UNF inks six for 2006

Munch announces 2006 signing class

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2006) - The University of North Florida women’s soccer program has inked six signees for the 2006 season, UNF head coach Mike Munch announced on Tuesday. The 2006 class includes three forwards, two midfielders and one defender. According to Munch, the incoming class will help fill the void created by the graduation of four seniors from last season’s squad. “I am very happy with our signings to date,” Munch said. “We have addressed many of our immediate needs and all of these student athletes will make major contributions to our team this fall. We are still working on a couple of possible additions but even if we do not sign anyone else it will have been a very good recruiting class.” The class is made up of Kady Dearing, Lauren Dwyer, Caitlin Kovaks, Lauren Maze, Courteney Strickland and Katelin Swift. Five of the six signees hail from the Sunshine State with Kovaks (Avon, Ind.) being the lone out-of-state signee. Dearing is a two-time all-conference and all-district selection as well as a member of Florida’s Olympic Development Program (ODP). “Kady is a very versatile player,” Munch said. “She can play almost anywhere on the field. Her best position is probably in central midfield but because she is so gifted physically she can get wide or go forward with ease.” Dwyer is a two-time Gainesville Sun All-Area Team member. The Palm Bay, Fla., native tallied 70 goals in her high school career. “Lauren will be a great contrast to many of our other forwards at UNF,” Munch said. “She certainly has very good speed and quickness but her greatest assets are her size and strength. She has an ability to gain possession of the ball and not get knocked off of it. Lauren will also be better in the air than any forward we have had at UNF. And to complete her skill set Lauren is equally gifted with either foot.” Kovaks was selected as a member of 2005 Indianapolis Star All Metro team. As a senior, she scored 25 goals and had 12 assists to help lead her team to the state semifinals. “While Cat has good speed and quickness, she is at her best when she has the ball at her feet,” Munch said. “She has great vision and an ability to find her teammates in dangerous areas of the field. Her passing and vision may eventually be best utilized in central midfield.” Maze was a four-year letterwinner and 2005 team MVP at Eau Gallie High School. “Lauren will be an instrumental part of our team next fall,” Munch said. “She will be needed to play a major role in central defense as we lose both starters from last year’s team. Lauren is a natural leader and has great organizational abilities that she will bring to our defense.” Strickland, a four-year letter winner at Bishop Moore High School led her squad to its best finish in program history in 2006 when she help guide the squad to the regional semifinals. “Courteney is a high energy, versatile midfielder who has the ability to play many roles for us next fall,” Munch said. “She has played a lot of defensive midfielder in her high school career yet has very good offensive skills and a desire to score goals. Her talents may even allow her to play forward or central defender, whatever our needs are.” Swift, a two-time player of the year according to the Florida Times Union and the St. Augustine Record, has been a member of Florida’s ODP since 2002. “Katelin is one of the most decorated players ever to sign with UNF,” Munch said. “Her honors and records are almost too many to attempt to list. Needless to say we hope that Katelin will be able to transfer that success to the college level. As with anyone who scores that many goals, Katelin has the knack for being in the right place at the right time – and knowing what to do with the ball when it finds her feet.” The Lady Ospreys finished their inaugural Division I season with an 8-8-2 mark, including a 5-4-1 record in A-Sun play, which landed UNF in fifth place in the conference standings. The top six teams in the conference advance to the A-Sun Championship, but due to the NCAA's reclassification process, the Lady Ospreys were not eligible to compete in the postseason tournament.