Aggies Add Five Early Enrollees for 2018 Campaign
Jan 16, 2018 | Soccer
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M Aggies announced the arrival of five early enrollees for the upcoming 2018 soccer season. Freshmen Kendall Bates (M – Melissa, Texas), Jordan Burbank (GK – Edmond, Okla.), Macie Kolb (D – McKinney, Texas), Karlina Sample (D – Frisco, Texas) and Tera Ziemer (F/M – Santa Rosa, Calif.) all enrolled and were scheduled to begin classes Tuesday at Texas A&M.
"We're excited about these five players," Aggies' head coach G Guerrieri said. "They're all high character young ladies and special soccer players. It's a versatile and highly skilled group. They are all exceptional students with special athletic gifts.
"Being on campus this spring offers each of these students the opportunity to get acclimated to the high academic standards of Texas A&M. It will also allow them to quickly become members of our tight knit Aggie Soccer family and receive a full semester of soccer and athletic development under our coaches. All in all, graduating a semester early is a positive move by these five fantastic players and helps Texas A&M soccer to move forward in our quest to do great things in 2018 and win more trophies."
Bates, the younger sister of current Aggie standout Emily Bates, was a three-year letterwinner at Melissa High School. She racked up All-Texas Class 4A Second Team recognition as well as Dallas Morning News All-DFW Second Team and District 5-4A Most Valuable Player recognition as a junior in 2017. During her three-year career at Melissa, she logged a whopping 59 goals and 63 assists, including 25 goals and 15 assists as a junior and 18 goals and 36 assists as a freshman. She was a District 5-4A First Team and all-region first team choice as a sophomore and an All-Texas Class 4A Honorable Mention and District 5-4A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman.
"Kendall is a smart and skillful player with tremendous leadership skills," Guerrieri said. "She has a wonderful presence with her teammates on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom."
Burbank is the top goalkeeper coming out of Oklahoma. A three-year letterwinner at Edmond North High School, she racked up a 37-14-1 record during her career, including 27 shutouts. Her squad advanced to the state semifinals all three of her seasons. As a junior in 2017, she posted a 15-2-1 record with 11 shutouts and a 0.67 goals against average to earn All-City accolades from The Oklahoman and VYPE. Also picked up all-district recognition as a sophomore and All-City as a freshman when she went 12-4 with a 0.63 goals-against average and 10 shutouts. Burbank is a versatile athlete who lettered as a forward on the Edmond North basketball squad and shortstop on the softball team.
"Jordan is an outstanding shot stopper," Guerrieri said. "She brings a lot of athleticism and mental toughness to the position as a three-sport performer in high school. We now have three great goalkeepers on our roster, which will create great competition in training in 2018."
Kolb was a three-year letterwinner at McKinney Boyd High School which previously produced Texas A&M standouts Kelley Monogue and Meghan Streight. A three-time All-District 6-6A honoree, she picked up first team recognition in both 2015 and 2016. Last season, Kolb played valiantly through injury to earn second-team All-District 6-6A and lead McKinney to the first round of the state playoffs. A standout with the Solar Soccer Club ECNL last year, she led the team to a regional playoff appearance.
"Macie is a dynamic attacking force, even though she's listed as a defender," Guerrieri said. "She has solid defensive skills and the range and speed to run from endline to endline. She can be one of those special outside backs for us like we've had recently with Leigh Edwards and Karlie Mueller."
Another stellar defender from the DFW metroplex, Karlina Sample arrives from Frisco. Concentrating on club soccer the last two and a half years, she participated in three national training camps in 2016 and 2017, including the ECNL/id2 Training Camp in Portland in 2017. Sample was named to the Best XI for the 2016 ECNL U16 National Playoffs by TopDrawerSoccer. Sample helped Solar SC to three Texas Regional titles from 2015-17. She participated in two US Soccer U14 National Team camps in 2014. In her only prep season, she was named All-District 9-5A as a freshman at Frisco High School, helping the squad to the fifth round of the state playoffs. She earned two varsity letters in basketball at Reedy High School and ran sprints at Frisco as a freshman and Reedy as a sophomore and junior.
"Karlina is as athletic and imposing as a defender as anyone in the nation," Guerrieri said. "She's another gifted athlete who brings great skill and versatility to our defense. She has great poise and presence on the backline, which adds a higher degree of confidence to the team. "
A Prep All-American, Ziemer was three-year letterwinner at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, California. She led the Vikings to three appearances in the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section Championship, including winning the title as a junior and finishing as runner-up as a freshman and sophomore. Ziemer was tabbed a TopDrawerSoccer TeamSnap All-California and All-West Region performer in 2016. Hailing form a prodigious soccer family, her father Marcus Ziemer is beginning his 28th year as head coach at Sonoma State University, her mother, Trisha (Gretton) Ziemer, was a standout at Santa Clara University and Sonoma State, and her sister, Taylor Ziemer, is a two-year letter winner at the University of Virginia. Her great grandfather Bob St. Clair is a Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee.
