Women's Soccer Adds Four for 2018 Season

Canisius head women's soccer coach Todd Clark announced Thursday that the Golden Griffins have officially added four new players for the 2018 season.

Hope Balling • Forward/Midfield • Tonawanda HS • Tonawanda, N.Y.
Awards: Team Captain, 2017 All-WNY First Team & 2016 All-WNY Second Team; 2017 All-State Fourth Team; 2016 & 2017 All-Bee First Team; Five-time ECIC IV First Team; Three-time Team MVP; Team Offensive MVP; Team Rookie of the Year; Metro First Team; Metro Group New Comer of the Year

Clark's comments on Balling: "Hope is a fantastic addition to our team with multiple places she can play and will immediately impact our team on the Demske. She can play across the field in various positions and will be a young lady we can enjoy for years to come. She comes from a fine club in the WNY Flash where she has made her mark as well as one of the best local high school players. We are very pleased she decided to stay in the 716 to study and play. She played her high school ball at Tonawanda HS where she led the team and we anticipate her developing that same impact here."

Emily Dorr • Defense • Liverpool HS • Liverpool, N.Y.
Awards: All-CNY (twice); All-State Team; Player of the Year nominee; State Champion (three times); Regional Champion; Played in Nationals; Honor Roll

Clark's comments on Dorr: "Emily is a strong defender that will enable us to not only continue to strengthen an area of our team that we already have strong representation, but also as a complete player we can depend upon to develop that core further. She is strong in the tackle, good on the ball and capable of not only stopping the opponent but more importantly for us to build the attack from the back. Her play with Syracuse Developmental Academy has been at a strong level where she has been well coached and successful with several WNY State Cup championships and all the expected tournament and showcase competition we desire in an incoming player."

Hannah Morpurgo • Centermid/Forward • Trumansburg HS • Trumansburg, N.Y.
Awards: All-State (twice), New York Second Team, Three-time IAC First Team, New York Third Team, Elmira ND Tournament MVP, Sherburne Tournament MVP, Athlete of the Week (ESPN Ithaca), National Honor Society

Clark's comments on Morpurgo: "Hannah adds a dynamic ability on the ball our team needs as we continue onwards. She is particularly comfortable on the ball under pressure and can create attacks both in the midfield and attack area. She is a wonderful passer of the ball and will surely make our team more dangerous going forward. She is out of Trumansburg High School, where she was twice named All-State, she will be another great addition through the Syracuse Developmental Academy program."

Maddie Sowinski • Forward • Cardinal O'Hara HS • North Tonawanda
Awards: Four-time All-Catholic Team, Two-time Team Captain, National Honor Society

Clark's comments on Sowinski: "Maddie is another young lady who joins us through the WNY Flash program and we anticipate her adding to the overall ability of our team to compete regionally and within the MAAC to be better than ever in 2018. She can strike a ball well and not only adds to our team in attacking, but the college as well as another great local talented student-athlete. She played her high school soccer in North Tonawanda where she has also proven her worth."

Clark's comments on class as a whole: "The four ladies we have brought in for 2018 represent the excellent strides we have made, not just as a program within our conference, but particularly here in Western New York. To be able to attract four individuals of the caliber we have from the premier clubs within our footprint speaks well for the growth in the Canisius Women's Soccer team and the school itself. Had we not been able to present them with an excellent private education and a soccer experience to match the challenges we simply would not be able to bring on players like we have recently added. Although there will be others joining them they are the core of a tremendous class for a team that is looking to continue forward in 2018 within the MAAC and the region; goals we feel poised to achieve. We anticipate some tremendous 2v2 games in preseason as we pit the WNY Flash vs the SDA players in a little bragging match. Both clubs compete at a high level and we couldn't be more pleased to bring them together here for the Griffs."

Canisius went 7-8-3 overall and 2-6-2 in MAAC play last year, qualifying the team for the 2017 MAAC Women's Soccer Championship tournament.

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