Feb. 7, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford University head soccer coach Todd Yelton announced the signing of eight players to national letters-of-intent Wednesday as the Bulldogs continued their quest for a fifth-consecutive Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title.

Samford's highly-touted 2007 recruiting class consists of Lauren Cook, Leah Leppert, Lindsay Matern, Melissa Miller, Colette Nammour, Hilary Samuels, Kelly Shaffer and Sarah Wilkinson. All eight of the talented prep stars have signed to play for the Bulldogs next season.

"I'm extremely excited about this group of players and I'm looking forward to working with them for the next four years," said Samford head coach Todd Yelton. "This is a very versatile class and a number of these players will be able to come in and contribute right away. Some of them can play a number of different positions, which will allow us to try a number of different combinations."

Cook comes to Samford from Conyers, Ga., where she played for the Gwinnett Soccer Association Phoenix Red under head coach Chris Adams.

She helped lead the GSA to three state championships, two Premier League East titles and a pair of Region III semifinal appearances. Cook has also played for the Georgia ODP team for five years and has been selected to both the Region Pool and the Super Y Regional Pool.

Cook played her high school soccer at Heritage High School, where she was a four-year starter. She was the team captain in both her junior and senior seasons and received the Rookie of the Year Award as a freshman, the Coaches Award as a sophomore and the MVP award as a junior after leading the team in both scoring and assists.

Cook was selected to the all-area team and was nominated for NSCAA High School All-American Team as a junior.

"Lauren is an exceptional attacking player," Yelton said. "Her vision and movement off the ball allows her to create numerous goals and scoring opportunities. She is a crafty player that is always looking to disrupt defenses."

Leppert comes to Samford from Germantown, Tenn., where she played for the Lady Dragons 89 team under the tutelage of head coach Chris Cook.

She is a proven leader and has helped her team to be consistently one of the top-ranked squads in Tennessee. Leppert attended Evangelical Christian School and was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State Soccer team from 2004-07.

In 2005-06, Leppert was named a NCSSA All-American. She was also a member of the Memphis Mercury in the Women's Premier League.

"Leah is a speedy player that likes to take players on," Yelton said. "She is left-footed and delivers good service that will make her a dangerous option to play on the left flank. She is also a competitor and that will help her to have an easier transition from club to college soccer."

Matern joins the Bulldogs as a native of Lakeland, Fla., where she played with the Countryside Lightning under head coach Grandy Streets. As a member of the Lightning, she helped her Countryside team to a second-place finish in the prestigious Florida State Cup where she served as a co-captain from 2005-06.

Matern also played a major role in leading the Lakeland Lazers to a state championship prior to joining the Lightning.

Before moving to Florida, she won two state championships and finished as a regional finalist with the Carmel United Crossfire in 2002-03. Matern has been a member of the Florida 88 ODP team from 2003-06. She was also named to the Region III Pool in 2004-06.

Matern played her high school soccer at Lakeland Christian where she scored 90 goals and tallied 73 assists in three seasons. She received all-county honors all three years and was named the Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore and MVP as a junior.

"Lindsay is a very skillful playmaker," said Yelton. "She has great vision that enables her to play great balls into the attacking third. She has played at a high level prior to attending Samford and that will help her both transition to college soccer and allow her compete for time right away."

Miller comes to Samford from Bradenton, Fla., where she was a member of the Countryside Lightning and played for Streets. While competing with the Lightning, Miller has helped the squad to a second-place finish in the Florida State Cup.

She attended Lakewood Ranch High School where she was a co-captain for the last three seasons. Miller was named both the varsity MVP and defensive MVP, and also led her team to four-straight District championships and a Region II finals appearance.

Miller was named first-team all-county and all-area as a junior. As a senior, she set the school record for assists in one season. Miller was named the Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year as a sophomore.

"Missy (Melissa) is an athletic player that will fit in well with our team," Yelton said. "She is very good with the ball running at defenders and is also a first-rate defender. Her versatility will also allow her to compete at a number of different positions."

Miller is a club teammate with fellow-signee Matern.

Nammour comes to Samford from Spring, Texas, where she played under the tutelage of head coach Steve Krase with the TSC Challenge, a Soccer America top-20 girls club.

She has helped her team to a number of successful results at some of the nation's top tournaments. Nammour played with the South Texas Olympic Developmental Program team from 2004-06, serving as a captain in 2006. She was named to the Region III Pool and also played varsity volleyball for Klein Oak High School, where she served as captain her senior season.

