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University of Massachusets Athletics
Women's Soccer Announces Recruits
June 27, 2000 | Women's Soccer
June 27, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. -- The University of Massachusetts head women's soccer coach Jim Rudy recently announced the signing of five recruits for the 2000 season. The new Minutewomen are midfielder Janelle Khouri (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), striker Erin Lilly (Ballston Lake, N.Y.), midfielder Amy Mink (West Chester, Ohio), midfielder Michelle Luttati (Westford, Mass.) and goalie Kelly Nigh (Seattle, Wash.).
Khouri is a 5-foot, 9-inch midfielder who has been a member of the U-20 and U-18 Canadian National Teams. She is a team captain for the U-19 Calgary United and in 1998 she was the team captain of the Gold Medalist team in the Canadian National U-17 Club Championship.
"Janelle is a talented central midfield player who along with Amy Mink will help us absorb the loss of three fine senior midfielders," said Rudy. "She comes from a soccer experienced family and is in the Canadian U-20 National Team Pool."
Lilly is a graduate of Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, N.Y, where she tallied 85 goals and 36 assists as a striker, in her four year career which ranks her second all-time in goals and first in assists at the school. She has received Region I ODP, New York State first team All Star and Suburban Council Player of the Year honors the past two seasons.
"We are very pleased in signing Erin," said Rudy. "With the graduation of our all-time leading scorer Emma Kurowski, she gives us someone who four years from now may indeed challenge that mark. When I first saw her play years ago, I knew immediately she was someone we wanted here at UMass. She's another fine product of Shenendehowa High School, along with current players Brooke Bartlett and Katelyn Jones."
Mink is a 5-foot, 6-inch attacking midfielder from Lakota West High School and the Club Ohio Dynamo. She was a member of the Division I State Champion team and her club team won the SuperClubs U-17 National Tournament last spring. Mink was voted as the top senior girl from Cincinnati by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Mink also was voted First Team Greater Miami Conference, First Team All-City and a Cincinnati Enquirer All-Star team selection in her junior year.
"Amy is one of the top kids from Cincinnati and captained her high school team to the state championship," said Rudy. "We like her subtleness in attacking from behind and her finishing ability."
Luttati is a 5-foot, 6-inch midfielder from Westford Academy, where she was selected to the Eastern Massachusetts All-Star Team and All-State team as a senior. She was the captain of her high school team that advanced to the Division II State Semifinals in her senior year. She was voted as the Dual County League and the Lowell Sun Player of the Year.
"Michelle has lots of good parts to her game and her great jumping ability gives us exactly what we need," said Rudy. "Also, her strong academics will help us maintain our team 3.0 plus grade point average."
Nigh is a 5-foot, 9-inch goalkeeper from Nathan Hale High School. She has been a member of the WSYSA ODP State team from 1994-99 and was part of the Regional Pool in 1997. She has been a member of the Emerald City FC `81 Azzurri-Premier 1 club team since 1994, while being chosen as the co-captain in 1994-1998. Nigh received All-Metro League first team honors in 1997 and `98, while receiving second team accolades in 1996. She has also been a varsity co-captain and Scholar-Athlete since 1996.
"With the graduation of Angie Napoli and the departure of Cori Stevens, the signing of Kelly became critical for us," said Rudy. She gives us height and athleticism in goal and with Emerald City she is accustomed to winning."