Women’s Soccer Signs Seven to 2020 Class
11/13/2019 10:36:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Head coach Tom Saxton announced the signing of seven players Wednesday.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State women's soccer head coach Tom Saxton announced Wednesday that seven student-athletes have committed to play soccer for the Spartans next season.
Emily Andrus (Ontario, Canada), Brinley Bell (Leesburg, Virginia), Regan Dalton (Rockford, Michigan), Živana Labović (Schererville, Indiana), Ellie Rogers (Commerce Township, Michigan), Ellie Thallman (Novi, Michigan) and Justice Tillotson (Rochester, Michigan) will join MSU in the fall of 2020.
"We are delighted to welcome our 2020 class to our Spartan Soccer Family. These seven incoming student-athletes come to us from some of the top soccer clubs in the country and Canada," Saxton said. "They each represent the qualities that we value in our program as students and leaders within their communities. They are well-prepared to make an immediate impact on our program."
Emily Andrus
Ontario, Canada | Bill Crothers Secondary School
Position: Wide forward
Club Team: REX Canada National Program and Hamilton United OPDL
Played soccer and volleyball at Oakridge Secondary School, Bill Crothers Secondary School and Strathroy District Collegiate Institute… Also, was the kicker for the football team during her senior year … Earned the MVP Award in soccer in 2016 … Rex Program participant (Canada Excel Team)... Grade 12 Representative… 2016-20 Home and School Award.
Daughter of Jeff and Tracey Andrus … Plans to major in business management/entrepreneurship.
Saxton on Andrus…
"MJ was an early commitment to our 2020 class and we are delighted to have such an accomplished youth player join us. MJ is a top prospect from Ontario where she appeared on the Provincial Team and trained in residency with the prestigious REX program in Toronto. She should have an immediate impact for us as a wide player."
Brinley Bell
Leesburg, Va. | Loudoun County HS
Position: Defender
Club Team: Formerly with Loudoun Soccer Club, currently with McLean ECNL
Played soccer at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg, Virginia … Also, lettered in track and field as a junior … 2017 VA State ODP Team and Region 1 ODP Camp... Placed third overall at the 2018 ROTC Physical Fitness National Championship … 2017 VA Class 4A Region 1 Finalist… 2018 VA Class 4A State Champion… Played for Loudoun Soccer Club where she was a VYSA State Champion and Region 1 Champion in 2017... 2018 VYSA State Champion… During the 2019 season, Bell and the Loudoun Soccer Club advanced to the ECNL Playoffs and the ECNL PDA Cup, while being named the Jefferson Cup Champions and Loudoun Showcase Champion ... Competed at the 2017 Junior ROTC National PT Championship... Earned various academic honors including Distinguished Cadet, Honor Cadet accolades and a Community Service Award… National Honors Society member.
Daughter of Ward and Amy Bell … Uncle and great-grandfather played football at Michigan State in the 1930's … Plans to major in supply chain management.
Saxton on Bell…
"Brinley was a great late addition to our 2020 class. She comes from an excellent program in Virginia as an attacking outside back. We expect Brinley to play an important role in our backline in the years ahead."
Regan Dalton
Rockford, Mich. | Rockford HS
Position: Midfielder
Club Team: Midwest United FC
Played soccer at Rockford High School... Was the highest scorer on the team as a freshman … Earned All-Conference and All-District honors as a freshman ... Named to the All-Advance team and won the conference… Was an Academic Letter recipient all four years… Elected captain for two years of Midwest United FC Academy… ODP Regional player... Generation Adidas player in Lyon, France.
Daughter of Pat and Nanci Dalton… Father, Pat, played soccer at Hope College… Sister, Rylie, played soccer at Hope College while brother, Ty, currently plays there … Plans to major in business.
Saxton on Dalton…
"Regan is an outstanding central midfielder from Midwest United. She has had an outstanding club career. Regan will be rejoining former club teammates Bria Schrotenboer and Lauren Kozal and we feel that this connection will be a huge positive."
