The Lady Colonels soccer team received four in-state players on National Signing Day that will further their chances of a 2007 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship appearance. The recruiting class includes defender Gillian McCarter, forward Kandice Champagne, defender Allison Flynn and defender Allison Mylius.
All four recruits are from high schools in Louisiana. McCarter, Champagne and Flynn played at Terrebonne High School in Houma while Mylius played at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge.
Head soccer coach Cindy Piper said the focus of this year was to target defenders as the main source of player recruitment.
“We lost a lot of seniors that played on the back line last year. Our emphasis for this class was focused on obtaining defenders. Three out of the four recruits are defenders so we definitely met our needs this year,” Piper said.
Champagne was the only forward to sign with Nicholls. The striker was named the 2006 District Seven Offensive MVP and also named to the All-State Second Team. She was an All-District selection in all four years playing for the Tigers. Champagne is the all time leading scorer of Terrebonne High School with 152 goals and 55 assists.
“Kandice has the ability to score from all over the front side and she will be able to relieve some pressure off our midfield players,” Piper said. “Kandice is a fast and tough player that will adapt and perform well with the forwards we already have.”
Mylius was another player signed to Nicholls that has received All-District honors in all four years of prep play at Woodlawn High School. The defender was named to the Baton Rouge All-Metro team for three years. She was named as the team’s MVP in 2005 and was a two-year member of the Olympic Development Program Louisiana team.
“She is extremely quick, physical and knows the game very well.” Piper said. “I look for Allison to come and make a difference right away in organizing our back line, and I am excited to have her in our program and the University.”
Unlike many other soccer clubs across the state, the Lady Colonels have not extended their recruiting pipeline to an international level.
Piper said recruiting at the international level is unnecessary when the team can obtain the same talent in Louisiana.
“We have enough talent in the state right now where we don’t have to recruit internationally,” Piper said. “We are still building our program here and we can obtain the same amount of talent here than we can on an international level.
