Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University (APSU) soccer head coach Naomi Kolarova has announced the addition of a dozen players for the Governors in the 2020-21 early signing period.
Last season’s recruiting class saw Kolarova sign five players, with all of them from the state of Tennessee.
This year Kolarova took to the nationwide recruiting trail, signing players from nine different states across the country.
“We are thrilled to add these 12 players to our program in 2021, we have worked hard to identify, evaluate, and communicate with these players over the past few years,” said Kolarova.
“COVID-19 totally disrupted the recruiting cycle this year for most programs and recruits, and some of these ladies had to make decisions without ever being able to visit campus or meet us. That says a lot about the relationships they have formed virtually with us, we feel like we know these players on a deeper level than we would most committed classes.”
“We are not only excited about the soccer ability this group will add to our program, but the type of people they are. We know this large group of incoming freshmen will bring in, contribute to, and leave a positive imprint on our soccer program.”
“While we lose many high quality players and people in our graduating seniors, we know we are replacing them with an equally strong, deep, high quality class of new players. ”
Meet the Newest Govs
Katie Bahn
A four-year starter in goal at Hendersonville High School, Katie Bahn has been named a District 10-AAA All-District Team selection three times in her prep career. Twice named to the District 10-AAA All-Tournament squad, Bahn has helped lead the Commandos four-straight District Championships, a 2019 region title, and a pair of region runner-up finishes – one of which saw Bahn named the District 10-AAA Goalkeeper MVP.
Bahn plays her club soccer for the Tennessee Soccer Club 2002 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and is the first Governor to come out of Hendersonville HS.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Bahn
“Katie is a bright and energetic goal keeper that can cover the full net in the air when she wants to. She is quick on her feet and is quick off the floor, she dives for everything no matter where it is and is able to make some unbelievable saves because of that. We are excited about what she is going to bring to the depth of our goalkeeper position and look forward to her having a positive four-year impact in our program.”
Alec Baumgardt
A midfielder from Federal Way, Washington, Alec Baumgardt prepped at Federal Way High School, where she poured in 23 goals in her junior season of 2019. Baumgardt also dished out a dozen assists in her junior campaign, helping to propel her to a First-Team All-Area selection by the Seattle Times and a Second-Team All-Area selection by the Tacoma News Tribune.
Baumgardt’s mother, Camille, played collegiate soccer at Evergreen State College, before continuing her career with the Portland Pride of the now defunct Continental Indoor Soccer League. With three players from Washington already on the Govs 2020 roster, Baumgardt will join Morgan Drawdy, Kaylee Kraft and Lexi Maslowski as the latest Governor from the Evergreen State.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Baumgardt
“Alec is a work horse and is not afraid to find the ball and force her involvement in the game. She constantly seeks to get into positions to receive the ball or impact plays and she stands out because of that. She is a strong, physical presence and she is dangerous on and off the ball in any attacking role across the front five positions. We are excited to have Alec join our team and are looking forward to seeing the strength and tenacity she will add to our offensive system in the coming years.”
Brynnley Connell
A native of Seminole, Florida, Brynnley Connell prepped as a midfielder at Seminole High School. A facilitator on the offensive end, Connell dished out 35 assists in her high school career, she also found the back of the net herself eight times. A four-year contributor for the Warhawks, Connell helped lead her squad to three-straight District 10 finals appearances and back-to-back Region 3 semifinal trips.
Connell also was a varsity flag football player and ran track & field during her prep career. Along with fellow signee Sarai Faulkner, Connell played her club soccer for the Florida Celtic Bolts of the Celtics Soccer Academy and joins current Governor Katie Kenward as one of the latest Governors from the Sunshine State.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Connell
“Brynn is a athlete. She is tidy on the ball as a central midfielder, she moves well to find positions of support and distributes well to retain possession. She is adaptive to the game, reads play well and can break down play in a defensive midfield role or dribble dangerously in an attacking-mid role. She is a playmaker that first caught our eye as a freshman or sophomore, and she has grown into a reliable and consistent center-mid since then. We are excited to continue her soccer career at Austin Peay State University and look forward to seeing what she will bring.“
Emma Dalton
A midfielder who prepped at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Indiana, Emma Dalton was an Academic All-State selection in 2019 and 2020. During Dalton’s high school career, MaxPreps.com ranked the Royals in the top-20 nationally and the top-10 in Indiana during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Dalton plays her club soccer for the FC Pride 2003 of the ECNL and is the first Governor to sign from the Hoosier State since Maggie Ethridge and Beth Webster in 2014.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Dalton
“Emma is a tidy & smart defender. She is reliable in the air, in one-on-one situations, and her distribution out of the back is simple and safe. She communicates well and is a leader on and off the field, we have watched Emma play for a number of years and seen the growth in her personally and athletically. Simply put, we believe she is a great student-athlete to add to our program and we see her adding more depth in the wide defensive role for us over the coming years.”