"Tera is a very savvy and intelligent player who combines well with her teammates to create and finish opportunities in attack," Guerrieri said. "She has a long, lean frame that can be difficult for our opponents to defend and give the Aggies an added dimension. She comes from a soccer family with two parents who are coaches, so she is very knowledgeable and has a great feel for the game."
The Aggies have now had 19 freshmen early enrollees over the last five years, including Cienna Arrieta, Stephanie Malherbe, Mikaela Harvey, Haley Pounds, and Addie McCain since 2014.
Texas A&M wrapped up the 2017 season with an 18-2-2 overall mark and claimed their third SEC Tournament title. The Maroon & White earned a bid to their 23rd consecutive NCAA Championship and advanced to the second round of the tournament for the 20th straight season.
TEXAS A&M 2018 SIGNING CLASS AS OF JANUARY 16, 2018
Kendall Bates (M, 5-4, Fr., Melissa, Texas/Melissa HS/Solar SC)
"We're excited about these five players," Aggies' head coach G Guerrieri said. "They're all high character young ladies and special soccer players. It's a versatile and highly skilled group. They are all exceptional students with special athletic gifts.
"Being on campus this spring offers each of these students the opportunity to get acclimated to the high academic standards of Texas A&M. It will also allow them to quickly become members of our tight knit Aggie Soccer family and receive a full semester of soccer and athletic development under our coaches. All in all, graduating a semester early is a positive move by these five fantastic players and helps Texas A&M soccer to move forward in our quest to do great things in 2018 and win more trophies."
Bates, the younger sister of current Aggie standout Emily Bates, was a three-year letterwinner at Melissa High School. She racked up All-Texas Class 4A Second Team recognition as well as Dallas Morning News All-DFW Second Team and District 5-4A Most Valuable Player recognition as a junior in 2017. During her three-year career at Melissa, she logged a whopping 59 goals and 63 assists, including 25 goals and 15 assists as a junior and 18 goals and 36 assists as a freshman. She was a District 5-4A First Team and all-region first team choice as a sophomore and an All-Texas Class 4A Honorable Mention and District 5-4A Newcomer of the Year as a freshman.
"Kendall is a smart and skillful player with tremendous leadership skills," Guerrieri said. "She has a wonderful presence with her teammates on the field, in the locker room and in the classroom."
Burbank is the top goalkeeper coming out of Oklahoma. A three-year letterwinner at Edmond North High School, she racked up a 37-14-1 record during her career, including 27 shutouts. Her squad advanced to the state semifinals all three of her seasons. As a junior in 2017, she posted a 15-2-1 record with 11 shutouts and a 0.67 goals against average to earn All-City accolades from The Oklahoman and VYPE. Also picked up all-district recognition as a sophomore and All-City as a freshman when she went 12-4 with a 0.63 goals-against average and 10 shutouts. Burbank is a versatile athlete who lettered as a forward on the Edmond North basketball squad and shortstop on the softball team.
"Jordan is an outstanding shot stopper," Guerrieri said. "She brings a lot of athleticism and mental toughness to the position as a three-sport performer in high school. We now have three great goalkeepers on our roster, which will create great competition in training in 2018."
Kolb was a three-year letterwinner at McKinney Boyd High School which previously produced Texas A&M standouts Kelley Monogue and Meghan Streight. A three-time All-District 6-6A honoree, she picked up first team recognition in both 2015 and 2016. Last season, Kolb played valiantly through injury to earn second-team All-District 6-6A and lead McKinney to the first round of the state playoffs. A standout with the Solar Soccer Club ECNL last year, she led the team to a regional playoff appearance.
"Macie is a dynamic attacking force, even though she's listed as a defender," Guerrieri said. "She has solid defensive skills and the range and speed to run from endline to endline. She can be one of those special outside backs for us like we've had recently with Leigh Edwards and Karlie Mueller."
Another stellar defender from the DFW metroplex, Karlina Sample arrives from Frisco. Concentrating on club soccer the last two and a half years, she participated in three national training camps in 2016 and 2017, including the ECNL/id2 Training Camp in Portland in 2017. Sample was named to the Best XI for the 2016 ECNL U16 National Playoffs by TopDrawerSoccer. Sample helped Solar SC to three Texas Regional titles from 2015-17. She participated in two US Soccer U14 National Team camps in 2014. In her only prep season, she was named All-District 9-5A as a freshman at Frisco High School, helping the squad to the fifth round of the state playoffs. She earned two varsity letters in basketball at Reedy High School and ran sprints at Frisco as a freshman and Reedy as a sophomore and junior.