Živana Labović
Schererville, Ind. | Marian Catholic HS
Position: Midfielder
Club Team: Eclipse Select SC ECNL
Played soccer and lacrosse at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois … Named to the All-Conference team, All-Sectional team and Marian Catholic Scholar Team in lacrosse as a junior … Captain of her club team, Eclipse Select SC ECNL … Named to the U-17 Midwest All-Conference team in soccer… Named to the U-18 2019-2020 ECNL Players to Watch list … Advanced to the ECNL National Playoffs for three consecutive years in San Diego, California … Has a Top Drawer Soccer ranking of No. 13 in the Midwest region... Member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honors Society.
Daughter of Dragan and Susan Labović… Father, Dragan, played soccer at DePaul and for the Hershey Impact … Mother Susan, played softball at DePaul … Brother, Saša currently plays for DePaul … Sister, Isabela, plays soccer for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee … Plans to major in human biology.
Saxton on Labovic…
"Zivana comes to us from one of the top clubs in the nation, Eclipse Select. She is an outstanding play-making midfielder with great leadership qualities. Zivana is also an exceptional ball-winner with the potential to have an immediate impact."
Ellie Rogers
Commerce Township, Mich. | Walled Lake Northern HS
Position: Forward
Club Team: Michigan Jaguars
Played soccer at Walled Lake Northern High School… Led the National League in scoring as a freshman ... Honorable Mention All-State, All-Conference, All-District and All-Region as a freshman… Set a school record for most goals and assists in one season as a sophomore … Named to the All-State First Team, as well as earning All-Region, All-Conference and All-District accolades during her sophomore season … Did not play during her junior season due to an ACL injury ... Also played club soccer for the Michigan Jaguars for nine years and won the State Cup during the 2016-17 season.
Daughter of Chris Rogers and Mychele Rogers … Plans to major in horticulture.
Saxton on Rogers…
"Ellie joins us from another exceptional club program, the Michigan Jaguars, where she performed as one of their top offensive players ever. She has the pace and technique to be a great goal scorer at the college level."
Ellie Thallman
Novi, Mich. | Northville HS
Position: Goalkeeper
Club Team: Michigan Rush
Three-year letter winner in soccer and basketball at Northville High School in Northville, Mich. … Named to the All-Conference team for basketball following the 2018-19 season… Varsity soccer team MVP during the 2017-18 seasons… Named to the Detroit Free Press girls' basketball All-West Second team as a junior… Participated on the Northville Mustang Leadership Club 2016-20… Named a Scholar-Athlete in basketball and soccer for all three years… Three year All-Academic Team selection … 2017 Varsity Basketball District Champions… Two-year basketball captain … Also played for the Michigan Rush Soccer Club for 14 years … Super Y National Champions 2018-19… Named to the Rush Select National Team for five-straight seasons … Was a National Training Center participant in 2017 and 2018.
Daughter of Stephan and Christy Thallman… Father, Stephan, played football and baseball for Adrian College from 1986-90… Mother, Christy, played tennis for Northern Michigan University from 1989-93 … Plans to major in kinesiology.
Saxton on Thallman…
"Ellie is an outstanding young goalkeeper and will provide us important depth at this critical position. She has the athleticism and potential to have a tremendous impact as her college career unfolds."
Justice Tillotson
Rochester, Mich. | Rochester Adams HS
Position: Midfielder
Club Team: Vardar ECNL
Played soccer at Rochester Adams High School … Was named to the District Finalist Team as a freshman in 2017, scoring 10 goals with five assists … Named to the Regional Finalist Team for two-straight seasons as a sophomore and junior … Had nine goals and 12 assists during her junior season … Two-year varsity captain and four-year captain of the Vardar ECNL team.
Daughter of Chris and Allison Tillotson… Father, Chris, played football at Columbia … Mother, Allison, played volleyball at Rochester College…Plans to major in business.
