Huskies Women's Soccer announce seven recruits to 2023 class including former U SPORTS Rookie of the Year
Huskies Women's Soccer announce seven recruits to 2023 class including transfer of former U SPORTS Rookie of the Year
HALIFAX, NS - Saint Mary's women's soccer head coach Marisa Colzie is pleased to announce the commitment of seven new recruits to the Huskies line-up for the 2023 season, including the incoming transfer of the 2018 U SPORTS Rookie of the Year.
A defender from Waterloo, Ontario, Jossalyn Downey joins the Huskies out of Kitchener Collegiate Institute.
Downey most recently played with BVBIA Waterloo in the prestigious League 1 Ontario. She previously played with the BVBIA Waterloo Reserves, and in the Waterloo OPDL.
A multisport athlete, Jossalyn also excelled at hockey and track at Kitchener Collegiate Institute.
An honour roll student, Downey will be studying a Bachelor of Science at Saint Mary's, with a focus in Biology.
A midfielder from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Cara Freeman joins the Huskies out of Halifax West High School.
At Halifax West, Cara helped lead the Warriors to School Sport Nova Scotia Division 1 Provincial Championships in 2022 and 2020, and a runner-up finish in 2021.
Freeman played for the Halifax City Women's AAA Senior Team this summer, where she scored three goals in eight games. She grew up playing with Halifax Dunbrack Soccer and with the prestigious REX program, and has represented Nova Scotia several times at the National level.
A multi-sport athlete, Cara also excels at ice hockey and field hockey. At Saint Mary's she will be reunited with her sister Erin, an incoming transfer, and brother Sean, a star forward for the Huskies Men's Soccer team who was named a 2022 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
An excellent student, Freeman graduated from the IB program at Halifax West and will be studying a Bachelor of Science at Saint Mary's.
A forward from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Erin Freeman joins the Huskies as a transfer from the Cape Breton University Capers.
In three seasons with the Capers, Freeman scored 11 goals and added 11 assists in 31 games played (28 games started), and helped lead the team to AUS Championships in 2018 and 2019.
Erin's freshman season at CBU was one for the record books, as she tallied three goals and six assists, and was named the 2018 U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, as well as a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian, AUS Rookie of the Year, and AUS First Team All-Star. The Capers would go on to win a Bronze Medal at the 2018 U SPORTS National Championship.
Freeman played for the Halifax City Women's AAA Senior Team this summer, where she led the team in scoring with four goals in nine games.
At Saint Mary's Erin will be reunited with her younger sister Cara, an incoming first-year recruit, and brother Sean, a star forward for the Huskies Men's Soccer team who was named a 2022 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian.
Freeman will be completing her Bachelor of Arts degree at Saint Mary's.
A winger from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Lauren Hurst joins the Huskies out of Woodlawn High School.
Hurst plays with the Halifax Hotspurs in the Nova Scotia Soccer League Women's AAA division, and was named Rookie of the Year in 2021. She also competed with Woodlawn High School, and was named team MVP in 2023 and 2022.
Lauren also was recognized with a 2023 Halifax Regional Municipality Group Volunteer Award for her volunteer work with the United DFC's U10 girls program.
An honour roll student, Hurst will be studying a Bachelor of Engineering at Saint Mary's.
A winger/midfielder from Hollis, New Hampshire, Renee LeBlanc joins the Huskies out of Bishop Guertin High School.
LeBlanc helped lead Bishop Guertin High School to the New Hampshire Division 1 Championship in 2021, and was named an All-Star First Team and Second Team All-State in 2020, and All-Star Honourable Mention in 2019.
LeBlanc also played club soccer with Aztec Soccer and New England Futbol Club, where she won back-to-back Northeastern Futsal Regional Championships in 2022 and 2023.
"I chose Saint Mary's because I knew it would give me a great opportunity, not only for soccer, but for my education as well," says LeBlanc.
An excellent student, LeBlanc is a member of the National Honours Society and was honoured with the NHIAA and NHADA 2023 Scholar Athlete Award. LeBlanc will be studying a Bachelor of Engineering at Saint Mary's.
A defender from Port Williams, Nova Scotia, Neila MacDonald joins the Huskies as a transfer from the Bishop's University Gaiters of the RSEQ.
Neila starred for the King's Edgehill Senior Girls' Soccer Team, and will reunite with her former King's Edgehill teammate Allie Martin on the Huskies.
MacDonald also competed with Valley United, and represented Nova Scotia at the 2022 Canada Games, where she helped lead the team to a Bronze Medal.
A second-generation Husky, Neila's father was a keeper for the Huskies Men's Soccer Team from 1993-1995.
"I'm really excited to start a new chapter with this team, and show people what we've got!" says MacDonald.
An honour roll student, who was selected as School Prefect and School Steward at King's Edgehill, MacDonald will be studying a Bachelor of Commerce at Saint Mary's.
A midfielder from Ottawa, Ontario, Cassidy Wells joins the Huskies from Hillcrest High School.
A multi-sport athlete who excels in ice hockey, rugby, basketball, touch football and soccer, Wells was named Hillcrest High School's 2023 Senior Female Athlete of the Year, as well as being a two-time team MVP in both Soccer (2023 & 2022) and Basketball (2023 & 2022).
Wells also competed with West Ottawa Soccer Women's Elite, helping the team to a first place finish in the Women's Premier League in 2023. She was also a part of the prestigious Ontario Provincial Projects in 2018 and 2019.
"When I visited Saint Mary's and Halifax for the first time, I was convinced this was the school I wanted to spend the next four years at," says Wells. "I loved the friendliness of Halifax and the University, as well as their positive academic reputation. The team and Coach Marisa created a very welcoming environment during my time at SMU. I cannot wait to get to work and contribute!
An excellent student with a 94% average, Wells was recognized as an Ontario Scholar and Silver Medal winner at Hillcrest High. Wells will be studying a Bachelor of Arts at Saint Mary's.