Sarai Faulkner
An athletic midfielder from Largo High School in Clearwater, Florida, Sarai Faulkner found the back of the net 26 times in the first three seasons of her prep career. The three-time All-Pinellas County Athletic Conference North Second-Team selection helped led the Hogs to back-to-back district titles in 2018 and 2019, a 3A Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) semifinal appearance in 2019 and a 6A regional quarterfinal in 2020.
Faulkner also excelled in track & field, where her 4×400 meter relay team was a regional finalist in 2018. Along with fellow signee Brynnley Connell, Faulkner played her club soccer for the Florida Celtic Bolts of the Celtics Soccer Academy and joins current Governor Katie Kenward as one of the latest Governors from the Sunshine State.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Faulkner
“We identified Sarai at club ID camps during her sophomore year alongside new Govs commit Brynnley Connell, she stood out then as a young player, and has continued to stand out as we’ve followed her over the years. She is a solid and strong center midfielder, she distributes the ball very well and creates a lot for her team going forward. She is not afraid to shoot and can find the frame from almost anywhere in the top half. We are looking forward to her size and strength in the middle of the park and excited to see the depth she’ll add to those roles on our team.”
Clara Heistermann
A forward from Cherokee Trail High School in Aurora, Colorado, Clara Heistermann saw her junior season derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic and missed her senior campaign due to injury. As a sophomore, Heistermann scored 15 goals and dished out seven assists, while helping lead the Cougars to the 5A Colorado High School Activities Association quarterfinals.
Heistermann played her club soccer for the Colorado Rapids of the ECNL, where she was a four-time state champion and the 2017 Colorado State Cup MVP; she is also the fourth Governor to ever come out of the Centennial State, following in the footsteps of Amanda Hansen, Kaylee Yago and Lindsey Demrow.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Heistermann
“Clara is such a quiet person but such a beast on the field! She is strong, quick, and so technical with the ball at her feet. She is a dangerous player on the dribble, as well as a dangerous player to mark in the top half of the field; she will wear you down with her never-ending work rate, and is deadly in front of goal. We are really excited to add Clara to our ’21 class and know she will bring a top level of intensity and urgency into our offensive game, we look forward to seeing what she can do in Clarksville!”
Avryn List
A midfielder from Excelsior, Minnesota, Avryn List was an All-Lake Conference honorable mention and scored a pair of goals in her lone prep season at Minnetonka High School. In her senior campaign, List helped lead the Skippers to a Section 2AA Championship in the Minnesota State High School League.
List played her club soccer for the St. Croix ’02 Elite Girls Academy and her older sister, Porter, is currently a freshman on the soccer team at Wisconsin. List is also the first player in Austin Peay soccer history from the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on List
“Avryn was playing defensive center midfield and caught our eye late in the 2021 recruiting cycle at the final event we attended before COVID-19 shut down recruiting for the year. She is tall, strong, and reliable; she can break down attacking play time and time again. She is stubborn and fierce, and she leads the back from that DCM role for her team. We thought she was a player that absolutely controlled the flow of the game for her teammates, and commanded the respect of her opponents. We are really looking forward to seeing the depth she’ll add to our defensive minded midfield position in the future.”
Lindsey McMahon
A defender from Fountain Hills High School in Fountain Hills, Arizona, Lindsey McMahon was a two-time All-Region 3A selection. The three-year team captain for the Falcons, McMahon was a Second-Team All-State performer as a freshman, before garnering First-Team All-State honors in each of the next two seasons.
McMahon’s older sister, KC, is a junior on the volleyball team at Wyoming. McMahon played her club soccer for Phoenix Rising GU18/U19 of the ECNL and joins fellow signee Olivia Prock is the Govs first signee from the Grand Canyon State since Shelby Stewart, who wrapped up her Austin Peay State University career in 2018.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on McMahon
“Lindsey is a tall and strong central defender. She covers ground well and is always aware spatially of what is going on around her. She dominates in the air and can break up 1v1 attacks well; she is excellent with the ball at her feet and distributes as good as any defenders we see. We are very excited to see Lindsey make an immediate impact in our back line and know that we are adding a well-grounded and mature player to continue to provide leadership out of the back for us over the next four years.”