"Karlina is as athletic and imposing as a defender as anyone in the nation," Guerrieri said. "She's another gifted athlete who brings great skill and versatility to our defense. She has great poise and presence on the backline, which adds a higher degree of confidence to the team. "
A Prep All-American, Ziemer was three-year letterwinner at Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa, California. She led the Vikings to three appearances in the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section Championship, including winning the title as a junior and finishing as runner-up as a freshman and sophomore. Ziemer was tabbed a TopDrawerSoccer TeamSnap All-California and All-West Region performer in 2016. Hailing form a prodigious soccer family, her father Marcus Ziemer is beginning his 28th year as head coach at Sonoma State University, her mother, Trisha (Gretton) Ziemer, was a standout at Santa Clara University and Sonoma State, and her sister, Taylor Ziemer, is a two-year letter winner at the University of Virginia. Her great grandfather Bob St. Clair is a Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee.
"Tera is a very savvy and intelligent player who combines well with her teammates to create and finish opportunities in attack," Guerrieri said. "She has a long, lean frame that can be difficult for our opponents to defend and give the Aggies an added dimension. She comes from a soccer family with two parents who are coaches, so she is very knowledgeable and has a great feel for the game."
The Aggies have now had 19 freshmen early enrollees over the last five years, including Cienna Arrieta, Stephanie Malherbe, Mikaela Harvey, Haley Pounds, and Addie McCain since 2014.
Texas A&M wrapped up the 2017 season with an 18-2-2 overall mark and claimed their third SEC Tournament title. The Maroon & White earned a bid to their 23rd consecutive NCAA Championship and advanced to the second round of the tournament for the 20th straight season.
TEXAS A&M 2018 SIGNING CLASS AS OF JANUARY 16, 2018
| Player | Pos. | Ht. | Cl. | Hometown | High School | Club Team |
| Kendall Bates | M | 5-4 | Fr. | Melissa, Texas | Melissa HS | Solar SC |
| Jordan Burbank | GK | 5-10 | Fr. | Edmond, Okla. | Edmond North HS | Oklahoma FC |
| Macie Kolb | D | 5-8 | Fr. | McKinney, Texas | McKinney Boyd HS | Solar SC |
| Karlina Sample | D | 5-7 | Fr. | Frisco, Texas | Reedy HS | Solar SC |
| Tera Ziemer | F/M | 5-10 | Fr. | Santa Rosa, Calif. | Montgomery HS | Mustang SC |
Kendall Bates (M, 5-4, Fr., Melissa, Texas/Melissa HS/Solar SC)
- Spent the last year and a half with Solar Soccer Club
- Also played three years with the Dallas Texans and five years with Liverpool Football Club's North Texas academy
- Named to the TopDrawerSoccer's Best XI list at the 2017 US Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase (U18/U19)
- Served as club captain two years with the Texans and three years with Liverpool
- Guided Liverpool squad to a stellar 2013 campaign with a third-place national finish, as well as earning the Region III and State Cup titles
- Three-year letterwinner at Melissa High School, racking up 59 goals and 63 assists during her prep career
- Tallied 25 goals and 15 assists as a junior in 2017, earning TopDrawerSoccer TeamSnap Winter State All-Star, Dallas Morning News All-DFW Second Team, All-Texas Class 4A Second Team, All-District 5-4A First Team and District 5-4A Co-MVP accolades
- Logged 16 goals and 12 assists as a sophomore in 2016, picking up All-District 5-4A First Team and all-region first team honors
- Notched 18 goals and 36 assists as a freshman, earning All-Texas Class 4A Honorable Mention and District 5-4A Newcomer of the Year
- Led Melissa to regional semifinal appearances in 2015 and 2016 and a regional final appearance in 2017
- Also lettered one year each in cross country and track & field
- Finished third at the District 14-4A cross country meet as a freshman
- Regional qualifier in the 800 meters as a freshman in 2015
- Won the 8th grade district cross country title
- Earned 7th and 8th grade district triple jump titles, as well as finishing as 7th grade district runner up in the 200
- Attended US Soccer U14 National Team Camp in June 2014
- Participated in US Training Center combines from 2013-15
- Attended id2 camps in Portland (2014) and Casa Grande, Ariz. (2013 & 2014)
- Sister, Emily, is a three-year letterwinner for the Aggies
Jordan Burbank (GK, 5-10, Fr., Edmond, Okla./Edmond North H S/Oklahoma FC)
- Spent eight years playing for Oklahoma Football Club
- Helped Oklahoma FC win five state titles as well as advancing to the Region III finals on three occasions
- In 2017 guided Oklahoma FC to the USYS National Championships with a sixth-place finish and a Super Y National Championship title
- Three-year varsity letterwinner at Edmond (Okla.) North High School
- Notched a 37-14-1 record during her three-year career at Edmond North, including 27 shutouts
