Yellowjacket Women’s Soccer Inks Nine for 2009

BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings women’s soccer coach, Don Trentham, announced Tuesday the signing of nine athletes for the 2009 season.  Included in the class are two Billings players, Jaucelyn Richter and Courtney Harvey, along with two players from California, two from Arizona, and one each from Canada, Colorado and Washington. 

“I’m excited to have signed nine quality high school student-athletes,” Trentham said.  “This class will add depth to an already talented returning squad.  I also feel there are several players in this group that will compete immediately for playing time and possibly become starters in their freshman season.”

Richter, a 5-6 forward, comes to MSUB from Senior High School where she earned numerous accolades on and off the field.  She helped lead the team to two state runner-up finishes her junior and senior years.  As a senior, she scored 17 goals and two assists and had a total of 46 goals in her career.  She was an all-state selection in 2007 and 2008, as well as being named Offensive Most Valuable Player in 2008. 

In addition to competing at Billings Senior High, Richter also plays for the Magic City Soccer Club and for the Montana Select All-Stars.  Academically, Richer was outstanding as she was an Academic All-State selection all four years and is a member of National Honor Society.

“I’ve watched Jaucey for the last five years score some amazing goals,” Trentham said.  “She has a knack for finding the back of the net and I look forward to seeing her do it in a Yellowjacket uniform over the next four years.”

Harvey, a 5-4 defender, also played at Billings Senior High School and helped the team to two state runner-up finishes.  Harvey was an all-state selection and the Defensive Most Valuable Player as a senior.  She was an honorable mention all-state selection as a junior and all-conference as well.  She also plays for Magic City Soccer and Montana Select All-Stars.

She, like Richter, not only excelled on the field, but in the classroom as an Academic All-State selection as well.  She is a member of the National Honor Society, Senior Advocates and carries a 3.9 grade point average.

“I am very excited Courtney chose to stay in Billings for college,” Trentham said.  “Her speed and tackling ability, along with her passion for defense, will be a great asset to our team.”

Kristen Kastelic is a 5-9 defender and attends Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, where she helped lead the team to two runner-up finishes in the 5A-1 state championship.  She also ran track and was a member of the 4X400 relay team that finished fourth and sixth in the state tournament. 

Kastelic plays club soccer for the Mesa United ’91 team that currently is ranked No. 1 in Arizona and 25th nationally by gotsport.com.  She also excels in the classroom as she earned academic letters in 2006-2008.  She is a member of National Honor Society and had a perfect score on her AIMS (Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards) Math portion.

“Kristen has played at a very high level with her club team and has experienced a lot of success,” Trentham said.  “What I like about her is she is strong, has good speed and a great work ethic.  Along with these traits, she is a proven winner.”

Joining Kastelic is Mesa United ’91 teammate Jennifer Larsen.  Larsen, a 5-4 midfielder, attends Mountain View High School in Mesa, Ariz., where she was a four year varsity player helping lead the team to the regional championship in 2009.   At Mountain View, she tallied 53 goals and 53 assists in her career and was Co-Region Player of the Year as a senior.  In addition, Larsen was an all-state selection in cross country.

“Jen is probably the most versatile player in this class,” Trentham said.  “She is the type of player who I can put anywhere and she will get the job done.  She is a true competitor in every sense of the word and can run up and down the field all day without getting tired.”

The Yellowjackets will have a sibling combination again in 2009 as Janae Remsberg, younger sister of current Yellowjacket, Amy Remsberg, will join the squad.  The 5-5 midfielder/defender plays at Vista High School in Vista, Calif., where she was a team captain as a senior, lettered all four years and helped lead the team to the CIF playoffs from 2005-2008.

Remsberg played mostly defense until her senior year when she moved to forward.  In her career she has 10 goals and 10 assists.  Academically, she was the San Diego Union Tribune Scholar Athlete from 2006-2008 and is a member of the California Scholastic Federation since 2006.

“Janae is a left defender, possibly left midfielder who will add athleticism and technical ability on our left flank,” said Trentham.  “It is exciting to have another Remsberg on the squad.”

Ventura, Calif., native, Jennifer Brookshire is a 5-1 midfielder/defender who was a captain for Buena High School as a senior.  She was a four year varsity player and was an honorable mention all-county selection in 2008.

Brookshire plays club soccer for the Camarillo Eagles and according to Trentham, will help in the outside back and outside midfield positions next season.  “She has a good work rate and understanding of the game, which will help her develop into a solid player at the college level.”

Calgary, Alberta, native, Andrea Baytaluke joins the Yellowjackets and will be the third player from Calgary on the team, joining sophomores Kelly Ross and Heather Lansdown.  Baytaluke, a 5-5 midfielder, attends Central Memorial High School and is a member of the Calgary Foothills Colts who were the 2007 and 2008 Canadian National Champions (U16, U18).

“It is great to get a player into our program that has won a national championship,” Trentham said.  “She is an experienced outside midfielder who should complement our attacking options nicely.”

Adrienne Biglow becomes the eighth current Yellowjacket from the state of Washington.  Biglow, a 5-5 defender, was a team captain as a senior at West Valley High School in Yakima, Wash.  She was a first team all-league selection as a senior and helped her team to a fourth place finish at state in 2007. 

Biglow currently plays club soccer for the Emerald City F.C. (2007-2009) and played for Eastside F.C. (2005-2007).  Trentham thinks that Biglow can step right into the college environment.  “She plays very simply and reads the game well.  She will be an ideal compliment to our other defenders.”

Littleton, Colo., native, Emily Holley joins the Yellowjackets as a 5-7 center midfielder.  She was a three year varsity player at Dakota Ridge High School where she earned second team all-conference honors in 2007 and will compete this spring in her senior season. She also plays for the Littleton United Soccer Club where she was a team captain. 

Holley, excelled in the classroom, too, as she was a first team Academic All-State selection in 2008 and had a 3.5 GPA or better for six straight semesters in high school.

“Emily’s physical presence, athletic ability and ball handling skills will make her a very dangerous player in the midfield over the next four years,” Trentham said.

MSUB returns 18 players and eight starters after finishing 10-10 in 2008 and fourth in the always competitive Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  In addition to these nine signees, Dani Ritter will return after missing 2008 with an injury.  She was a starter and a second team all-conference selection in 2007.