Kearney, Neb. – Nebraska Kearney head women’s soccer coach Rob Breton announced today the names of seven high school seniors and one transfer who’ll suit up for the Lopers this fall.
This is the first batch of newcomers for UNK who had a large senior class in 2022. Additional signees will be announced later this spring and summer.
“I’m very excited for this class of incoming players that we have for the 2023 fall season! We have a well-rounded group of players who are going to bring competition for us at every position and add some strengths to areas that we have been lacking in as a team,” said Breton. “Each player has different qualities that will benefit our program and our style of play going forward and will really help us start to show our new identity that we started building the foundation of during the 2022-2023 year.”
The veteran is Bolivian attacking midfielder/forward Ivana Oporto Siles (Cochise College, Ariz.) who’ll have two years of eligibility remaining. She joins Reina Horikawa (Japan) as the only international players in UNK history. Siles had 28 points (12 goals and four assists) in a two-year career with the Apaches. She appeared in 32 games (31 starts) and had three game-winning goals with Cochise posting an 11-6 mark in 2022.
Next, UNK went to the Capital City to pick up keeper Susanna “Susie” Bovaird (Lincoln East), forward Jordan Renard (Lincoln Northeast) and center back/center defensive midfield Cadence “Cadie” Bonneau (Lincoln Southeast). Each was a four-year letterwinner, hold multiple academic honors, were captains of their teams with Bovaird (2023) and Bonneau (2022) part of squads that reached the Class A semifinals.
Brovard, who had a 0.64 GAA this spring, also plays for the FC Lincoln Rush and was captain of the Spartans basketball team. Renard tallied a team-best 10 goals this spring, is a two-time all-league pick and a member Sporting Nebraska ECNL RL. Finally, Bonneau is a member of the Omaha United Soccer Club and had 11 points (five assists and three goals) as a junior for the Knights.
The other in-state player is center forward/midfielder Jameson “James” Yost (Plattsmouth/Conestoga H.S.). She was her team’s MVP twice and also the Player of the Year for her club team, Sporting Nebraska. Yost amassed 19 goals and 10 assists (48 points) this spring alone for the Cougars.
UNK went to Colorado to add center back Reegen McKee (Fruita/Fruita Monument H.S.) and striker/center midfielder Sarah Levy (Basalt, Colo./Basalt H.S.). McKee was MVP of the 2022 Colorado State Cup with Levy an honorable mention all-state pick. McKee also joins All-MIAA defender Dolcie Hanlon as Grand Junction-area natives on the Lopers. Levy is also a member of the Roaring Fork United with McKee playing for the Fire FC Grand Junction.
Finally, defender Iliana Wurzbacher hails from Atchison, Kan. (Atchison H.S.). She helped the Phoenix earn its first-ever regional title this spring, scoring a goal in the final and thus seeing her team move on to sub-state.
UNK begins fall workouts in August, then has three home exhibition games before the regular season kicks off Sept. 2-4 in Oklahoma with games against Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma State.