Saxton on Tillotson…
"Justice also comes from another outstanding club with a long tradition, Vardar. Justice is versatile and has the ability to help us in several spots on the field. She also has outstanding leadership qualities that are highly valued by our coaching staff."
Emily Andrus (Ontario, Canada), Brinley Bell (Leesburg, Virginia), Regan Dalton (Rockford, Michigan), Živana Labović (Schererville, Indiana), Ellie Rogers (Commerce Township, Michigan), Ellie Thallman (Novi, Michigan) and Justice Tillotson (Rochester, Michigan) will join MSU in the fall of 2020.
"We are delighted to welcome our 2020 class to our Spartan Soccer Family. These seven incoming student-athletes come to us from some of the top soccer clubs in the country and Canada," Saxton said. "They each represent the qualities that we value in our program as students and leaders within their communities. They are well-prepared to make an immediate impact on our program."
Emily Andrus
Ontario, Canada | Bill Crothers Secondary School
Position: Wide forward
Club Team: REX Canada National Program and Hamilton United OPDL
Played soccer and volleyball at Oakridge Secondary School, Bill Crothers Secondary School and Strathroy District Collegiate Institute… Also, was the kicker for the football team during her senior year … Earned the MVP Award in soccer in 2016 … Rex Program participant (Canada Excel Team)... Grade 12 Representative… 2016-20 Home and School Award.
Daughter of Jeff and Tracey Andrus … Plans to major in business management/entrepreneurship.
Saxton on Andrus…
"MJ was an early commitment to our 2020 class and we are delighted to have such an accomplished youth player join us. MJ is a top prospect from Ontario where she appeared on the Provincial Team and trained in residency with the prestigious REX program in Toronto. She should have an immediate impact for us as a wide player."
Brinley Bell
Leesburg, Va. | Loudoun County HS
Position: Defender
Club Team: Formerly with Loudoun Soccer Club, currently with McLean ECNL
Played soccer at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg, Virginia … Also, lettered in track and field as a junior … 2017 VA State ODP Team and Region 1 ODP Camp... Placed third overall at the 2018 ROTC Physical Fitness National Championship … 2017 VA Class 4A Region 1 Finalist… 2018 VA Class 4A State Champion… Played for Loudoun Soccer Club where she was a VYSA State Champion and Region 1 Champion in 2017... 2018 VYSA State Champion… During the 2019 season, Bell and the Loudoun Soccer Club advanced to the ECNL Playoffs and the ECNL PDA Cup, while being named the Jefferson Cup Champions and Loudoun Showcase Champion ... Competed at the 2017 Junior ROTC National PT Championship... Earned various academic honors including Distinguished Cadet, Honor Cadet accolades and a Community Service Award… National Honors Society member.
Daughter of Ward and Amy Bell … Uncle and great-grandfather played football at Michigan State in the 1930's … Plans to major in supply chain management.
Saxton on Bell…
"Brinley was a great late addition to our 2020 class. She comes from an excellent program in Virginia as an attacking outside back. We expect Brinley to play an important role in our backline in the years ahead."
Regan Dalton
Rockford, Mich. | Rockford HS
Position: Midfielder
Club Team: Midwest United FC
Played soccer at Rockford High School... Was the highest scorer on the team as a freshman … Earned All-Conference and All-District honors as a freshman ... Named to the All-Advance team and won the conference… Was an Academic Letter recipient all four years… Elected captain for two years of Midwest United FC Academy… ODP Regional player... Generation Adidas player in Lyon, France.
Daughter of Pat and Nanci Dalton… Father, Pat, played soccer at Hope College… Sister, Rylie, played soccer at Hope College while brother, Ty, currently plays there … Plans to major in business.
Saxton on Dalton…
"Regan is an outstanding central midfielder from Midwest United. She has had an outstanding club career. Regan will be rejoining former club teammates Bria Schrotenboer and Lauren Kozal and we feel that this connection will be a huge positive."
