‘Noles Add Talent To Roster
Seminole Soccer adds three talented student-athletes to the roster this Spring.

1/18/2011

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State women's soccer team, coming off its sixth straight season having made it to the Elite 8, has added even more talent to its roster this spring as three talented freshmen have already enrolled this January. The newcomers include Jamia Fields of California as well as two Floridian’s in Kristen Grubka and Connor Zwetsch.

“We are excited to have three talented new players who have joined us,” said head coach Mark Krikorian. “All three of these players have the potential to step right in and help us. When you look at the group that we lost, and we lost some pretty talented kids, but having these three come in early this spring semester will give them a big advantage in their preparation for next fall. We’re really excited for all three of them to be here and think all of them have very promising careers.”

Grubka (Melbourne, Fla./Melbourne HS) comes to Florida State as a four year varsity starter at Melbourne High School. Grubka started off her prep career with a bang as she helped lead her team to the final four her freshman season (2007-08) having scored a remarkable 28 goals and 8 assists. Following a stellar freshman campaign, Grubka took her play to yet another level as she lead Melbourne to back-to-back state championships in 2008-09 and 2009-10 in Florida’s highest classification 6A. Grubka led her team in scoring both seasons with 32 goals, 16 assists in 2008-09 and 33 goals, 18 assists in 2009-10. For her efforts Grubka was named as the 2008-2009 Dairy Farmers Girls Soccer 6A Player of the Year as well as the 2008-2009 Florida Girls High School 6A Player of the Year. During her four year career Grubka scored over 100 career goals (112 total) and over 50 assists (54 total). Her school was recognized by ESPN RISE with a No. 1 national rank, as well as a No. 2 national rank by the NSCAA. Grubka was also named to the ESPN RISE All-America Team in 2008-2009. Her off the field accomplishments were just as impressive as she was the President of the National Honor Society, Student Body Vice President, a member of the SWAT team (Students Working Against Tobacco), a member of the J. Kyle Braid Leadership Organization and ended her senior year with straight A's and a 4.1 GPA.

“Kirstin is physically imposing, very versatile and capable of playing virtually anywhere on the field,” said Krikorian. “She has a great deal of background playing as a front player and has played some significant time as a defender and has even played a little in the goal, so she’s a very versatile kid. My initial impressions are that we will look at playing her in the backline, but I think her being here now will give us a great deal of opportunity to evaluate her and give a feel of what is best for her going forward.”

Fields (Alta Loma, CA/Los Osos HS) comes to Florida State from the other side of the country and will provide the Seminoles with a dangerous offensive threat. Some of Fields many honors include being a part of the 2008 U-15 National Team player pool, invited to the 2008 U-15 National Team camp, a 2009 USYS ODP National Champions (1993’s), and a 2009 USYS ODP National Champ Golden Boot award winner. She has been invited to attend a 2009 Region IV ODP, 2009 ODP Thanksgiving Interregional member, 2010 Region IV Portugal Trip, 2010 Region IV ODP, and a member of the 2010 U-17 National Team camp.

“Jamia Fields has earned a wonderful reputation as a goal scorer,” said Krikorian. “She can score in a lot of different ways, she’s two footed, she’s lethal in front of goal, very athletic, and I expect her to come in here and help us score goals going forward.”

Zwetsch (Tampa, Florida/Plant HS) joins the Seminoles having made the Florida ODP State Team for four consecutive years from 2006-2010. In 2008 Zwetsch was part of the Class 2A State Champions with Tampa Preparatory as well a member of the 2008 Florida State Champions with her club team Real Salt Lake where she was named the MVP of the state final. Zwetsch finished as a Regional quarterfinalist with RSL in 2008 and again in 2010 when RSL again finished as the Florida State Champions. Zwetsch was named First team all-state during her junior year of high school and will bring her leadership capabilities to the Seminoles. Off the soccer field, Zwetsch has a variety of talents as she took first place for three straight years as the Poetry Jam winner (2008-10), and made it past the first round of America's Got Talent. Zwetsch was elected to Plant High School’s Executive Leadership Board and opened up for Mae in the Rock Against Cancer concert. She was selected as the Plant High School Student Life Yearbook Editor and yearbook photographer.

“We see Connor as another mid to front player, she’s a kid that’s strong, good back to goal, a very good possession player with regards to holding the ball and technically very good player,” said Krikorian. “She makes the players around her better and again another player who has the physical tools to come right in, compete for playing time and help make us better.”

Spring Soccer Update:
Head Coach Mark Krikorian returned to campus this week having spent last week out in Carson, California to serve as an assistant coach for the USA Women’s National Team. The National Team camp was hosted at the Home Depot Center.

DaCosta Drafted:
Former Seminole Amanda DaCosta is now a professional as she was drafted in the third round by the Washington Freedom - the 17th selection overall - last Friday. DaCosta, the first four-time All-ACC player in Florida State history, joins recent FSU graduates Becky Edwards, India Trotter and Mami Yamaguchi as active players in the league.

"Amanda is going to have a very good career in the WPS and Washington has a very good player in Amanda DaCosta," said Krikorian. "I have a sense that Amanda will go in and earn her way to a very competitive position and help her team do well. ... One of the qualities that she has is she makes all of the players around her better. Every coach wants great players, but the special ones are the ones who make the players around them better."

DaCosta, a four-year starter for the Seminoles, served as the team captain in 2010 and led the team to a 16-6-1 mark and a sixth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. She shares the FSU record for career game-winning assists (10), ranks third in career assists (24) and is fourth in career games started (94).