RISING STAR: Portland's Michelle Enyeart

• by Bryan Alvarez  @somuser, Oct 14, 2008

SOCCER AMERICA profiles the University of Portland's Michelle Enyeart, who is busy this fall on two fronts. She is one of the stars of the fourth-ranked Pilots (11-1-0) with five goals and seven assists in 11 games and is expected to be a key player on the U.S. under-20 women's national team that is headed to the world championships next month in Chile.

MICHELLE ENYEART
COLLEGE: Portland
POSITION: Forward
AGE: 20
CLASS: Junior
HOMETOWN: Hemet, Calif.
HIGH SCHOOL: Hemet
YOUTH CLUB: Laguna Hills Eclipse
INTERNATIONAL: U-20s (USA)
STARTING OUT: I just had the passion for soccer. It's the sport I fell in love with.
EARLY SOCCER MEMORY: When I first played club ball, we won the state championship.
FIRST CLEATS: Something really cheap from Big 5 or a pair of baseball cleats with the front cleat cut off.
CURRENT CLEATS: Nike Mercurial Vapors.
OTHER SPORTS: I played baseball, volleyball, track, cross country and basketball.
FAVORITE TEAMS: Denver Broncos, LA Galaxy, England national team, U.S. national team (men's and women's).
FAVORITE PLAYER: I love the way Marta plays and I love Zinedine Zidane.
FAVORITE MOVIES: I like shoot 'em up bloody movies. I like S.W.A.T. and * Heads in a Duffel Bag.
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Unsolved Mysteries.
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: It's a real community, the school and the team. I take a lot of criminal justice classes. I'm really focused on school so I don't have much of a social life. I really love the entire experience.
MOST INFLUENTIAL COACH: I have two. Nick Laytart was my first club coach. Also, Mike Nicholson. He's now an assistant at the University of San Diego.
MEMORABLE COACHING ADVICE (from youth coach): Go at 'em!
HOBBIES: Singing, going on nature walks, photography and painting.
MUSIC: I like soft acoustic stuff, real chill music.
READING: I don't like reading.
VACATION: I really liked Costa Rica. I really want to go to Africa.