Beavers Announce Seven-Player Signing Class
February 08, 2016 | Women's Soccer
CORVALLIS – The Oregon State women's soccer team will welcome in seven new players as part of its 2016 signing class, head coach Linus Rhode announced today. Ryen Darling, Ashleigh Fonsen, Jada Krening, Taylor Lemmond, Nicole Nickerson, Diana Santiago and Kyllie Yasutake will all join the Beavers this fall.
“I'm very excited about this incoming class,” Rhode said. “They will bring a lot of depth to all of our lines and bring a whole new dynamic to our team.”
Darling comes to Oregon State from Fresno, Calif. She played for the NorCal State PDP in 2014 and 2015, and for the CenCal Cosmos U17 team in 2014. She helped the Cosmos earn a Davis Legacy championship, and scored three game-winning goals to lead the team to a US Club National Regional.
“Ryen can play at center forward and as a winger,” Rhode said. “She has tremendous pace and is very good at taking defenders on 1-on-1. She's a player who can threaten the opposition in behind with her speed, and we're excited about what she can bring to the program.”
Darling spent this year at Valley High School in Las Vegas, Nev., where she was named First Team All-Division and First Team All-Region. Prior to that, she started her high school career at Bullard High School, earning Fresno Bee All-Valley and CMAC Forward of the Year recognition as a sophomore.
Fonsen hails from Edmonds, Wash., where she is currently playing for Washington Premier FC ECNL under coaches Seth Spidahl and Scott Halasz. She previously played with Northwest Nationals G97 Red, where she won state championships in 2010 and 2012, and made the state final in 2011. Fonsen also competed with the Washington ODP in 2011 and 2012, helping her squad to a Region IV title in 2012.
“Ashleigh is an outside-back that is very tenacious and very hard in the tackle,” Rhode said. “She's a good distributer of the ball, and we're looking for her to come in and compete for playing time.”
Fonsen played on the varsity team all four years at Edmonds Woodway High School, making the 3A All-State team twice. She is also a three-time All-Wesco First Team honoree.
Krening joins the Beavers from Portland, Ore., and was the 2015 Oregon Live Girls Soccer Player of the Year. She spent the last two seasons with the Portland Thorns Academy, under the leadership of coach Janine Szpara. Prior to that she played for Eastside United FC (coach Ralph Southmayd), where she captained the team to the OPL state finals in 2012 and 2013.
“Jada is a forward that we first saw at our ID camp,” Rhode said. “She's a true center forward and a goal-scorer. We have a lot of high hopes for her. She's got a lot of ability and a keen eye for the goal.”
Krening set the Parkrose High School record with 81 goals in her four seasons. She was First-Team All-State in 2015 and made the second team in 2014. Her high school career featured All-Conference recognition all four years, including a pair of first-team honors. Krening has also proven to be successful in the classroom, posting a 4.0 GPA and making the honor roll all four years.
Taylor Lemmond
Lemmond comes to Oregon State from Elk Grove, Calif., where she played for FC Elk Grove under coach Ben Ormsby. She led the NorCal Premier League Champions Division in goals in the fall of 2014. She also saw time with the Cal North State ODP in 2014 and the North State PDP in 2014 and 2015.
“Taylor can be a post-up forward and can also play as a winger,” Rhode said. “She can play with her back to goal or she can turn and run at defenders. We're excited for what she will bring to the team up front.”
Lemmond also led Franklin High School in goals in 2015, helping the team to a Division I Section title.
Nickerson also hails from Elk Grove and played for FC Elk Grove. She was named the Ajax Tournament MVP in 2013, after helping her squad win the competition. She also played on teams that won the CalNorth Premier League in 2015 and the Players' Showcase in 2014.
“Nicole is a central midfielder/forward, and a very smart player,” Rhode said. “She's a playmaker and is very technical with the ball. We really like her creativity in the midfield and up front. She has the ability to both score goals and create goals.”
Nickerson played three years for Pleasant Grove High School, earning All-Delta League honors and Team MVP recognition in 2015. Her team made the postseason in 2014 and 2015. She also played three years of varsity basketball and has posted a GPA over 4.0 all four years of high school.
Diana Santiago
Santiago joins the Beavers from Hillsboro, Ore., where she played for FC Portland as well as the Westside Metros.
“Diana can play as a deeper-sitting midfielder or in the midfield higher up the field,” Rhode said. “Her strengths are her passing ability and her vision. She's a good striker of the ball as well, and she is going to be a nice addition to our program.”
Santiago also played for Hillsboro High School, coached by Dean Miyama and Tim Ellsworth. She was First-Team All-League her junior and senior seasons, helping lead the squad to 5A semifinals in both seasons. Santiago was a First Team All-State selection in 2014 and earned second-team honors in 2015. She is the first student in the Hillsboro School District to earn a bilingual seal.
Yasutake hails from Pearl City, Hawaii, where she played for Surf SC Hawaii. She helped the team earn seven state titles, a Surf Cup championship and a first-place finish at the Players' College Showcase. Yasutake's team was one of 20 squads selected to compete in the Nike Manchester United Premier Cup at Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.
“Kyllie can play as a centerback or outside back,” Rhode said. “She's a very quick and powerful athlete, and she has great technique. She has the ability to play it out of the back, and I think she will be in the mix for playing time as a freshman.”
Yasutake played her freshman year at Punahou School. She helped her team make the State Championship game in her lone season. Yasutake has also helped spread her love of soccer to the community by volunteering with the School of Soccer in Honolulu since she was 11.
