Northwestern University Athletics
Moynihan, Wildcats Ink Two to National Letters of Intent
2/3/2016 4:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. – Women's soccer head coach Michael Moynihan has announced the signing of two players to National Letters of Intent on Wednesday.
Abby Dein and Maddy Lucas will be headed to Evanston to join the Wildcats for the 2016 season. Dein, a standout midfielder for nearby Eclipse Select Soccer Club, and Lucas, the top scorer for her high school in Michigan, will look to keep Northwestern on the rise.
Last season, Northwestern has punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, and the third time in program history. Their second-round run marked just the second time the 'Cats advanced past the round of 64.Northwestern went 13-5-2 during the regular-season with seven Big Ten victories – the most since 1998 – and appeared in the NSCAA polls for the first time in 17 years. Northwestern did not lose a single match against a team ranked outside the RPI top 45.
"We had an exciting season in 2015 and everyone is energized to continue building on that success," Moynihan said. "We had a young team that gained valuable experience and are now in a position where we have a lot of players returning. Knowing this, we were quite selective in our recruiting for 2016. The players joining our program will allow us to continue to build. They come to us with high levels of experience and they are used to competing for championships. They are also passionate about soccer and both play with tremendous game insight."
Abby Dein
5-5 - Midfielder
Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South
High School/Club: Won U15 and U16 ECNL National Championships with Eclipse Select Soccer Club … Won U14, U15, U16 and U18 Illinois State Cup Championships with Eclipse Select S.C. … Part of U15 Women's National Team player pool … Four-year Honor Roll student … Illinois State Scholar
Personal: Father played collegiate tennis at Loyola University Chicago … Anticipated major is Economics
Moynihan on Dein: "Abby is a player with a tremendous soccer IQ. She is versatile and can play multiple positions with great composure, awareness and confidence. As we build our possession based play, players like Abby will help us retain the ball, but she is equally adept as a ball winner. She is so solid on both sides of the ball. She had a rough stretch recently, suffering a pretty severe knee injury that took her out of action for about a year, but she has worked very hard in her recovery and is getting back to her best. With her ability to read the game and contribute both offensively and defensively, she has a very bright future at the collegiate level."
Maddy Lucas
5-6 - Forward
Plymouth, Mich./Canton
High School/Club: Top scorer for her varsity soccer team … Won state and region championships with club team Michigan Hawks … Two-time Nike National Training Camp invitee … Three-time ID2 invitee … Honor Roll student in high school
Personal: Considering a major in International Business, Spanish and Economics
Moynihan on Lucas: "Maddy is a creative attacking presence. She plays with an edge and is capable of either scoring or providing quality assists. She has been a leader for her team at the club level in both categories, and we feel she can have an immediate impact and contribute to our scoring in 2016. Maddy has composure, a strong shot, and a knack for setting up goals. Her creative play is also fun to watch."
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Abby Dein and Maddy Lucas will be headed to Evanston to join the Wildcats for the 2016 season. Dein, a standout midfielder for nearby Eclipse Select Soccer Club, and Lucas, the top scorer for her high school in Michigan, will look to keep Northwestern on the rise.
Last season, Northwestern has punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, and the third time in program history. Their second-round run marked just the second time the 'Cats advanced past the round of 64.Northwestern went 13-5-2 during the regular-season with seven Big Ten victories – the most since 1998 – and appeared in the NSCAA polls for the first time in 17 years. Northwestern did not lose a single match against a team ranked outside the RPI top 45.
"We had an exciting season in 2015 and everyone is energized to continue building on that success," Moynihan said. "We had a young team that gained valuable experience and are now in a position where we have a lot of players returning. Knowing this, we were quite selective in our recruiting for 2016. The players joining our program will allow us to continue to build. They come to us with high levels of experience and they are used to competing for championships. They are also passionate about soccer and both play with tremendous game insight."
Abby Dein
5-5 - Midfielder
Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South
Welcome Abby Dein to the Northwestern family! #B1GCats pic.twitter.com/cyYHStfpqR
— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) February 3, 2016
High School/Club: Won U15 and U16 ECNL National Championships with Eclipse Select Soccer Club … Won U14, U15, U16 and U18 Illinois State Cup Championships with Eclipse Select S.C. … Part of U15 Women's National Team player pool … Four-year Honor Roll student … Illinois State Scholar
Personal: Father played collegiate tennis at Loyola University Chicago … Anticipated major is Economics
Moynihan on Dein: "Abby is a player with a tremendous soccer IQ. She is versatile and can play multiple positions with great composure, awareness and confidence. As we build our possession based play, players like Abby will help us retain the ball, but she is equally adept as a ball winner. She is so solid on both sides of the ball. She had a rough stretch recently, suffering a pretty severe knee injury that took her out of action for about a year, but she has worked very hard in her recovery and is getting back to her best. With her ability to read the game and contribute both offensively and defensively, she has a very bright future at the collegiate level."
Maddy Lucas
5-6 - Forward
Plymouth, Mich./Canton
From Canton, Mich., Maddy Lucas rounds out the 2016 recruiting class! #B1GCats pic.twitter.com/uAVFZnpBPB
— Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) February 3, 2016
High School/Club: Top scorer for her varsity soccer team … Won state and region championships with club team Michigan Hawks … Two-time Nike National Training Camp invitee … Three-time ID2 invitee … Honor Roll student in high school
Personal: Considering a major in International Business, Spanish and Economics
Moynihan on Lucas: "Maddy is a creative attacking presence. She plays with an edge and is capable of either scoring or providing quality assists. She has been a leader for her team at the club level in both categories, and we feel she can have an immediate impact and contribute to our scoring in 2016. Maddy has composure, a strong shot, and a knack for setting up goals. Her creative play is also fun to watch."
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Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!Women's Soccer - Northwestern Upends No. 4 TCU behind Roesch's Goal (9/4/25)
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