"Colette is an extremely smart soccer player that can impact a game from a number of different positions," Yelton said. "She has a versatility and understanding of the game that allows her to play various positions in numerous formations. Her adaptability will make her a viable option for us in a number of positions this fall."

Samuels joins the Bulldogs from Carrolton, Texas, where she played for the D'Feeters Soccer Club under the tutelage of Cara Hunt and Steve Woodward. She also competed in the highly-talented Lake Highlands Girls Classic League and led her team to the Surf Cup Championship in 2005.

Samuels has played on the North Texas ODP team and was a four-year member of the Creekview High School varsity squad.

She helped lead CHS to a State Championship title in 2004 and also garnished Newcomer of the Year and all-district honors at the school.

"Hilary is a dominant player that controls the midfield," said Yelton. "With her ability to win balls in the air, challenge and win tackles, as well as play the ball from the midfield, she will be competitive from the very beginning. Her size and strength will bring an added dimension to this class."

Samuels will be teammates with former D'Feeters and current Samford players Caroline Baxter, Heather Birdsell and Jessika Mejia.

Shaffer is a native of Auburn, Ala., and played her club soccer for the Concorde Fire South 90 Elite Team out of Atlanta, Ga.

Under the tutelage of head coach Brian Moore, Shaffer led her squad against some of the most competitive club teams in the nation. She has been a member of the Alabama 89 ODP team from 2001-06 while serving as the captain in 2005-06.

Shaffer was named to the Region III team in 2005, the region pool in 2006 and competed with the Region III squad at the United States Youth Soccer ODP National Development Camp in 2006. She played at Auburn High School where she won Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

Shaffer has led her team to three-straight Alabama High School Final Four appearances.

"Kelly is an excellent all-around soccer player," said Yelton. "She is a fierce competitor and has a winning mentality that will fit in well with our team. She is also versatile and has the talent that will allow her to play almost any position on the field."

Wilkinson comes to Samford from Euless, Texas, and is currently playing her club soccer with the successful DFW Tejanos 89s under the tutelage of head coach Gilbert Richardson. The Tejanos play in one of the toughest leagues in the country, the Lake Highlands Girls Classic League and she has served as team captain from 2003-07.

Wilkinson played her prep soccer for Birdville High School where she received numerous accolades.

The awards include both the Star Telegram Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year honors. She was also named the Gatorade Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, District Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player. Wilkinson was also voted by the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches to the All Region Team.

Lastly, in 2006 she was named to the NSCAA Southwest Region High School team.

"Sarah is a dangerous forward," said Yelton. "She has a natural finishing ability and is proficient at putting herself in the position to score goals. She has scored a number of goals throughout her club and high school careers and we look forward to her continuing that here at Samford."

All four of Samford's most recent recruiting classes have been ranked among the top-20 teams in the talent-laden Southeast Region.

Soccer Buzz Magazine tabbed the Bulldogs' 2006 recruits as the ninth-ranked team in the region a year ago. In 2005, Samford garnered a No. 16-ranked squad, while the Bulldogs' previous classes came in at No. 14 and No. 19 in 2003 and 2004, respectively.

This season's rankings will be announced after the various magazines and web sites are able to evaluate each team's talent.

Samford finished the 2006 campaign with an 11-4-3 overall record and secured the OVC's regular-season title. The conference championship was the Bulldogs' fourth in a row.

2007 Samford Soccer Recruiting Class

Player, Pos., Hometown, High School, Club Team
Lauren Cook, F, Conyers, Ga., Heritage HS, Gwinnett Soccer Association Phoenix Red
Leah Leppert, F, Germantown, Tenn., Evangelical Christian School, Lady Dragons 89
Lindsay Matern, MF, Lakeland, Fla., Lakeland Christian HS, Countryside Lightning
Melissa Miller, D, Bradenton, Fla., Lakewood Ranch HS, Countryside Lightning
Colette Nammour, MF, Spring, Texas, Klein Oak HS, TSC Challenge
Hilary Samuels, MF, Carrolton, Texas, Creekview HS, D'Feeters Soccer Club
Kelly Shaffer, MF, Auburn, Ala., Auburn HS, Concorde Fire South 90 Elite
Sarah Wilkinson, F, Euless, Texas, Birdville HS, DFW Tejanos 89s