May 13, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M soccer signees Meghan Streight, Shea Groom and Annie Kunz were named 2011 Gatorade State Girls Soccer Players of the Year, the organization recently announced.
Streight (McKinney, Texas) was named the top player in Texas, while Groom (Liberty, Mo.) took honors in Missouri and Kunz (Golden, Colo.) topped the competition in Colorado. All three athletes signed national letters of intent with A&M in February and will be on the roster for the 2011 season. This is the second honor for Groom and Kunz.
"We are really proud of all of our incoming players," head coach G Guerrieri said. "We have a very talented freshman class coming to Texas A&M. This is a really cool honor for Meghan, Annie and Shea."
The award is based on athletic excellence and academic achievement, as well as character on -and-off of the field. One athlete is recognized in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 12 sports. Honorees are chosen by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, along with sport-specific experts and a media advisory board. A Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year will be announced later this month.
Streight led the McKinney-Boyd girls' soccer team to its second-consecutive Class 5A state championship last month, scoring 10 goals and assisting 13. The defender also led a defense that gave up just 12 goals and posted 19 shutouts for a 28-1-1 record on the season. She maintains a 3.85 GPA, is a member of Young Life, and volunteers as a youth soccer coach and through PALS.
Groom helped the Liberty High School Blue Jays to a Missouri state championship in 2010 and won a share of the conference championship last night with a 20-3 record in the regular season. Playing in each of the Blue Jays' games, the forward garnered 41 goals and 19 assists this season. Groom has a 3.90 cumulative GPA and is a volunteer at local homeless shelters and with her church youth group.
Kunz was named the Colorado Player of the Year as a sophomore and junior while leading the Wheat Ridge High School girls' soccer team to back-to-back state championships. The WRHS Farmers are currently awaiting the second round Colorado 4A state tournament, to be played May 14. Kunz led the team to a 12-2-1 regular season record with 28 goals and nine assists. She has a 3.82 GPA and volunteers as a peer counselor and a youth soccer coach. Kunz will also compete in track and field for A&M.
"All three of these young ladies come from great families," Guerrieri said. "Each is a great teammate and leader on their current high school and club teams. So, it's understandable why we are all so excited to have them playing for the Aggies in the upcoming NCAA soccer season."
The Big 12 champion Aggie soccer team will open the 2011 season at Central Florida in an August 13 match. To learn more about Texas A&M soccer, log on to AggieAthletics.com.