Moraga, CA – Saint Mary’s first-year head women’s soccer coach Kai Edwards announced the signing of six players for the 2009 season. The incoming class includes Mackenzie Garrett (Sammamish, WA), Erin Kearney (Carnation, WA), Caroline Kreuz (Portland, OR), Leeah Schilling (Vancouver, WA), Christina Tognetti (Santa Rosa, CA), and Kara Yamamoto (Honolulu, HI).

"The 2009 class has a lot of experience winning at many levels,” said Edwards. “With four of the student-athletes coming from national power clubs, such as FC Portland and Crossfire from Washington, we expect them to bring that competitive winning mentality to Saint Mary's.”

Mackenzie Garrett, a 5-6 forward from Sammamish, WA, will join Saint Mary’s from Eastlake High School. Garrett was a four-year letter winner in soccer at Eastlake HS, where she helped her high school team to the state playoffs all four years. As a First Team All-State selection in 2007, she helped her team capture a state title in 2007, after a third place finish in 2006. She was also a two-time First Team All-Kingco League selection. Garrett was a member of the Crossfire Premier Club team that won state titles in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007. The 2006 Crossfire Premier Club squad captured a Region IV Tournament Championship, and placed third in the USYSA National Championships.

Erin Kearney, a 5-7 defender from Carnation, WA, was a four-year soccer letterwinner in soccer at Cedarcrest High School in Duvall, WA. During her four years at Cedarcrest HS, she helped her team to the state playoffs all four years, which included runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2008, and was a two-time All-Cascade Conference selection. For her club soccer, Kearney played for the Crossfire 90 that captured four state championships. She was a member of the 2006 Region IV Championship team, and was on the four-time first place WSYSA division teams. She was also a member of the Super Y League Northwest Region team and was a member of the Washington state Olympic Development Program.

Caroline Kruez, a 5-8 forward, will come to Saint Mary’s from by way of Lincoln High School in Portland, OR where she was a four-year varsity letterwinner in soccer. Kruez helped her team to back-to-back state titles in 2007 and 2008, and was a four-time All-Portland Interscholastic League selection. She was a two-time all-state selection, earning first team honors in 2006 and second team honors in 2008. Kruez’s club team, the FC Portland Sapphire, was a three-time state champion, winning titles in 2005, 2007, and 2008. The team advanced to the finals of the 2007 USYSA Region IV Tournament and posted a quarterfinal finish in the same tournament in 2008.

Leeah Schilling, a 5-4 midfielder from Vancouver, WA, was a three-time All-Greater St. Helen’s League selection for Skyview High School. A three-year starter in the midfield, she helped her team capture three league titles from 2006-08, and was a First Team All-GSHL selection in 2007. Following her 2007 high school season, she helped her club team, the FC Portland capture the 2007 Oregon state championship, and post a Far West Regional finalist finish.

Christina Tognetti, a 5-8 midfielder/forward, was a standout scorer from Ursuline High School in Santa Rosa, CA. In her four years at Ursuline HS, Tognetti scored 88 goals and had 37 assists for her career. She was a freshman on the team that captured the North Coast Section Championship in 2005. She was a four-time All-North Bay League selection, and garnered NBL Player of the Year honors in 2008. Played club soccer for the Santa Rosa United Tsunami.

Kara Yamamoto, a 5-5 defender/midfielder from Honolulu, HI, was a three-year letterwinner in soccer at Kalani High School. In her three seasons playing for Kalani HS, Yamamoto helped her team to back-to-back Division I-OIA East first place finishes in 2007 and 2008. Additionally, she was a two-time All-Star OIA-East selection, while garnering second team all-state honors in 2008 and honorable mention all-state honors in 2007. Yamamoto has been part of the Olympic Development Program since 2003, and was a member of the 2008 ODP Region IV Team.

Edwards added, “This class has Super Y-League National Team experience, high school league MVPs, regional team players, ex-national pool members and numerous club and high school state championships. I expect these kids to challenge for starting spots right away and help create a winning mentality here at SMC. It has been a pleasure getting to know these student-athletes and we look forward to watching them grow and develop at SMC."

For additional information and photos of each of the incoming recruits, CLICK HERE.