[DUKE WOMEN] Duke has signed nine players, including three players who were Gatorade State Players of the Year as juniors – Kaitlyn Kerr (Pennsylvania), Mollie Pathman (North Carolina) and Laura Weinberg (Florida) — and TexanNatasha Anasi, who is one of the top athletes in this year’s freshman class.
“We’re very excited about the class,” saidBlue Devil coach Robbie Church. “The group covers everything that we’re looking for.”
Gilda Doria of West Palm Beach, Fla., Avery Rape of Dallas, Alex Straton of Oakton, Va.,
“This is a very diverse class in the sense that they cover all our positions — we bring in a goalkeeper, we bring in some back players, we bring in midfielders, we bring in someforwards,” commented Church. “We’re excited about their ability, and what they bring to our team. There’s something unique about each and every one of these players, andwe feel like they’ll fit very, very well into our system of play.”
The Blue Devils will also welcome back redshirt sophomore AshleyRape, redshirt freshman Callie Simpkins, redshirt freshman Kim DeCesare and senior Molly Lester, who all missed the 2009 campaign due to injuries.