- Advanced to state semifinal all three of her varsity seasons, losing to 2015 & '16 National Champion and '17 National Runner-up Tulsa Union
- Posted a 15-2-1 record with 11 shutouts and a 0.67 goals-against average as a junior in 2017
- Earned VYPE All-OKC, The Oklahoman All-City and All-Metro Athletics Conference as a junior as she led the Huskies to a conference title, district championship along with a No. 2 state ranking and No. 20 national ranking
- Logged a 10-8 mark with six shutouts and a 1.20 goals-against average as a sophomore
- Picked up all-district recognition as a sophomore as she guided squad to a district title and a state semifinal appearance
- Registered a 12-4 record with 10 shutouts and a 0.63 goals-against average as a freshman
- Earned VYPE All-OKC, The Oklahoman All-City and All-Metro Athletics Conference as a freshman as she led team to a conference title, district crown and a state semifinal appearance
- Played for the Oklahoma City Football Club of the Women's Premier Soccer League in 2016, posting a 9-3 record with shutouts
- Three-sport standout at Edmond North, earning two letters as a forward on the basketball squad and one letter as a shortstop on the softball team
- Father, Dennis Burbank, played basketball at Pepperdine University and baseball and basketball at Oklahoma State University
- Father played professional baseball in the New York Yankees organization
- Mother, Julie (Dobbs) Burbank, was a four-year starting shortstop on the University of Oklahoma softball team
Macie Kolb (D, 5-8, Fr., McKinney, Texas/McKinney Boyd HS/Solar SC)
- Spent two years with the Solar Soccer Club
- Helped lead Solar ECNL to a regional playoff appearance
- Claimed the ECNL North American Cup title with Dallas Sting in 2015
- Also won 2014 State Cup and 2013-14 Premier League title with Solar Elite
- Three-year letterwinner at McKinney Boyd High School, which also produced A&M standout's Kelley Monogue and Meghan Streight
- Three-time All-District 6-6A honoree, including first team as both a freshman and sophomore and second team as a junior
- Played through injury as a junior to lead squad to the first round of the state playoffs and earn all-district second-team recognition
- Earned All-DFW Honorable Mention from the Dallas Morning News as well as picking up All-District 6-6A First Team and District 6-6A Defender of the Year
- As a freshman she helped squad advance to third round of the state playoffs and earned All-District 6-6A
- Attended US Club Soccer PDP camp at SMU in March 2016
Karlina Sample (D, 5-7, Fr., Frisco, Texas/Reedy HS/Solar SC)
- Spent the last three years with the Solar Soccer Club
- Helped Solar SC to three Texas Regional titles
- Has participated in three national training camps in 2016 and 2017, including the ECNL/id2 Training Camp in Portland in July 2017
- Named to the Best XI for the 2016 ECNL U16 National Playoffs by TopDrawerSoccer
- Participated in two US Soccer U14 National Team Camps in 2014
- Earned one varsity letter in soccer as a freshman at Frisco High School
- Earned All-District 9-5A as a freshman at Frisco, helping squad to the fifth round of the state playoffs
- Also earned two varsity letters in basketball at Reedy High School
- As a junior she appeared in 21 games with the basketball squad at Reedy, averaging 2.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game
- Ran the sprints for both Frisco (Fr.) and Reedy (So. & Jr.), including the 4x100 Relay, 100 Hurdles and 4x400 Relay
- Eighth Grade District Champion in the 100 Hurdles and the 400 in 2013
- National Junior Olympic runner-up in the 4x400 in 2014
- Finished third in the 400 Meter Dash Midget Girls at the 2012 USA Youth Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Tera Ziemer (F/M, 5-10, Fr., Santa Rosa, Calif./Montgomery HS/Mustang SC)
- Two-year member of the Mustang Soccer Club
- Led team to a Top 8 national finish in the ECNL last season
- Selected to play with NorCal Player Development squad that played in the 2017 Gothia Cup in Sweden
- Participated in the ECNL/id2 National Training Camp in Portland in July 2016
- Tabbed a TopDrawerSoccer TeamSnap All-California and All-West Region performer in 2016
- Named a Prep All-American in 2017
- Three-year varsity letterwinner at Montgomery High School
- Led Montgomery to three appearances in the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Section championship, including a championship in 2016 and runner-up finishes as a freshman and sophomore
- Father, Marcus, played at Sonoma State University and he has been the head men's coach at Sonoma State the last 27 seasons
- Mother, Trisha (Gretton) Ziemer, played soccer at Santa Clara University (1988-89, 91) and Sonoma State (1990), winning the NCAA Division II National Championship with Sonoma State
- Sister, Taylor Ziemer, has played two years at the University of Virginia
- Great grandfather Bob St. Clair was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, enjoying a stellar playing career with the San Francisco 49ers
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