lauren Seamone.
The X-Women finished the 2019 regular season with an undefeated record (7-0-5) in third place in the Atlantic University Sport conference with a team consisting mainly of first-year players – thirteen in total. "The season pleasantly surprised me," admitted Kennedy.
"Our new players were more ready than I thought they would be. The large 2019 class makes for a small 2020 recruiting class, and the X-Women will add only three new players to the 2020 roster. We are losing two veteran starters in Larissa White and Paytan Ruiz, but we have solid young players in reserve, and I am confident in them," explained Kennedy.
The first commitment in the 2020 recruiting class, Jordyn Pratt, is a goalkeeper out of Lord Beaverbrook High School in Calgary. Pratt, a graduate of the CSA's Regional Excellence (REX) program in Alberta, played her youth soccer with Calgary Blizzard and Calgary Southwest United soccer clubs. Pratt moved on to play senior soccer for the Blizzard in the Alberta Major League and recently joined Calgary Foothills of the United Women's Soccer League.
"Jo has a positive attitude and impressive leadership potential, so I am confident she will have an immediate impact on our team culture," stated Kennedy. "I like her techniques and the way she moves and reads the game as a keeper – she can play with her feet, and that's important to us." Pratt intends to complete a BA with a major in psychology.
Cassidy Byrne, a defender out of Nanaimo District Secondary School on Vancouver Island, is the second commitment in the 2020 class. Byrne, whose parents are from Glace Bay, N.S., is a versatile defender with a strong soccer pedigree.
"Cassidy was one of the top defenders in the BC Soccer Premier League." commented Kennedy. "She can play at the U SPORTS level right away."
Byrne played in the BCSPL with the Vancouver Island Wave under former Whitecaps Women's head coach, Team Canada WNT assistant coach, and current UVIC assistant coach, Dave Dew. "Dewey can spot a player, and he has the highest opinion of Cassidy," noted Kennedy. "I know we've got a good player coming our way." Byrne now plays in the Vancouver Island Soccer League Premier Women's Division with Nanaimo United and her academic plans include a BA in year one.
The final member of the 2020 recruiting class is attacker Lauren Seamone, a 2020 graduate from New Germany Rural High School in Nova Scotia's south shore. A former Soccer Nova Scotia provincial team player, Seamone is a noted scorer in her age group, and beyond. "Lauren can wrap her body around the ball and contort her body to shoot from anywhere," explained SNS coach Julia Burton.
"Lauren was top of our list when it came to attacking players," added Kennedy. "She can score in many different ways - she can absolutely smash a ball, makes intelligent runs, and shows up in the right spaces."
Seamone, a South Shore Soccer Club product, was coached by John Charman and Trevor Sinclair, two veterans in the region who have moved many players into the AUS. According to Charman, "Lauren always trained well and took every opportunity to play and practice beyond her age group. She is highly coachable and will make an excellent AUS player." Seamone plans to become an elementary teacher and will enter the BA program in the fall.
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StFX X-Women varsity soccer was established in 1984, and the X-Women have been proud members of Atlantic University Sport since 1986. The X-Women were AUS finalists in 2018, and AUS champions in 2016, 2009 and 1986. The X-Women Soccer vision is to develop individuals and teams of outstanding credibility.