Perez and Guisto Commit to Yale

February 6, 2006 - Leslie Perez and Ali Guisto are as good in the classroom as they are on the soccer pitch, and those combined talents will enable them to play soccer for Yale University.

Yale is coming off a terrific season. The team finished with a school record 15 wins and they reached the third round of the NCAA College Cup, losing to Notre Dame. Yale was ranked 14th by SoccerBuzz.com in the final poll.

Both Perez and Guisto currently play together on the u18 Renegades in club soccer. At the high school level, they are rivals. Perez plays for St. Thomas and Guisto for American Heritage.

Yale coach Rudy Meredith discovered Perez at the Jefferson Cup tournament last spring. "The first thing that attracted me to her was her speed. That is obviously something that a coach is always looking for. She is also a left footed player, I think it is very difficult to find quality, fast, left-footed players."

Meredith did not have the chance to see Guisto play. But she wanted the chance to play for Yale, so attended Meredith's summer camp. Meredith was impressed with what he saw. "She is just tough as nails. You wouldn't look at her being a physical presence, because she is not the biggest player in the world, but she is a physical presence because she is so aggressive and so tough."

Meredith hopes to schedule a game in Florida at some point in the next few years, possibly in 2008, in order to give Perez and Guisto a chance to play in front of their friends and family.

COLLEGE COMMITMENTS FOR 2006