Kirsten Monk
A defender from Germantown, Tennessee, Kirsten Monk prepped at the soccer powerhouse that is Houston High School. Monk is a two-time Division I 3-AAA Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) state champion, helping the Mustangs capture back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. Monk’s older brother, Jordan, was a wide receiver on the football team at Memphis from 2019-20.
Monk played her club soccer with fellow signee Hadleigh Watson on the ’03 Lady Lobos Rush Premier, where they won the 2019 US Youth Soccer (USYS) Tennessee State Championship. Monk is the first Governor to come out of Houston High School since goalkeeper Mary Parker Powell, who finished her Austin Peay State University career in 2019.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Monk
“Kirsten has experience at both the defensive and midfield roles. We first noticed her after being moved to the defensive role for her high school team where she stood out as fast, fit, and fiercely tenacious on and off the ball. She was tough to beat, and she had her hands full with marking arguably the best player in the state of Tennessee. She is able to break play down successfully, time and time again, as well as counter attack for her team offensively. She’s a player that has the endurance and pace to get up and down the line from the defensive role, and that can be tough to come by at the next level. We are very excited to add her athleticism and heart to our defensive line and look forward to seeing her immediate impact as a Gov!”
Haley Patterson
A forward out of Athens, Alabama, Haley Patterson prepped at James Clemens High School. Patterson scored 45 goals and dished out 22 assists in her freshman and sophomore seasons, leading the Jets to a pair of Alabama High School Athletic Association Final Four appearances. Patterson played her club soccer for the Gwinnett Soccer Academy of the ECNL and the Huntsville Futbol Club.
While playing for the Gwinnett Soccer Academy in 2019, Patterson scored a dozen goals and helped on six more, leading her club to a 2019 runner-up finish in the Southeastern Conference of the ECNL. With the Huntsville Futbol Club, Patterson was a four-time Alabama State Champion. Patterson will join current Governor Rachel Bradberry as the second James Clemens HS alumni on the Austin Peay State University roster next season.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Patterson
“Haley has the ability to play multiple positions across the top five roles offensively. She is a technical player; she moves well off the ball and is confident on the dribble. We think she’s going to be a playmaker for us going forward and know she also has a knack for finding the back of the net from anywhere near the 18-yard box. We’re really excited to add a player of her tactical awareness to our offensive group and are looking forward to seeing what she does these next 4 years!”
Olivia Prock
A forward from Anthem, Arizona, Olivia Prock began her high school career at Boulder Creek High School, but currently attends Caurus Academy. While at Boulder Creek, Prock was an Arizona Interscholastic Association 6A Desert Valley All-Region selection in 2018. Prock also played for the Arizona Olympic Development Program Team in 2016 and 2019-20. Prock joins fellow signee Lindsey McMahon as the Govs first signee from the Grand Canyon State since Shelby Stewart, who wrapped up her Austin Peay State University career in 2018.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Prock
“Olivia joins us from the same club team as Lindsey McMahon where she proved to be a quick and dangerous forward anywhere across the front three attacking roles. We are keen to see her top speed and ability to take defenders on out wide and think she’ll make the most impact for us in those #7/11 roles. She has a great cross and is deadly at scoring from difficult angles. She is extremely technical, quick-footed, a dangerous dribbler with pace, and is not afraid to take players on. We are very excited to have an attacking forward coming in with such confidence and speed and are looking forward to seeing the immediate impact she’ll have on the pitch.”
Hadleigh Watson
Hailing from Olive Branch, Mississippi, Hadleigh Watson prepped at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2017, Watson helped lead Briarcrest to a TSSAA Division II – AA West Region Championship and a runner-up finish in the state title. Two years later, Watson led the Saints to a a TSSAA Division II – AA state championship and was named to the a Division II – AA West All-Region Team.
Watson played her club soccer with fellow signee Kirsten Monk on the ’03 Lady Lobos Rush Premier, where they won the 2019 USYS Tennessee State Championship. Watson is the first player in program history from The Magnolia State and she also competed in track & field, tennis, and softball in high school.
Kolarova’s Thoughts on Watson
“Hadleigh has natural athleticism and an understanding of the game that allows her to literally play anywhere on the field and be successful. We’ve seen her over the years in the various roles and she has done well everywhere she’s played. She is a well-rounded player in every aspect – 50/50’s, aerial balls, defending, dribbling, finishing, organizing, ball control, distribution, pace, and fitness. She is not only a great player that we literally will use all over the pitch, but she is a great person and one that we are very excited to add to our 2021 roster. We know she’s going to bring everything she’s got every single day, she’s going to push herself and players around her, and we believe she is going to play an important role in our program’s leadership moving forward. We are very excited to have Hadleigh joining us next fall!”