Živana Labović
Schererville, Ind. | Marian Catholic HS
Position: Midfielder
Club Team: Eclipse Select SC ECNL
Played soccer and lacrosse at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois … Named to the All-Conference team, All-Sectional team and Marian Catholic Scholar Team in lacrosse as a junior … Captain of her club team, Eclipse Select SC ECNL … Named to the U-17 Midwest All-Conference team in soccer… Named to the U-18 2019-2020 ECNL Players to Watch list … Advanced to the ECNL National Playoffs for three consecutive years in San Diego, California … Has a Top Drawer Soccer ranking of No. 13 in the Midwest region... Member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honors Society.
Daughter of Dragan and Susan Labović… Father, Dragan, played soccer at DePaul and for the Hershey Impact … Mother Susan, played softball at DePaul … Brother, Saša currently plays for DePaul … Sister, Isabela, plays soccer for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee … Plans to major in human biology.
Saxton on Labovic…
"Zivana comes to us from one of the top clubs in the nation, Eclipse Select. She is an outstanding play-making midfielder with great leadership qualities. Zivana is also an exceptional ball-winner with the potential to have an immediate impact."
Ellie Rogers
Commerce Township, Mich. | Walled Lake Northern HS
Position: Forward
Club Team: Michigan Jaguars
Played soccer at Walled Lake Northern High School… Led the National League in scoring as a freshman ... Honorable Mention All-State, All-Conference, All-District and All-Region as a freshman… Set a school record for most goals and assists in one season as a sophomore … Named to the All-State First Team, as well as earning All-Region, All-Conference and All-District accolades during her sophomore season … Did not play during her junior season due to an ACL injury ... Also played club soccer for the Michigan Jaguars for nine years and won the State Cup during the 2016-17 season.
Daughter of Chris Rogers and Mychele Rogers … Plans to major in horticulture.
Saxton on Rogers…
"Ellie joins us from another exceptional club program, the Michigan Jaguars, where she performed as one of their top offensive players ever. She has the pace and technique to be a great goal scorer at the college level."
Ellie Thallman
Novi, Mich. | Northville HS
Position: Goalkeeper
Club Team: Michigan Rush
Three-year letter winner in soccer and basketball at Northville High School in Northville, Mich. … Named to the All-Conference team for basketball following the 2018-19 season… Varsity soccer team MVP during the 2017-18 seasons… Named to the Detroit Free Press girls' basketball All-West Second team as a junior… Participated on the Northville Mustang Leadership Club 2016-20… Named a Scholar-Athlete in basketball and soccer for all three years… Three year All-Academic Team selection … 2017 Varsity Basketball District Champions… Two-year basketball captain … Also played for the Michigan Rush Soccer Club for 14 years … Super Y National Champions 2018-19… Named to the Rush Select National Team for five-straight seasons … Was a National Training Center participant in 2017 and 2018.
Daughter of Stephan and Christy Thallman… Father, Stephan, played football and baseball for Adrian College from 1986-90… Mother, Christy, played tennis for Northern Michigan University from 1989-93 … Plans to major in kinesiology.
Saxton on Thallman…
"Ellie is an outstanding young goalkeeper and will provide us important depth at this critical position. She has the athleticism and potential to have a tremendous impact as her college career unfolds."
Justice Tillotson
Rochester, Mich. | Rochester Adams HS
Position: Midfielder
Club Team: Vardar ECNL
Played soccer at Rochester Adams High School … Was named to the District Finalist Team as a freshman in 2017, scoring 10 goals with five assists … Named to the Regional Finalist Team for two-straight seasons as a sophomore and junior … Had nine goals and 12 assists during her junior season … Two-year varsity captain and four-year captain of the Vardar ECNL team.
Daughter of Chris and Allison Tillotson… Father, Chris, played football at Columbia … Mother, Allison, played volleyball at Rochester College…Plans to major in business.
Saxton on Tillotson…
"Justice also comes from another outstanding club with a long tradition, Vardar. Justice is versatile and has the ability to help us in several spots on the field. She also has outstanding leadership qualities that are highly valued by our coaching staff."
Players Mentioned
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