University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s soccer coach Gavin McKinney announced on Thursday his 2017 signing class, which is made up of six in-state prospects and one international player.
Hailey Abston, Chloe Arnold, Maddie Burman, Lauren Dluzewski, Maeve Kelly, Abby Nipp and Emily Szymanski are the signees.
“We are excited that these players have chosen to continue their soccer careers with us here at UTC,” McKinney said in a release. “All together they make up a very well-balanced class. We have a goalkeeper, two defenders, two midfielders and two forwards.”
Arnold and Szymanski are the forwards. Arnold, from Tennessee High School in Bristol, scored 122 goals, was a four-time district forward of the year and twice made all-state. Szymanski, from Summit High in Spring Hill, was a four-time all-district selection – three times as the offensive player of the year – and holds the program’s career goals scored record.
Dluzewski and Kelly are midfielders, with the Canadian-born Dluzewski a member of Team Alberta. She played in the Western Canada Games and will play in the upcoming Canada Summer Games. She’s currently in FC Edmonton’s Regional Excel program designed for top players in the province with a possible chance at a spot on the Canadian national team.